3 years ago, my wife (a PRC passport holder with Australian PR) and I had a 4 day stopover in Singapore, on our return journey from Shanghai to Sydney.

As we were going to be in Singapore for less than 96 hours, my wife did not require a Visa. She qualified for the VFTF - Visa Free Transit Facility. We had to show our flight itinerary to the Immigration officer, which verified we were going to be there for less than 96 hours (it was something like 86 hours).

We're planning a similar trip next year. I've tried to find some information about the VFTF, to verify that everything is the same as what it was 3 years ago. It appears that it isn't.

There are still loads of articles on the internet (which seem to be several years old) that mention the VFTF applies to PRC passport holders. However, nothing very recent.

I have checked out the Singapore Immigration Authority's website. It does mention that PRC passport holders require a Visa to enter Singapore. Oddly enough, it also mentions that passport holders from Georgia and the Commonwelath of Independant States are the only ones that do not require a Visa if they are in transit to/from a third country, and their stay in Singapore will be for less than 96 hours. It does not, though, mention VFTF, although this is the equivalent criteria to what the VFTF used to be.

I have emailed the Singapore Immigration Authority for clarification, but so far they have just sent me an extract from their website.

So my questions are: is anyone aware of any changes to the VFTF (or what was the VFTF) in recent years to exclude PRC nationals, and if so when this happened? I can't find any mention of it on the internet. The "why" would be interesting but no doubt difficult to find out.