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ICA STVP Extension

Singapore Short-Term Visit Pass (STVP) Extension Guide 2026

Singapore STVP extension guide for 2026 covering ICA e-Service eligibility, 14-day filing window, local sponsor rules, fees, required documents, processing time, work restrictions and overstay penalties.

Key Framework Criteria & Principles

1. Valid ICA-Issued STVP

Extension of Stay

The ICA extension route applies to Short-Term Visit Passes issued by ICA. Visitors can check their current STVP validity through ICA's visit pass validity or e-Pass enquiry services.

2. Online Filing Window

14 Days or Less

ICA currently permits an extension application when the STVP has a remaining validity of 14 days or less. Walk-in extension applications are not accepted.

3. Discretionary Assessment

Not Automatic

ICA considers applications holistically, including the circumstances requiring an extended stay and, where relevant, immediate family relationships with Singapore citizens or permanent residents.

4. Conditional Local Sponsor

Specified Cases

A local sponsor is required for specified applicants, including certain visitors with immediate family in Singapore and certain nationalities or travel-document holders listed by ICA.

5. Electronic Outcome

e-Notification

ICA sends the application outcome electronically. For approved online extensions, physical endorsement is not required.

6. No Automatic Stay Protection

Respect Existing Expiry

A pending extension request should not be treated as an automatic extension of lawful stay. ICA advises visitors to depart on or before the expiry date of the existing STVP unless an extension is granted and applicable payment is completed.

Mandatory Eligibility Requirements

The applicant must hold an ICA-issued Short-Term Visit Pass.

The applicant can submit an extension request when the STVP has 14 days or less of remaining validity.

The extension request must be submitted online through ICA's e-Service; walk-in applications are not accepted.

ICA assesses the circumstances of the requested extended stay on a case-by-case basis.

Applicants must provide a valid travel document, such as a passport, showing the personal particulars page.

Applicants must provide the Disembarkation/Embarkation (D/E) number from the SG Arrival Card.

Additional supporting documents or clarifications may be required depending on the case.

Applicants seeking an extension for medical treatment may need to provide Form V75 endorsed by a registered doctor in Singapore.

A local sponsor is required for the categories specified by ICA.

The approved period of extension is determined by ICA and is not automatically 30 days.

Applicants should not assume that simply submitting an extension request automatically authorises them to remain beyond the current STVP expiry date.

The extension must be paid for when applicable; ICA states that if required payment is not made on time, the application will be withdrawn.

Step-by-Step Procedure

Check your STVP validity

Check the current e-Pass or ICA visit pass validity service. You can submit an extension application when the STVP has 14 days or less of remaining validity.

Prepare core information

Prepare the passport or travel-document particulars page and the Disembarkation/Embarkation number from the SG Arrival Card.

Check sponsor requirements

Determine whether the visitor falls into a category requiring a local Singapore Citizen or PR sponsor.

Prepare supporting evidence

Gather any relationship evidence, medical Form V75 or other supporting documents that may be relevant to the individual extension request.

Submit through ICA e-Service

Complete the online STVP extension application and upload the required information and supporting documents.

Wait for ICA assessment

ICA states that the extension application is processed within 5 working days, excluding weekends and public holidays. Some applications may take longer.

Receive the electronic outcome

ICA sends the application outcome by e-notification to the email address supplied in the application.

Pay applicable fees

If an extension fee or applicable visa fee is due, make payment within the required period. ICA states that an approved extension is only granted after required payment is made.

Check the new authorised expiry

After approval and payment, verify the updated stay validity and leave Singapore on or before the authorised expiry date.

What Is Stvp

Description

A Short-Term Visit Pass is generally issued at the point of entry to eligible visitors coming to Singapore as tourists, for social visits or for medical treatment.

Electronic Format

The STVP is generally issued electronically as an e-Pass.

Validity Check

Visitors can use ICA's visit pass validity tool or e-Pass enquiry portal to check the current authorised stay.

Important Distinction

A visa and an STVP are not the same thing. Where a visa is required, it is an entry facility; the STVP is the permission for the short-term stay granted after entry.

Extension Rules

Filing Window

An application may be submitted when the STVP has 14 days or less of remaining validity.

Standard Extension Length

ICA does not state on its current extension page that every applicant receives a fixed 30-day extension.

