Carrying cash from United Arab Emirates to Singapore
Two separate rules apply to any cash journey: one where you leave, one where you arrive.
Do you need to declare?
Yes: and on both legs of the journey. Leaving United Arab Emirates, Central Bank of the UAE requires a declaration above AED 60,000. Entering Singapore, Immigration & Checkpoints Authority requires a declaration above SGD 20,000. The two rules are independent: satisfying one does not satisfy the other.
Travelling as a family or group?
The threshold applies to your combined total, not per person. A family of four each carrying a little under the limit is still over it, and splitting cash between travellers to stay under does not make it legal.
The two legs
| Leg | Limit | Form | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leaving United Arab Emirates | AED 60,000 | Customs declaration of currency | Central Bank of the UAE |
| Entering Singapore | SGD 20,000 | CBNI declaration (via the Singapore Arrival Card or the official app) | Immigration & Checkpoints Authority |
The same AED 60,000 threshold applies on departure, and to cash sent by post, cargo or courier.
Required when the total value EXCEEDS S$20,000, exactly S$20,000 does not trigger it. The duty applies whether the cash is yours or carried for someone else.
If you do not declare
United Arab Emirates: Declaration duty under Federal Decree-Law No. (20) of 2018 on Anti-Money Laundering.
Singapore: An offence under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act 1992.
There is no limit on how much you may legally carry in either direction, the duty is to report it, not to keep under it. Failing to report is the offence.
Currencies
United Arab Emirates uses AED; Singapore uses SGD.
Sources: rules as of 22 September 2026. This is general information, not legal advice; always check the official authority before travelling.