Singapore Refuses Entry to 41,800 Foreigners in 2025 as Border Controls Tighten

December 22, 2025

Singapore’s Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) reported that about 41,800 foreign visitors were denied entry into the city-state from January to November 2025. This marks an increase compared to 2024 and 2023. 

The total for the first 11 months of 2025 is nearly 26 percent higher than the entire year of 2024 and about 46 percent more than in 2023, according to official data. Many of these refusals were due to the identification of travelers labeled as ineligible or high-risk using new screening technologies and analytics used by ICA. 

To further improve border security, Singapore will introduce a new “no-boarding directive” (NBD) starting in January 2026. Under this plan, airlines including Singapore Airlines, Scoot, Emirates, Turkish Airlines, and AirAsia will receive screening results before departure. Passengers marked as ineligible for entry will not be allowed to board flights to Singapore, which will cut down on ineligible arrivals. More airlines are expected to join the program from March 2026. 

ICA officials say that the increase in denied entries is partly due to upgrades in Singapore’s border control systems. These improvements include multi-layered verification processes such as automated immigration lanes with counter-forgery detection and biometric screening that can spot impersonation or multiple identities. 

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Joe Tan of ICA mentioned that the new NBD system “pushes border controls upstream.” This helps authorities use advance passenger data and analytics to pinpoint travelers who might pose security, immigration, or safety risks before they reach the checkpoints. 

Immigration experts say that using more technology and pre-departure screening shows Singapore’s commitment to maintaining its reputation as a safe and orderly destination while handling increasing travel numbers. Despite these stricter measures, Singapore still welcomes legitimate tourists, business travelers, and visitors who meet its entry requirements.