Approval Basis

The application is assessed holistically, taking into account factors including the circumstances of the requested stay and, where relevant, family ties in Singapore.

Walk In

Walk-in STVP extension applications are not accepted.

Physical Endorsement

A physical endorsement is not required for approved online extensions.

Payment Condition

Where a fee is due, payment must be made within the prescribed time. ICA states that the extension is only granted when payment is made and an unpaid application will be withdrawn.

Departure Warning

ICA advises visitors to depart on or before the expiry date of the existing STVP.

Local Sponsor Rules

When Required

The visitor has immediate family members in Singapore who are Singapore citizens or Singapore permanent residents.
The visitor is a national of Afghanistan.
The visitor is a national of Algeria.
The visitor is a national of Bangladesh.
The visitor is a national of Egypt.
The visitor is a national of Iran.
The visitor is a national of Iraq.
The visitor is a national of Jordan.
The visitor is a national of Kosovo.
The visitor is a national of Lebanon.
The visitor is a national of Libya.
The visitor is a national of Mali.
The visitor is a national of Morocco.
The visitor is a national of Nigeria.
The visitor is a national of Pakistan.
The visitor is a national of Somalia.
The visitor is a national of South Sudan.
The visitor is a national of Sudan.
The visitor is a national of Syria.
The visitor is a national of Tunisia.
The visitor is a national of Yemen.
The visitor holds a Palestinian Authority Passport.
The visitor holds a temporary passport issued by the United Arab Emirates.
The visitor holds a refugee travel document issued by a Middle-East country.

Sponsor Eligibility

Where required, the local sponsor must be a Singapore citizen or Singapore permanent resident who is at least 21 years old and has a Singpass account.

Important Point

A Singapore Citizen or PR sponsor is not universally required for every STVP extension application.

Documents That Are Not Universal

A confirmed onward or return flight ticket should not be described as a universal mandatory upload for every extension application. ICA's current core document list identifies the travel document and D/E number, with further documents requested case by case.
A bank statement, credit-card balance or generic proof of financial means should not be presented as a mandatory extension document unless ICA requests supporting information in the individual case.
A medical certificate is not universally required; medical-treatment extensions have the specific Form V75 requirement.

Medical Treatment Extension

Eligible Context

Visitors seeking additional stay for medical treatment may provide medical documentation supporting the need for additional time.

Required Form

ICA states that a completed Form V75 endorsed by a registered doctor in Singapore may be required.

Doctor Details

The form should contain details of the illness and the period of stay required.

Payment Methods

Visa or Mastercard credit or debit card for online applications.
American Express for online applications.
Internet Direct Debit using supported Singapore banking accounts.
PayNow.

Processing And Status

Normal Processing Time

Within 5 working days, excluding weekends and public holidays.

Possible Delay

Some applications may take longer.

Status Check

Applicants can use ICA's e-Service to check application status.

Status Identifiers

Travel document number and Disembarkation/Embarkation number.
Travel document number and travel document expiry date.

Outcome

An e-notification is sent to the email address provided in the application.

Work And Business Rules

General Rule

Visitors issued with an STVP must not engage in employment, whether paid or unpaid, or in business, profession or occupation during the validity of the STVP unless they hold a valid work pass under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act or are engaging in an applicable Work Pass Exempt Activity.

Freelancing

Ordinary freelancing and self-employment should not be treated as permitted tourist activity. A visitor generally needs the appropriate work authorisation.

Stvp Extension Effect

Extending an STVP does not itself create permission to work.

Work Pass Exempt Activities

Certain narrowly defined short-term activities may be performed without a work pass under MOM's Work Pass Exempt Activities framework, subject to the specific activity conditions and notification rules.

Important Boundary

The existence of an STVP extension does not automatically qualify a visitor for a work-pass exemption.

Work Pass Exempt Activities

Description

MOM separately allows certain short-term activities without a work pass. Examples include specified arbitration or mediation services, exhibitions as an exhibitor, certain performances, certain sports activities, eligible specialised services, some seminar/conference roles and tour facilitation.

Notification Rule

Where notification is required, the visitor must notify MOM after entering Singapore and before starting the exempt activity.

Annual Limit

Work Pass Exempt Activities are limited to a total of 90 days in a calendar year.

