Singapore Expats

Hi everyone, I am moving over to Singapore in October, I have visited there on holiday many times but I want to get a better feeling for the place so I have decided to stay over there for a prolonged period of time. I was looking into what visa's I could get when someone pointed out to me that some people over there simply stay there on their normal social visit pass, and every 30 days ask for it to be extended. Then every 3 months they leave the country for a few days, come back into Singapore and do it again!!

I am not 100% sure if this is possible or just hear say, but I was wondering if anyone else had heard of this or had an opinion on the matter?

Thanks everyone,
Mat

Hi, what you're suggesting can work for a while, but eventually the friendly boys & girls at immigration will start giving you two week, then one week visas, ultimately resulting in the 3-day 'leave and don't come back' visa.

It does vary a lot; a colleague of mine (many years ago) got by on this approach for about a year. However, the immigration systems have got better and their patience has got worse. If you leave for a week or more each time, you'll probably be ok.

Good luck.

Thanks for the advice, I think I may look at applying for a visa and do things the official way. I was wondering if you had any advice you may be able to give me on that matter also? Do you think it would be wise for me to apply for a visa while still in the UK or actually arrive on Singapore on a normal 30 day social visit pass and apply from there? Any advice you can give me will be a great help.

Mat

Based on my experience, you can't extend your social visit pass from UK to 3 months for example, you have to come in singapore based on your social visit pass 1 month (normally you can wait before to apply for any extension .... up to you)
Maybe you can do it 1 or 2 weeks before expiration of your visa.

And then apply for a long term social visit pass, normally they give only 1 month for free after that for any extension (could be 2 or 3 months) you have to pay, if I can remember 40S$, if you have a medical check-up you receive 2 more months but it should be done by offical doctor from Singapore.

you can also travel by plane= 1 month
or go to malaysia (by MRT and bus) = 14 days

hope it ll help you