The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has announced that it will introduce an optional National Registration Identity Card (NRIC) re-registration exercise for Singapore Citizens (SCs) and Permanent Residents (PRs) born before 1 January 1962 with effect from 1 January 2018.
Under current exercise, Singapore citizens and permanent residents must register for their NRICs at age 15 and re-register when they turn 30, and again when they turn 55. Through these exercises, Singapore citizens and permanent residents are issued with new NRICs bearing their most recent photographs, at a subsidised fee.
ICA stated that Singapore citizens and permanent residents born before 1 January 1962 are not covered in the mandatory re-registration of NRIC at age 55 exercise, as this requirement was introduced only from 1 January 2017. The optional re-registration exercise will allow these Singapore citizens and permanent residents to also have the opportunity to re-register for new NRICs bearing their most recent photographs, at a subsidised fee.
ICA stated that Singapore citizens and permanent residents who are born before 1 January 1962 and who have not been issued with a replacement NRIC in the last ten years (i.e. current NRIC was issued before 1 January 2008), will be eligible for this exercise.
According to the authority, eligible NRIC holders will receive a notification letter from ICA when it is their turn to re-register. All eligible NRIC holders will get their turn within the next five years.
It noted that there is no need for NRIC holders to do anything, until they receive ICA’s letter. Once they receive ICA’s letter, they should re-register their NRICs within one year from the date of the letter. As NRIC re-registration for this group is entirely optional, they can also choose not to re-register, if they do not wish to.
It also said that eligible NRIC holders with a valid passport or Re-Entry Permit (REP) will receive the above-mentioned notification letter together with their passport expiry or REP renewal notice. This will be about three to nine months before their passports or REPs are due to expire.
For greater convenience, ICA noted that eligible NRIC holders are encouraged to re-register their NRICs and apply their passports or REPs at the same time.
While, for avoidance of ambiguity, ICA stated that eligible NRIC holders without a valid passport or REP will also receive a NRIC re-registration notification letter from ICA over the next five years, as per paragraph 5 above.
the authority also said that its notification letters will contain detailed information on how to apply for NRIC re-registration.
“The most convenient way to do so is online, via iC Online on the ICA website. Eligible NRIC holders can also re-register using the self-service kiosks located at the eLobby on Level 1 of the ICA Building,” it said, adding that eligible NRIC holders will need to update their personal particulars and submit a recent photograph of themselves when re-registering.
ICA then said that to enjoy the subsidised fee of $10 for Singapore citizens and $50 for permanent residents, eligible NRIC holders will have to re-register within one year from the date of the notification letter. Thereafter, the full fee of $60 will apply.
Upon successful re-registration, ICA noted that it will send an acknowledgement card to inform NRIC holders to collect their new NRICs.
For their convenience, the authority stated that successful applicants can opt to collect their NRICs (and passports, if they applied for their passports at the same time that they applied for re-registration of their NRICs) at selected post offices near where they live or work, with a service fee payable to SingPost.
Otherwise, it said that they can collect their NRICs from the ICA Building. In the same appointment, they can collect their passports, where relevant.
All appointments can be booked via eappointment.ica.gov.sg or the eAPPT@ICA mobile app and members of the public can visit our website at www.ica.gov.sg for more information on the optional NRIC re-registration requirements and procedures.
