Foreign nationals visiting for short business negotiations and discussions may generally enter Singapore on a visit pass. Visit passes are issued on arrival in Singapore, and the permitted period of stay is usually either 30 or 90 days. Extensions are considered on a case-by-case basis.

With the limited exception in some cases of diplomatic and official passport holders, the following foreign nationals will require a valid entry visa prior to arriving in Singapore:

• Foreign nationals holding travel documents issued by the following countries: Afghanistan, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Egypt, Georgia, India, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Moldova, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Yemen
• Holders of refugee travel documents
• Holders of an alien's passport (stateless persons)
• Holders of a Palestinian Authority passport
• Holders of a temporary passport issued by the United Arab Emirates
• Holders of a Hong Kong SAR identity document
• Holders of a Macau Special Administrative Region Travel Permit
• Holders of a Mainland China Travel Document

The Miscellaneous Work Pass is for eligible foreign nationals on short-term work assignments, such as the following:

• A foreign national who is involved in activities directly related to organizing or conducting any seminar, conference, workshop, gathering or talk concerning any religion, race or community, cause, or political end
• A foreign religious worker giving talks relating directly or indirectly to any religion
• A foreign journalist or reporter or accompanying crew member, not supported/sponsored by any Singapore government agency to cover an event or write a story in Singapore

The Miscellaneous Work Pass enables a foreign national to take on assignments of up to 60 days in Singapore.

A work pass is not required if the individual is providing arbitration or mediation services (e.g., as an arbitrator or a mediator) in relation to any case or matter that meets the following criteria:

• Does not relate directly or indirectly to any religious belief or to religion generally
• Does not relate directly or indirectly to any race or community generally
• Is not cause-related or directed toward a political end

A work pass is not required for participating in any exhibition as an exhibitor. The individual must be registered with the organizer of the exhibition to do the following:

• Provide information on, put on a performance or give a demonstration of anything related to the subject of the exhibition
• Display or sell goods or services that are the subject of the exhibition

These activities can only take place during the exhibition's official opening hours.

A work pass is not required for an international judge of the Supreme Court who is doing the following:

• Sitting in the SICC to hear cases, as specified by the chief justice
• Sitting in the court of appeal in an appeal from any judgment or order of the SICC
• Carrying out any other work or activity (such as consultancy, advisory or promotional work) related to their appointment with the Supreme Court and the SICC

This also applies to registered foreign lawyers with the SICC who have been granted the following:

• Full registration under Section 36P of the Legal Profession Act to represent, plead or provide any form of assistance in any relevant proceedings or subsequent appeals
• Restricted registration under Section 36P of the Legal Profession Act to give advice and prepare documents to make submissions in any relevant proceedings or appeals that are permitted by the relevant courts

A work pass is not required for activities relating directly to organizing, promoting or conducting a junket in a casino and performed by the following:

• Junket representatives employed by a junket promoter who is based overseas: Junket representatives are required to hold a valid junket representative license issued by the Casino Regulatory Authority.
• Self-employed junket promoters who are based overseas: Junket promoters are required to hold a valid junket promoter license issued by the Casino Regulatory Authority.

A work pass is not required for activities relating to any location filming leading to a television or movie production or fashion show (including involvement as an actor, model, director, member of the film or technical crew, or photographer), but excludes business-to-individual services such as videography or photography for weddings.

A work pass is not required for the following:

• Performing as an actor, singer, dancer or musician, or involvement as key support staff in an event supported by the government or any statutory board
• Performing as an actor, singer, dancer or musician, or involvement as key support staff in an event, in a venue to which the public or any class of the public has access (gratuitously or otherwise), including any theater or concert hall

A work pass is not required for providing expertise or specialized skills, including in the following:

• Commissioning or auditing any new plant and equipment (including any audit to ensure regulatory compliance or compliance with one or more standards)
• Installing, dismantling, transferring, repairing or maintaining any equipment or machine, whether in relation to a scale-up of operations or otherwise
• Transferring knowledge on processes of operations in Singapore

A work pass is not required for activities relating directly to organizing or conducting any seminar, conference, workshop, gathering or talk that meets the following criteria:

• Does not have the sale or promotion of goods and services as its main purpose
• Does not relate directly or indirectly to any religious belief or to religion generally
• Does not relate directly or indirectly to any race or community generally
• Is not cause-related or directed toward a political end, including involvement as a speaker, moderator, facilitator or trainer

A work pass is not required for activities relating directly to facilitating a tour and performed by tour leaders or tour facilitators employed by a foreign company, i.e., a company whose principal place of business is situated outside Singapore or whose principal business activity is conducted outside Singapore.

Foreign nationals performing work pass exempt activities are required to submit an e-notification to the MOM before engaging in these activities. They can perform these activities for the duration of their short-term visit pass, subject to a maximum of 90 days in a calendar year. Beyond that, they will need to obtain a work pass. Those carrying out work pass exempt activities without notifying the MOM can be prosecuted under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act.