Around 41,800 foreign nationals were refused entry at Republic of Singapore checkpoints until November 2025. The number of foreign nationals refused entry to Singapore is predicted to increase next year.
Reported The Straits TimesSunday (21/12/2025), travelers who are not wanted by Singapore will face stricter supervision starting in 2026. This is in line with the new no-boarding directive (NBD) initiative.
Starting January 2026, Singapore Airlines, Scoot, Emirates, Turkish Airlines and AirAsia will implement the NBD to prohibit travelers from boarding Singapore-bound flights if they are found to not meet the entry requirements for Singapore. The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said more airlines would join the initiative from March 2026.
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The new scheme comes after ICA data showed the total number of tourists refused entry to Singapore between January and November 2025 was almost 26% higher than in all of 2024 and 46% more than those refused entry in 2023. ICA said many tourists were refused entry due to multiple layers of security checks.
These include automated lanes equipped with anti-counterfeit detection capabilities, and a multi-modal biometric screening system that allows ICA to quickly uncover those who try to enter Singapore by impersonating someone else or using multiple identities. Suspected persons, such as those who have committed crimes and are prohibited from returning to the country, can also be detected through this system.
ICA Deputy Assistant Commissioner (DAC), Joe Tan, said the authority also utilizes passenger information and data analysis to identify such travelers before they arrive at checkpoints. He added travelers were then flagged for stricter security checks before being allowed into Singapore.
“We do not deny entry to travelers simply because they are identified as high risk at an early stage. These travelers are stopped at our automated lane on arrival for further screening,” said DAC Tan.
He said officers would conduct further interviews and investigations to determine the travelers’ intent and suitability to enter the country. Currently, countries such as the United States and Australia are already running similar initiatives in collaboration with airlines to prevent high-risk travelers from boarding flights to those countries.
In the US, the Secure Flight program screens passengers in real-time against a watch list maintained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for known or suspected terrorists. In Australia, this is done through the Movement Alert List, which is maintained by the Department of Home Affairs.
The list contains information about people of concern, including those with serious criminal records or who pose a security risk to society, or who are under visa restrictions. ICA is ramping up its capabilities upstream to stem the tide of unwanted travelers entering Singapore.
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(haf/imk)