No Notification Examples

Attending company meetings, corporate retreats or meetings with business partners.
Attending study tours, training courses, workshops, seminars and conferences as a participant.
Attending exhibitions as a trade visitor.

Important Training Rule

MOM specifically states that on-the-job training requires a work pass.

Stvp Extension Interaction

MOM does not consider requests to extend the STVP for the purpose of performing a Work Pass Exempt Activity.

Overstay Rules

Legal Provision

Section 15 of the Immigration Act 1959 prohibits remaining in Singapore after the expiry or cancellation of a relevant pass unless the person is otherwise authorised to remain.

Unlawful Stay Not Exceeding90 Days

For unlawful presence of not more than 90 days, the current statutory penalty on conviction is a fine not exceeding S$4,000, imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months, or both.

Unlawful Stay Exceeding90 Days

For unlawful presence exceeding 90 days, the current statute provides for imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months and caning of not less than 3 strokes, subject to statutory exceptions; where the person cannot be caned under the specified law, a fine not exceeding S$6,000 applies in lieu.

Automatic Permanent Ban Claim

The page should not state that every overstay automatically results in a permanent entry ban. Immigration consequences depend on the circumstances and the Controller's statutory powers.

Practical Advice

Visitors should not intentionally remain after STVP expiry while waiting for a response unless they have otherwise been lawfully authorised to stay.

Special Cases

⚖️ Medical treatment

⚖️ Immediate family in Singapore

⚖️ Specified nationalities and travel documents

⚖️ MOM-issued STVP

Stvp Vs Visa

Factor: Tourist visa

Description: Where a visa is required, it is an entry facility that allows the traveller to seek entry to Singapore.

Factor: Short-Term Visit Pass

Description: The STVP is the permission granted for the visitor's short-term stay after arrival, generally for tourism, social visits or medical treatment.

Factor: Extension of stay

Description: An STVP extension is an ICA decision allowing additional lawful stay. It is not simply an extension of the underlying entry visa.

Compliance And Practical Notes

Do not describe the STVP extension as an automatic 30-day renewal.
Do not use the old 7-day filing instruction; the current ICA page uses a 14-days-or-less remaining-validity window.
Do not state S$40 as a universal upfront extension application fee.
Do not state that every visitor requires a Singapore Citizen or PR sponsor.
Do not make an onward-ticket PDF, bank statement or generic medical certificate a universal mandatory extension document.
Do not claim that an extension application itself grants lawful stay beyond the current expiry date.
Do not claim that an STVP extension creates a right to work.
Keep ICA-issued STVP extension rules separate from MOM-issued STVP procedures.
Keep Work Pass Exempt Activities separate from the STVP extension itself.
The current ICA page states that approved online extensions do not require physical endorsement.
Applicants should check the latest ICA e-Service outcome before making travel or accommodation decisions because extension approval is discretionary.

Authority And Sources

Authority: Immigration & Checkpoints Authority

Topic: Seeking Extension of Visit Pass

Note: Current 2026 ICA guidance on filing window, sponsor requirements, documents, fees, processing time, payment and electronic outcome.

Authority: Singapore Statutes Online / Attorney-General's Chambers

Topic: Immigration Act 1959, Section 15

Note: Current statutory rules and penalties for unlawful presence after pass expiry or cancellation.

Authority: Ministry of Manpower

Topic: Work Pass Exempt Activities

Note: Current requirements, eligible activities, notification rules and 90-day calendar-year limit.

Application Process

Check your STVP validity

Step 1

Check the current e-Pass or ICA visit pass validity service. You can submit an extension application when the STVP has 14 days or less of remaining validity.

Prepare core information

Step 2

Prepare the passport or travel-document particulars page and the Disembarkation/Embarkation number from the SG Arrival Card.

Check sponsor requirements

Step 3

Determine whether the visitor falls into a category requiring a local Singapore Citizen or PR sponsor.

Prepare supporting evidence

Step 4

Gather any relationship evidence, medical Form V75 or other supporting documents that may be relevant to the individual extension request.

Submit through ICA e-Service

Step 5

Complete the online STVP extension application and upload the required information and supporting documents.

Wait for ICA assessment

Step 6

ICA states that the extension application is processed within 5 working days, excluding weekends and public holidays. Some applications may take longer.

