Established in 1999

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Source: www.mindef.gov.sg

Introduction of the Singapore Biometric Passport - Revisions To Exit Control Measures

The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority will launch the Singapore Biometric Passport on 15 August 2006 to replace the current Singapore Passport (non-biometric). As part of its security features, Singapore Biometric Passports will adopt a 'write-once' standard, where personal data and passport details written on the integrated chip upon issue cannot be updated or amended. The Singapore Biometric Passport is non-extendable. A new biometric passport will have to be issued upon expiry.

A continuation of the policy to limit the passport validity of young NS-liable males aged between 11 to enlistment would translate to greater inconvenience and higher costs for such males and their families, as they will have to pay for a new passport upon expiry. To avoid this inconvenience and cost, MINDEF has decided to remove passport controls for these NS-liable males and allow them to be issued with passports of full validity. According to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, on average, 100,000 pre-enlistee passport holders have their passports extended annually. With the issuance of passports of full validity, pre-enlistee passport holders will no longer need to renew their passports once every 2 years or 1 year.

Exit control measures however continue to be relevant and necessary to deter potential NS defaulters and serve as a strong psychological reminder of their NS obligation. MINDEF has therefore decided to extend exit permit requirements, which currently affect only males aged 16½ to enlistment, to males aged 13 to below 16½.

To avoid inconveniencing those who make short overseas trips during vacations, an exit permit will only be required for overseas trips of 3 months or longer. Those who require exit permits of 2 years or longer will be required to furnish a bond. This bonding requirement is similar to the current arrangement where a bond is required if the NS-liable male requires a passport validity of longer than 2 years. There will be no change to the exit permit and bonding requirements for NS-liable males aged 16½ to enlistment.

Pre-enlistees who have any queries about the new policies can contact the NS Portal Customer Service Centre at Tel: 1800-3676767 (1800-eNSNSNS) or email: contact@ns.sg. They can also refer to the NS portal (www.ns.sg) for more information.

A summary of the present and revised exit control measures for NS-liable males is given in the following table:

* The bond quantum is S$75,000 or 50% of the combined annual gross income of both parents for the preceding year, whichever is higher.

FAQs on Revisions of Exit Control Measures Governing Pre-Enlistees

Q1. Why must MINDEF impose exit controls on NS-liable males?

Exit controls are necessary to ensure that NS-liable males who have gone overseas to study or reside at a young age return to fulfil their NS responsibilities.

Q2. Why can't MINDEF exempt young males aged 13 to 16½ from exit controls?

Exit control measures have to be applied at a reasonably younger age so that they could be effective to prevent those who leave at a younger age defaulting on their NS responsibilities

Q3. Why has MINDEF decided to shift the starting age for exit controls from age 11 to 13?

Currently, the starting age of exit controls is pegged at age 11, the age where Singaporeans used to be issued with NRICs. With Singaporeans now being issued NRICs at age 15, there is no longer a special reason to retain age 11 as the starting age for exit controls. MINDEF has therefore decided to set it at age 13, which is when students would have just started their secondary school education.

Q4. Why is MINDEF removing passport controls?

With the introduction of the non-extendable Singapore Biometric passport, a continuation of passport controls for young males would mean that they will have to pay for a new biometric passport upon expiry each time. This will result in greater inconvenience and higher cost for young males and their families. MINDEF has therefore decided to remove passport controls.

Q5. Will young males holding non-biometric Singapore passport be given full validity?

Those holding non-biometric Singapore Passports will also have their passports extended for the full duration of 5 or 10 years. This is however subject to the remaining lifespan of the passport.

Q6. Why does MINDEF require young males to apply for an exit permit?

With the removal of passport controls, it is necessary for MINDEF to extend exit permit requirements (which currently affect only NS-liable males aged 16½ and above) to males aged 13 and above in order to ensure that young males who go overseas return to serve NS. However, to avoid inconveniencing those who make short overseas trips during vacations, exit permits will only be required for overseas trips of 3 months or more.

Q7. Will young males who require exit permits be required to furnish a bond?

Young males aged 13 to 16½ will only be required to furnish a bond if they require an exit permit of 2 years or more. This arrangement is similar to the current practice where only young males who require a passport validity of more than 2 years are required to furnish a bond.

Males aged 16½ to enlistment are approaching the age of enlistment. They are therefore subject to more stringent exit controls to deter potential NS defaulters. The current practice of requiring such males to furnish a bond if they require an exit permit of 3 months or more will continue.

Q8. Will young males aged 13 to 16½ who fail to apply for an exit permit be sentenced to imprisonment?

The penalty regime for exit permit offences of young males aged 13 to 16½ will be a fine of up to $2,000, with no custodial sentences. They will however be subject to harsher penalties should they continue to be in breach of the Enlistment Act after that age 16½.

Males above 16½ years who travel and remain overseas without applying for an exit permit will be prosecuted under the Enlistment Act. They will be liable upon conviction to a fine of up to $10,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 years or both.

Q9. How will MINDEF deal with young males who do not understand their obligations under the Enlistment Act or those who have parents/guardians who deliberately encourage them to be in breach of the Enlistment Act?

MINDEF recognises that some young males may not be sufficiently mature to understand their obligations under the Enlistment Act. Their parents or guardians may also have been instrumental in decisions, which are in contravention of the Enlistment Act. Parents and guardians would therefore also be liable for the exit permit offences of their children or wards of ages 13 to 16½, so that the penalty can be imposed on their parents or guardians when the circumstances warrant it. The penalty regime for the offence will also be a fine of up to $2,000. MINDEF will consider the circumstances of the case carefully before deciding whether to issue warnings, composition fines or to charge the parent or guardian in court.

Q10. When will the revised exit controls take effect?

The revised exit control measures will be introduced together with the launch of the Singapore Biometric Passport in the later half of the year.

Q11. With the removal of passport controls, what would be the arrangement for young males who have furnished bonds for extended passport validity under the Immigration Bonding Scheme?

As males below the age of 13 will no longer come under the ambit of passport or exit control, those who had furnished a bond to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority under the Immigration Bonding Scheme will have their bonds released.

Males aged 13 to 16½ currently bonded in order to be issued with passports of extended validity will be required to apply for an exit permit for overseas trips of 3 months or more. Those who require an exit permit of 2 years or more will continue to be bonded. Those who require an exit permit of less than 2 years or who do not require an exit permit will have their bonds released.

Q12. If MINDEF continues with passport controls, how many pre-enlistees would be inconvenienced by having to apply for a new biometric passport every year?

According to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, there are approximately 120,000 pre-registrants (males aged 11 to 16½) and 100,000 registrants (males aged 16½ to enlistment) passport holders. With the passport validity of pre-registrants and registrants capped at 2 years and 1 year respectively, we would expect a pre-registrant to have to apply for a new passport once in 2 years and a registrant once a year. On average, 100,000 have their passports extended annually.

Source: www.mindef.gov.sg News Release 25 Jul 2006

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