The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) is a law enforcement agency within the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the border control agency responsible for frontline border control operations at air, sea and rail ports in Singapore.
ICA was formed on 1 April 2003 after the restructuring of the preceding agencies responsible for customs and immigration control, the Singapore Immigration and Registration (SIR) and the Customs and Excise Department (CED). It is accountable directly to the MHA, which is under the purview of the Government of Singapore and its relevant ministers.
Its responsibilities include immigration and customs controls and the screening of passengers, freight and port staff at the country's rail, air and sea ports, as well as dozens of smaller airstrips, ports and marinas. In addition, their duties also include counter-terrorism, part of which is to detect and deter the illicit importation of radioactive and nuclear material by terrorists or criminals.
Organization
Overview ICA oversees most immigration and identification related matters in Singapore. At its Kallang Road headquarters, services are provided from "cradle to grave", starting from birth registration to the issuance of identity cards and finally to the registering of deaths. ICA also carries out its border control duties on both goods and people at most ports of entries in Singapore. Legal Powers Civil servants in ICA employed under the Home Affairs Services scheme (legally defined as "immigration officers") primarily enforce the Immigration Act (Cap 133) and the Passports Act (Cap 220). ICA also enforces the National Registration Act (Cap 201).
Immigration officers can prohibit entry to any person or class of persons for any reason related to the conditions of Singapore. Since 2018, immigration officers have policing powers of search and arrest within the checkpoints and in their immediate vicinity. Under the Integrated Checkpoints Command (ICC) concept, ICA is ultimately responsible for border security at Singapore's checkpoints.
ICA issues different passes to facilitate the entry of aliens arriving in Singapore, such as the Visit Pass, Landing Pass or the Dependent's Pass.
ICA officers deployed as cargo and baggage examination officers are empowered under the Customs Act (Cap 70) to search people and conveyances at all ports of entry in Singapore. They can then seize any controlled items or contraband found before referring them to the appropriate Controlling Agency such as Singapore Customs or the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB). The most common contraband are duty-unpaid cigarettes and tobacco products due to the high duties imposed on them. Other examples include narcotics, replica firearms, wild animals and unlicensed medicine.
Immigration enforcement Immigration offenders are referred to ICA's Enforcement Division (ED) which oversees investigation, prosecution and repatriation matters. Investigation officers will investigate potential offences, interview suspects and witnesses and share information with other agencies if necessary. Prosecution officers from ICA work together with deputy public prosecutors at the Attorney-General's Chambers to ensure that offenders are lawfully detained and given trial. Examples of common offences include the harbouring of immigration offenders, employing immigrants illegally or entering marriages of convenience. Home owners who have been found guilty of renting their houses to immigration offenders and not carrying out one or more of the mandatory checks may be sentenced to a jail term, fine or both.
Counter-terrorism ICA is Singapore's first line of defence against potential terrorist threats by restricting the movement of security sensitive persons across international borders. ICA also works closely with other agencies such as the Police and ISD to prevent terrorist attacks from occurring in Singapore. After the escape of Mas Selamat in 2008, all checkpoints immediately stepped up security checks. During the lead-up to the 2018 Trump-Kim Summit, Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam revealed that four people had been turned away at the checkpoints for terrorism related reasons.
ICA is part of the Inter-Agency Coordination Group within the Republic of Singapore Navy's Maritime Security Task Force. ICA participated in the 2011 Exercise Northstar, in which immigration officers boarded ships to check for immigration offenders, firearms and explosives. ICA also participated in the 2013 Exercise Highcrest which simulated terrorist attacks on one of Singapore's checkpoints.
In 2020, ICA stepped up its security measures and increased patrols after a series of terrorist attacks in France. Sixteen foreigners were also repatriated after investigations by ISD.
Services Centres ICA has three services centres which caters to the different demographics in Singapore.
The Citizen Services Centre issues the pink National Registration Identity Card (NRIC), the certificate of citizenship and the Singaporean passport. The Registry of Births and Deaths is also under the Citizen Services Centre.
The Permanent Resident Centre issues the blue NRIC for permanent residents as well as entry and re-entry permits.
The Visitor Services Centre issues visit pass extensions, visas and long term visit passes.
Structure ICA is divided into staff and line units. Staff units are involved in manpower, training and corporate services. Line units deal with the front-line operations of ICA. The senior executive management is called the Leadership Group (LG).
