Introduction
This guide sets out essential information for British nationals moving to or living in Singapore, including where to find advice on health, education, benefits, residence requirements, finance and more.
We are unable to provide any guidance on general lifestyle enquiries apart from the information and links listed below. See Helping British people overseas: travelling and living abroad for more details of what our embassies, high commissions and consulates can and cannot do to help.
This information supplements our travel advice for Singapore.
Our publication Support for British Nationals Abroad: A Guide sets out the steps that British nationals can take to stay safe abroad, and gives details on what help the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) can provide if you do get into difficulty.
Before you go
See travel advice for Singapore for up-to-date information on local laws and customs, safety and emergencies.
See moving or retiring abroad.
Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Travel advice: coronavirus (COVID-19)
You should follow the advice of the Singapore government and your local authority. For complete and up-to-date information on the situation in Singapore, see:
For information on getting a COVID-19 vaccine as a UK national in Singapore, see our coronavirus travel advice.
We are not advising British people who are permanent residents overseas to return to the UK. You should follow the advice of the local authorities in your host country.
British nationals who have resident or student status in Singapore should consider their own personal circumstances and take into account all of the information available, when making a decision on whether or not to return to the UK. You may consider the following factors:
- financial support: do you have sufficient funds to support yourself without going back to the UK for an undetermined number of months?
- health insurance: Do you have medical coverage? Taking your own personal health condition into account, are you confident in receiving the necessary support you need in Singapore?
- legal and employment support: do you understand the kind of support available to you in the case of unemployment or economic hardships due to COVID-19? Will these support mechanisms be sufficient for you to support yourself for an undetermined number of months?
- for students: do you understand the arrangements your host university has in place? Particularly access to medical facilities, accommodation and online learning options. Keep in contact with your UK university too (if applicable) about their advice
If you need some emotional support during this period, you can call one of these numbers:
- National Care Hotline: 1800 202 6868
- Samaritans of Singapore: 1800 221 4444
- Mental Health Helpline (Institute of Mental Health): 6389 2222
Stay up to date
You should:
Entry and residency requirements
See travel advice for Singapore for entry requirements for British passport holders.
If you’re in Singapore on a short-term visit pass and have to extend your stay due to extenuating circumstances, visit the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority website to apply for a visa extension.
Healthcare and medication
See the health section of travel advice for Singapore for detailed advice on medical services, vaccinations and health risks in Singapore.
Medical care in Singapore is excellent; however, it can be expensive. There’s no reciprocal National Health Service agreement in Singapore. Unless you have health insurance, you’ll be expected to pay all medical bills.
Health insurance can be part of the employment package for foreigners working in Singapore. Ask your employer if it’s included in your contract. Make sure to check the details of your insurance package – it might say, for example, that expenses are covered only if you seek treatment at a public hospital.
Hotline numbers for local ambulance services:
- 995 for emergencies (available 24/7)
- 1777 for non-emergencies (fees apply)
Medicine
If you are on a prescription for any form of medication, make sure that you have a supply of it available. Certain medicines may not be available in Singapore (including major brands readily available in the UK), and may be prohibited from being brought into the country.
You should consult your GP before travelling to Singapore to learn of any alternatives which may be available. See the entry requirements section of travel advice for Singapore
Health insurance
If you are resident in Singapore, make sure that you have taken out an appropriate health insurance policy. If you’re here on an employment pass, check with your employer if health insurance is part of your employment package.
If you’re a visitor, arrange comprehensive travel insurance before you travel. Make sure your policy covers:
- medical evacuation, including air ambulance services, in case you need to be flown home by these means
- full medical cover (medical bills can be expensive)
- repatriation of your remains in the event of death
- repatriation of your family in the event it is necessary for you to return home due to illness or injury
Working in Singapore
You should have the appropriate employment pass issued by the Ministry of Manpower. Your employer should take care of this for you.
Dependant’s passes for your immediate family are also issued by the Ministry of Manpower. Applications are made by your employer on your behalf.
The local authorities may ask for proof of relationship (such as a letter) issued by your embassy. For legal reasons, we’re unable to carry out notarial services – including producing letters and certificates – in Commonwealth countries like Singapore. See our notarial and documentary services guide.
If the Ministry of Manpower requires a letter from your embassy that states whether common-law relationships are recognised in the UK, see notarial and documentary services guide for Singapore
Money and banking
If you’re in Singapore on a work pass, you can open a local bank account.
Singapore has local and international banks that offer commercial banking services. While ATMs can be found almost everywhere, local bank cards might only work at ATMs under the same network. Find out which ATM network your bank belongs to before making any cash withdrawals.
Credit cards and debit cards are widely accepted.
Tax
See tax if you leave the UK to live abroad and tax on your UK income if you live abroad.
There is a double taxation agreement between the UK and Singapore. Once you’ve paid taxes in Singapore, you won’t get taxed twice on the same income.
You’re required to pay taxes if you work in Singapore. The extent of your tax liability will depend on your tax residency status. See the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore website for information.
We recommend that you get professional advice on paying tax in Singapore.
You may be able to pay National Insurance while abroad to protect your State Pension and entitlement to other benefits and allowances.
Pensions
See State Pension if you retire abroad and new State Pension.
Life certificates for UK State Pensions
If you get a ‘life certificate’ from the UK Pension Service, you need to respond as soon as possible – your payments may be suspended if you don’t.
Benefits
See claiming benefits if you live, move, or travel abroad.
Find out which UK benefits you might be able to get while you’re abroad and how to claim them.
