Get the baby a passport from your own country
Being born in Singapore does not by itself make a baby Singaporean — citizenship follows from a parent, and ICA is the authority on how — so for most expat families the child needs a passport from your own country, and the Special Pass issued with the birth registration only lasts 42 days. Checked against ica.gov.sg on 22 September 2026.
- Who it applies to
- Everyone having a baby in Singapore
- On your timeline
- Paperbump schedules this within 3 weeks of the birth
- Official source
- ica.gov.sg
- Last checked
- 22 September 2026
What else to know
Contact your embassy or high commission before the birth to find out what they need — usually the digital birth certificate, both parents' passports, your marriage certificate and photos of the baby — and how long they take. Some embassies issue in days; others send everything home and take weeks. If the passport will not arrive in time, ask ICA to extend the Special Pass before it runs out rather than after.
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