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There is no limit on the amount of currency you can bring into
Singapore.
If you are 18 years old or above and are arriving from a country other
than Malaysia and have spent no less than 48 hours outside Singapore
immediately before your arrival, you may use the following duty free
concessions for personal consumption:
Spirits
: 1 litre Wine or port
: 1 litre Beer, Stout or ale
: 1 litre
There are no concessions on
cigarettes and other tobacco products. This is in line with the
government's campaign to discourage smoking. Excess dutiable items
may be left in Customs Bond until your departure, provided this is from
the same point of entry. Storage costs are chargeable. There is a 5%* Goods and
Services Tax (GST) levied on all goods imported into Singapore. A bona
fide traveller, other than holders of work permit, employment pass,
student pass, dependent pass or long term pass, will be given relief on
GST on new purchases, gifts, souvenirs and food preparations, excluding
liquor and tobacco, up to the value of: -S$200 if you have been
away from Singapore for less than 48 hours. -S$400 if you have been
away form Singapore for 48 hours or more. In line with most other
countries, Singapore prohibits the entry of some items, while others are
subject to controls and restrictions. Other prohibited items
include:
- Chewing gum
- Chewing tobacco and imitation tobacco products - Cigarette lighters of
pistol/revolver shape - Controlled drugs and psychotropic
substances
- Endangered species of wildlife and their by-products. This list of controlled
and restricted items is by no means exhaustive. Please contact the
following authorities for further information. These items can be
allowed into Singapore by applying for an import permit or authorisation
from the relevant authorities.
ITEM
AUTHORITY
Animals, birds and
their Primary Production
Department
by-products and plants
Tel: 1800 226 2250 with soil. Arms
and
explosives,
Singapore Police Force bullet proof clothing,
toy Tel:(65) 6734 4162 guns, pistols,
revolvers,
weapons, kris, spears and swords. Cartridges,
cassettes (pre- Ministry of Information & the Arts recorded),
newspapers, Tel: 1800 375 7080 books and magazines. Films,
video tapes and Board of
Film Censors
discs.
Medicines, poisons
and Drug Administration Division
pharmaceuticals. Tel:(65)
6325 5639 Telecommunication
and Telecommunication Authority of radio equipment,
toy Singapore
walkie
talkies. Tel:(65)
63221948 / 6322 1857 Toy
Singapore coins and Board of Commissioners of
Currency
currency
notes. Tel:(65)
6325 9815
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*GST Rate - 3%
since 1 Apr 1994, |
| 1st Rate
Change- 4% from 1 Jan 2003, |
| 2nd Rate
Change - 5% from 1 Jan 2004 |
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Clearance of Travellers through Customs
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Red and
Green Channels for customs clearance (important)
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Food items individual travellers may bring into Singapore
Taking up residence
in Singapore? Read THIS!
Establishment
of Singapore Customs
NEWS SNIPPETS
2007
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Cosmetic products to be regulated from 1 Jan 2008 |
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Effective from 1 January 2008, all new
products must comply with the ACD requirements and notify HSA prior to
sale. |
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All existing products that are currently
sold in the local market will be given 12 months to notify HSA and to
fully comply with the requirements by 1 Jan 2011... |
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More..... |
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Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes
(Confiscation of Benefits) Act passed |
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Clause 11
of the Bill makes it mandatory for anyone physically
carrying currency and bearer negotiable instruments or
CBNI, above S$30,000, into or out of Singapore, to
declare this to the authorities at the checkpoints... |
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The threshold amount of
S$30,000 is based on the recommendation by the FATF,
and includes not only currency in circulation, but
also bearer negotiable instruments such as travellers
cheques, money orders, cheques, bonds and promissory
notes... |
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Hence, for clarity, a crossed cheque
made payable to a specific person with the word “bearer” deleted
is not considered a bearer negotiable instrument because only the
person named on the cheque can receive the amount stated on it. |
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The new measure would be
non-discriminatory and will be imposed on all travellers,
including citizens, residents and foreigners, entering and exiting
the country. |
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The penalties for non-declaration and false
declaration are a maximum fine of S$50,000 or a term of imprisonment of
up to 3 years or both... |
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More..... |
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2006
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Police arrest Malaysian for smuggling counterfeit S$1
coins
Singapore to hold large-scale flu pandemic exercise |
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21-22 Jul 2006 |
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"This large scale exercise will involve over
1,000 personnel from MOH, the Ministry of Education (MOE), home-front
and related agencies such as the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS),
Immigration and Checkpoint Authority (ICA), Maritime Port Authority (MPA)
and the People's Association..." |
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More..... |
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Food items individual travellers may bring into Singapore
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Singapore and US begin testing of e-Passports
2005
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Nguyen Tuong Van Case: Separating fact from fiction |
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"If we let off a convicted courier because of
