Can expats living in Singapore claim GST back on jewellery?

Generally no. Anyone holding a Singapore work pass, Dependent's Pass, Long Term Visit Pass, or Student's Pass is classified as a Specified Person and is excluded from the Tourist Refund Scheme, regardless of nationality or citizenship status.

Who can claim the GST refund on jewellery bought in Singapore?

Genuine short-term visitors who are 16 or older, not Singapore citizens or permanent residents, not aircrew, and not holders of any Singapore work or long-term pass. They must spend at least SGD 100, show their passport at purchase, and claim via an eTRS kiosk at Changi or Seletar Airport before departing with the goods.

What is Singapore's GST rate?

9%, applied to most goods and services including jewellery, as of 2026.

GST Refund on Jewellery Singapore: Who Qualifies

The Short Answer

Singapore's GST is 9%. Genuine short-term visitors can often claim it back on jewellery purchases through the Tourist Refund Scheme. Most expats living and working in Singapore — Employment Pass, S Pass, Dependent's Pass, Long Term Visit Pass, Student's Pass holders — cannot, even though they aren't citizens or permanent residents. This surprises a lot of people, so it's worth explaining clearly before you factor a refund into your budget.

Who Actually Qualifies

The Tourist Refund Scheme (run through the Electronic Tourist Refund Scheme, or eTRS) requires you to meet all of the following:

You're 16 or older on the date of purchase
You're not a Singapore citizen or permanent resident
You're not aircrew departing on the flight you're claiming from
You're not a "Specified Person" — and this is the part that catches expats out

A Specified Person is anyone holding, at the time of purchase or within 3 months before it, any Singapore work pass (Work Permit, S Pass, Employment Pass, EntrePass, and similar), a Dependent's Pass, a Long Term Visit Pass, or a Student's Pass — or certain diplomatic and foreign-mission staff. In plain terms: if you're living in Singapore on any kind of pass, you're excluded from the scheme regardless of your nationality. The scheme is built for people visiting, not people residing here.

How the Refund Works, If You Do Qualify

For a genuine visitor — someone here on a short trip, a Social Visit Pass, or simply passing through:

Spend at least SGD 100 (including GST) at a single retailer; up to 3 same-day receipts from the same shop can be combined to reach this
Show your original passport in person at the time of purchase so the retailer can capture your details — photos or photocopies aren't accepted
Apply for the refund at an eTRS self-help kiosk at Changi Airport or Seletar Airport
Depart with the goods within 2 months of purchase, and within 12 hours of the refund being approved
Cash refunds are paid immediately at the counter; card refunds typically take 3–14 working days, and e-wallet or PayNow refunds around 5 working days

If You're an Expat Living in Singapore

If you hold any Singapore pass, a piece bought here for yourself simply won't qualify for a GST refund — budget for the 9% as part of the price, the same as a resident would. This is worth knowing before you commission a ring, since it changes the real all-in number compared to what a visiting friend or a returning traveller might pay for the identical piece.

One nuance worth flagging: if you're buying a gift for a family member who is genuinely visiting Singapore — not you — the purchase and passport capture have to be done by that visiting family member in person, at the time of purchase, for them to claim it. An expat resident buying on someone else's behalf and having it shipped doesn't qualify the way a direct visitor purchase would.

Claiming GST Back on Jewellery in Singapore: What Tourists Can (and Residents Can't) Claim