Step-by-step plan Singapore Certificate of Clearance

You can apply for your Singapore Certificate of Clearance (COC) online, but the Singapore police requires quite a bit of information for this application, which means that completing the application takes some time. So don't start too late with this.

In fact, applying for the certificate consists of three steps:
Step 1: Submit application to Singapore police and wait for E-appeal approval
Step 2: complete the E-appeal application after approval
Step 3: Get fingerprinted and send to Singapore

Important: If you submit the application with your Dutch passport, enter Netherlands and not Dutch for Nationality/citizenship. Unfortunately, there is a hiccup in the Singapore police system, which means that you can no longer log in when you complete your application (after receiving your E-appeal). As a result, you have to re-apply, which also means that you have to wait another week for approval E-appeal.

Step 1 = collect documents

• Start by collecting a number of documents, as you will need these documents with your application. The reason to collect these documents in advance is because the Singapore police website is updated every day. Due to the time difference with Singapore, there is a good chance that this update will take place when you are submitting your application. By collecting all documents in advance, you can upload everything in 1x during the application, which speeds up the application.

  What should you collect?
  • SINGPASS login details (or FIN login details)
  • Document stating why you need a Singapore COC application (e.g. request from employer or due to security screening) (in PDF)
  • Scan of your passport with your passport photo, names, date of birth, etc (in PDF)
  • Scan of your ID (front and back) (in PDF)
  • Scan or digital passport photo of yourself (400x514 pixels, jpeg format)
  • Valid credit/debit card or i-banking account details for online payments
  • Fingerprint cards (you cannot upload these, we will take them after the application and send them to Singapore).

  

  Step 2 = apply at the Singapore police website

• Go to the Singapore police website https://eservices.police.gov.sg/content/policehubhome/homepage/certificate-of-clearance-hub.html
• Select Appeal by non-Singapore Citizens to Apply for Certificate of Clearance (If you have a Singaporean passport, choose Apply for Certificate of Clearance).

You will now be taken to a page with some explanation about the COC application.

• Select Log in als individual user (LOGIN VIA FIN)
• You will now be taken to a page where you can log in by scanning the QR code with the Singpass app. If you don't have the Singpass app, you can download it.

  

  • Fill in your FIN NO, Passport NO, nationality
  • PLEASE NOTE: If you submit the application with a Dutch passport, make sure that you fill in Netherlands for citizenship and NOT Dutch. There is an error in the Singapore police system, which means that you can no longer log in after approval if you have chosen Dutch. So select NETHERLANDS everywhere
    
  • Fill in all the information they ask for. You must also upload all documents here.
    
    
  • When you have filled in all details and uploaded all documents, you can submit the E-appeal. Please make sure that you will not make a typO with your e-mail address.
    
    
    
  • You will now receive an e-mail confirming the application at the e-mail address you provided.
  • Now you have to wait for the approval of your submitted application. The Singapore police need around a week for this, sometimes a little longer, sometimes a little shorter, depending on how busy they are.
    
    
  • You will receive an e-mail when the approval has been given on your E-appeal.
  • Go to the Singapore police website again
  • Select: Apply for Certificate or clearance
    
    
    
  • Select: LOGIN VIA FIN
  • Again, you must check your personal details that you already filled in at the start of your application and upload your documents.
  • You can then proceed to payment, the cost of applying for the Singapore COC is $60.
  • You will receive two e-mails after paying for the application. The Invoice and the Receipt. The receipt is attached to the e-mail and must be printed and added to the fingerprint cards (it can take a day or sometimes two days before you receive this e-mail)
    
    

    What happens once my Certificate of Clearance has been applied for in Singapore?

    This part consists of two steps. First, you submit a request to apply for Certificate of Clearance from Singapore. This already requires you to provide quite a bit of information. After about a week, you will get an approval on your application (the E-appeal). This will take you to the second part of the application; after approval, you can finalise your application and make the payment to the Singapore police. After the payment is made, you will get a confirmation and the fingerprints can be taken and sent.
    

    What is the next step?

    1) Make an appointment to have your fingerprints taken
    2) Provide the personal data that is requested after making your appointment. This information is necessary to prepare the fingerprint cards and identity statement.
    3) During your appointment, your fingerprints will be taken and all documents will be prepared for shipment.
    
    It then takes about three weeks for you to receive your certificate from the Singapore Police.
    
    
    You have applied at the Singapore police for your Certificate of Clearance. Now the Singapore police only needs your fingerprints. When you are not in Singapore, you must provide the fingerprints on hard copy fingerprint cards, which means that your fingerprints are taken with ink on the Singapore COC fingerprint card.