Singapore Certificate of Clearance: prepare your application documents
Apply for a Singapore Certificate of Clearance through the Singapore Police Force's online service. It is for overseas-related purposes, including migration, employment and study, and is not issued for local employment. Prepare evidence of the request before applying.
Start with the organisation asking for your certificate. Save its written instructions and identify the intended recipient, deadline and submission method. A request for a police certificate should become a clear document checklist before you upload identity files.
Check your route before preparing files
The SPF application page requires applicants to be at least 16 and to have lived, worked or studied in Singapore continuously for at least six months. Documentary evidence must explain why the certificate is required.
The Singapore Embassy's guidance distinguishes these routes:
| Your situation | Application route |
|---|---|
| Singapore citizen, permanent resident or current FIN holder | Sign in with Singpass |
| Former FIN holder, neither citizen nor permanent resident, ineligible for Singpass | Use your previous FIN; follow the subsequent fingerprint email |
Build a small, labelled application set
Prepare the passport biographical page, both sides of your identification document, the requesting authority's or institution's evidence, and a white-background colour passport photograph. SPF specifies at least 400 × 514 pixels for the photo, accepted as JPG, BMP or PNG. Other uploads are PDFs, with a 2 MB limit per file.
- Put each required item beside the recipient's instructions so you can check it once.
- Open every file at readable size. Check names, page edges and the reverse of the ID.
- Use short filenames describing the item, such as `passport-bio.pdf` and `request-letter.pdf`, without putting your full identification number in the name.
- Check the actual saved file size, then select that file in the portal.
- Review the completed form before paying and save the acknowledgement separately from the supporting documents.
A photograph is a separate application input. Do not substitute a cropped image from a passport scan. If your passport also needs attention, use the Singapore passport renewal checklist to organise that task separately.
Follow the fingerprint instructions for your branch
For the former-FIN route, the embassy explains that an email asks for scanned fingerprints recorded by an authorised institution in your country of residence. Use the instructions sent for your application when arranging this step. SPF may request the original fingerprint sheet if the scan cannot be processed, so retain it.
Keep the appointment record, submitted scan and acknowledgement together. Before sending anything, compare the destination address and application reference with the official notification. Set aside time to resolve an unreadable scan or a request for clarification before your overseas deadline.
Retrieve the certificate and preserve verification
The embassy says approval arrives by email with access to the digital COC through FileSG. Hardcopy collection and duplicate-copy applications were discontinued when the process became digital in January 2025.
GovTech describes FileSG as the government service for retrieving and verifying official documents. Singpass users sign in; other users retrieve documents with a transaction ID and two-factor authentication. FileSG can verify OpenAttestation files.
Keep the issuer's original PDF and any supplied OpenAttestation file or verification QR code intact. Make working copies separately if you need to organise another submission. Ask the overseas recipient which format it accepts before replacing a digital file with a printout or screenshot.
Before sending the result
- The certificate belongs to the correct person.
- The recipient's instructions are saved with the application record.
- The issuer's download is retained unchanged.
- The intended attachment opens and is the certificate, rather than a receipt.
- The submission channel and reference match the recipient's request.
Dokus can organise personal copies and application records. Application, approval and official verification remain with SPF and FileSG; Dokus does not connect to those services.
Certificate of Clearance questions
Can I use a stored screenshot for the overseas application?
Confirm the recipient's required format. Preserve the original download so you can supply it when a screenshot is insufficient.
Should I combine the certificate with my other supporting papers?
Keep the original separately. Combine working copies only when the recipient requests a single submission file, and check that every page remains legible.
When should I follow up on my application?
Check the current processing guidance and status service linked from SPF. Allow time for document queries; a general estimate does not guarantee your deadline.