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Have a Good Trip! | Singapore Services Abroad- Advice for Singaporeans | Arrest and Detention of Singaporeans  | Death Of Singaporeans Overseas

Have a Good Trip!

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Copies of the English edition of the booklets are available at Singapore Changi Airport and Immigration & Checkpoint Authority Information counter.

Copies of the booklets in all 4 languages are available at Consular Directorate, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

A gentle reminder for all aspiring adventurers: Please check visa requirements for the destinations of visit. Click here to check visas required by different destinations

Singapore Services Abroad- Advice for Singaporeans

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is committed to providing consular services to Singaporeans overseas. Our services are available overseas through our network of Singapore Embassies, High Commissions and Consulates. It is important that you know what our Consular Officers can or cannot do for you.

What can our Consular Officer assist in?  |  What you should do for yourself? |  While you are there...  |  Registration

What can our Consular Officer assist in?

• Provide you with information, advice and consular assistance.

• Issue you with an emergency travel document if you have lost your Singapore passport overseas.
  Note: It is an Immigration requirement that you report the loss of your passport to the local police and furnish our Mission with a copy of this report.

• Contact your relatives or friends to request them to send you emergency funds for your repatriation or other necessary emergency expenses.

• Notify your next-of-kin in the event you are injured abroad.

• Notify your next-of-kin in the event of your arrest or detention.

• Visit a Singapore citizen who has been arrested or imprisoned and monitor that due process under the judicial system of that country is accorded to him or her.

• Help to obtain a list of officially registered local lawyers and translation services where this is available.

• Assist in making the arrangements for the return to Singapore of the remains and personal belongings of a deceased Singaporean overseas.

• Help you during emergencies such as natural disasters or civil disorder in the foreign country.

What can our Consular Officer not  assist in?

• Pay your medical, hospital, legal, accommodation, travel or other bills.

• Provide loans or cash your cheques.

• Post bails or pay fines on your behalf.

• Intervene in the judicial process of a foreign country or ignore local laws.

• Intervene in or act as an intermediary in disputes which are of a civil nature.

• Provide legal advice or initiate court proceedings on your behalf.

• Act as your guarantor or sponsor.

• Arrange for your accommodation or for your work.

• Provide translation, mail-forwarding, telephone, fax/telex or other personal services.

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What you should do for yourself

Proper preparations at home and sensible precautions while abroad can contribute towards trouble-free trips. The following is a list of what to do before you start on your trip and what to do if you get into trouble overseas.

Before you go...

While you are there...

Registration

If you intend to remain outside Singapore for more than six months, it is advisable that you register yourself at the nearest Singapore Mission. You can also register yourself on-line at eRegister.

Further Information

We hope that you find the information in this leaflet useful. It is intended as a basic guide and as such, does not cover all possible scenarios. Information is current at the time of printing. Additional travel information is provided in the pocket-sized travel booklet 'Have a Good Trip!' available at the Consular Directorate, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the MFA Consular Homepage. If you have any comments on this leaflet or need further information or clarification, please contact us at:

Consular Directorate
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Tanglin
Singapore 248163

Tel: 6379 8800, 1800-476 8870 (Toll-free no. for calls made from Singapore)
Fax: 6471 3901
E-mail : mfa_con@mfa.gov.sg
Homepage : http://www.mfa.gov.sg/consular

Singapore Overseas Missions

There are 64 Singapore Overseas Missions in most capital cities of the world. The addresses and contact numbers are available in the MFA Homepage.

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Arrest and Detention of Singaporeans

Our Overseas Missions will make every effort to ensure that Singaporeans arrested or detained overseas receive fair treatment under the local criminal justice system and that they are not penalised, discriminated against or denied justice because of their nationality. However, our Overseas Missions cannot seek preferential treatment nor interfere with the judicial process of another country.

Consular assistance to a Singapore citizen under detention primarily includes ensuring that a Singaporean is:

• Accorded fair and humane treatment in accordance with the local laws.

• Not denied access to a Singapore Consular Officer, his lawyers and those who have a legitimate right to have access to him.

• Not denied legal aid to which he may be entitled to under the local laws.

• Not remanded pending trial for a protracted period.

What can our Consular Officer assist in?

• Notify the family of the detention or arrest and provide details made available by the local authorities.

• Obtain information about the status of the case.

• Assist in obtaining information on the local judicial and prison systems.

• Provide a list of local lawyers if available.

• Assist in arranging prison visits for family.

• Arrange for consular visits to Singaporeans in detention or imprisonment.

• Facilitate the transfer of funds to the detained person if other means are unavailable (only if such remittance is permitted by prison authorities).

• Ensure that medical problems, if any, are brought to the attention of the prison authorities.

• Take up any justified complaint about ill treatment or alleged discrimination with the prison authorities.

• Facilitate repatriation or deportation, after release.

What can our Consular Officer not assist in?

• Pay your medical, hospital, legal, accommodation, travel or other bills.

