Singaporeans and permanent residents can apply for tickets to the preview and National Day Parade (NDP) from this Saturday till May 25.

Applicants can ballot for two, four or six tickets to either the NDP Preview on Aug 2, or the actual parade on Aug 9. Those who apply for fewer tickets will have a higher chance of obtaining them, said the Defence Ministry in a release on Thursday.

Applications can be submitted via SMS, the official NDP website or at SAM and AXS stations.

Those who opt to apply via SMS have to key in details in a set format and send the text message to 9060 0199.

The public can also fill up application forms at www.ndp.org.sg or visit any AXS and

SAM stations.

Each NRIC holder is limited to one application only. Tickets will be allocated by way of an electronic ballot system and are not given on a first-come-first-served basis.

Each ticket admits one spectator to the parade. Children and infants must also have a valid ticket to be admitted.

Successful applicants will be notified from June 5 to 14 through the contact number provided in their application, and must accept the tickets via an SMS reply to the same notifying number by midnight on June 14, 2014. Tickets can be collected from June 14 to 23 at the Marina Bay Floating Platform from 10am to 10pm in that period.

The Defence Ministry said in response to previous feedback that all successful applicants in the last year's NDP ticket eBalloting exercise will not be eligible for this year's.

Those with further queries or feedback on ticketing can visit http://www.ndp.org.sg.