Anybody from India (or elsewhere)applied e-VISA for parents?

[hg]

I am an Indian national on EP here. I wanted my parents and uncle to come visit us in Sept (short visit) and misread the ICA's website regarding e-VISA. It seems only citizens and PRs can act as local contact for applying e-VISA in Singapore. The website (SAVE portal) lets me login using Singpass and enter all details of my parents, only to fail at the last step citing "invalid NRIC" (duh !!).

So what next now? As per
http://www.ica.gov.sg/page.aspx?pageid=168&secid=166

they need to apply for VISA locally in India using "trusted partner" but what is confusing me is that as per ICA even that process needs a filled up Form V39A which again needs a Citizen/ PR's NRIC !!! Whatever happened to a simple tourist VISA??

Help please

[revhappy]

@hq,

You could ask any of your colleagues who is a PR to sponsor your relatives. A PR or Citizen can sponsor anyone, they dont have to be related.

Cheers,
Revhappy.

[hg]

@hq,

You could ask any of your colleagues who is a PR to sponsor your relatives. A PR or Citizen can sponsor anyone, they dont have to be related.

Cheers,
Revhappy.

I guess I could do that but it will be an embarrassing favor to ask. I am sure a lot of people come into SG as plain tourists without any PR vouching for them?

...secondly even this will only serve very little purpose as no SC/ SPR will give me their Singpass to do all the online form filling. I wish the portal accepted someone else's NRIC as sponsor (currently it greys out that field with my FIN filled in and refuses to accept that as NRIC !!)

[Strong Eagle]

This is an interesting commentary on Asian and ang mo perspectives of what is embarrassing.

I wouldn't file for you because I don't know you, and your 'parents' might actually be a couple of hookers coming in for a bit of work.

No ang mo would be embarrassed to make such a request of a friend, or even an acquaintance. We've all got problems to solve, we all know that the gahmen can be a pain in the ass, and assuming I know you, it costs me nothing but a bit of time to help you out.

That's the ang mo view. Why would you be embarrassed? Simply solving a problem and calling on someone for help. Community really does make the world go round.

[Mad Scientist]

@hq,

You could ask any of your colleagues who is a PR to sponsor your relatives. A PR or Citizen can sponsor anyone, they dont have to be related.

Cheers,
Revhappy.

Revhappy , I would err to the side of caution. Sponsoring someone or becoming a guarrantor of a purchase or a witness to a documents is a legal and binding documents be it in contract, or tort, implied or otherwise in the eyes of the law and court.
If you sponsor someone that is ,NOT related or otherwise, you are assuring the Gahmen that these people are of good conduct, hence will not be a "problem" or creating "problem" during their stay here.
Not that I want it to happen but you might get drag down for other people's action which you have no control or aware of.
If the workmate is willing to do that and understand what is the implication, yeah by all means go ahead.
Just make sure you understand what you are going into. This is the Gahmen which can be very nasty at times.

[hg]

So MS provided the answer I would have given to SE

....so we are back to square one. once again - is there a way to get a VISA for one's aging and pretty much harmless parents *without* having to involve a SC/SPR?

[sundaymorningstaple]

Currently? No.

But. Have you gone down to ask them face to face? Preferably with an officer and not a front line clerk? Often, there are things you can do face to face that cannot be done through normal channels. Or it might be one of those things where it can be done but it isn't advertised so then they continue to hold the upper hand and can generous if they feel like it.

[revhappy]

So MS provided the answer I would have given to SE

....so we are back to square one. once again - is there a way to get a VISA for one's aging and pretty much harmless parents *without* having to involve a SC/SPR?

I think the only other way is the default way i.e. your parents apply from India either directly through the embassy or by involving a travel agent. I guess they will have to first book the tickets(return ticket as well, mind you) and also mention accomodation address. Not sure if any bank statement or anything is required like some of the EU countries or the US of A. Its because of all these stupid hassles that I suggested you take any of your colleagues help. Thats what a couple of my colleagues did and also suggested me to do. I will also be in the same situation in the near future as my in-laws are planning to visit Singapore. And my colleagues will definitely help.

