Singapore Getaways

As a traveller, there are two main differences between the biometric passport and the old one.
1. You cannot renew your Singapore passport validity with the biometric passport. It is only valid for 5 years, then you have to pay another SGD $80 to get a new one after those 5 years are up.
2. Your Passport Number is now different from your NRIC number. Keep in mind when filling out travelling forms you will no longer be able to use your IC number.

If you remember when it was issued, all passports issued past 15 August 2006 are biometric. So if you got it in 2009 it is definitely a biometric one.

If your passport is the Singapore biometric one, your passport cover should look like this (from Wiki):

Pay attention to the international symbol for biometric passports below the words “PASSPORT” that looks like:

On a related note, find out what to do in case you lose your Singapore passport overseas.

If you have the new biometric Singapore passport (issued after 15 August 2006), you cannot extend your passport validity (how to check if your passport is biometric).

However, if your passport was issued before 15 August 2006, extending your validity is a very quick and simple process. To extend your passport, bring your current passport as well as your identity card to the Passports Section at ICA (address below). You can collect your extended passport within the same day.

A new passport is valid for 5 years, but you can renew it for another 5 years in addition to the remaining validity. This means that if you have 7 months left till your passport expires, the renewal will add 5 years for a total of 5 years 7 months.

Heads up if you’re 16 or under – in addition to your passport and identity card, you’ll also need to bring:

a) Your Birth Certificate and
b) One of your parent’s Identity Card

The best thing about it is that extending your passport is FREE!

Where to Extend Your Passport
Passports Section
Citizen Services Centre
2nd Storey, ICA Building
10 Kallang Road
(Next to Lavender MRT station)
Singapore 208718

When to Extend Your Passport
Passport extension hours:
8.00 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. on weekdays
8.00 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. on Saturdays

PRO-TIP: It is worth taking some time off work to extend your passport. Peak period waiting times, especially during lunch, can really get insane. Peak periods to avoid are pretty much every convenient day – Mondays, Fridays, Saturdays, school holidays, eve & day after public holidays. And of course lunchtime (11.30 am to 2.00 pm on weekdays).

Lost your passport? Find out what to do if you have lost your Singapore passport.

A lost passport must be reported immediately to the Passports Section at the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA).

Lost in Singapore – Make a police report and get a copy of the report. Bring this report as proof of loss when making the report at the Passport Section at the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA). If you also want to apply for a replacement passport at the same time, bring two passport sized photos.

Lost Overseas – Make a police report in the foreign country & request for a copy or some other proof that a report was made. Report the loss also to the nearest Singapore overseas mission with proof of your citizenship and two passport-sized photographs. You will receive a temporary Document of Identity. Upon your return to Singapore, you will have to apply for a replacement passport in person at the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA).

PRO TIP: There are manned photo booths at the ICA building on the 2nd and 3rd floor. They are generally cheaper than the ones you find in malls around Singapore. Although the queues always seem to be long, they move quickly. Check both floors to find the shorter queue – usually, the higher the floor the shorter the queue.

You might also be interested in reading how to extend your Singapore passport.