Singapore Tourist Visa – Requirements and Application
Singapore is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Asia. Every year, millions of tourists from all over the world visit the country. Therefore, you may need a Singapore tourist visa to visit the country for tourist activities.
The country is known for its cleanliness, efficient public transportation, and multicultural population. It also has a tropical climate, making it a hot spot for those seeking warm weather and beaches.
However, you need to understand the requirements for a Singapore tourist visa to enable you to apply without delays. In addition, there are visa-exemption policies by the Singaporean government which might be in your favor, so relax and read carefully through this guide to learn.
Singapore locations and facts about the country
Singapore is a small island state in Southeast Asia. It is bounded to the north by Malaysia and to the south by Indonesia. It was officially established as a British trading colony in 1819 and has since become one of the world’s most prosperous countries, with the world’s busiest port.
According to a 2019 estimate, the population of Singapore is approximately 5.6 million people. Singapore’s official languages are English, Malay, Mandarin, and Tamil.
Its economy is a free-market economy with low taxation and little government intervention.
In addition, the city offers a variety of tourist attractions, such as the Singapore Zoo, Chinatown, and Orchard Road. Also, several theme parks, like Universal Studios Singapore and Adventure Cove Water park.
What is a Singapore tourist visa?
It is an official document issued on paper or electronically by the Singapore government to foreigners for tourism purposes in the country. It is also called a visitor visa.
Meanwhile, there are countries whose citizens can visit Singapore for up to ninety days without a Singapore visa. Also, there are countries where citizens must apply for a Singapore visa online or on paper before accessing the country.
Nevertheless, all visitors to Singapore must apply for a Singapore arrival card before entry to the country.
So let’s quickly take you through the different categories of countries and their visa application status.
Group one countriesÂ
A passport holder or a citizen from one of the countries below can apply for a Singapore tourist visa online. The evisa will be forwarded to your email address if approved, and you should print it and take it along with you.
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Belarus
- China
- Georgia
- India
- Kazakhstan
- Kyrgyzstan
- Moldova
- North Korea
- Russia
- Tajikistan
- Ukraine
- Turkmenistan
- Uzbekistan
Group two countriesÂ
If you are a foreign national of any of the countries listed below, you need to register for a tourist visa at the nearest Singapore Embassy or Consulate in your country.
- Afghanistan
- Algeria
- Bangladesh
- Egypt
- Iran
- Iraq
- Jordan
- Kosovo
- Lebanon
- Libya
- Mali
- Morocco
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Palestine
- Saudi Arabia
- Somalia
- Sudan
- Syria
- Tunisia
- Yemen
Also, nationals holding either a UAE temporary traveling passport or any Middle East countries traveling passport and stateless persons are included in this group.
Group three countriesÂ
Luckily, citizens from the countries below can visit Singapore for up to ninety days without any Singapore visa.
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- The Republic of Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Ireland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Korea
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- The United Kingdom
- The United States (US citizens and green card holders)
Documents required to apply for a Singapore tourist visaÂ
The next is to provide you with details on documents and other requirements to apply for a Singapore tourist visa online or offline.
- A completed Singapore tourist visa application form
- A traveling passport with a minimum of six months’ validity
- Copies of Passport photographs with standard dimensions
- Evidence of flight booking or reservations includes your onward and return flight tickets.
- Proof of financial solvency like recent bank statements or a checkbook
- Evidence of where you will stay in Singapore can be a receipt of a rented house, hotel booking, or reservation. If you plan to stay with a family member in Singapore, you must obtain a consent letter, a copy of the stay permit, and the residential address of the family member.
- International health insurance cover the period of your stay in the country
- Receipt for Singapore tourist visa application fee
- A valid email address and a credit card for application fee payment if you are eligible for eVisa
- A cover letter that captures your full name, contact details, and your itinerary
You must also go with these documents to Singapore because they will be needed at the entry point. This is in addition to the Singapore arrival card and your Singapore tourist visa.
