Transit Visa for Singapore Changi — Do You Need One? (2026)
What Singapore's Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) requires when you connect at Changi (SIN): staying airside, leaving the airport, and the 96-hour Visa Free Transit Facility.
Quick Answer
No transit visa is needed to change planes at Changi if you stay in the transit area: ICA says Singapore is open to all transit travellers with no specific requirements. You only need a visa if you clear immigration — to leave the airport, or because your airline makes you collect bags or check in again — and your passport is on Singapore's visa-required list (which includes India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nigeria). Some travellers can use the 96-hour Visa Free Transit Facility instead.
Visa needed to enter Singapore (leave the airport)?
| Nationality | Visa needed to enter? |
|---|---|
| United States | No |
| United Kingdom | No |
| European Union | No |
| Australia | No |
| Canada | No |
| India | Yes |
| Pakistan | Yes |
| Bangladesh | Yes |
| Nigeria | Yes |
| China (PRC) | No |
Staying airside needs no visa for any of these passports. Source: ICA Singapore — Visa Requirements (updated 25 June 2026) and Transiting Through Singapore, checked 1 October 2026.
Leaving the airport on a visa-required passport: the 96-hour Visa Free Transit Facility
- 1
Who it is for
ICA lists nationals of India, the Commonwealth of Independent States, Georgia, Turkmenistan and Ukraine, and selected nationals of the People's Republic of China, as possibly eligible.
- 2
Conditions for Indian (and selected PRC) nationals
You must be in transit to or from a third country, hold an onward air, ferry or cruise ticket leaving Singapore within 96 hours, and hold a valid visa or long-term pass (valid for at least one month from entry) for Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, the United Kingdom or the United States.
- 3
Otherwise, get a visa before you fly
If you are on the visa-required list and not eligible for the facility, you need a Singapore visa to clear immigration. ICA assesses entry at the checkpoint even when you qualify.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Indian passport holders need a transit visa at Singapore Changi?
Not to stay in the transit area. India is on Singapore's visa-required list, so an Indian passport holder needs a visa — or the 96-hour Visa Free Transit Facility — only to clear immigration and leave the airport.
Do Nigerian or Pakistani passport holders need a transit visa at Changi?
Not to stay airside. Both countries are on Singapore's visa-required list, so you need a Singapore visa if you have to clear immigration.
When do I have to clear immigration at Changi?
ICA says travellers whose booking requires them to enter Singapore to collect tickets or baggage and check in again are not transit travellers. Several low-cost carriers require this, so ask your airline whether you can stay in the transit area.
Planning a Layover at Changi?
Read our full guide to making the most of your Singapore Changi stopover.
Singapore Changi Layover Guide →