SINGAPORE, May 7 — The validity period of Singapore passports for citizens aged 16 and above will soon be increased from five to 10 years.

The change will apply to those who submit a passport application from October 1, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said in a statement on Friday (May 7).

ICA said that this will reduce the frequency of passport renewals and provide greater convenience to Singaporeans. 

The passport application fee will also be kept at S$70 (RM216. For applications submitted in person at Singapore’s overseas missions, an equivalent of S$80 in foreign currency will be charged.

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Those under the age of 16 will continue to have passports valid for five years. This allows photographs to be updated more often, as the facial features of children typically change at a faster rate, the authority added.

Singapore passports had previously been valid for 10 years, but this was reduced to five in April 2005 when the biometric passport was launched.

Biometric passports have embedded microchips containing passport holders’ facial and fingerprint identifiers.

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Back then, the validity period was reduced to ensure the authorities could monitor the stability of the technology as well as include enhancements whenever passports were renewed, ICA said.

However, biometric passport technology has since stabilised.

“We now have greater confidence in the durability of the passport microchip,” ICA said.

“ICA has assessed that it is now viable to increase the validity of the Singapore passport to 10 years without compromising security or global confidence in the Singapore passport.”

The authority added that the technology is now being used by immigration authorities around the world.

It has hence become “increasingly difficult for criminal syndicates and persons with ill intent to use forged or stolen passports to gain illegal entry”, ICA said.

Other countries that have similarly increased their passport validity period from five to 10 years include the United States, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, China, Japan, Korea and Australia.

Singapore citizens may apply for a new passport via ICA’s e-Service. 

Those with no Internet access may visit the Citizen Connect Centres located at Our Tampines Hub and selected community centres or clubs and use the devices there.

Anyone who is unable to apply online, and does not have someone who can assist them or apply on their behalf, may visit the ICA for help. — TODAY