Registration of Citizenship by Descent

The Consulate-General has ceased taking in applications from 25 October 2018.

All applications must be done online at the Singapore Immigration and Checkpoints Authority's website. The Singaporean parent may submit an application for a child who is born overseas and who meets any of the following conditions: 

1. The father, who is a Singapore citizen by Birth and has a lawful marriage,
2. The father, who is a Singapore citizen by Registration and has a lawful marriage. The child shall not acquire citizenship of the country he was born by reason of his birth in that country.
3. The mother, who is a Singapore citizen by Birth and the child born on or after 15 May 2004.
4. The mother, who is a Singapore citizen by Registration and the child born on or after 15 May 2004. The child shall not acquire citizenship of the country he was born by reason of his birth in that country.
5. The father (who has a lawful marriage at time of child’s birth) or mother is a Singapore citizen by Descent has to complete an additional Annex form to the application declaring their residence period in Singapore. The application can only be accepted if the applicant fulfils the requirements stipulated in the Annex.

Note: The application has to be submitted within one year of the child’s birth.  Otherwise, a letter of explanation is required for the delay in submission. In order to fulfil two of the Singapore citizenship application’s requirements as stated in ICA website, the child's parents must be legally married at the point of application and the child has to have an official Vietnam birth certificate which can be obtained at the City/ Province Justice Department.

Application Procedure 

The following documents should be submitted to ICA Singapore by the Singaporean parent:

a)        One recent passport-sized colour photograph of child affixed on the completed citizenship application form. The photograph must be:

- 35 mm wide by 45 mm high without border and taken within the last three months;

- taken full face without headgear, unless the applicant habitually wears a headgear in accordance with religious or racial customs. The headgear must not hide the applicant's facial features;

- the facial image must be between 25 mm and 35 mm from chin to crown; and taken against plain white background with a matt or semi-matt finish; 

b)        Official Birth Certificate of child and passport/travel document. (if the documents are not in English, it needs to be translated by the Justice Division of the District People’s Committee and notarised by the Department of External Relations);

c)        Parents’ Identity Cards, Birth Certificates and Passports (if the documents are not in English, they need to be translated by the Justice Division of the District People’s Committee and notarised by the Department of External Relations);

d)        Parents' citizenship certificates (if any);

e)        Parents' entry permits and re-entry permits (if any);

f)         Parents' marriage certificate (if the document is not in English, it needs to be translated by the Justice Division of the District People’s Committee). If the marriage is registered outside Singapore, a Statutory Declaration to the effect that the spouse is his one and only wife, is required;

g)        Parents' divorce certificate/separation deed/custody document of child or children by previous spouses (if applicable) and spouse’s death certificate (if applicable);

The following additional documents are required to be submitted if application is submitted after one year of minor’s birth:

h)         Latest letter of employment from current employer dated no more than 3 months from the date of citizenship application, stating the occupation, date of employment and gross salary per month;

i)         Latest 6 months payslips;

j)         For self-employed applicants, business registration certificate from Accounting & Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA), latest balance sheet, profit and loss account);

k)        Birth certificate(s); Singapore Citizenship Certificates(s); passport(s) of other child/children; and

l)        Explanation letter for delayed application.

Processing Time

Generally 3- 4 months (some applications may take a longer time to process).

Processing Fees

Other Information

The child should be present at the point of collection of the citizenship certificate.

The parents of the child may apply for a Singapore passport on the child’s behalf upon receipt of the citizenship certificate.  For Singapore International Passport application procedures, please see Singapore Passport Application.