Statute Details
- Title: Fees (Citizenship Certificates, Etc.) Order
- Act Code: FeA1920-OR31
- Type: Subsidiary legislation (sl)
- Authorising Act: Fees Act (Chapter 106, Section 2)
- Citation: Fees (Citizenship Certificates, etc.) Order (O 31)
- Commencement: Original commencement: 1 October 1996 (as reflected in the legislative history)
- Current version: Current version as at 27 March 2026 (per the platform extract)
- Key provisions: Section 2 (fees leviable at the Singapore Citizenship Registry); Section 3 (discretionary remission of fees)
- Schedule: Sets out the specific “matters” (first column) and the corresponding fees (second column)
- Amendment history (high level): Amended by S 34/2009; S 696/2012 (effective 31/12/2012); and earlier amendments including S 200/2003, S 178/2000, S 398/1997, SL 424/1996
What Is This Legislation About?
The Fees (Citizenship Certificates, Etc.) Order is a Singapore subsidiary legal instrument that establishes the fees payable for certain citizenship-related administrative matters handled at the Singapore Citizenship Registry. In practical terms, it tells applicants and practitioners what they must pay when they request specified citizenship certificates or related services, and it identifies where those fees are payable.
The Order is made under the Fees Act (Chapter 106, Section 2). That authorising provision empowers the Government to prescribe fees for particular matters. This Order does not itself create citizenship rights or determine eligibility for citizenship; rather, it regulates the administrative cost of processing certain requests and issuing certain documents connected to citizenship.
Because the Order operates through a Schedule, the “real” substantive content for practitioners is typically the Schedule’s mapping between (i) the matter requested and (ii) the fee amount. The operative sections then provide the mechanism for collection and allow for fee remission in appropriate cases.
What Are the Key Provisions?
Section 1 (Citation) is straightforward: it provides the short title by which the Order may be cited. While not legally complex, citation matters for practitioners because it determines the correct instrument to reference in correspondence, submissions, and internal compliance checks.
Section 2 (Fees leviable at the Singapore Citizenship Registry) is the central charging provision. It states that there shall be leviable at the Singapore Citizenship Registry, in respect of the matters specified in the first column of the Schedule, the fees specified opposite thereto in the second column. This structure has three practical implications.
First, the fees are tied to specific “matters” rather than to citizenship status generally. For example, different certificates or administrative actions may attract different fees. Second, the fee amounts are not embedded in the body of the Order; they are contained in the Schedule. Practitioners therefore must consult the Schedule to determine the correct fee for a particular request. Third, the place of payment/collection is specified: the Singapore Citizenship Registry. This is relevant for procedural steps, payment instructions, and any disputes about whether a fee was properly imposed for the relevant Registry process.
Section 3 (Remission of fees) provides an important discretionary safety valve. It empowers the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs to remit, wholly or in part, the fees payable under the Order. The discretion is “in his discretion,” meaning it is not automatic and is not framed as a right of the applicant. However, it is a legally recognised mechanism to reduce or waive fees where appropriate.
For practitioners, Section 3 is significant in two ways. It can be used to manage hardship or exceptional circumstances, and it may also be relevant where a fee has been charged but the applicant’s situation warrants reconsideration. While the extract does not specify criteria for remission, the existence of the discretion means that fee disputes may not always be resolved by challenging the fee itself; instead, they may be addressed through an application for remission or by requesting the Permanent Secretary to exercise the discretion.
The Schedule (matters and fee amounts) is the operative pricing table. The Schedule’s first column identifies the “matters” for which fees are payable, and the second column sets the corresponding fee amounts. Even though the extract provided does not reproduce the Schedule’s entries, the Schedule is essential for legal accuracy: without it, one cannot determine the correct fee for a given citizenship certificate or related service.
In practice, practitioners should treat the Schedule as the authoritative source for fee quantification. Any advice to clients about the likely cost of a citizenship certificate request must be grounded in the current Schedule version. Where there have been amendments over time, the fee amounts may change, so confirming the “current version as at” date is a key compliance step.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The Order is structured in a compact, practitioner-friendly way:
(1) Section 1: Citation.
(2) Section 2: The charging provision. It links the fees to the Schedule and specifies that fees are leviable at the Singapore Citizenship Registry.
(3) Section 3: Remission of fees by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, wholly or in part, in his discretion.
(4) The Schedule: The detailed list of the relevant matters and the corresponding fee amounts. This is where the substantive “price list” resides.
Notably, the Order is short and relies on the Schedule for the substantive content. This design is common for fee orders: the legal framework is minimal, while the Schedule provides the operational details.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The Order applies to persons who make requests or submit matters that fall within the “matters specified in the first column of the Schedule” and are processed through the Singapore Citizenship Registry. In other words, it applies to applicants for citizenship certificates and related administrative services covered by the Schedule.
It does not generally apply to the broader population in the abstract; it applies when a specific Registry process is engaged. The fee is payable “in respect of” the specified matters, meaning the obligation to pay arises only when the relevant request is made and the Registry processes it under the framework contemplated by the Schedule.
Additionally, Section 3 extends the Order’s practical reach to applicants who seek relief from fees. While the remission power is discretionary and vested in the Permanent Secretary, applicants may be the practical beneficiaries of remission if the discretion is exercised in their favour.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
Although the Fees (Citizenship Certificates, Etc.) Order is brief, it is important because it governs the cost of obtaining citizenship-related documents and services. For practitioners, fee orders are often encountered in day-to-day administrative practice—during document preparation, client onboarding, and correspondence with government departments. Incorrect fee advice can lead to delays, failed submissions, or avoidable administrative friction.
From a compliance perspective, the Order provides a clear legal basis for charging fees at the Singapore Citizenship Registry. Section 2’s structure—linking matters to the Schedule—means that fee determination should be systematic and document-specific. Practitioners should therefore build internal checklists that require confirmation of the current Schedule entry for the relevant certificate or service.
Section 3 is also practically significant. Even where the fee is properly chargeable under the Schedule, the remission mechanism offers flexibility. In cases involving financial hardship, exceptional circumstances, or other considerations that may justify relief, practitioners can consider whether a remission request is appropriate. While the extract does not set out criteria, the existence of a lawful discretion means that fee relief is not limited to informal arrangements; it is grounded in the Order itself.
Finally, the legislative history indicates that the Order has been amended multiple times over the years. This underscores a key legal research point: practitioners should always verify the version in force at the relevant time, particularly if advising on historical applications, refunds, or disputes about fees charged under earlier schedules.
Related Legislation
- Fees Act (Chapter 106, Section 2) — the authorising Act under which this Order is made.
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Fees (Citizenship Certificates, Etc.) Order for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.