Singpass and your FIN in Singapore for Aussies

Short answer: your FIN is your number, Singpass is your key, and until you have both you'll be doing everything the slow way.

The short version

Your Foreign Identification Number (FIN) comes with your pass. It's printed on your pass card and stays the same when you renew or move to a new work pass [3].
Singpass is open to FIN holders aged 15 and over. You can register instantly with face verification [1][2].
Singpass logs you in to more than 2,700 services across about 800 government agencies and businesses, from IRAS to your bank [2].
You need Singpass to set up the SGWorkPass app, which holds your digital work pass [4].
Get a local (+65) mobile number early. Banks and Singpass both expect one [6].

What the FIN and Singpass actually are

At home you juggle a tax file number, a Medicare number, a driver's licence and a myGov account linked to your Digital ID. Singapore rolls most of that into two things.

The FIN is the identity number the government gives foreigners on long-term passes. It starts with a letter, looks a bit like the NRIC number that citizens and permanent residents carry, and appears on your Employment Pass, Dependant's Pass or other pass card. Every form, bank and telco asks for it. Since the FIN stays with you when you renew or switch to a new work pass, you only learn it once [3].

Singpass is the national digital identity. It's a login and an app. Think myGov and myID rolled together, but also accepted by banks, insurers, telcos and clinics. GovTech says it handles over 41 million transactions a month for about 5 million users [2]. In practice that means if a form in Singapore has a "Retrieve Myinfo with Singpass" button, you can skip typing and uploading most of your details.

Australian equivalent	Singapore version	What it does
Tax file number, Medicare card number	FIN	Your identity number on almost every form
myGov plus myID	Singpass	One login for government and many private services
Pre-filled tax return data	Myinfo	Government-held details passed to a form with your consent [2]
Visa grant letter	Digital work pass in SGWorkPass	Proof of your pass status [4]

Getting your FIN and setting up Singpass

You don't apply for a FIN. It's issued when your pass is approved, and it appears on your In-Principle Approval letter and later on your card. Your employer usually handles the pass, and you then complete the issuance steps, which can include fingerprints and a photo.

Once you have the FIN, set up Singpass straight away. You must be at least 15 and a citizen, PR or FIN holder [1]. The government also asks you to check that the address on your FIN card is correct before you register, so fix that first if it's wrong [1].

Get a Singapore mobile number. A prepaid SIM from a convenience store or the airport is fine to start with. DBS tells foreigners to have their FIN and a +65 number ready before setting up Singpass [6].
Download the Singpass app from the official app store listing. Check the developer is the Government of Singapore before you install.
Register with Singpass Face Verification. This is the instant route. You take a short selfie video, which is matched against the photo the government holds from your pass application [1][2].
Set up the app login. You can then log in with fingerprint, face or a six-digit passcode [2]. Treat that passcode like a PIN.
Install SGWorkPass and log in with Singpass to set up your digital work pass [4].
Log in to Myinfo in the Singpass app and check your details. A wrong address now means a wrong address on every form later.

Face verification isn't optional. GovTech says it's compulsory for all users and can't be removed [2]. It's used for registration and again for high-risk actions, such as changing your account details.

If face verification fails, try again in good light without glasses, or use the other options on the Singpass site.

What Singpass gets you into

This is where Singpass earns its keep. A short tour of the things most Australians use in the first year.

Banking

DBS, OCBC and UOB all let you open accounts online using Singpass and Myinfo. At DBS, foreigners who apply with Singpass mainly need their passport, and only need proof of address if their address differs from Myinfo [6]. Without Singpass, you'll be uploading proof of your pass, proof of address and more [6]. Once you're set up, PayNow transfers go to your mobile number or NRIC/FIN, and you'll split hawker bills like a local in no time.

Tax with IRAS

The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore runs its myTax Portal through Singpass. That's where you file your annual return, check your notice of assessment and set up a payment plan. Most employees have their income sent to IRAS by the employer, so filing can be quick. The details of how tax works are in our tax guide.

CPF

Employment Pass holders generally don't contribute to the Central Provident Fund, so many Australians never log in to CPF. If you become a permanent resident, that changes, and Singpass is the way in.

Health

HealthHub is the government health app and website. With Singpass you can see records from public healthcare institutions, book some appointments and keep track of your family's vaccinations. Private clinics vary, but many use Singpass for registration too.

Telcos and everyday admin

The big telcos let you sign up for a postpaid plan with Singpass, which saves a trip to a shop. You'll also use it for town council and utilities accounts, booking sports facilities and plenty of other everyday things.

SGWorkPass

SGWorkPass shows your digital work pass and employment details. MOM says digital work passes are widely accepted by most government agencies, though private organisations may still want the physical card [4]. Pass holders can show a QR code for others to check, or scan a barcode at places like libraries and some workplace gantries [4]. Changes to your pass information show up within one working day [4].

When your pass is renewed, changed or replaced

Renewals

Your employer can apply to renew an Employment Pass up to six months before it expires, and the issuance fee is S$225 [5]. After the renewal, MOM's notification letter tells you whether to keep using your existing card or whether a new one is coming [5]. If it's a new card, MOM says to cut the old one in half and throw it away [5]. Keep the old card if you're told to: replacing it costs S$65.40 including GST [5].

Your FIN won't change [3], so your Singpass account carries on. Do check that SGWorkPass shows the new expiry date within a day or two.

Changing jobs or passes

Moving from one employer to another means a new pass application, but MOM confirms the FIN stays the same for existing pass holders applying for a new work pass [3]. Your Singpass, bank accounts and IRAS records keep working. Update your employer details where you need to, such as your bank's records, when the new pass is issued.

Lost or damaged card

Report a lost card to MOM and apply for a replacement. Your Singpass account isn't tied to the physical card, but if you think someone has your details, change your Singpass passcode and check the account's activity log.

When you leave

Singpass is tied to your status as a FIN holder, so expect to lose access to many services once your pass is cancelled. Before your last day, download what you'll need later: IRAS notices of assessment, payslips, HealthHub records and bank statements. Getting them from Sydney with an expired login is painful.

Dependants, kids and working holiday makers

Partners on a Dependant's Pass get their own FIN and can set up their own Singpass if they're 15 or over [1]. That matters, because many services need the account holder's own login. Set it up for your partner in the first week, not when the electricity bill is overdue.

Children under 15 can't have Singpass [1]. Parents usually handle their records, such as school forms and HealthHub, through their own accounts where the service allows it. Kids 15 and over can register on their own FIN.

Work Holiday Pass holders are MOM pass holders with a FIN, so the same Singpass rules apply. Your pass is shorter, so set everything up quickly and download any tax and pay records before you head off.

Scams and the Australian side

Singapore has a serious scam problem, and Singpass is a favourite target. Scammers send fake links or call pretending to be from the government, a bank or a courier. Never give anyone your Singpass passcode or approve a login on the app that you didn't start. If the app asks you to confirm something you didn't do, reject it.

Don't let your Australian logins lapse either. myGov and your myID still matter for the ATO, Medicare and Centrelink while you're away. If your Australian bank or myGov uses SMS codes, either keep your Australian number active or switch to an authenticator app before you leave. Plenty of people lose access to their super fund because the code goes to a SIM sitting in a drawer in Brisbane.

Stuck on a setup step? Ask Cooee Singapore, our Facebook group for Australians in Singapore. Someone will have hit the same face verification wall.

Singpass and your FIN: the logins that run life in Singapore