Digital ICs will now be accepted at all government agencies

From Nov 1, all Government agencies will accept the digital identity card (IC) on the Singpass app as an alternative means of proof. 

This will make it easier for people, who no longer have to bring along their physical IC when going to places such as the polyclinics, public libraries, and Government counters. 

The announcement was made on Thursday (Oct 28) by the Smart Nation and Digital Government Office (SNDGO) and Government Technology Agency (GovTech). 

However, exceptions still apply at services that require a physical IC under the legislation. Examples of which include marriage registration and hotel check-ins. 

The full list of services that still require physical ICs are as follows: 

• Registry of marriage
• Hotel check-ins, 
• Police investigations, 
• IC registration (replacement of IC, citizenship completion, renunciation of citizenship or permanent residence, etc.)
• Entering secured premises (e.g., SAF camps)
• National service enlistment 
• National exams at educational institutions. 

SNDGO and GovTech have said they are working to amend the legislation to formalise the use of digital ICs for these exceptions stated above. 

The digital IC feature was introduced in May last year, and is now displayed on the Singpass homepage for convenient access. It features the user’s latest picture provided and is accompanied by an animated and holographic lion crest to prevent image tampering and screenshot spoofing. 

In the event of losing your mobile phone, users can unlink it from the Singpass website or install the Singpass app on another phone to automatically deactivate it on the lost device. 

According to SNDGO and GovTech, Singpass has more than 3.2 million users, making it one of the most pervasively adopted national digital identity systems in the world.