Foreign-registered vehicles entering Singapore without a valid VEP will be denied entry from October 6, says ICA

Singapore has announced that all foreign-registered vehicles entering the republic must soon have a valid vehicle entry permit (VEP), or else they will be asked to turn back to Malaysia.

In a statement, the country’s immigration and checkpoints authority (ICA) said that from October 6, travellers entering Singapore by a foreign-registered car through Woodlands or Tuas checkpoint must ensure that their vehicle has a valid VEP before submitting their SG arrival card (SGAC).

When the SGAC is submitted, the system will verify the VEP status of the foreign-registered car. “If the vehicle does not have a valid VEP, travellers will not be able to complete their SGAC submission. They will be prompted to apply for a VEP before travelling to Singapore,” the ICA statement read.

An advance verification will alert travellers, including passengers, if the vehicle does not have a valid VEP, providing motorists an opportunity to rectify the issue before travelling to Singapore, thus avoiding the inconvenience of being turned back at the land checkpoints.

The ICA said that a valid VEP provides assurance that the vehicle has the requisite motor insurance – which ensures that it is adequately insured in the event of a road accident – in Singapore, as valid motor insurance covering the vehicle’s entire period of stay is mandatory to obtain a VEP. The ICA added that the VEP verification will be progressively extended to other vehicle types at the land checkpoints.