SINGAPORE EXPATS FORUM
Singapore Expat Forum and Message Board for Expats in Singapore & Expatriates Relocating to Singapore

wannamove · Post by **wannamove** » Sat, 01 Oct 2011 1:54 am

On the verge of moving from the US, I was curious to know if there is some standard ID that most people carry? I am so used to showing my driver's license around here for day to day transactions. Is there a Singapore issued ID ? or is the passport used?

I am not talking about going flying out of country - just cashing out a check at the bank or using the credit card or something like that

Thank you

JR8 · Post by **JR8** » Sat, 01 Oct 2011 4:20 am

Locals have the 'IC', identity card.

Long term visitors get an LTVP card, or a DP card, looks the same as the above just a different colour.

I don't know what EP holders get, from memory it used to just be a stamp in the passport. Anyone else care to comment?

p.s. example:
http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=5

wannamove · Post by **wannamove** » Sat, 01 Oct 2011 4:26 am

JR8 wrote:Locals have the 'IC', identity card.

Long term visitors get an LTVP card, or a DP card, looks the same as the above just a different colour.

I don't know what EP holders get, from memory it used to just be a stamp in the passport. Anyone else care to comment?

p.s. example:
http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=5

Thank you!
I am sure interested if anyone else has any idea if EP holders get some form of ID beyond a stamp in the passport

Thanks

Post by **sundaymorningstaple** » Sat, 01 Oct 2011 6:50 am

Everybody will get an identity card of one fashion or another. Only those on bog standard Social Visit Passes will need to carry around their PassPorts for ID. Even the LTVP holders will get an identity card.

JR8 · Post by **JR8** » Sat, 01 Oct 2011 6:56 am

It used to be that those on LTVP ICs got to use the auto-turnstiles at immigration but those on... er I think DPs could not, as they had never been fingerprinted. DPs had to apply for an additional card to use this method of immigration, that involved going to ICA and being printed.

Out of interest, is that still the case?

Post by **x9200** » Sat, 01 Oct 2011 6:59 am

All SG cards and passes (including EP) are now similar to some extent and at the first sight differ mostly by colors. Feed google images with EP pass Singapore; NRIC Singapore etc. and you will get some pictures.

ecureilx · Post by **ecureilx** » Sat, 01 Oct 2011 11:22 am

x9200 wrote:All SG cards and passes (including EP) are now similar to some extent and at the first sight differ mostly by colors. Feed google images with EP pass Singapore; NRIC Singapore etc. and you will get some pictures.

Years ago, the EP used to be a green paper laminated with no photo.

I understand that now, all are photo-ids ..

of course, Work permits/FDW permits did have photos since long time ago ..

Post by **x9200** » Sat, 01 Oct 2011 11:44 am

Yep, EPs have photos now.

ecureilx · Post by **ecureilx** » Sat, 01 Oct 2011 11:50 am

x9200 wrote:Yep, EPs have photos now.

Finally

When I got my Driving license converted, even the DL was a piece of green paper, and no photo ..

It couldn't be used as a photo ID, and I had to bring my passport every time I headed to Pulau Bukom or Jurong Island ..

Mi Amigo · Post by **Mi Amigo** » Sat, 01 Oct 2011 2:41 pm

I normally just carry my Singapore driving license with me and use that as ID, leaving my FIN card with my passport at home (unless travelling out of the country obviously). I've never had a problem using the driving license for ID purposes, and since everything government related (for an individual) uses the same FIN / IC number, whoever is checking my ID can just scan the driving license barcode and pick up the FIN. Other countries could learn a lot from this streamlined single-number system IMO.

Post by **nakatago** » Sat, 01 Oct 2011 2:46 pm

Mi Amigo wrote: Other countries could learn a lot from this streamlined single-number system IMO.

It's usually logistics, psychology or privacy issues that keeps a national ID system from being implemented in other countries.

ecureilx · Post by **ecureilx** » Sat, 01 Oct 2011 3:22 pm

Mi Amigo wrote:I normally just carry my Singapore driving license with me and use that as ID, leaving my FIN card with my passport at home (unless travelling out of the country obviously). I've never had a problem using the driving license for ID purposes, and since everything government related (for an individual) uses the same FIN / IC number, whoever is checking my ID can just scan the driving license barcode and pick up the FIN. Other countries could learn a lot from this streamlined single-number system IMO.

Yah, but unless they changed something very very recently, EP was NOT ACCEPTED TO GO TO JURONG ISLAND/Pulau Bukom/Any Mindef areas .. even to MOE HQ .. even when I had photo DL, they refused entry insisting I bring my passport along ..

You needed to bring your passport along ..

ausinsg · Post by **ausinsg** » Sun, 02 Oct 2011 7:52 am

The old card system used to exit Singapore has been phased out in favour of scanning your passport in the automated exit gates, followed by a scan of your thumbprint at the next barrier.

I have found most places accept a local photo ID. Either a Driver's Licence, my EP or my student card from a local University when I studied here.

Incidentally a student pass is still just a printed piece of green paper which has been laminated, and no photo!

ecureilx · Post by **ecureilx** » Sun, 02 Oct 2011 12:37 pm

ausinsg wrote: Incidentally a student pass is still just a printed piece of green paper which has been laminated, and no photo!

So was the EP, when I came here .. eons ago ..

which as mentioned, has become a photo id now.

re: EP, sometimes, it came straight off the laminating machine, you could feel the heat ...

I was told the student pass too has been converted to a Photo-ID .. not sure.. as never seen one of late ..

ausinsg · Post by **ausinsg** » Sun, 02 Oct 2011 3:29 pm

I was told the student pass too has been converted to a Photo-ID .. not sure.. as never seen one of late ..

Not sure. It could be. I received my student pass in 2008, so things could have changed since then.

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