Singapore begins ban on ‘undesirable’ visitors as airline boarding rules take effect

Singapore’s ban against undesirable visitors began on Friday, with airlines flying to the city state required to bar passengers flagged as risks from boarding.The new directive is aimed at preventing “undesirable or prohibited immigrants, and those who do not meet Singapore’s entry requirements, from boarding flights bound for Singapore”, according to an Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) statement released on November 28 last year.Starting on Monday, airlines flying into Seletar and Changi airports had been issued no-boarding directive (NBD) notices, the ICA said.Foreigners subject to NBDs include those with previous records in Singapore of having committed crimes, attempting to enter under a different identity, overstaying their visa or working illegally. In addition, those who are assessed as posing a threat or risk to public safety are barred from the city state.Singapore can also refuse entry to those without a valid visa or travel document with at least six months’ validity, according to the ICA.“When such travellers check in for a flight to Singapore, the airline which has been issued the NBD notice must deny these travellers from boarding the flight,” it said.