age, financial difficulties or distressed family background, it will
only make it easier for drug traffickers to recruit more "mules", with
the assurance that they will escape the death penalty..." |
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More..... |
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Woman fined $3000 for hindering ICA officers in their duties |
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"Mdm Tan had returned to Singapore from China
on 30th September 2005 at about 7.40 pm through the Changi International
Airport Terminal 2. ICA officers noticed that she had brought two roast
geese from China with her to Singapore. |
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"Mdm Tan was informed she had to surrender
the two roast geese for disposal, as she did not have a licence to bring
them in. She hindered the ICA officers in the execution of their duties
by refusing to surrender the roast geese brought from China and
subsequently throwing the roast geese onto the floor..." |
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More..... |
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Changi Airport's no-frills terminal ready in early 2006 -
Equipment to detect terrorist shipments of nuclear material
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11,790 Immigration Offenders Arrested in 2004
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Foreign Vehicle Entry Permit operating hours shortened from 4 Feb 05
2004
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Changes to Vehicle Entry Permit scheme for visitors from 6
Dec 2004 |
| Reduction in VEP fees from S$30 to S$20 a
day for foreign motorists driving foreign-registered cars into Singapore. |
| Reduction in the VEP operating hours on
weekdays for the 6 December to 31 December 2004 period. The VEP will end at
12.00 noon instead of 7.00 pm. |
| Reduction in the fixed priced ERP charges
from S$10 to S$5 a day, for visiting motorists who choose to use ERP-priced
roads during ERP operating hours but do not have In-Vehicle Units (IUs) in
their cars. |
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The normal toll charges for foreign-registered
cars will still apply. |
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Changi Airport tests automated check-in & immigration system
- Enhanced
safety requirements for motorised bicycles & riders
- Resumption
of poultry & egg imports from Malacca & Johor
- Update on Poultry & Egg Supply Situation in
Singapore
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Suspension
of poultry imports from Malaysia |
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AVA has
concurrently imposed a suspension on imports of poultry and
poultry products from Malaysia with immediate effect (18 Aug
2004). |
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AVA would like to
assure the public that poultry and poultry products in Singapore
are safe for consumption. |
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2003
- Taxing
cigarettes by stick from 1 July 2003
2002
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The
Customs & Excise Department has pumped in S$8.8 million for
the installation of new equipment to boost border security.
The equipment includes two high-tech gamma-ray scanners which
allow officers to "see" the contents of cargo
containers without opening them physically. The scanners will be
used at Tanjong Pagar Gate, where 90 per cent of cargo
containers pass through, and Pasir Panjang Terminal Gate. (Straits
Times 29 Nov 2002) (H2) |
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United
States Customs officials will soon be deployed at ports here to
help the authorities ensure that goods being shipped to the US are
"clean". Singapore is the first country in Asia to adopt
the new counter-terrorism security procedures under a Container
Security Initiative proposed by US Customs in January. More than
50,000 containers arrive in the US daily from all over the world
and Singapore reportedly ranks third after Hongkong and Shanghai
in the volume of US-bound container traffic. (Straits
Times 10 Jun 2002) (4) |
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Last
year, the Customs Department seized nearly 30 kg of drugs,
including heroin, opium and Yaba tablets. This was nearly five
times the amount seized the year before. Customs officers seized
13,343 kg of tobacco - the equivalent of over 66,700 cartons of
cigarettes - compared to only 7,965 kg or about 39,825 cartons in
2000. The Customs Department has about 1,300 officers who belong
to 13 branches. (Straits
Times 21 Apr 2002)(1) |
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Two new checkpoints for Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ)
clearance have been set up at Clifford Pier and the West Coast
Ferry Terminal. The facilities, which started operating on
Monday, will enable customs officers to check and clear crew
members and Singaporeans returning from ships anchored in
Singapore waters. (Straits
Times 19 Apr 2002) (H2) |
2001
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Nearly
12,400 people were caught last year trying to sneak cigarettes
into Singapore without paying duty on them. In 1999, the Customs
and Excise Department picked up about 9,500 such people. More than
90% of them tried to bring in one or two packets of cigarettes
without paying tax. Mr LEE Kok Fatt, the department's head of
public relations said that the quantity of cigarettes seized has
dropped by almost half, from about 24,000 kg in 1999 to almost
13,800 kg in 2000. The government has been raising the tax on
tobacco products gradually over the years. It was increased from
S$130 per kg of tobacco to S$150 in February 2000 and to S$180 in
February 2001. The latest rise in tobacco taxes means that
consumers are paying S$3.60 in duty on every pack of 20 cigarettes
they buy. This is 20% more than before. (Straits Times 20 Mar
2001) |
2000
Applicants for an
ordinary liquor licence can now go online, submit and post it on the
Customs and Excise Department's website. The department's website, www.gov.sg/ customs, also accepts
e-mail objections from parties opposed to the application. The new
system came into effect on Monday 2 Oct 2000.
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Customs
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