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School-Aged Children
While you have the option of enrolling your children in any of the international schools in Singapore, being affiliated with the United States Armed Forces (active duty or civilian) does not guarantee acceptance to any school. You're strongly advised to apply to your school of choice early on in the move process and inform your sponsor of any concerns regarding your school-aged child. Be sure to work closely with the school liaison officer regarding the school application process. Due to the strict attendance guidelines at many schools, you are discouraged from taking extended leave during the school year prior to reporting on board. Unexcused or excessive absences can jeopardize your child’s enrollment and result in the cancellation of their Foreign Identification Number, or FIN. Maintaining a valid FIN status is essential for legal residency in Singapore.
Special needs programs for children are very limited. Contact the school liaison officer for more information.
Pets
While you may bring pets into Singapore, there are several things to consider regarding types and sizes of pets. According to Singapore law, only dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, mice, chinchillas, red-eared sliders and many types of ornamental birds and fish may be kept as pets. It's illegal to keep reptiles such as snakes and lizards, exotic animals (tigers, lynx), monkeys, spiders, insects or any endangered species as pets. Additionally, Sembawang's government-leased housing has a limit of two pets per unit. For those living on the economy, many local landlords impose similar limits on pets. For pet importation guidelines and policy, please be sure to visit the Animal & Veterinary Service website.
Unless you're coming from Hawaii, England/Ireland or Australia/New Zealand, most pets will be quarantined for a minimum of 10 days at the Animal Quarantine Station. Quarantine space books up fast during the peak moving months of June through August, so please be sure to begin the Animal & Veterinary Service process early. Singapore requires you to coordinate shipment to a booked quarantine space for your pet(s). Bringing pets into Singapore is expensive (often $1,000USD or more) and time-consuming, but it can be done. You can either do the work yourself or hire a pet agent to complete the import arrangements (for a fee). Check with the agent to make sure the services offered match your needs. If you use such a service, usually you will need a pet agent from your country of origin, plus another pet agent from Singapore. If you hire a pet agent from Singapore, they can act as a liaison between you and the Quarantine Station and the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore, or AVA. The agent can assist with processing necessary forms, scheduling fee payments, booking a quarantine space, arranging for additional transportation and delivery of your pet.
The following breeds are not allowed to be imported into Singapore:
Certain other breeds are known as “Category B” dogs. These animals can be imported to Singapore but must be leashed and muzzled at all times when in public. These breeds include:
There are several airlines that allow pets to be imported to Singapore as excess baggage. The list changes frequently, as do the rules. Please be sure to check directly with your preferred airline for the most up-to-date rules and process. If your pet is small enough, you can bring the pet with you in the cabin. Korean Air, ANA, Lufthansa, Cathay Pacific, KLM, Air France and Singapore Airlines are just some of the airlines that allow for this.
Please check with the airlines on the process to book and bring your pets with you to Singapore and remember to check pet transit requirements if your flight to Singapore includes a layover. Some airports do not allow pets to transit through. Bringing your pets in cabin or as excess baggage is the most cost-effective way to move with pets. There are several pet relocation agencies that also provide this service, but the cost will be significantly higher. Shop around online for pet agency services. No private pet agents are endorsed by the U.S. government.
Passports
All incoming personnel and dependents must obtain a valid passport prior to traveling to Singapore. Read your orders thoroughly and visit https://www.fcg.pentagon.mil/fcg.cfm to determine which passport(s) will be required for you and your dependent family members. Tourist passports are strongly advised and are not reimbursable.
Defense Service Network dialing is no longer available. You can call an installation number by dialing international 65-6750-XXXX. Please note that long-distance charges may be incurred.
Established in 2007, Naval Support Activity Singapore provides comprehensive shore support services to the fleet, fighter and family. Supporting a broad customer base of United States service members from four services, U.S. civilian employees, family members and Singaporean nationals plus visiting ships and aircrafts, NSASG efficiently delivers top-quality services while maintaining a quality-of-life standard that's second to none.
The United States Navy's presence in Singapore dates back to the 1960s. Initially established as Mobile Support Unit Foxtrot in 1968 at the height of the Vietnam War, the U.S. Naval Regional Contracting Center is the oldest War Department organization operating in Singapore. The command's mission was to provide supplies and contracting support for U.S. Navy ships and commands throughout the U.S. Seventh Fleet area of responsibility.
In 1991, NRCC moved its offices from downtown Singapore to its present location at the Port of Singapore Authority's Sembawang Terminal. In 1992, Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific relocated to Singapore from the Philippines, assuming several maintenance and resupply duties that NRCC performed at the time.
In 2007, Commander, Naval Support Activity Singapore was established to be responsible for the overall shore installation management in Singapore. NSASG's mission is to provide the highest level of customer service possible to the fleet and their families while ensuring all regional fleet readiness objectives are met and continuing to support the Navy's mission to provide efficient and cost-effective shore installation management services and support.
When NRCC became part of the NSASG, the command's mission also changed. Its contracting and supply functions now turned over to other commands, and focus shifted to providing shore support activities for the fleet, fighter and family. The command provides administrative support; housing; Morale, Welfare and Recreation; and family support services to 17 tenant commands, which include Army, Navy, Air Force, Naval Criminal Investigative Service and joint commands present in Singapore. Additionally, NSASG is tasked to focus on Navy, joint and coalition coordination of military activities with the host nation in support of regional engagement and security.
In October 2018, NSASG was reclassified as an installation aligned under Commander, Navy Region Japan.
Other detachments and armed forces services located in the Building 7-4 Terminal or elsewhere in Singapore include Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific/Task Force 73, 497th Combat Training Squadron, United States Coast Guard Detachment Singapore, U.S. Army Veterinarian Services, U.S. Air Force, Defense Contract Management Agency, Naval Oceanographic Office, Navy Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Yokosuka, Customer Support Detachment, Ship Support Unit, Military Sealift Command Far East, Sealift Logistics Command, Far East, Air Mobility Squadron, Detachment 2 and the Navy Criminal Investigative Service.
All permanently-stationed personnel and their family members are eligible to receive support through Naval Support Activity Singapore's services.
Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island city-state in Southeast Asia located 85 miles north of the equator at the southern most tip of the Thai-Malay Peninsula. There's no United States military base in Singapore. Naval Support Activity Singapore and several tenant commands are located in the Building 7-4 Terminal inside the Port of Singapore Authority Sembawang. PSA Sembawang is located in the far north region of Singapore and could be considered semi-rural as it's approximately 45 minutes away from much of the excitement and entertainment of downtown, yet with military facilities close by, a five to 15 minute drive to several shopping centers and easy access to public transportation. PSA Sembawang is designated a restricted area by the Singapore government to other than authorized personnel. Changi International Airport is about 30 minutes east of Sembawang.
There's no base operator.
A free shuttle van operates Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. between the Building 7-4 Terminal at Port of Singapore Authority Sembawang and the housing community. Separate shuttle service is available between Building 7-4 and the Canberra MRT station weekday mornings and afternoons. Taxis are not permitted to enter PSA Sembawang, and please consider that it's a 10- to 15-minute walk from the front gate to the Building 7-4 Terminal and wharves.
Shuttle bus schedules can be picked up at the Fleet and Family Support Center's Community Recreation inside Cafe Lah or the Navy Gateway Inns and Suites lobby. There is no shuttle service available on the weekends, United States federal holidays, or local Singapore national holidays. Walking to bus stops and MRT stations could be up to 20 minutes. Newcomers are often surprised by the amount of walking required in Singapore. Please come prepared with good walking shoes.