Guidance

Singapore: Knowledge Base profile

Published 19 July 2024

Version 3.0

About: Singapore

This document contains useful information about Singapore which will assist His Majesty’s Passport Office staff process passport applications.

Contacts

If you have any questions about the guidance and your line manager or senior caseworker cannot help you or you think that the guidance has factual errors then email HM Passport Office’s Guidance team.

If you notice any formatting errors in this guidance (broken links, spelling mistakes and so on) or have any comments about the layout or navigability of the guidance then you can email the Guidance team.

Publication

Below is information on when this version of the document was published:

• version 3.0

• published for Home Office staff on 15 July 2024

Changes from last version of this document

This document has been updated with:

• a link to Singapore Government Agency website

• minor formatting changes

Singapore: names

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about names in Singapore.

There are three types of naming convention in Singapore, including:

• a Chinese naming convention

• a Malaysian naming convention

• an Indian naming convention

The Chinese naming convention consists of a surname, followed by the forename of the person (this can be one or two words). For example, if a person is named Tan Yun Han, Tan is the surname and Yun Han is the given name. Some people also adopt an English forename, as a third forename.

The Malaysian naming convention includes adding to the name:

• ‘bin’, meaning ‘son of’

• ‘binte’ or ‘bte’, meaning ‘daughter of’

An example of a Malaysian name is Hasinah bte Ali, meaning Hasinah, daughter of Ali. Where the father’s name is included, this is usually just his forename. However, some parents choose to include the full name of the father.

The Indian naming convention often involves including ‘s/o’ (son of) or d/o (daughter of) in the middle of a person’s name. For example, Govindan s/o Pillay or Rani d/o Narayan.

Change of name

Name changes are allowed in Singapore.

A change of name must be completed through a deed poll in Singapore.

A married name can be added to an identity card or passport without a deed poll. This will show in addition to the person’s original name. For example, Tan Hui Yee (Mrs Hui Yee Smith).

Singapore: nationality

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about nationality in Singapore.

Dual nationality is illegal in Singapore. When a person is born a dual national they must decide by the age of 21 years which nationality they wish to retain.

Singapore: legitimacy and parental responsibility

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about legitimacy and parental responsibility in Singapore.

Legitimacy

Singapore recognises a difference between legitimate and illegitimate births.

A child will be considered:

• legitimate:

  • if the parents are married at the time of the birth

  • from the time of the marriage if the parents married after the birth

• illegitimate if the child is born to parents who never marry

Parental responsibility

Parental responsibility is shared equally between both parents in Singapore.

Singapore: adoption

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about adoption in Singapore.

Adoption is legal in Singapore.

Singapore: surrogacy

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about surrogacy in Singapore.

There are no laws regarding surrogacy in Singapore.

Singapore: gender recognition

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about gender recognition in Singapore.

Transgender citizens are not recognised in Singapore.

Singapore: civil partnership and marriage

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about civil partnership and marriage in Singapore.

Civil partnerships and same sex relationships are not recognised in Singapore.

Marriages in Singapore, take place through the:

• Registry of Marriages (ROM) if it is a civil marriage

• Registry of Muslim Marriages (ROMM) if it is an Islamic religious marriage

These marriages are legally recognised in Singapore.

Singapore: documents

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about documents in Singapore.

Birth certificates

All birth records are held on a central register by the Singapore Government.

Births must be registered within 42 days. Late registrations are not allowed.

Paper birth certificates are laminated when they are issued.

From 29 May 2022, birth certificates issued by the Government of Singapore are in a digital form (with a QR code). There is a Singapore Government Agency website to verify the document online.

Marriage certificates

Legally recognised marriages in Singapore, take place through the:

• Registry of Marriages (ROM) if it is a civil marriage

• Registry of Muslim Marriages (ROMM) if it is an Islamic religious marriage

Marriage certificates are issued by:

• Registry of Marriages (ROM) if it is a civil marriage

• Registry of Muslim Marriages (ROMM) if it is an Islamic religious marriage

A ROMM marriage certificate will have Arabic print alongside English words.

The original marriage certificate is issued on heavy paper, and further copies are printed on plain paper.

Death certificates

All death records are held centrally in the Registry of Births and Deaths, and each certificate is issued with its own unique reference number.

All deaths should be registered within 3 days. Late registration is allowed up until 7 days after the death. After 7 days, the Registrar General must approve the registration.

Identity documents

Identity cards are issued to all residents and workers in Singapore.

These identity cards are issued by the Singapore Government. The cards are not laminated when they are issued.