Can I realistically do this in a week...?

[ecureilx]

You should have received a medical form with your IPA. It should specifically tell you if you need a medical or not.

Generally, citizens of developed/first world countries only have to fill out an affidavit, others must do the medical.

SE is right : you may be asked to do HIV and / or TB screening, but as SE says, generally from developed countries, and based on trend, they may subject or nobody or randomly, a few, for the medical test.

And south asian/south east asians are all put through medical, except for the P1/P2 .. and Q1, again, randomly.

Submission of the medical test is compulsory, if mentioned in the IPA, and no escape ..

Oh I remember the time, when MOM introduced HIV screening, in 2002 or so I think, and most of my colleagues, who had been frequent vistors to Thailand all went on panic mode, and almost all, if I remember correctly, quietly did their HIV screening in Malaysia, before doing the Singapore official screening ..

Me was just worried what will turn up the Chest X Ray, as I am a smoker ..

Those were the days ..

PS: if a westerner applies for S Pass, would they be subject to medical ? I know of atleast a couple of guys here on S Pass .. from UK !!

[nburge]

Nothing at all mentioned in my IPA about a medical. Hopfeully I won't have to bother. I'm not worried about failing, nor about the cost really, it's just an extra hassle between applying for the EP and getting the EP that I could do without.

[maspats]

Moving from the UK, and am just jettisoning excess baggage, selling stuff and packing things in boxes.

nburge, are you just gonna check in those boxes as excess baggage and pay the fees?

I'm also moving in a month and deciding between checking in as excess baggage or use air cargo services. I probably would just have 3 14"x14"x14" moving boxes on top of the normal baggage allowance limit. And I'm not sure if I would be able to stuff all those baggage pieces into the cab once i reach Singapore.

Anyone with any recommendations?

[nburge]

nburge, are you just gonna check in those boxes as excess baggage and pay the fees?

I'm also moving in a month and deciding between checking in as excess baggage or use air cargo services. I probably would just have 3 14"x14"x14" moving boxes on top of the normal baggage allowance limit. And I'm not sure if I would be able to stuff all those baggage pieces into the cab once i reach Singapore.

Anyone with any recommendations?

No, I have a Moving Company coming to pack a certain amount of stuff, I have some of it with my parents, and I travel frequently for work so have a gold card with BA, and can take about 50kgs with me on the plane. I'd suggest putting it in with a sea shipping company.

[nburge]

OK, a quick update. What is possible in the first week:

- Finding an apartment. If you know roughly where you want to live this is possible. It's still taken me 8 days to sign the LOI and I get the keys tomorrow. It's a new build, so it was empty.
- Getting your EP - it's quite a simple process and was painless
- getting a temporary Sim card. I'm still not sure where a Singtel store is, nor even whether it's possible to sign up for a proper account without a bank account here

- arranging the bank account is less easy. They want to see a signed tenancy agreement. Which you don't have unless you have a chequebook to pay the deposit/rent with. Other option; a letter from your employer confirming your current (hotel) address and previous home address.

It seems almost everything in Singapore is paid for by cheque, you need to be able to give the bank a cheque for the opening amount ($2k here!) and you need to be able to give the landlord cheques for the deposit and first months rent. Luckily I have a wealthy friend here who was able to stand me the money until I get my own account open and pay my salary in.

Make sure you bring much more money than you thought you needed, as there are a dozen and one charges that you've never ever thought about!

[JR8]

Singtel SIM card, as mentioned go to 7-11 (take passport).

Don't know who you're banking with, I opened my StanChart a/c with a $1 coin.

Start up apartment costs? Simple, pay cash. We did, I have yet to hear of a landlord that refuses cash.

[nakatago]

OK, a quick update. What is possible in the first week:

- Finding an apartment. If you know roughly where you want to live this is possible. It's still taken me 8 days to sign the LOI and I get the keys tomorrow. It's a new build, so it was empty.

could you elaborate? is it a condo or an hdb? if it's an hdb and it's literally newly constructed, you can't rent it yet because of the 'own it for five years before you can lease it' rule or something.

- Getting your EP - it's quite a simple process and was painless
- getting a temporary Sim card. I'm still not sure where a Singtel store is, nor even whether it's possible to sign up for a proper account without a bank account here

- arranging the bank account is less easy. They want to see a signed tenancy agreement. Which you don't have unless you have a chequebook to pay the deposit/rent with. Other option; a letter from your employer confirming your current (hotel) address and previous home address.

