Although it is relatively easy to visit Singapore for tourism, this is not the case for a number of high-profile destinations across the world. Many countries and territories have strict visa requirements for tourist travelers and even stricter policies for those who wish to become permanent residents.
As these requirements can vary drastically even between neighboring countries, it is important for travelers to check in advance if they require a visa for each new destination they plan to visit.
Singapore’s immigration requirements are relatively lax compared to many countries. A large number of foreign citizens can travel to the island city-state for either 30 or 90 days visa-free for tourism, business, or transit purposes, although they are required to have an approved electronic SG Arrival Card to do so.
The Safe Travel Pass for China and fast lane agreements currently make it relatively easy for business travelers from Singapore to visit 6 Chinese municipalities. However, obtaining a tourist visa for China is more difficult for most foreign passport holders. The process involves visiting a Chinese embassy in their country of residence well in advance of the intended arrival date.
Some other countries with strict immigration policies include:
The country with the strictest immigration policy by far is North Korea. In order to access the secretive country, it is necessary to travel as part of an organized tour group from China.
While the majority of countries only charge travelers a small fee to obtain a tourist visa, the application process is comparatively expensive for a number of others. One of the most expensive visas is that to travel to Bhutan, as this travel document may only be obtained through purchasing a tourist package which costs between 200-250 USD for each day of the stay.
Other expensive tourist visas include:
The tourist visas for Algeria, Bangladesh, and Sierra Leone also cost the traveler around 160 USD and are considered relatively expensive compared to the fees required for visa processing in their respective neighboring countries.
Some of the most difficult counties to get citizenship or permanent residency for include:
Finally, anyone who wishes to travel to Japan to become a permanent resident traditionally faces the requirement to have lived in the country for at least 10 consecutive years. However, a recent relaxation in Japanese visa policy now makes it possible to obtain a permanent resident visa if the applicant has held a job in Jpan for at least 3 years.
31 Mar 2021