Published: 15 September 2026 | Last updated: 15 September 2026
The SG Arrival Card is a free, mandatory ICA declaration. Third-party agencies charge £25-£75 ($30-$90+ USD) for the same submission ICA provides for £0, adding unnecessary cost and data security risks for UK travellers. Both the ICA e-Service portal and the MyICA mobile app deliver instant confirmation in approximately two minutes at no cost. Under the No-Boarding Directive, effective 30 January 2026, airlines may deny boarding to passengers without a valid SG Arrival Card. UK passport holders should use the free channels to avoid costs, delays, and unregulated data handling.
What Is the SG Arrival Card and How to Submit It for Free
The SG Arrival Card (also called the Digital Arrival Card or SGAC) is a mandatory digital health declaration available free via the ICA e-Service or MyICA mobile app, taking approximately two minutes. It replaced the paper disembarkation/embarkation (DE) card discontinued on 27 March 2020. UK visitors need no Singpass: passport-based entry suffices for foreign travellers. You can present the confirmation on a mobile device display or printout at the immigration counter.
Visit the ICA e-Service or MyICA app
Go to eservices.ica.gov.sg/sgarrivalcard/ or download the free MyICA app from the App Store or Google Play.
Enter arrival information & health declaration
Use your passport details to complete the required fields.
Submit within 3 days of arrival
Including the day of arrival (e.g., arriving 30 June means submissions open 28 June).
Receive acknowledgement email
Get your DE number and QR code, free of charge.
The MyICA mobile app also offers a profile-saving function that auto-populates your details for subsequent trips to Singapore.
How Much Do Paid Third-Party Agencies Charge?
Third-party agencies charge UK travellers £25-£75 ($30-$90+ USD) for a submission ICA provides free of charge, covering identical form fields, platform, and confirmation email, adding no procedural value. Price data sourced from a survey of third-party agencies listed in Google Ads for “Singapore Arrival Card UK” (conducted January 2026).
Hidden costs may apply after the initial charge. Some agencies bill extra for corrections or amendments, whereas the ICA e-Service lets travellers edit or cancel a submission free of charge via the “Update SGAC” feature before arriving in Singapore. Refund policies are typically unclear; chargebacks can be difficult once the agency has transmitted the data.
Not all paid services are exploitative. Agencies that assist with Form 14A (the Singapore entry visa application) provide a genuinely separate service. Charging solely for the SG Arrival Card, however, adds cost and delay without benefit. ICA explicitly states that such commercial entities are “not supported or endorsed by ICA” and “not affiliated with ICA.”
Free vs Paid SG Arrival Card Comparison
| Criterion | Free ICA e-Service / MyICA | Paid Third-Party Agency |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | £0 (free of charge) | £25-£75 / $30-$90+ |
| Processing Time | ~2 minutes (instant confirmation) | 1-24 hours (queued processing) |
| ICA Endorsement | Government channel | Not endorsed or affiliated with ICA |
| Data Security | Government-grade; direct to ICA | Unregulated; unknown data retention |
| Error Liability | Traveller controls data directly | Transcription errors = traveller’s risk at boarding |
| Amendment Capability | Free via “Update SGAC” feature | May charge extra for corrections |
| Refund Policy | N/A – nothing to refund | Unclear; chargebacks may be difficult |
| Verdict | Recommended – free, fast, secure | Not recommended – adds cost, delay, and risk |
Under the No-Boarding Directive (effective 30 January 2026), airlines may deny boarding to passengers without a valid SG Arrival Card, making direct, error-free submission critical. As stated in ICA’s advisory: “Airlines may deny boarding to passengers who do not present a valid SG Arrival Card at check-in.” All regulatory information in this article was verified against the ICA website at ica.gov.sg.
How to Avoid Fake SG Arrival Card Websites and Scams
Deceptive websites display paid search ads, use non-.gov.sg domains, and lack government disclaimers. Use only the ICA e-Service at eservices.ica.gov.sg/sgarrivalcard or the ICA information page at ica.gov.sg to submit your SG Arrival Card. To learn more about how to spot and avoid Singapore Arrival Card fee scams, review the warning signs below.
- Domain check: The authentic portal ends in .gov.sg. Copycat sites use .com, .org, or .io domains.
- Search labels: Paid results marked “Sponsored” in search engines lead to commercial intermediaries, not the ICA e-Service.
- Disclaimers: ICA states that commercial entities charging for the SG Arrival Card are “not affiliated with ICA” and “not supported or endorsed by ICA.”
- Pre-booking exposure: Some agencies hold your personal data until the 3-day submission window opens, creating unnecessary privacy risk with no regulatory oversight.
- Non-compliance: Under the No-Boarding Directive (effective 30 January 2026), airlines may deny boarding to passengers without a valid SG Arrival Card, so submit via the verified portal well before departure.
FAQ: Singapore Arrival Card Free vs Paid for UK Travellers (2026)
Do I need a Singapore Arrival Card if I’m just transiting through Changi Airport?
No. Transit and transfer passengers who do not seek immigration clearance are exempt from the SG Arrival Card requirement. If you remain in the transit area without passing through immigration, you do not need to submit an SGAC. If you plan to enter Singapore during your layover, the requirement applies in full.
Can I submit the SG Arrival Card for my whole family in one go?
Yes. The ICA e-Service supports group submission for persons travelling to Singapore together on one trip. You can submit the SG Arrival Card for multiple travellers in a single session, provided all members are part of the same travel itinerary and meet the eligibility criteria for the free submission.
Does the SG Arrival Card guarantee entry into Singapore?
No. The SG Arrival Card is not a visa, not an entry approval, and not an e-Pass. It is a receipt of submission confirming you have completed the mandatory arrival and health declaration. A separate Singapore entry visa (Form 14A) may be required depending on your nationality. Final entry authorisation is granted by the ICA officer at the immigration counter.
What happens if I enter wrong details on my SG Arrival Card?
You can edit or cancel your submission before arriving in Singapore using the “Update SGAC” feature on the ICA e-Service. However, if incorrect data remains at check-in, the No-Boarding Directive (effective 30 January 2026) allows airlines to deny boarding. If a paid agency entered the wrong details, you, not the agency, bear the consequences at the airport.
Can I submit the SGAC without a Singpass account?
Yes. Foreign visitors, including UK passport holders, use passport-based entry on the ICA e-Service or MyICA mobile app. No Singpass login is required for non-resident travellers. You simply enter your passport number and personal details directly into the free portal to complete the submission.
How far in advance can I submit the SG Arrival Card?
You can submit the SG Arrival Card within 3 days of your arrival date, counting the day of arrival as Day 1. For example, if you arrive on 30 June, the submission window opens on 28 June. The submission must be completed before you arrive in Singapore.
Is my passport data safe when I use a paid third-party service?
Third-party agencies charging for the SG Arrival Card are not affiliated with or endorsed by ICA. Their data security standards are unregulated, with no verified PCI-DSS compliance and unknown data retention practices. Some agencies may hold your personal data before the 3-day government window opens, creating unnecessary privacy exposure. The ICA e-Service provides government-grade data security at no cost.
Can I get a refund if I already paid an agency for my SGAC?
Refund policies are unclear and not regulated. Agencies may not offer refunds once the submission has been transmitted to ICA. Chargebacks through your bank may be possible but are often difficult to pursue, especially if the agency terms and conditions were accepted at checkout. No recourse exists because these agencies are not affiliated with ICA.