+Leadership Group AppointmentRankNameNotesCommissioner (ICA)CommissionerMarvin SimFrom CNBDeputy Commissioner (Operations)Deputy CommissionerHsu Sin YunFrom SPFDeputy Commissioner (Policy & Transformation)Deputy CommissionerCora ChenDeputy Commissioner (Corporate Development & Administration)Deputy CommissionerOng Choon BengDirector Manpower MXPravina JitDirector OperationsDirector Intelligence Assistant CommissionerWong Hong MengDomain Commander (Sea)Assistant CommissionerChua Sze HowDomain Commander (Land)Senior Assistant CommissionerChua Tuan MengDomain Commander (Air)Senior Assistant CommissionerSng Gek Lian JuliaDirector EnforcementAssistant Commissioner Nam Liang Chia Commander AirportAssistant CommissionerAlan KooCommander WoodlandsAssistant CommissionerColin TanCommander TuasDeputy Assistant Commissioner Jackson TanCommander CoastalAssistant CommissionerChia Hoi MunCommander PortsAssistant CommissionerLian Lee SiongCommander Air CargoAssistant CommissionerMaran S/O V K SubrahmaniyanCommander TrainingAssistant CommissionerErnest SooDirector Immigration and Registration Senior Assistant CommissionerDominic ChuaDirector Immigration and Registration ReviewSenior Assistant CommissionerSiew Chui LinDirector Customer Operations Senior Assistant CommissionerAngie WongDirector Corporate Communications and ServiceAssistant CommissionerSharon WongDirector Policy and DevelopmentAssistant CommissionerChui Wai ChengDirector Information ManagementAssistant CommissionerChia Hui KengDirector Technology -Tan Sor HoonDirector Logistics, Infrastructure and FinanceAssistant CommissionerYong Koi HinDirector Operations-TechnologyAssistant CommissionerTheodore Tan
History
Early years (1915–1964)
Immigration and Registration Department When the Straits Settlement was first established, immigration control was minimal to facilitate free trade. Entry control began when the colonial government enacted the Quarantine and Prevention of Disease Ordinance in 1915. In 1933, the Immigration Department was established to administer the Aliens Ordinance which placed quotas on newcomers entering Singapore. This effectively ended the freedom of travel in Singapore.
Ordinance No. 5 of 1952 (The Immigration Ordinance) came into force on 1 August 1953, setting the foundation of immigration law in Singapore. The Immigration Ordinance was amended in 1959 after Singapore was granted sovereignty. The amendment gave Singaporeans the right of entry into the Colony. A new Immigration Depot was built at Telok Ayer Basin (East Wharf) while the head office was moved to Empress Place Building. Round-the-clock immigration clearance for vessels was started 1 June 1961.
Birth registration started in 1872 which was then used for health and statistical purposes. However, by 1938 registration of births became compulsory by law. At the start of the second World War, the British introduced paper identity cards for the first time. This was suspended after the British surrender in 1942. The colonial government began issuing identity cards again in 1948 to counter the communist insurgency. The desire to limit the entry of those who might have communist sympathies extended to the creation of a new Immigration Bill in 1950. When Singapore merged with Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak to form the Federation of Malaysia in 1963, immigration came under the jurisdiction of the federal government and the Immigration Department became a federal agency in Kuala Lumpur.
Customs and Excise Customs control was started when the Monopolies Department was founded in 1910 to collect excise duties on goods such as hard liquors and opium. In 1916, the colonial government began taxing tobacco products on import to raise funds for the war effort. In 1932, the Customs headquarters was shifted to the Customs House from Cecil Street. The Excise Department replaced the Monopolies Department in 1936 and in 1938, the Excise Department was renamed the Department of Customs & Excise.
Post-independence (1965–2002)
Stricter immigration control After Singapore separated from Malaysia on 9 August 1965, freedom of movement continued to exist between the two countries for a short period of time. Two border checkpoints were gazetted for travel between the two countries. They were the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station and the Woodlands Checkpoint. Malaysians had to produce identity cards to be able to enter Singapore, until passports were required on both sides in July 1967. To travel to Peninsular Malaysia, the Singapore restricted passport and the Singapore Certificate of Identity was required. The Restricted Passport Centre was at South Quay and was moved to Outram Road in 1976, but closed on 31 December 1994.
In the 1970s, illegal immigration and over-stayers became a serious problem in Singapore. A task force was set up in 1974 to deal with the immigration problem. Laws were introduced that allowed immigration officers to seize and detain vessels and vehicles used to convey illegal immigrants. Those who harboured or employed illegal immigrants could also be punished. Data on foreigners' movements within Singapore were processed by the new Immigration Data Processing Centre.
The Last Port Clearance was introduced in 1980 to attract more passenger liners to Singapore.
A passport office was opened at Joo Chiat Complex in 1984. This office issued both international and restricted passports and was closed in 1999. The Immigration Department moved its head office to the Pidemco Centre in June 1986. Immigration officers were also deployed to places such as India and Hong Kong to open consulates and high commissions. All passports issued by Singapore immigration after 1990 were computerised and machine-readable. The Entry and Exit Control Integrated System implemented in the early 1990s was a computerized immigration system that was used at checkpoints to speed up the processing of travellers. A hotline for information was set up in 1992, with restricted access to countries lifted.
National Registration Office The independence of Singapore in 1965 brought with it the National Registration Act in 1966. The distinctive pink identity cards were issued for the first time. The National Registration Office (NRO) replaced the former Registry of Persons.