Singaporeans who reach the age of 15 must register for their Identity Cards (IC). From the year 2002 onwards, citizens are also required to re-register when you reached the age of 30. This rule also applies to Singapore Permanent Residents (PR), holders of Singapore Blue IC.
Processing fee for an IC is just $10.00 and $50.00 for PRs. Processing would usually take 7 working days from the date of registration. Students would receive theirs as they are sent to their respective schools at the end of the month. If you are unable to collect your IC personally, you can send someone else on your behalf. The representative must bring his/her IC upon collection of your IC and a letter of authorisation from the child’s parent, consenting parent’s IC and the collection slip.
Your identity card which contains your vital particulars such as your name, citizenship status, age, place of birth and address is very much a part of you. Like most people, you probably produce it quite freely on request and sometimes even without thinking of whether the person who asked for its production has the right to do so.
Q: Must I produce my Identity Card to a Police Officer?
The National Registration Regulations 1991, provide that any registration officer, immigration officer. Police officer, officer of customs, officer of the Central Narcotics Bureau or Special Investigator of the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau and any other officer authorised in writing by the Commissioner, may at any time require any person to produce his/her identity card for inspection, within such time to such person and at such as the officer may think fit.
You have the right to ask the officer, who wishes to inspect your Identity Card, for written authority under which he/she claims to be acting
Q: Is it an offence not to carry my Identity Card?
Under the present law, it would appear that it is not an offence to be without your identity card but the officer stopping you has the right to require that it be produced at a stated time and place.
There are other instances in which a person is obliged to produce his/her Identity card eg.
- to the owner, manager or other person in charge of a hotel, boarding house, hostel or other dwelling place for accommodation purposes;
- to a pawnbroker if a person wishes to pawn an article; or
- to a licensed dealer in second hand goods if a person wishes to sell such goods.
Q: Can a Security Guard legally ask you to surrender your Identity Card? No.
Q: Can your identity card be detained?
The regulations provide that any registration officer, immigration officer, police officer, officer of customs, officer of the Central Narcotics Bureau or Special Investigator of the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau may retain your Identity Card for the purpose of investigation.
May 17, 2008 - 09:08 AM
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