With effect from 6 January 2025, the application for a Certificate of Clearance (COC) will be fully digitalised. The COC, which certifies that a person has no criminal record in Singapore within a stipulated period, will be issued to applicants as a digital document instead of a physical hardcopy.
Individuals who are eligible for a Singpass account will be required to apply for a COC online using their Singpass accounts. Applicants who use Singpass will no longer need to submit fingerprint impressions or schedule a fingerprinting appointment. Individuals staying overseas who are not eligible for a Singpass account but had previously held a Foreign Identification Number (FIN) in Singapore will also be able to apply for a COC online using their previous FIN together with a digital scanned copy of their fingerprint impressions.
Successful applicants will receive an email notification with a link to access their digital COC via the FileSG [1] portal. These applicants will be able to download and print the digital COC, which can be authenticated through the FileSG portal.
With the digitalisation of the COC application process, hardcopy COCs will no longer be mailed to successful applicants. Additionally, the collection of hardcopy COCs and the application for duplicate copies of the COCs on Singapore Police Force e-Services website will also be discontinued.
To apply for a COC, please visit https://www.police.gov.sg/e-services and click on “Police Records & Warrants”. Please refer to Annex A for the frequently asked questions on the COC application.
[1]: FileSG is a secure digital document management platform, developed by GovTech, that allows members of the public to easily access and download documents issued by the government.
Annex A
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
COC APPLICATION
What is the criteria to apply for Certificate of Clearance?
Applicants must be at least 16 years of age, and have resided, been employed or studied in Singapore for a continuous period of at least 6 months before the COC application. The COC application is strictly for overseas purposes (e.g. overseas employment, overseas study) as required by the relevant foreign authority.
I have previously worked in Singapore but do not have a Singpass or FIN. How do I apply for Singpass or FIN?
Applications for COC can only be made using Singpass or FIN. Applicants who are eligible for a Singpass account and wish to apply for COC are required to do so using their Singpass accounts. For information on how to apply for Singpass, please visit https://www.singpass.gov.sg. For applicants who had previously possessed a FIN in Singapore, you may write to Ministry of Manpower (MOM) at mom_wpd@mom.gov.sg to check for your previous FIN, by providing your full name, date and place of birth, as well as passport number used for the previous FIN application (if available).
How much does a COC cost?
The processing fee is S$55.00.
How long does it take for the COC to be processed?
The processing time from receipt of the application with all required documentation, to approval of the application is between 7 to 14 days.
How does the foreign authority verify the authenticity of the digital COC?
The digital COC contains a QR code that can be used to verify the authenticity of the COC.
How do I retrieve documents government agencies issued to me through FileSG if I am unable to use Singpass?
If you are ineligible to register or unable to use Singpass, you may view and download the documents issued to you by government agencies by following these steps:
- Go to FileSG's Retrieve Your Documents page or via your file issuance email.
- Enter the “Transaction ID” which can be found in the email and select “Submit”.
- Select “Retrieve without Singpass”.
- Enter your personal particulars and select “Verify”.
- If your particulars entered are accurate, you will be asked to select how you would like to receive a One-Time Password (OTP) for Two-Factor Authentication - via email or mobile SMS.
- Enter the OTP you received. If it is valid, you will be directed to view and download the documents.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
24 December 2024 @ 6:20 PM