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Singapore visitor visa guide
Indian passport holders need a visa before travelling to Singapore. From India, you apply through an Authorised Visa Agent appointed by a Singapore mission, and the application is made online. This guide covers what we found on official Singapore government pages as of October 2026.
Visa
Entry visa for a business or social visit. It is permission to travel and seek entry, not an immigration pass.
Validity
No fixed period is published. Each application is assessed on its own merits. The validity and expiry date are printed on the visa, which may be single or multiple journey.
Length of stay
Decided by ICA officers at the checkpoint and shown on your Visit Pass (sent as an e-Pass by email). It is not tied to how long the visa is valid.
ICA visa fee
S$30, non-refundable (as of October 2026). Agents add their own service fee, and some charge extra admin fees. Check the total with your agent.
How Indians apply
Online, through an Authorised Visa Agent listed by the Singapore mission in India, or through an eligible local contact in Singapore. Walk-in applications are not accepted.
Processing time
Usually 3 to 5 working days after submission, not counting the day of submission, weekends and public holidays. Some take longer.
1Visit visa for a graduation ceremony
Parents travelling to see their child graduate apply for the same business or social visit visa as any other visitor. There is no separate graduation visa.
Your child cannot act as your local contact while on a Student's Pass. The Singapore Consulate-General in Chennai states that a local contact must be a Singapore citizen or permanent resident, aged 21 or over, with a Singpass or Corppass account. Most parents therefore apply through an Authorised Visa Agent in India.
Plan around the ceremony date. Official guidance advises applying within 30 days before you arrive. In the peak season (March to May) it suggests allowing two to four weeks; otherwise at least one week. You do not need to buy flight tickets before applying. If you do, the risk is yours if the visa is refused or its dates do not match your trip.
Useful supporting documents: the graduation invitation or letter from the university, a copy of your child's Student's Pass, proof of your relationship (such as your child's birth certificate), and recent bank statements. These are not on the official checklist, but the mission may ask for additional documents case by case.
2Visit visa for an event or family visit
Visiting relatives, attending a wedding or another family event are social visits. You apply for the same visa. If a relative in Singapore is a citizen or permanent resident aged 21 or over, they may be able to act as your local contact and apply online for you. Otherwise, apply through an agent.
Some applicants are asked for Form V39A, a Letter of Introduction from a local contact. If you cannot get one, the mission says a letter from your own embassy may be accepted.
What is not allowed: visitors on a Short-Term Visit Pass may not take up paid work, run a business or practise a profession in Singapore. Staying beyond your Visit Pass is an offence. The Singapore High Commission also warns about fake work passes offered in India. A real work pass is applied for by a Singapore employer through the Ministry of Manpower, not through a visit visa.
Useful supporting documents: an invitation from your relative with their address and contact details, a copy of their Singapore identity card or pass, and proof of your relationship.
3Visit visa for tourism
Holidays are covered by the same business or social visit visa. The core documents are the same: Form 14A, a recent photo and a copy of your passport.
At the border, ICA expects visitors to hold a passport valid for at least six months, proof of onward travel and enough money for the stay. Carry these with you, not just in your application file.
Useful supporting documents: a day-by-day travel plan, hotel bookings and recent bank statements.
4Applying again, visa validity and stay
The visa validity is the window in which you may arrive and seek entry. A single journey visa can be used once. A multiple journey visa can be used any number of times within its validity. The dates cannot be changed once issued, and there is no extension of validity.
Your length of stay is a separate decision. ICA officers grant a Visit Pass at the checkpoint, and it is emailed to you as an e-Pass. You can check it on ICA's e-Pass and Visit Pass validity services after you arrive. To stay longer, you apply online to ICA once 14 days or fewer remain on your pass. Extensions are at ICA's discretion and are not guaranteed.
If your visa has expired or been used, you make a fresh application. Each one is assessed on its own. If you are refused, an appeal can be made within one month through the same agent, and usually takes about 14 working days. ICA does not give reasons for refusals.
How the application process works
Check dates and timing
Fix your travel dates. Apply within 30 days before arrival, leaving two to four weeks in March to May and at least a week at other times. Make sure your passport will be valid for six months from the date you enter Singapore.
Complete Form 14A
Download Form 14A from ICA, fill in every column and blank space, and sign it. Incomplete forms can lead to delay or refusal.
Prepare your photo and passport copies
Get a recent colour passport-sized photo taken within the last three months that meets ICA's photo guidelines. Copy your passport's biodata page and last page. Documents not in English need an English translation.
Submit through an Authorised Visa Agent
Take your documents to an agent on the official list published by the Singapore High Commission in New Delhi or the Consulate-General in Chennai. Walk-in applications at the mission are not accepted. The agent submits your application online.
Pay the fees
You pay the S$30 ICA visa fee (charged in rupees) and the agent's service fee when you apply. Both are non-refundable, whatever the outcome. Ask the agent for the full amount before you hand over documents.
Wait for the decision and get your e-Visa
Processing usually takes 3 to 5 working days after submission. If approved, your agent gives you a copy of the e-Visa. Check the name, passport number and validity dates straight away.
Documents to keep ready
Application documents
Form 14A, completed and signed. A recent colour passport-sized photo (taken within the last three months). A copy of your passport biodata page and last page, with at least six months' validity from your date of entry. Form V39A (Letter of Introduction) if asked. Originals should be ready in case they are requested.
Financial evidence
ICA says visitors should have enough money for their stay. Recent bank statements, and proof of who is paying for the trip, help show this.
Reasons to return
Proof of your onward or return ticket for travel, plus anything that shows your life in India: a letter from your employer or proof of business, property papers, or family commitments.
No official minimum amount is published. ICA asks only that visitors carry enough money for their stay. Plan a realistic budget and be ready to show you can cover it.
Before you travel
Submit the SG Arrival Card within three days before arrival, counting the day you arrive. It is free on the ICA website or the official MyICA Mobile app. Ignore websites that charge a fee for it.
Enter a valid email address on the SG Arrival Card. Your Visit Pass is sent by email as an e-Pass, not stamped in your passport.
Carry your passport (valid six months or more), your e-Visa copy, your return or onward ticket and enough money for your stay.
A visa does not guarantee entry. ICA officers at the checkpoint decide whether you may enter and how long you may stay.
The visa does not allow paid work, business or professional activity. Leave on or before the date on your Visit Pass.
Government officials never ask for money transfers or bank log-in details by phone. Official Singapore government websites end in .gov.sg.
Golden Globe Overseas Education can help you understand the process, organise documents and prepare for the interview. Visa decisions are made by the immigration authorities of Singapore.
