Singapore has lifted all COVID-19 entry restrictions for visitors, including those who are not fully vaccinated. Travelers can now enter the country without showing any coronavirus paperwork. The change came into effect on 13 February 2022. From this date onwards, passengers face no additional border restrictions. This includes no longer showing a COVID-19 vaccine certificate
5 May 2023
| Post bySingapore has announced that citizens of Saudi Arabia will no longer need a visa to visit the island country.
The Singapore Embassy in Riyadh released a statement at the end of April 2023. It announced that all Saudi passport holders would soon enjoy visa exemption for Singapore.
Until now, only Saudi diplomatic passport holders have been visa-exempt to enter the Southeast Asian city state.
This comes as the latest piece of good news for Saudis traveling internationally. Singapore joins Kazakhstan and 3 Balkan countries in lifting visa requirements. Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro have recently granted Saudi nationals visa-free entry, at least until the end of the year.
When Will Saudis Be Able to Travel to Singapore Visa-Free?
According to the Singapore Embassy, Saudi nationals will be visa-exempt from June 1, 2023.
The Embassy tweeted a statement from the Singapore Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA), saying the following:
“Saudi nationals with passports issued by the KSA will no longer need to apply for an entry visa to enter Singapore from June 1, 2023.”
The same statement also pointed out the rules for Saudis who plan to enter Singapore before this date. A visa will still be required to enter the country before June 1.
Saudis can apply for a visa at the Singapore Embassy in Riyadh or other Singaporean diplomatic mission until this date.
What do I do if I have already applied for a visa?
According to the Singapore ICA, visas granted to Saudi visitors will be valid until June 1. After this, they will not be necessary.
Travelers will not be given a refund of the processing fee if they have already applied for a visa they no longer need.
Do I still need to fill in the Arrival Card?
Yes, all Saudi travelers will still need to complete the Singapore Arrival Card (SG Arrival Card), which can be done online.
It is important to remember that the SG Arrival Card is not a visa, so the latest changes in Singapore’s visa rules do not affect it as an entry requirement.
Closer Relations Between Saudi Arabia and Singapore
The decision to remove visa requirements for Saudis comes as the 2 nations have deepened their ties in recent months.
November marked the second meeting of a Saudi-Singaporean committee, where representatives talked about how to increase trade between the 2 states.
Transport Minister Saleh Al-Jasser led the Saudi delegation, meeting his Singaporean counterpart S Iswaran. Among other things, they signed two memorandums of understanding in the field of transport.
Discussions took place regarding a number of initiatives in the following areas:
- Transport
- Logistics and infrastructure
- Energy and industry
- The digital economy
- Investment and finance
- Tourism and culture
Minister Saleh Al-Jasser talked about the importance of business leaders’ role in driving economy and trade in a panel discussion organized by the Singapore Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
One of the outcomes of this committee has been the decision to remove one of the barriers to travel from Saudi Arabia to Singapore: entry visas.
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