Advice on Visit Pass

[DomoArigatoMrRoboto]

Hi all,

After doing extensive reading on this forum and around the internet I thought it’d be best to present my exact situation in order to get some advice prior to heading to Singapore regarding the amount of days I might get upon entry.

I’m a UK citizen, who’s partner is moving to Singapore for the next 6 months for an internship, on a WHP. I’m planning on accompanying her for as much of her stay there as possible. I will not be working in Singapore aside from answering a few emails for my business back home. I’ve never been to Singapore before or have any immigration infractions anywhere in the world.

I’ve read differing reports on how long I’ll be given at entry, be that 30 days or 90 days. I’ve also seen cases where people ask for the 90 days at immigration to varying degrees of success.

So I was just wondering what, based on your experiences, is the best option once arriving. Say nothing at all and hope they just give me a 90 day stamp which seems to be fairly common for US and UK citizens? Ask specifically for a 90 day pass but risk raising a few red flags as to why I need to be in Singapore that long (not sure whether saying I’m visiting my girlfriend is a valid enough reason). Or take what ever I get and opt to try and extend once there. I will be looking at a flexible return ticket, but not sure if say I had one booked to return 70 odd days into my stay they would look upon that dubiously or whether that would just be an automatic case for giving me the 90 days.

In all I don’t want to do anything to mislead or cause any kind of infringement, as there may well be a chance of staying and applying for other positions in Singapore afterwards and wouldn’t want that to taint any pass applications in the future.

Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer.

[ashep99]

hi,

as you are a UK citizen you will get a 90 day tourist visa. When it is coming up for 90 days, go for a day trip to Malaysia to get another 90 days on reentry to Singapore

[sundaymorningstaple]

hi,

as you are a UK citizen you will get a 90 day tourist visa. When it is coming up for 90 days, go for a day trip to Malaysia to get another 90 days on reentry to Singapore

That is a good way to get a 1 week or 3 day SVP if you decide to go out of the country a couple of days before your 90 day visa expires just to come back in. Singapore Immigration isn't stupid. If you have a 90-day SVP you have 60 more days than most countries, in a country where you can see absolutely everything worth seeing in 30 days (actually in two weeks). Therefore they know you're are doing a visa run and they frown on that. If this is your 1st trip here, you might be able to use the online application for an extension. Otherwise you are taking a gamble, especially if you have been here for 75 days and haven't left the country at all.

[Strong Eagle]

If you want to do this right, you will travel. After you have been in Singapore for a couple of weeks, you'll take an overnight or weekend trip to Batam or Bintan, for a round of golf, or perhaps a stay in one of the hotels/resorts. That's a holiday. Come back for a couple of weeks. Take a holiday into Malaysia. Maybe go to Tioman, or maybe go to the highlands. Come back. That's a holiday. You'll get your 90. Bangkok is a couple of hours away. Go have a visit. Come back. That's a holiday. Maybe a round of golf at Batam again. That's a holiday, and you'll get your 90 days again. Hey... even Bali is under 3 hours, and that's definitely a holiday.

Wait until day 88 and go for a shopping trip in Johor Bahru? That's like putting a red cape in front of a bull. It's rather obvious, don't you think? Whereas, if you do take the time to see the sights whilst you are in Singapore, there won't be much of an issue.

[bgd]

... in a country where you can see absolutely everything worth seeing in 30 days (actually in two weeks).

More like 3 days

As SMS says the visa run is a bad idea.

My daughter came here with no onward ticket. She used Sg as a base for travel in the region which included the odd 1 day trip to Malaysia and Batam. But she also flew to other countries for weeks at a time. She had no issues because it was pretty obvious she was simply a traveler using Sg as a base.

Adopt that approach and you should have no issues. After a fairly short time it is easy to tire of Sg, but there is so much to see and do in the region that you have a great opportunity. Enjoy.

Edit: SE is saying the same thing - you get the idea.