Last checked: 24 October 2026
Newcomers to Singapore usually start with a prepaid SIM registered on a passport, then move to a monthly contract once a Student's Pass or Employment Pass is issued. Passport registration on Singtel is data only for 30 days, so plan your pass formalities early. A Slashtel data only eSIM covers the first days, and visiting family can use one too.
Singapore SIM card for international students: what you need
A Singapore SIM card for international students means a prepaid SIM registered with your passport first, then a monthly contract once your Student's Pass is issued. Bring your passport, and expect data only on a passport registration for the first 30 days on Singtel.
The main mobile networks are Singtel, StarHub, M1 and Simba. Prepaid SIMs must be registered, and a foreign passport is accepted.
What to have ready:
- Your passport, for prepaid registration
- Your Student's Pass or other long term pass (FIN) once issued, for re-registration or a contract
- A Singapore residential address, usually asked for on a monthly contract
Exact postpaid document lists for Singtel, StarHub and M1 were not confirmed on operator pages, so check the operator's own site or shop before you go. A third party guide lists passport, work or student pass, and proof of address.
Prepaid SIM or monthly contract: which comes first
Start with prepaid. A monthly contract usually needs a long term pass, so it comes after your Student's Pass or Employment Pass is issued. Prepaid on a passport works from day one, but on Singtel it gives data only for the first 30 days.
Prepaid options:
- Buy at Changi Airport counters, Singtel shops and authorised retailers, convenience stores, or online for airport or city pick up.
- Register with your passport. Since 1 April 2014 each person can register up to 3 prepaid SIMs (Singtel).
- Since 15 July 2024 a passport registration is valid for 30 days and gives data only access on Singtel. Calls and SMS need re-registration at a Singtel retailer with Singpass or a Singapore issued ID or work pass within 30 days, after which the line becomes postpaid and counts toward the 10 postpaid line limit.
- The Singtel hi!Tourist plan is open to foreign passport holders only and is bought and set up through the hi!App. Whether StarHub, M1 and Simba apply the same 30 day passport rule is not confirmed, so ask the operator.
A third party guide says IMDA capped postpaid lines at 10 per person across all telcos from 28 February 2026. The IMDA primary source was not checked, so confirm with the operator.
How long the paperwork takes
The pass is the slow part, not the SIM. Student's Pass formalities at ICA are by appointment only, or done off site through your school, and the pass is digital only since 27 February 2023, sent through FileSG after formalities. Overall waiting time to an appointment is not confirmed.
For an Employment Pass, register at EPSC within 2 weeks of the pass being issued. The card is delivered within 5 working days after registration and document checks.
Practical steps:
- Book ICA formalities as early as your school allows, or use off site enrolment.
- Keep your passport registered prepaid line running in the meantime.
- Once the pass is issued, re-register the line with Singpass or your pass, or apply for a monthly contract.
Visa and pass eligibility depends on your nationality and circumstances. Read the requirements on the ICA or Ministry of Manpower site and follow the official source.
Your first 30 days in Singapore: a timeline
Treat the first 30 days as a deadline, not a grace period. A passport registered prepaid SIM stops after 30 days unless you re-register with Singpass or a Singapore ID or pass, so book pass formalities early.
A simple plan:
- Days 1 to 3: buy a prepaid SIM at the airport or a Singtel shop, or install a data eSIM before you fly.
- Week 1: open admin tasks that need a local number, such as a Singapore bank account.
- Weeks 2 to 4: complete pass formalities, then re-register the line or move to a contract.
- Before day 30: confirm your line keeps calls and SMS, or that your contract is active.
Remember that passport registration on Singtel gives data only, with no calls or SMS until you re-register.
Staying connected until your local plan is ready
A data only eSIM covers the gap between landing and your local line working. Slashtel eSIMs are data only, with no local phone number and no calls or SMS, but WhatsApp and other internet calls work over the data. Data options run from 1 GB to 50 GB, with 5 GB from $4.89.
How it works:
- Buy online with an email address and a card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. The QR code arrives by email within minutes.
- Validity starts when the eSIM first connects at the destination, so you can buy and install it at home before the flight.
- The network is chosen automatically and cannot be picked by hand.
- More data can be added to the same eSIM later, with no new QR code.
- Your phone must be unlocked and eSIM compatible. Check with our compatibility guide and the install guide.
See the Singapore plan page for options, and the data calculator if you are unsure how much you need.
Getting a local number for your bank and admin
A local number is what banks and admin offices use to reach you, and a prepaid local SIM gives you one. The Slashtel eSIM does not give a number, so it cannot receive bank codes or calls.
When you need it:
- Opening a Singapore bank account, where a local mobile number is normally requested
- Pass formalities and appointments that send SMS confirmations
- Landlord, school and employer contact
What to do:
- Keep your home SIM in the phone for calls and bank codes, and turn off data roaming on it to avoid roaming charges.
- Use the eSIM for data while you sort the local line.
- Once your pass is issued, re-register the prepaid line with Singpass or your pass, or take a monthly contract.
Our guide on calls, texts, OTPs and data explains how codes reach you when your number is not local.
