Changing residential address in Singapore will be easier from Oct 2020

From 1 October 2020, Singaporeans and Permanent Residents (PRs) who need to change residential address when they move house can do so online, said the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) on 28 September.

Currently, residential addresses have to be updated in person, by personally bringing their identity card (IC) and documentary evidence to a Neighbourhood Police Post (NPP), Neighbourhood Police Centre, or the ICA building.

At the same time, those moving to or changing an overseas place of residence need to report the change to ICA via email.

Another important point to note: The police will no longer provide the service of changing residential address from December onwards.

Part of efforts to “digitalise” its services: ICA

To change residential address in Singapore on or after 1 Oct, Singaporeans and PRs may access a new e-service on ICA’s website to perform the task. The e-service will be available in English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil.

The digital service will first require the applicants to login to their SingPass account. After completing the online procedure to change your residential address, applicants will receive a unique PIN sent by mail to their new address within three to five days. (International delivery time will differ depending on the postal service of the country.)

Once the applicant receives the PIN mailer, they have to log on to ICA’s e-service to enter the PIN. This is done to verfiy the address of the applicant. The new address will also be updated in the databases of public agencies in the One-Stop Address Reporting (OSCARS) initiative within one working day.

Upon verification, applicants will receive an acknowlegement that change in residential address has been performed successfully. They will also receive a sticker bearing the new address in the mail. Applicants must affix the sticker onto their back of their ICs, covering the old address.

It will be an offence if the user does not follow through to stick the new address label on the IC, according to the ICA.

Changing residential address on behalf of another person

With the e-service, ICA said that Singapore residents living in the same household will be able to update their address in a single application.

Applicants may also appoint proxies to submit an application for change of residential address on their behalf, as long as the proxies are SingPass holders.

The proxies must provide the applicant’s IC number and its date of issue to access the e-service. They must also obtain and enter the PIN mailed to the applicant’s new address to complete the process.

Singapore residents who are unable to change their address online and have no proxies to assist them may visit ICA for assistance.

“ICA would like to remind users of the new e-service that enforcement action will be taken against anyone who misuses it,” the authority said.

Under the law, a person who reports a false residential address may face a fine of up to S$3,000 and/or jail time of up to two years.

Also, under the National Registration Act, all IC holders need to update their address within 28 days of moving into a new home, whether the residence is located in or outside of Singapore.

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