Singaporeans and Permanent Residents who have Appealed for Their Foreigner Relatives to Enter Singapore Since Circuit Breaker

Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked 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.

Mr Speaker, 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, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) processed about 18,600 applications for entry of foreign family members of SCs and PRs. Ninety-seven percent of these applications were approved. The remaining 3% were rejected, mainly because the applicant was unable to provide proof of SC or PR nexus.

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 About 60% of these appeals were successful, while the remaining were either withdrawn or were unsuccessful.