Receive the electronic outcome

Step 7

ICA sends the application outcome by e-notification to the email address supplied in the application.

Pay applicable fees

Step 8

If an extension fee or applicable visa fee is due, make payment within the required period. ICA states that an approved extension is only granted after required payment is made.

Check the new authorised expiry

Step 9

After approval and payment, verify the updated stay validity and leave Singapore on or before the authorised expiry date.

Documents

Valid passport or other travel document showing the applicant's personal particulars.
Disembarkation/Embarkation (D/E) number found in the SG Arrival Card.
Additional supporting documents if requested by ICA.
For applicants with immediate family members who are Singapore citizens or PRs: original supporting documents may be required to establish the relationship.
For medical-treatment extensions: completed Form V75 endorsed by a registered doctor in Singapore, including details of the illness and period of stay required.
For applications requiring a local sponsor: sponsor details and documents requested by ICA during the online submission.

Required Document Checklist

•

Valid passport or other travel document showing the applicant's personal particulars.

•

Disembarkation/Embarkation (D/E) number found in the SG Arrival Card.

•

Additional supporting documents if requested by ICA.

•

For applicants with immediate family members who are Singapore citizens or PRs: original supporting documents may be required to establish the relationship.

•

For medical-treatment extensions: completed Form V75 endorsed by a registered doctor in Singapore, including details of the illness and period of stay required.

•

For applications requiring a local sponsor: sponsor details and documents requested by ICA during the online submission.

Common Mistakes & Legal Misconceptions

❌ Misconception: Applying exactly 7 days before expiry

✅ Statutory Fact: ICA's current online rule says applications may be submitted when 14 days or less remain on the STVP.

❌ Misconception: Assuming every applicant receives another 30 days

✅ Statutory Fact: The extension period is subject to ICA's assessment.

❌ Misconception: Treating S$40 as a universal application fee

✅ Statutory Fact: S$40 applies when the approved extension results in a total stay of 90 days or more, with further 90-day blocks attracting the fee again.

❌ Misconception: Assuming every applicant needs a local sponsor

✅ Statutory Fact: Sponsorship is required only for the categories specified by ICA.

❌ Misconception: Assuming an onward ticket is a universal extension upload

✅ Statutory Fact: ICA's current extension-page core documents are the travel document particulars and D/E number, with additional documents requested case by case.

❌ Misconception: Assuming an STVP extension allows work

✅ Statutory Fact: An STVP extension does not itself provide work authorisation.

❌ Misconception: Treating WPE as a broad tourist work permission

✅ Statutory Fact: WPE applies only to specifically listed activities and has its own notification and duration requirements.

❌ Misconception: Starting an exempt activity before MOM notification

✅ Statutory Fact: For activities requiring notification, the person must notify MOM after arrival and before starting the activity.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

ICA currently allows an STVP extension application to be submitted when the pass has 14 days or less of remaining validity. Applications must be submitted online through ICA's e-Service; walk-in applications are not accepted.

No. ICA does not guarantee a fixed 30-day extension for every visitor. Each application is assessed holistically, and the period of extension granted is subject to ICA's assessment.

A S$40 extension fee applies when the approved extension causes the total stay to reach 90 days or more from the date of entry or issuance of the pass. The same fee can apply again for each subsequent 90-day block. A S$30 visa fee may also apply to visa-required visitors.

Not everyone needs a sponsor. ICA requires a local sponsor in specified cases, including certain visitors with immediate family members who are Singapore citizens or PRs and certain nationalities or travel-document holders listed by ICA. A qualifying sponsor must be a Singapore citizen or PR aged at least 21 with Singpass.

No. An STVP extension does not itself provide work permission. ICA states that STVP holders must not engage in employment, business, profession or occupation unless they have the required separate work authorisation or are engaging in a qualifying Work Pass Exempt Activity under MOM rules.

Overstaying can constitute an offence under Section 15 of the Immigration Act. For unlawful stay of not more than 90 days, the current statutory maximum is a S$4,000 fine, up to 6 months' imprisonment, or both. For unlawful stay exceeding 90 days, the statute provides for up to 6 months' imprisonment and at least 3 strokes of caning, subject to statutory exceptions and the alternative fine provisions.

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