Visas for Singapore
Tourist visas are available at the border
Entering and leaving Singapore is a pretty straightforward exercise and you will find immigration procedures very efficient and professional. It is a refreshing change from the bureaucratic and often slow immigration checks elsewhere in Southeast Asia. All foreign visitors require a visa for entering the country which is usually issued free of charge for most nationalities on arrival at Changi airport. More on Singapore Airport.
For all people arriving in Singapore, a passport with a remaining validity of at least six months is required. This rule is usually strictly adhered to. In addition you should have a return or onward ticket out of the country and sufficient funds to support yourself while in Singapore. Immigration officials could ask for proof of these but this seems to be rarely enforced.
Singapore immigration issues a wide variety of different visas depending on the purpose of the visit and length of stay, although for leisure travellers on a short stay, the procedure is standardized and very simple.
The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA Building 10 Kallang Road, Kallang MRT, http://www.ica.gov.sg) is the agency responsible for immigration matters and simply known as the ICA. You can get information on current immigration procedure and also apply online for a long term visit pass or to extend a short term visit visa.
Available visas for Singapore
Short stay visit pass
Most nationalities including US, UK, European and Australian citizens can simply collect a visa on arrival at Singapore free of charge. This is usually valid for up to ninety days, although it is not uncommon for a stay of 30 days to be stamped into your passport. Extensions can be made by applying at the ICA office at the address above and the processing fee is SGD$30.00.
Singapore has the death penalty for drug traffickers
Retirement visa in Singapore
A long term visit pass is issued to applicants over the age of 45 years who wish to stay long term in Singapore for up to five years .Applicants will have to show proof of financial security which includes property ownership in Singapore to the value of at least SGD$500,000 and a fixed monthly income of SGD$7,000 or more. In addition, valid medical insurance is required. Processing may take up to six weeks to complete and the fee is SGD$60.00.
Working visas in Singapore
There is a host of different working visas for foreign workers in Singapore, all of which are issued in the name of an employer and only valid during employment with a specific company. The Employment Pass is for skilled workers with recognised qualifications and earning a fixed monthly salary of more than SGD$2,500. A Work Permit is generally issued to unskilled workers with a monthly basic salary of less than SGD$1,800. This is usually valid for no more than two years, but may be renewed by the employer. The former may also apply for long term stay visas for dependents. There are several other variants of working visas issued to foreigners in Singapore. These include short term employment, job training, business investing, performing artists and domestic workers, for example.
Student visa in Singapore
A student pass is issued to anyone accepted by an educational institution to pursue full-time studies in Singapore. All work in Singapore is expressly forbidden including ‘on the job’ training and various special rules apply depending on the type of education establishment and the length of the course or degree.
The Work Holiday Programme
This allows foreign university students and recent graduates the opportunity to live and work in Singapore for up to one year. An Employment Pass Eligibility Certificate is required from the Ministry of Manpower (http://www.mom.gov.sg) and if the application is successful, a medical checkup and a security deposit may be required. The processing fee is SGD$30.00.
Permanent residency visas for Singapore
Employment pass holders, investors and retirees are invited to apply for permanent residency (PR) in Singapore. This offers a number of advantages that are enjoyed by Singaporean nationals. You can change jobs without the need to apply for a new working visa and all permanent residents can also take out bank loans and mortgages to buy property. All male PRs under 50 years old can be called up for national service and tax implications are complicated, although rates even for high earners are lower than in the west. The processing fee for this is SGD$100.00 and can take up to three months to complete.