• Provide loans or cash your cheques.

• Post bails or pay fines on your behalf.

• Intervene in the judicial process of a foreign country or ignore local laws.

• Intervene in or act as an intermediary in disputes which are of a civil nature.

• Provide legal advice or initiate court proceedings on your behalf.

• Act as your guarantor or sponsor.

• Arrange for your accommodation or for your work.

• Provide translation, mail-forwarding, telephone, fax/telex or other personal services.

Advise for Relatives

Prison regulations vary from country to country. If you intend to visit a relative detained abroad, you should approach the Consular Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs so that arrangement may be made to facilitate such visits as well as obtain advice for bringing parcels.

Further Information

We hope that you find the information in this leaflet useful. It is intended as a basic guide and as such, does not cover all possible scenarios. Information is current at the time of printing. Additional travel information is provided in the pocket-sized travel booklet 'Have a Good Trip!' available at the Consular Directorate, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the MFA Consular Homepage. If you have any comments on this leaflet or need further information or clarification, please contact us at:

Consular Directorate
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Tanglin
Singapore 248163

Tel: 6379 8800, 1800-476 8870 (Toll-free no. for calls made from Singapore)
Fax: 6471 3901
E-mail : mfa_con@mfa.gov.sg
Homepage : http://www.mfa.gov.sg/consular

Singapore Overseas Missions

There are 64 Singapore Overseas Missions in most capital cities of the world. The addresses and contact numbers are available in the MFA Homepage.

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Death Of Singaporeans Overseas

The death of a relative or a friend is always distressing. If it occurs abroad the distress can be further aggravated by practical problems. Our Consular Officers can help you during such periods of distress. They are trained to help you deal with serious accidents and deaths overseas.

This leaflet tells you what practical support our Consular Officers can offer you.

What happens if a relative or friend dies abroad while I am in Singapore?

If the death has been reported to a Singapore Mission overseas, our Consular Officers will immediately contact the relevant local authorities and the hospital. The Consular Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will immediately contact family members of the deceased.
If you hear of the death of a relative or friend from a tour operator or any other third party, you should contact the Consular Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Our Consular Officers will keep in touch with the family of the deceased and the Singapore Mission overseas until burial or cremation overseas, or repatriation to Singapore has been completed.
It is important to note that it may not be always possible to carry out the wishes of the next-of-kin, such as a request for cremation, as such facilities may not be available in some countries.

What should I do if a relative or friend dies while I am abroad with them?

All deaths must be registered in the country where the death occurs. The Singapore Mission overseas, your tour guide or the local police can advise you on how to go about this.
Make sure you have as much information or documentation as possible about the deceased. This should include:

• Full name

• Date of birth

• Passport number

• Next-of-kin of the deceased person (if you are not the closest relative)

Get in touch with the nearest Singapore Mission. Singaporeans in distress are assured of Consular assistance during and after regular office hours and during weekends. Outside office hours, the Singapore Mission's answering machine gives the contact number of the Duty Officer.

What can our Consular Officer assist in?

• Notify the next-of-kin of the incident.

• Provide a list of local undertakers.

• Advice on the cost of local burial, local cremation and transport of remains and personal property back to Singapore.

• Help transfer money from family members and relatives in Singapore to pay for any costs; if necessary.

What can our Consular Officer not assist in?

• Investigate the cause of death or a possible crime.

• Make an insurance claim on behalf the deceased? family.

• Pay for burial or cremation expenses.

• Pay for the return of the remains to Singapore.

• Pay for any bills or debts that may be outstanding.

• In the absence of a suitable medical/travel insurance, the next-of-kin or friends of the deceased are expected to cover these expenses

We strongly advise that full medical/travel insurance be obtained before leaving Singapore, to cover all costs in the event of death.

Further Information

We hope that you find the information in this leaflet useful. It is intended as a basic guide and as such, does not cover all possible scenarios. Information is current at the time of printing. Additional travel information is provided in the pocket-sized travel booklet 'Have a Good Trip!' available at the Consular Directorate, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the MFA Consular Homepage. If you have any comments on this leaflet or need further information or clarification, please contact us at:

Consular Directorate
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Tanglin
Singapore 248163

Tel: 6379 8800, 1800-476 8870 (Toll-free no. for calls made from Singapore)
Fax: 6471 3901
E-mail : mfa_con@mfa.gov.sg
Homepage : http://www.mfa.gov.sg/consular

Singapore Overseas Missions

There are 64 Singapore Overseas Missions in most capital cities of the world. The addresses and contact numbers are available in the MFA Homepage.

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Other Singapore Establishments Overseas

Singapore International Foundation

Overseas Students Association

Contact Singapore Centres

Economic Development Board

IE Singapore

Singapore Tourism Board

Singapore Airlines

SilkAir

Development Bank of Singapore (DBS)

Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation Limited (OCBC)

Overseas Union Bank Limited (OUB)/ United Overseas Bank (UOB)

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