ETIAS for Singapore citizens

Citizens of Singapore will soon need to apply for ETIAS to travel to the Schengen Area. ETIAS is a new entry requirement for visa-exempt non-EU citizens, including Singaporeans. ETIAS will be fully implemented by 2026 .

ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) is being implemented by the European Union to increase security and improve Schengen Area border management.

WHAT DO SINGAPOREANS NEED TO DO BEFORE VISITING THE SCHENGEN ZONE?

Citizens of Singapore do not need a visa to visit the Schengen Area for up to 90 days.

Singapore citizens will soon need to register with ETIAS to travel to Europe visa-free. The ETIAS requirements for Singaporean citizens are simple, applicants will need the following to apply:

The Singapore passport must be valid for at least 3 months after the intended date of departure from the Schengen Area. ETIAS is not a visa and documents do not need to be presented in person at an embassy. The application process is 100% online.

VISITING THE SCHENGEN ZONE WITH ETIAS FOR SINGAPOREANS

Travellers will be notified by email when the ETIAS for Singaporians has been approved. An ETIAS authorisation is valid for 3 years (or until the passport expires) and allows multiple entries into the Schengen zone. Each stay must not exceed 90 days per 180-day period.

With the ETIAS visa waiver, Singaporeans can visit any of the countries in the Schengen Area. This includes all 23 EU member countries, 4 European Free Trade Agreement (EFTA) members and microstates that have open borders with Schengen countries. Singaporeans with an ETIAS will also be able to travel to Special Members of the EU such as the Canary Islands and Madeira, outside of the EU’s main borders.

ETIAS will also be required to visit Bulgaria, Cyrpus and Romania which are EU countries in the process of joining the Schengen Area.

Once the ETIAS or the passport attached to the authorisation expires, citizens of Singapore will need to reapply for ETIAS, including paying the ETIAS fee.

CASES WHEN SINGAPOREANS WILL NEED A EUROPEAN VISA INSTEAD OF AN ETIAS

Visitors from Singapore wishing to work in Europe, stay for longer than 90 days, or visit Europe for reasons other than those permitted by the ETIAS such as for study, will need to apply for an appropriate visa for Singaporean citizens. To obtain this visa, citizens will need to apply for this in person at the applicable national embassy or consulate.

During the application process, Singaporeans will need to supply the identifying documentation and other information in order to have their visa approved by the nation they are applying to. The citizen will need to submit the following documents:

In addition to these steps, the applicant will need to also supply:

The length of the visa granted will vary depending on the personal situation of the Singaporean in question.

TRAVELLING FROM SINGAPORE TO EUROPE VISA-FREE UNDER BILATERAL AGREEMENTS

It is possible for Singaporeans to visit certain countries in Europe for more than 90 days thanks to bilateral agreements currently in place.

Bilateral agreements are reciprocal deals signed between 2 nations. This means that they are country-specific. Should a Singaporean citizen wish to enter more than one European state visa-free, they will be required to apply for the ETIAS visa waiver before leaving.

Find a list of bilateral agreements between Singapore and European countries below.

All types of Singaporean passports that meet the validity requirements can be used to enter:

Holders of ordinary passports can visit:

Those in possession of a diplomatic, service, or official passport are allowed into:

It is possible for Singaporeans to stay in these countries for longer than the time outlined above. However, they will need to apply for ETIAS or a relevant visa depending on their circumstances.

All the visa waiver bilateral agreements between Singapore and the EU Member States mentioned are subject to the following: during their application, Singaporeans can only stay in that specific country, not other; and citizens of Singapore are only allowed to leave the European Union through that country when using a reciprocal arrangement of this sort.

The validity of these mutual treaties may change, depending on Singapore and EU countries' circumstances and negotiations.

ETIAS APPLICATION FOR CITIZENS OF SINGAPORE

Tourists from Singapore wishing to travel to the Schengen zone will have to apply for an ETIAS visa waiver by completing an online application form. The first step in completing this application will be to provide personal details. The ETIAS applicant will need to enter the correct information regarding their:

Once the applicant’s personal information has been submitted, they will then need to provide details about their passport. The online application form will ask them to specify:

ETIAS FOR SINGAPOREANS SECURITY QUESTIONS AND SCREENING

In the final stage of the process, the user will then need to answer a number of personal, employment and security questions, to ensure that they conform to the application criteria of ETIAS. They will need to:

Once their application has been checked and confirmed it will then be sent by email to the email address registered during the application process.

The European visa waiver for Singaporean citizens will be approved for most applicants soon after completing the application. Applicant's wil be notified by email.

The main aim of the ETIAS is to strengthen Europe’s borders while speeding up the process for travellers. As a result, the information provided by the applicant is checked against various security databases. These systems include: