FORMATION OF THE SINGAPORE FOOD AGENCY AND THE ANIMAL & VETERINARY SERVICE

Please note that the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) will be formed on 1 April 2019. The SFA will replace the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) to oversee Singapore’s food safety and security. Concurrently, all non-food plant and animal related functions of AVA will be transferred to the National Parks Board (NParks). NParks will be the lead agency for animal and wildlife management, as well as animal and plant health.

The SFA will serve as the single point of contact for public feedback on food-related issues, and strengthen management of foodborne disease outbreaks to protect public health. The SFA will also facilitate more business-friendly regulations with oversight of all food safety policies and consolidation of food laboratory capabilities to deepen competencies in food diagnostics, and research and development in food safety. A new Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS) under NParks will be the main touch-point on animal health and animal-related issues for pet owners and businesses, as well as animal welfare groups.

General

1. What are the improvements to e-Licensing?

• The current e-Licensing portal related to Licences, Permits, Certificates, and Registration are enhanced to deliver a more user-friendly and efficient licensing experience for businesses.
• Businesses will see simplified processes for application of licences and payment of licence-related fees in the improved e-Licensing. Other features include the amendment, renewal and cancellation of business licences.

2. What conditions do I need to fulfil to apply for license?

• The criteria are as follows:
  1. Eligibility of Applicant.
  2. Only the following person can apply for a licence:
     1. Singaporean or Permanent Resident for an individual
     2. Company registered with the Accounting & Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA)
     3. Association/ Society registered with Registrar of Societies
     Application by a company registered as a Business with ACRA (formerly RCB) cannot be accepted. The sole proprietor or active partner must apply for a licence in his name
  3. For self-employed persons, please ensure that your Medisave contributions are  up-to-date before applying for a licence.
  4. Submission of relevant supporting documents
  5. Additional conditions by the respective agency

3. How do I start using the system?

• You will need a Singpass or Login ID account to use the system.

4. What if I do not have a Singpass?

• You can either apply for a Singpass through https://www.singpass.gov.sg/sppubsvc/req1.html and the system will lead you through simple registration steps
• Or
• Register as a Public User to apply for a Login ID if you are an overseas company or foreigners without Singpass.

5. What is Login ID?

• Login ID is assigned for users without Singpass such as foreigners or overseas users.

6. What is the turnaround time to receive my Login ID after registration?

• The turnaround time is immediate.
• After registered for a Login ID successfully, an email will be sent to the applicant with instructions to login to the system.

7. I've forgotten my Password. How do I retrieve it?

• Click on the "Forgotten Password" link on the Login page. An email link will be sent to your email address. There will be a link to click on to enter a new password.

8. I've forgotten my Login ID. How do I retrieve it?

• Your Login ID is the email address you filled up during registration. If you have forgotten the email address used, please contact licences-helpdesk@crimsonlogic.com.sg or (+65) 6774 1430.

9. How do I change my password?

• You may change your password in the "Update User Profile" page. You may access the "Update User Profile" page by first, logging into the system, and then clicking on the "Update User Profile".

10. Will I be able to apply for all licences & permits on the e-Licensing portal?

• Agency can define the eligibility criteria for each licence and permit. The list of licences and permits available with the e-Licensing are catered here. For full listing of SFA or NParks/AVS' licences and permits, please visit https://www.sfa.gov.sg or https://www.nparks.gov.sg/avs for more information.

11. What are the various licenses supported in the improved SFA & NParks/AVS e-Licensing?

The licences covered are shown below:

12. What are the different payment methods available on the improved e-Licensing portal? Must I pay my application Fee online?

• You can pay through a variety of methods: e-payment with Visa or MasterCard, or GIRO depending on the type of licences.

13. Is there a Guide to help me?

• Yes, agency will send out a step by step user guide to licensees. Alternatively, you can view the online help and online video demo available on the e-Licensing system at  https://licence1.business.gov.sg/licence1.

14. How to find and apply for licences and permits?

• You can choose the licence(s) listed under SFA & NParks/AVS. After which, select the licence and login via Singpass or Login ID to submit the application.

15. I'm not able to select the license I wish to apply for in the SFA & NParks/AVS e-Service?

• The licence may not be available in the e-Licensing system. For licenses issued under SFA, please contact SFA Contact Centre at https://www.sfa.gov.sg/feedback or 68052871. For licences issued under NParks/AVS, please contact NParks/AVS licensing officer for enquiries at animal_feedback@nparks.gov.sg or 1800 476 1600.

16. How soon will my application be processed?

• We will send out a correspondence to you upon receipt of the application. If the application is incomplete, you will be informed to furnish the pending documents/information within 2 weeks. If the application received is completed and applicable payment has been made, the licence will be issued to you.
• For more details on the processing time of each licence, refer to NParks/AVS website at https://www.nparks.gov.sg/avs for the licence guidelines.
• Note: The period may differ according to the licence selected.

17. How access rights are setup and managed in the e-Licensing portal?

• The logged in user can access to all available features in the e-Licensing portal. However, he/she can only view and manage applications or licences applied/filed by them.

18. Can I save the application and come back at a later time?

• Yes, applicant can click Save or Save as Draft at any time during the process to save the record before submitting.
• System also automatically saves application form periodically and saved applications can be retrieved in Draft folder under Applications.

19. What are the alternatives when the system is down? 

• For SFA, please contact SFA Contact Centre at https://www.sfa.gov.sg/feedback or 68052871.
• For NParks/AVS, Please contact NParks/AVS at animal_feedback@nparks.gov.sg or 1800 476 1600.

20. How long can I stay inactive on the system?

• The system timeout every 30 minutes if there is no activity detected.
• System automatically saves application form periodically and saved applications can be retrieved in Draft folder under Applications.

21. How do I access Self-Service GoBusiness Licensing Portal for other licences?

• Self-Service GoBusiness Portal can be accessed by clicking on the  header menu.

22. Helpdesk

• For more information on NParks/AVS licences, please contact animal_feedback@nparks.gov.sg or 1800 476 1600.
• For technical support or issues on system, please contact licences-helpdesk@crimsonlogic.com.sg or (+65) 6774 1430.

Licence Application

1. During Licence Application, there is a list of Recommended Licences. What are Recommended Licences and how are they recommended? 

• The Recommendation is based on other Licence Application histories and configuration by Administrator.

2. What is the difference between Submission Number and Application Number?

• Submission Number is an identification of a submission of 1 or more licences.  Each and every licence application under a submission will have a unique Application Number.  You can search for Applications in Applications Menu via Submission Number or Application Number.

3. Can I request for Express or Normal service during licence application?

• Yes, you can submit this request during licence application.

4. What are the supporting documents required for a licence application.

• Supporting document information is displayed for each licence before you submit the application.

5. Email address is mandatory when I apply for a licence. What if I don't have an email address?

• Applicant's email address is mandatory to proceed with licence application and correspondences will be sent via email and/or SMS subsequently.
• You can get a free email account (e.g. Google, Yahoo etc.) easily with simple steps.

6. What is the emergency contact section in Licence Application? Are all the fields mandatory?

• Emergency Contact is a feature to get the latest contact information of the applicant, it help the agency to contact the person easier. Under this section, Salutation, Name, Email and Contract Number are mandatory fields.

7. How long are the Draft applications kept?

• They will be kept for 30 Days from the date of creation, after which, the application will lapse.

8. What is a Filer?

• Filer is the person who assists to applying licence on behalf of the Applicant.
• A filer is able to apply new application till the approval of the application. Once approved, they will not be able do any action that is related to licence. 

9. What is a Request for Action (RFA)?

• Request For Action (RFA) is a feature that acts as a communication tool for agency officer to communicate with you for Clarification, Amendment and request for Correspondence.  Agency officer also can attach documents (e.g. form templates) to you for reference.

10. What will happen to my licence application with outstanding payment that is overdue?

• The licence application will be withdrawn automatically by the system if there is unsettled outstanding payment after payment due date.  You may wish to submit a new application if required.

Licence Amendment

1. Can I make changes to the application form after submitted?

• You can submit Licence Amendment request if the application is approved.
• If application is pending for approval, please contact the respective agencies for enquires.
  1. For SFA, please contact SFA Contact Centre at https://www.sfa.gov.sg/feedback or 68052871.
  2. For NParks/AVS, Please contact NParks/AVS at animal_feedback@nparks.gov.sg or 1800 476 1600.

Licence Duplication

1. Can I duplicate bulk Applications (e.g. 10 applications) at one time?

• No, you will need to duplicate the application one by one (in 2 mouse clicks) from submitted Application list and it will create a new application under Application Draft.

Licence Renewal

1. Can I renew my licence after the Expiry date?

• A grace period is granted for the licensee to renew his/her licence after licence expiry date. However the renewal start date is based on the actual Expiry date of licence and not the date of renewal during the Grace Period.

Licence Cancellation

1. Will my GIRO arrangement with SFA & NParks/AVS be cancelled when I cancel a licence?

• No, GIRO arrangement will not be cancelled when a licence is cancelled because you may have multiple licences with SFA & NParks/AVS. System will not deduct payment from your GIRO account for the cancelled licence after the cancellation is approved.
• If GIRO deduction is made before the licence cancellation, SFA & NParks/AVS may refund the payment back to you on a case by case basis. Please contact as below.
  1. For SFA, please contact SFA Contact Centre at https://www.sfa.gov.sg/feedback or 68052871.
  2. For NParks/AVS, Please contact NParks/AVS at animal_feedback@nparks.gov.sg or 1800 476 1600.