When family visits you in Singapore
Visiting family can use a Slashtel eSIM for the trip. You can buy it yourself and enter the visitor's email, so the QR code goes straight to the person who will use it.
Good to know:
- The eSIM is data only, so calls home happen over WhatsApp and similar apps.
- Validity starts on first connection in Singapore, so it can be installed before departure.
- If the visitor also wants a local number, a prepaid SIM registered on their passport is the route. On Singtel that is data only for the first 30 days.
For a short visit, a data eSIM is usually enough. For a longer stay, check the prepaid rules with the operator.
Keeping your home number active
Keep your home line alive for bank codes and calls from home. Slashtel sells mobile top ups to more than 100 countries, delivered in minutes, which keep a prepaid home line active.
How to manage it:
- Leave the home SIM in the phone with data roaming off.
- Top up before you travel so the line does not lapse while you settle in.
- Use the eSIM for local data, and the home line for codes and calls.
Top ups are on the recharge page and the top up page. More on keeping a number alive is in our guide.
First week catches to avoid
Most problems in the first week come from the 30 day passport rule and from line limits. Plan around both before you land.
Watch for:
- A passport registered prepaid SIM stops after 30 days unless re-registered with Singpass or a Singapore ID or pass. Book pass formalities early.
- Passport registration on Singtel gives data only: no calls or SMS until you re-register.
- Each person may hold at most 3 prepaid SIMs, and re-registered lines count toward the 10 postpaid lines limit.
- Postpaid document lists vary and were not confirmed on operator pages, so ask the operator.
- Whether StarHub, M1 and Simba apply the same 30 day passport rule is not confirmed.
If in doubt, the operator shop or official site will confirm the current rules. For the wider move, see moving abroad.
See live Singapore eSIM plans before you travel.
Sources
Checked 2026-10-24. Rules and waiting times change, so check the official sites before you rely on them.
- Singtel: https://singtel.com/hitourist
- Singtel: https://www.singtel.com/personal/products-services/mobile/prepaid-plans/hi-tourist/tnc
- Singtel: https://www.singtel.com/personal/products-services/mobile/prepaid-plans/collection-location-ota
- Immigration and Checkpoints Authority: https://www.ica.gov.sg/reside/STP/collect
- Ministry of Manpower: https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permits/employment-pass/apply-for-a-pass
- Singapore Employment Agency (third party): https://singaporeemploymentagency.com/sim-card-registration-foreigners-singapore/
Questions, answered
Can I get a phone plan in Singapore without a pass?
Yes, on prepaid. A foreign passport is accepted for prepaid registration, and the Singtel hi!Tourist plan is open to foreign passport holders only. On Singtel a passport registration is data only for 30 days, and calls and SMS need re-registration with Singpass or a Singapore issued ID or work pass within 30 days. A monthly contract usually needs a long term pass.
How much data do I need for the first weeks?
It depends on maps, messaging and video calls. Slashtel eSIM options run from 1 GB to 50 GB, with 5 GB from $4.89. Use the data calculator to estimate, and remember more data can be added to the same eSIM later with no new QR code.
Does a Slashtel eSIM give me a Singapore phone number?
No. Slashtel eSIMs are data only, with no local phone number and no calls or SMS. WhatsApp and other internet calls work over the data. For a local number, use a prepaid local SIM or a monthly contract.
Can I buy an eSIM before I fly to Singapore?
Yes. Buy online with an email address and a card, Apple Pay or Google Pay, and the QR code arrives by email within minutes. Validity starts when the eSIM first connects at the destination, so you can install it at home before the flight.
Can someone else buy the eSIM for a visiting parent?
Yes. Someone else can buy the eSIM and enter the traveller's email, so the QR code goes straight to the person who will use it. This suits a sim card for parents visiting Singapore, since the eSIM is data only and calls go over WhatsApp.
How long does a Student's Pass take?
Formalities at ICA are by appointment only, or done off site through the school. The pass is digital only since 27 February 2023 and is sent through FileSG after formalities. Overall waiting time to an appointment is not confirmed, so check ICA for current timelines.
How long until my Employment Pass card arrives?
Register at EPSC within 2 weeks of the pass being issued. The card is delivered within 5 working days after registration and document checks.
Do I need a local number for a Singapore bank account?
A local mobile number is normally requested when opening a Singapore bank account, and banks and admin offices use it to reach you. A prepaid local SIM gives you one. The Slashtel eSIM does not give a number, so it cannot receive bank codes.
How many prepaid SIMs can I register?
Since 1 April 2014 each person can register up to 3 prepaid SIMs (Singtel). Re-registered lines count toward the 10 postpaid line limit. A third party guide says IMDA capped postpaid lines at 10 per person across all telcos from 28 February 2026, but the IMDA primary source was not checked.
Will my prepaid line keep working after 30 days?
Only if you re-register. A passport registration is valid for 30 days on Singtel and gives data only. Calls and SMS need re-registration at a Singtel retailer with Singpass or a Singapore issued ID or work pass within 30 days, after which the line becomes postpaid. Whether other operators apply the same rule is not confirmed.