Singapore tourist visa application stepsÂ
There are different ways through which you can apply for a tourist visa without hassle. They are through:
- A Permanent resident in Singapore ((Individual user or a business user)
- A Singapore visa processing agency or
- Singapore embassy in your country
Option A method of Application
If you are privileged to apply for a tourist eVisa through a Permanent resident in Singapore, you can follow the steps below:
- The person (your contact) in Singapore must visit the Singapore immigration checkpoint authority (ICA) official website to obtain a singpass or corp pass.
- Then you send your contact all the required documents listed above in PDF format.
- The next is for your contact to apply for the Singapore tourist visa on your behalf online and also pay the application fees.
- Lastly, your contact will wait a while for the ICA process and decide on your tourist visa application to visit Singapore.
If your tourist visa is approved, your contact will visit the ICA office in Singapore immediately with the documents below in hard copy format.
- Singapore tourist visa duly completed application form with your signature and passport photograph. This form is called form 14A
- A letter of introduction from your contact that is duly signed ( form V39A)
- A copy of your traveling passport bio-data page
- Your contact’s original and a photocopy of your Singapore Identity Card
The ICA will verify if the documents are in order and genuine with the ones submitted during the Application. If everything is perfect, you will be mailed the Singapore tourist eVisa, then print it and prepare to travel to the country. Note that if you don’t have a permanent resident in Singapore, you can apply for a tourist eVisa. To do this, you should visit the Singapore visa site, complete the application form, upload the documents required and submit it. If successful, you proceed to pay the tourist visa application fee using your debit or credit card.
Option B method of Application
The method requires that you follow the procedures to manually apply for a tourist visa in any Singapore embassy or consulate.
Firstly, you should visit the nearest Singapore embassy in your country to book an appointment with the consular officer. You can also pick up the visa application form at the embassy or download it online and fill it out correctly.
Secondly, you pay the Singapore tourist visa application fee and get the receipt.
Thirdly, arrange all the required documents in a self-addressed envelope.
Then, you visit the embassy on the scheduled date to submit your Application to the consular officer. The officer will receive and check to ensure everything is in order. Next, you will be interviewed on why you need a tourist visa to Singapore and a few other basic questions. If all the processes are perfect, your biometrics will be captured, and you can return home.
Lastly, you wait a week or two for the embassy to process your visa application and notify you of the final decision. Note that some Singapore embassies may operate slightly differently from others.
Option C method of ApplicationÂ
You can use this method to apply for a tourist visa in Singapore by contacting a trustworthy visa agency to handle the Application for you. However, it will require you to pay an additional fee for the services the visa agency will render to you.
Singapore tourist visa processing time and its application feeÂ
It will take up to eight (8) working days to process your tourist visa application from the day you submit it. The time taken to process a tourist eVisa is shorter than the paper version of the tourist visa. You will pay the sum of twenty-two US dollars as a tourist visa application fee to the Singapore embassy or online to ICA.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)Â
What is a Singapore Arrival Card?
It is an electronic card issued to foreigners with a genuine traveling passport who wishes to visit Singapore for any legal activities. All visitors to the country must present this card at any entry border to Singapore.
Can I work with a Singapore Tourist visa?
No, you cannot work with a Singapore tourist visa because you must obtain a work permit from the Singapore Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (MIA).
Can I immigrate to Canada from Singapore?
Yes, you can immigrate to Canada from Singapore. However, you will need to meet the requirements of both countries. For Singapore, you will need to have a valid passport and a visa. For Canada, you need to have a valid Passport and proof of residence.
What is Singapore’s official Currency?
The Singaporean Currency is the Singapore dollar.
Conclusion
In conclusion, if you are planning to visit Singapore, you should check the requirements for a tourist visa and fill out an application. It would help if you didn’t forget to bring your passport, a valid travel document, two passport-sized photos, and the required fees.
