Apply for passports now to avoid year-end surge: ICA

SINGAPORE: The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) on Thursday (Aug 18) urged Singaporeans with year-end travel plans to submit their passport applications immediately.

This applies to those holding expired passports or passports with less than six months validity.

"This will avoid another surge for application of passports towards end of the year and provide sufficient time for ICA to meet the demand for year-end travels," the authority said in a press release. 

Those who submit their applications late will risk not being able to collect their passport in time for their travels, it added. 

Passport applications can be submitted online via the ICA website or MyICA Mobile app - these can also be used to check the status of a passport application. 

To avoid unnecessary delay, those who choose to take a photo of themselves for passport applications should refer to the photo guidelines on ICA’s website.

"Applicants with photos that do not meet the passport guidelines will be required to resubmit a new photo," said the authority. 

Those whose passports are ready for collection will receive an email or a pink notification card from ICA. They may then proceed to make an appointment online to collect their passport from the ICA Building or any of the 29 designated post offices. 

There is no additional fee for passport collection at the post offices.

Applicants with enquiries on passport matters can refer to ICA's FAQs or via the Live Chat on its website, and can contact the passport hotline at 68125555.

In May this year, the easing of travel measures led to snaking queues at the ICA building in Kallang as people queued for hours to apply for or renew their passports.

ICA said then that Singaporeans would have to wait at least six weeks to get their passports, with the number of daily applications numbering more than 7,000 and reaching 14,000 at its peak.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, there were about 2,000 applications per day.

The border control agency responded about a month later with a review of its processes, only permitting walk-ins from applicants who have been notified to either collect their passports, provide supporting documents or resubmit photographs.

Previously, several visits to the building were by individuals checking on their applications or requesting that their applications be expedited - both of which can be done online.