Going Overseas? This Is One Thing Singaporeans and PRs Should Do— But Probably Don’t — Before Travelling

From ongoing wars around the world to sudden misfortune that strikes overseas, travel can sometimes take an unexpected turn. Besides buying travel insurance, there’s one more piece of admin you should probably do— though admittedly, most of us don’t— before you head overseas for your next holiday.

We’re talking about eRegistering your travel itinerary with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).

Just look at what happened earlier this year when Singaporeans were evacuated from parts of the Middle East when the Iran war first broke out.

Singapore Airlines conducted two flights from Muscat, Oman, to bring Singaporeans living in Oman and the United Arab Emirates back to Singapore, “where about 60 per cent of Singaporeans e-registered with MFA are located”, according to CNA. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong also urged Singaporeans to e-register with MFA “so that we can reach you quickly if needed”.

Here’s what you should know about eRegistering with the MFA prior to your travels. Like travel insurance, registering your travel itinerary with MFA isn’t a planning highlight, but it will be a lifesaver when the need arises.

What is MFA eRegister?

Created by MFA, the eRegister service is free for all Singaporean citizens and Permanent Residents who leave the country. The service allows you to voluntarily share your travel itinerary with the government body. Whether you are travelling abroad for study, work, or leisure, the information will allow the MFA to contact you in the event of an emergency. These emergencies include natural disasters and civil unrest.

eRegistrations can be submitted up to 365 days prior to travel, for a maximum duration of three years. You can add multiple destinations and trips. As for cruises, indicate your nearest port of call as your destination. If you’re living abroad indefinitely, you can submit a new eRegistration every three years.

How to eRegister

To eRegister, head to the MFA website. Once there, log in with your SingPass account, fill out your personal information using MyInfo, then add your travel itinerary. Include the people you are travelling with, contact information, and duration of stay in the countries and cities you will be visiting. 

What if I don’t want to eRegister?

While all information provided to MFA is strictly confidential, some might feel that eRegistering is a little too Big Brother, even while abroad. In such an instance, MFA encourages you to make the following three arrangements prior to your trip. Firstly, leave a copy of your detailed travel itinerary and contact details with a loved one or colleague in Singapore. Secondly, have comprehensive travel insurance ready with medical evacuation coverage included in case of unexpected emergencies. Finally, have the contact details of Singaporean embassies and consulates at your destination readily available when overseas. This MFA link will help you identify the nearest Singapore Overseas Mission.

How MFA has helped others who had eRegistered

Besides assisting in evacuating and repatriating citizens running from the conflict in the Middle East. MFA and the eRegistration service have also helped Singaporeans in other ways too.

For starters, a couple of Reddit users shared on r/askSingapore that MFA helped them return to Singapore through chartered flights when commercial ones were cancelled due to COVID-19 lockdowns. Others also shared how MFA helped them obtain a Document of Identity (DOI), an emergency one-way travel document, after losing or having their passports stolen overseas so they could fly back.

Reddit user gormee shared that his travel group of eight was involved in a traffic accident in Thailand while travelling from Phuket to Koh Lanta. One needed an emergency operation, while some were “hurt pretty bad”. They were also in a remote part of the countryside and were split among three different hospitals. One of them contacted MFA, who coordinated medical attention at the largest hospital in Phuket, including surgery. MFA then booked flights for them, contacted families, and informed the airlines to arrange wheelchairs and other needs.

Another Reddit user, Giantsoneball, recounted how MFA helped him leave Georgia during the war with Russia. He was trekking in the northern region when the conflict started and despite not having a presence in Georgia, MFA worked with the Israeli embassy to pick him and other Israelis in the region in an SUV, and sent them through mountains and checkpoints to Armenia, where he could then fly out to Dubai.