It seems almost everything in Singapore is paid for by cheque, you need to be able to give the bank a cheque for the opening amount ($2k here!) and you need to be able to give the landlord cheques for the deposit and first months rent. Luckily I have a wealthy friend here who was able to stand me the money until I get my own account open and pay my salary in.

Make sure you bring much more money than you thought you needed, as there are a dozen and one charges that you've never ever thought about!

about the banks, POSB has a 500 SGD starting. Then again, JR8 opened a StanChart account with a dollar coin. Cheques aren't really mandatory but they do serve a level of security (but not by much). Yes, cash works well (observed from experience.

[nburge]

Ah, OK - perhaps this was my mistake in only going to one bank (HSBC). I did this because they're the "world's local bank" or some such rubbish, even though they are unable to open an account here with the money I have in my UK HSBC account (or should I say, "had in that account", as I've closed it after my experience here).

They were also ridiculously difficult on paperwork - needing original documents from my employer stating that I'm currently living in a hotel!

Regarding the apartment - it's a condo, a new build, but I spent 3 days viewing different units in and around the area before finally agreeing on price last Friday. My lack of banking ability (no cheque, and no ability to withdraw such a large sum of money in this country due to daily withdrawal limits on my account) meant it took until Monday to get the cheque (from a friend) and I move in tomorrow.

The SIM card was easy - I followed the 7-11/Passport advice. I do want to get a "proper" deal with the mobile providers so I don't have to keep topping the thing up.

Thanks all for the adivce, just thought I'd post up my experiences too.

[JR8]

Well you're getting yourself sorted out eh, so well done for that.

The customer service from banks in SG is absolutely ****, so get used to it!

[nburge]

I'd noticed that. They seem to love process, and sticking to rules, in spite of the fact the rules make absolutely no sense whatever. I had to leave the HSBC branch yesterday as my blood pressure was rising so damn high and I haven't got any health insurance yet!

[Strong Eagle]

I haven't got any health insurance yet!

Not affiliated but use them.

http://www.globalhealthasia.com/persona ... /singapore

[JayCee]

HSBC are terrible here, I give it 3 months before you get fed up with never being able to find an ATM and open up an account with DBS/POSB/UOB/OCBD instead

[BillyB]

HSBC are terrible here, I give it 3 months before you get fed up with never being able to find an ATM and open up an account with DBS/POSB/UOB/OCBD instead

I have just gone to the dark side with DBS after recently preaching how good Stanchart were! I tempted fate and, as if to teach me a lesson, they made a monumental cock up of my accounts last month.

The fact that you don't have to plan your journey based on where an ATM is worth the switch alone!!

I lasted a year with Stanchart.....is that a record?

[nburge]

HSBC are terrible here, I give it 3 months before you get fed up with never being able to find an ATM and open up an account with DBS/POSB/UOB/OCBD instead

Yeah, I didn't really need much of your three months - I got fed up that same day and cancelled my intention to sign up here as well as my UK bank account with them.

I was thinking of Stanchart, but they've been responsible for a monster cock up in sending my money overseas. Prior to arrival I'd had a payment made to my UK account, but it has gone missing and they're the culprit by the looks of things. The money is at present awol, and I really really need it to furnish my house, pay my deposits, and sort my life out here!

My pal here uses UOB - and their ATM's seem to be everywhere - so I might use them.

[BillyB]

HSBC are terrible here, I give it 3 months before you get fed up with never being able to find an ATM and open up an account with DBS/POSB/UOB/OCBD instead

Yeah, I didn't really need much of your three months - I got fed up that same day and cancelled my intention to sign up here as well as my UK bank account with them.

I was thinking of Stanchart, but they've been responsible for a monster cock up in sending my money overseas. Prior to arrival I'd had a payment made to my UK account, but it has gone missing and they're the culprit by the looks of things. The money is at present awol, and I really really need it to furnish my house, pay my deposits, and sort my life out here!

My pal here uses UOB - and their ATM's seem to be everywhere - so I might use them.

Sounds like Deja Vu with missing money at SC. They managed to lose some of my money going between local accounts.

A point to note with UOB - you can only use UOB ATM's so I've been told. Not sure if this is only UOB per se, or you get charged at all other ATM's.