41,800 foreigners denied entry to Singapore from January to November; no-boarding system to start for airlines

ICA said many of the travellers were turned away through advancements in the authority’s new clearance concept, which introduces multiple layers of security. - ST

SINGAPORE: Around 41,800 foreigners were turned away at the Republic’s checkpoints in the first 11 months of 2025, but undesirable travellers will face even greater scrutiny from 2026 with a new no-boarding directive (NBD) initiative.

From January 2026, Singapore Airlines, Scoot, Emirates, Turkish Airlines and AirAsia will implement the NBD to bar travellers from boarding their flights if they are found to be ineligible for entry into Singapore.