What to Do If Your Singapore Visa Is Rejected: ICA Steps

An appeal goes through ICA’s enquiry form within one month of the rejection, as at November 2026.
A submitted application cannot be amended; corrected details go into a new application.
ICA does not disclose the reason for a rejection; the S$30 processing fee is non-refundable.

A rejected Singapore visa can be appealed to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) within one month of the rejection, and a new application is the route if the submitted details were wrong. ICA says, as at November 2026, that the reason for a rejection is not disclosed and that submitted information cannot be amended. The appeal letter is signed by the local contact.

This page gives official information and is not legal advice.

Will ICA say why a Singapore visa was rejected?

No. ICA does not disclose the reason for a rejection, for reasons of confidentiality of information, as at November 2026. The routes ICA words are an appeal through its enquiry form and, where the submitted details were wrong, a new application with the correct details.

Can a rejected Singapore visa be appealed?

Yes. ICA says an appeal goes through its enquiry form within 1 month from the visa rejection, as at November 2026. The appeal carries a letter, signed by the local contact, asking ICA to reconsider and giving the reason, plus the applicant’s passport biodata page, any other supporting documents and the local contact’s NRIC date of issue.

Each appeal is assessed on its own merits and generally takes 14 working days, depending on complexity.

When does a new application replace an appeal?

ICA words a new application as the route when the first application’s details were wrong. ICA states, as at November 2026, that information cannot be amended after submission. The applicant can disregard the previous outcome and file a new application with the correct details.

The new application carries the previous reference number and the reason, entered in the field headed “Additional Information to support this SAVE application/Remarks”. The S$30 processing fee collected at submission is non-refundable. The tourist visa requirements list which travel documents need a visa.

How long does each step take?

ICA gives the processing time of a visa application as within 3 working days, excluding the day of submission, and says some take longer, as at November 2026. The appeal window is 1 month from the rejection, and an appeal generally takes 14 working days.

A visa application’s status is checked on the ICA e-Service with the visa reference number and the applicant’s travel document number. Local contacts are advised to monitor an appeal through the Enquire Application Status function.

Frequently asked questions about a rejected Singapore visa

Why was my Singapore visa rejected?

ICA does not disclose the reason for a rejection, citing confidentiality of information, as at November 2026. An appeal goes through the enquiry form within 1 month of the rejection, and each appeal is assessed on its own merits. A new application with the correct details is the route ICA words for wrong details, and it carries the previous reference number in the Remarks field.

Is the S$30 visa fee refunded if the visa is rejected?

No. ICA states that the processing fee of S$30 collected at the time of submission is non-refundable, as at November 2026. ICA also states that information cannot be amended after submission. Corrected details go into a new application, and the previous reference number and the reason for the new application go in the field headed “Additional Information to support this SAVE application/Remarks”.

How do I check my Singapore visa application status?

The ICA e-Service shows the status of a visa application, as at November 2026, and asks for the visa reference number and the applicant’s travel document number. ICA gives the processing time as within 3 working days, excluding the day of submission, and some applications take longer to process. Local contacts are advised to monitor an appeal through the Enquire Application Status function.

Does a visa guarantee entry to Singapore?

No. ICA states that a visa does not guarantee entry, as at November 2026. A Singapore entry visa is a pre-entry permission and not an immigration pass, and ICA officers at the checkpoint determine whether the holder can enter. The e-Pass issued at the checkpoint sets the period of stay. To stay longer, the holder applies to extend the Short-Term Visit Pass.

Who can file the appeal against a visa rejection?

The letter asking ICA to reconsider the rejection is signed by the local contact, and the appeal also carries the local contact’s NRIC date of issue, as at November 2026. The appeal goes through the enquiry form within 1 month from the date of the rejection, and ICA advises local contacts to monitor it through the Enquire Application Status function.