Many income-related benefits such as Pension Credit and Housing Benefit can’t be paid if you’re abroad for more than 4 weeks.
Driving in Singapore
See driving abroad and travel advice for Singapore.
You can drive in Singapore using a UK driving licence if you are on a short-term visitor pass. If you are staying in Singapore on a longer-term pass or become a Permanent Resident, you should get a Singapore driving licence.
If you’re asked for a letter authenticating, certifying or validating your UK driver’s licence, you should contact your UK issuing office (e.g. the DVLA).
See taking a vehicle out of the UK.
Language, social ethics and traditions
Singapore has four official languages: English, Malay, Tamil, and Mandarin. English is the language of government, education and business and is near universally spoken. Official documents are issued in English.
Singapore is home to people of various faiths: Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Muslim, and Taoist, to name a few. This diversity is reflected in various places of worship all over the country and religious holidays celebrated throughout year.
For insights into local culture and news, visit some popular websites like Mothership, Honeycombers, and The Smart Local.
If you’d like to join an expat group for British nationals, there’s the British Association, the British Chamber of Commerce, and the British Club.
There are strict laws on drug trafficking and consumption, drunk and disorderly conduct, sexual assault and molestation, and disrespecting public servants. See the local laws and customs section of travel advice for Singapore.
Voting
British citizens living abroad can vote in some UK elections – you’ll need to register as an overseas voter.
Births, deaths and getting married
Births
Your child’s birth in Singapore must be registered within 14 calendar days of the birth.
Your employer can submit an application for a dependant’s pass within a timeframe set by the Ministry of Manpower. A passport for your baby is one of the required documents, so submit a passport application online with Her Majesty’s Passport Office (HMPO) as soon as possible.
If the Ministry of Manpower requires a letter regarding the status of your baby’s passport application, you should contact HMPO’s Passport Adviceline. The British High Commission is unable to provide this letter because we are not involved in the passport application process.
To get a UK-style birth registration certificate, see register a birth abroad. This is not mandatory nor is it a prerequisite for a British passport.
If you’re from a neighbouring country and intend to give birth in Singapore, you should have a valid visit pass for this. We’re unable to provide any letters regarding your child’s nationality or passport status. You should contact UK Visas & Immigration (nationality) or Her Majesty’s Passport Office (passports).
Male Singapore citizens (including dual citizens below the age of 21) and male children granted Permanent Resident (PR) status as part of their parents’ PR application are liable for National Service.
Deaths
See what to do after someone dies and bereavement information for Singapore
Getting married
See getting married abroad. Same-sex marriages and civil partnerships are not recognised in Singapore.
Adoption
If you’re not habitually resident in the UK, you will not be adopting under UK law. You’ll need to follow the laws of the country where the adoption is taking place.
The Ministry of Social and Family Development has said that British nationals are not allowed to adopt any children in Singapore. You may wish to consider adopting from another country. You must follow that country’s laws on adoption.
If the local authorities of the country where you wish to adopt require a letter of no objection, contact the British embassy or consulate in that country.
To find out more about Singapore’s entry and visa requirements for children adopted from another country, contact the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority.
To find out if a child adopted from abroad is entitled to British citizenship, read this information on inter-country adoption and British citizenship.
To find out if adoptions conducted abroad are recognised in the UK, see the Adoption (Recognition of Overseas Adoptions) Order 2013 and the Hague Convention on Adoptions.
The British High Commission in Singapore is unable to give any further advice on adoptions. You should seek legal advice on this.
Legal and other services
List of lawyers and interpreters
Here’s a list of lawyers. Inclusion on this list does not mean that the British High Commission or the UK government is endorsing these lawyers.
A more comprehensive list of lawyers is available on the Law Society of Singapore website.
Notarial and documentary services
For legal reasons, we’re unable to carry out notarial acts in Commonwealth countries like Singapore. See notarial and documentary services guide for Singapore.
British passport services
See overseas passport applications. If you have questions on the application process, you should contact the Passport Adviceline. The British High Commission is not part of the passport application process, so we’re unable to give any advice on this.
If you need to travel urgently, you can apply for an emergency travel document.
Pets
See travelling with pets and bringing your pet to the UK.
Accommodation and buying property
Leaving Singapore
To move your pension to the UK, contact the International Pension Centre. See tax if you return to the UK.
Returning to the UK
If you’re considering returning to the UK permanently (on retirement, for example), you should consider how you will support yourself and how non-British members of your family may be able to accompany you. There’s information available to help you make informed choices about living abroad and thinking about returning to the UK.
National Insurance
If you have not made full National Insurance (NI) contributions, you may not be eligible for state benefits or support. Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs provides some useful information on returning to live in the UK for non-residents, including how to make NI contributions from abroad.
Healthcare
Your entitlement to free NHS treatment depends on length and purpose of your residence in the UK, not your nationality. You must be able to show UK residency to be eligible for free treatment, even if you are a British citizen. The Citizen’s Advice Bureau or NHS can provide further information.
Visas
If you wish to return to live in the UK with family members who do not hold British citizenship, they will need to meet immigration requirements for settlement in the UK. See UK Visas and Immigration. They should look into applying for a visa to come to the UK and contact UK Visas and Immigration for any questions. The British High Commission is not involved in the visa process.
Disclaimer
This information is provided as a general guide and is based upon information provided to the embassy by the relevant local authorities and may be subject to change at any time with little or no notice. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and the British High Commission will not be liable for any inaccuracies in this information. British nationals wishing to obtain any further information must contact the relevant local authority.