I guess there is another way, that my colleagues were telling. You can ask your employer to sponsor. I haven't explored this option.

Whatever you do, do let me know, as it would help me as well

[Mad Scientist]

Its because of all these stupid hassles that I suggested you take any of your colleagues help. )

Revhappy , I am curious how do you mean by this ? You are aware that the Gahmen micro manage everything. yes?When your fellow countrymen and other countries on the list did a pooh on the immigration here on PRs, EPs etc... This is the end result albeit alot of hassle. So I would suggest rather than rattling yourself about the hassle immigration creates, just get on with it and find a solution
If you look it this way, your blood will not be running up to your head.

[hg]

I think the only other way is the default way i.e. your parents apply from India either directly through the embassy or by involving a travel agent. ..

If you read the website link in my first post, its clear that even in the "default" way a paper invite is needed which must be signed by SC/SPR

[revhappy]

I think the only other way is the default way i.e. your parents apply from India either directly through the embassy or by involving a travel agent. ..

If you read the website link in my first post, its clear that even in the "default" way a paper invite is needed which must be signed by SC/SPR

No way! That cant be true. How do the tons of tourists who come from India make it?

[sundaymorningstaple]

The problem is, from the way I read the Form 14A (Visa Application) from a Assessment Level 1 National, is that the Form V39A (Letter of Introduction for Visa Application) would only possibly be applicable if you ticked one of the following boxes on the 14A question: Where will you be staying in Singapore?:

Next of Kin
Relative
Friend

I reckon if you put Hotel/other you probably do not need the LoI at all. Frankly I think you don't need it in any case BUT your chances of getting the VISA is a lot greater as the gahmen here don't really trust level 1 visitors not to overstay their visas therefore they want local assurances and what better guarantors than citizens or PRs (who would be afraid of losing their PR if you did a runner).

[revhappy]

Now I get it! If you are a non-PR FW/FT here and want to put your relatives in a hotel then no problems, just ask them to apply normally from their country of residence

If you want them to stay with you, you have no choice but seek help from a PR/SC.

India has recently allowed Visa on Arrival for nationals from 5 countries, Singapore being one of them:

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/art ... 403684.cms

Will Singapore reciprocate?

[hg]

The problem is, from the way I read the Form 14A (Visa Application) from a Assessment Level 1 National, is that the Form V39A (Letter of Introduction for Visa Application) would only possibly be applicable if you ticked one of the following boxes on the 14A question: Where will you be staying in Singapore?:

Next of Kin
Relative
Friend

I reckon if you put Hotel/other you probably do not need the LoI at all. Frankly I think you don't need it in any case BUT your chances of getting the VISA is a lot greater as the gahmen here don't really trust level 1 visitors not to overstay their visas therefore they want local assurances and what better guarantors than citizens or PRs (who would be afraid of losing their PR if you did a runner).

That's a nice theory..all we need now is someone who can verify it

I agree with your previous post that they write stuff which is 10x more stringent than what they really need - that way THEY are in control. For example - if u really read the link I posted originally it says that "Local contact's Singapore Identity Card (original and photocopy) " is needed for a tourist VISA. How on earth the gahmen expects the original IC to reach the country where the VISA is being applied

[FaeLLe]

When I first arrived in Singapore in 1986 they used to have a Visa on Arrival provision for Indian citizens but of course that has been severely abused and the internal policies have caused that provision to cease to exist.


As for bringing your parents in without a PR or Citizen vouching for them it is simple.
Just write a letter of invitation for your parents including the following details,
- Full name
- FIN number
- Employer
- Designation
- Address of residence
- Full Name of person being invited
- Relation to person being invited
- Passport details (Number) of person being invited
- Duration of stay (from and to end dates)
- Deceleration that you will be financially responsible for their stay and conduct in Singapore
- Copy of EP

In fact it was the travel agency that asked for this letter and attached it to the visa application (e-SAVE).

If you are applying from india find your closest branch of Akbar Travels (present in most metro's).