Question:
Mr Gan Thiam Poh: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) since April 2020, how many Singaporeans and
permanent residents have appealed for their foreigner relatives or dependants to enter Singapore; and (b) how many have
appealed for a waiver of the Stay-Home Notice Dedicated Facility accommodation cost for their relatives or
dependants.
Answer:
1. To manage the risk of importation of COVID-19 into Singapore, all foreign visitors,
including family members of Singapore Citizens (SCs) and Permanent Residents (PRs), are required to seek prior
approval before entering Singapore. From 1 April 2020 to 31 January 2021, ICA processed about 18,600 applications
for entry of foreign family members of SCs and PRs. 97% of these applications were approved. The remaining 3% were
rejected mainly because the applicant was unable to provide proof of SC or PR nexus.
2. Foreign visitors entering Singapore are required to pay for the costs of their COVID-19
swab test and stay at dedicated Stay-Home Notice (SHN) facilities, if required. All appeals for waiver of costs are
assessed on a case-by-case basis. From 1 April 2020 to 31 January 2021, ICA processed 371 appeals for waiver of
costs for SHN stays or COVID-19 swab tests for family members of SCs and PRs. About 60% of these appeals were
successful, while the remaining were either withdrawn or were unsuccessful.
