Singapore Visa

Singapore is the fifth most visited cities in the world and is home to the world’s best airport i.e. Changi Airport. Although it shares the title of being the world’s most expensive cities alongside Paris and Hong Kong, still about 14.67 million overnight tourists visited Singapore in 2018. It is also a leading developed nation with the third-highest per capita GDP in the world making it a place of opportunities for business travellers. Moreover, National University of Singapore is popular amongst students and the second-best university in Asia. If any of these reasons make you want to travel to Singapore, you need to first obtain a Singapore visa. It is also advisable to buy travel insurance for your trip to keep you safe from any unforeseen emergencies and expenses.

What is Singapore Visa?

Singapore visa is an official permit that allows non-Singaporeans to visit, travel and stay in the island nation of Singapore for a limited period of time. It is pre-entry permission that gives access to its holders to arrive at the entry point of Singapore. All assessment for Singapore visa applications and entries is determined by the ICA or the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority of Singapore.

Obtaining a Singapore visa alone does not guarantee entry into this Asian country. Singapore visa holders who are eligible to enter the country will be issued a visit pass upon arrival at Singapore. The visit pass mentions the number of days that you are allowed to stay in Singapore.  

It is wiser for all Indians travelling to Singapore to buy an international travel insurance policy before commencing their trip to Singapore. With travel insurance by your side, you will be covered against any medical or financial emergencies that may occur during the course of your trip.

Features of Singapore Visa

• 96 hours visa-free transit facility (VFTF) to all Indians
• Singapore e visa issued to all online applicants
• 20 types of work pass under Singapore work visa for Indians
• Mandatory medical insurance for applicants of S Pass work visa

Types of Singapore Visa

A Singapore visa is available in different varieties to suit the requirements of different types of travellers. It is important for all foreigners travelling to Singapore to be aware of different kinds of Singapore visas. This is because all prospective travellers should apply for a type of Singapore visa that best matches their motive for travelling to Singapore.

Indian nationals are eligible for a VFTF or visa-free transit facility for 96 hours. This means they do not need a Singapore transit visa in order to transit from the Singapore airport. The stay of VFTF can not be extended beyond 96 hours.

Take a look at the different types of Singapore visas offered to Indian nationals:

Tourist Visa

A Singapore tourist visa is a type of visa that can be applied by foreigners who are travelling to Singapore on vacations or to visit family and friends. People with Singapore visa for Indians are not allowed to work in Singapore during their visit.

Business Visa

A Business visa is a type of visa that can be applied by people who are travelling to Singapore for business purposes. This may include attending conferences, mergers, meetings, etc.

Student Paas

A Singapore Student Pass is an entry pass that can be applied by foreign nationals who want to study in a school/ college/ institute in Singapore.

Work Visa

 A Singapore work visa is an authorization pass that has to be obtained by foreign nationals who want to work in Singapore. There are a wide variety of passes available under the Singapore work visa for Indians. You can go through them at the table given below:

Singapore Permanent Residence (PR)

Singapore PR or Permanent Residence (PR) is a residency permit offered to foreign nationals who want to become a resident of Singapore. Non-Singaporeans can apply for Singapore PR if they want to stay permanently in Singapore as a long-term legal resident. All foreign nationals who want to apply for Singapore Permanent Residence should suffice one of the following eligibility criteria. The applicant should be -

• Spouse of a citizen or permanent resident (PR) of Singapore
• Child of a citizen or permanent resident (PR) of Singapore who is below 21 years and is unmarried
• Parents of a citizen or permanent resident (PR) of Singapore
• Holder of S Pass or Employment Pass
• Student studying in a school/ university in Singapore
• Print Visa Application Acknowledgement

Who Should Apply for Singapore Visa

All Indian passport holders who want to travel to Singapore will require a valid Singapore visa to enter this south-Asian country. Whether you are want to visit Singapore as a tourist, for studying or to attend a business commitment, you will need a Singapore visa for Indians to enter and stay in Singapore. Indian citizens are eligible for 96 hours of visa-free transit facility or VFTF in Singapore. In case you need to stay in Singapore for more than 96 hours, you will need a Singapore visa for Indians.

People who want to travel to Singapore should obtain a Singapore visa before their scheduled departure from India. No Indian citizens will be granted Singapore visa on arrival at Changi airport. However, Indians with official, diplomatic or service passports do not need to apply for Singapore visa for Indians in order to visit this Asian country.

How to Apply for Singapore Visa?

An application for Singapore e visa can be filed online through an authorized visa agent or strategic partner. It can also be applied online by local contact. Follow the steps given below to apply for Singapore visa online:

• Visit the official website of ICA
• Go to ‘Apply Online’
• Log in to Singapore Personal Access
• Fill up all the required information
• Upload all the required documents
• Pay the Singapore visa fees
• Submit the visa application
• Download the copy of your e visa/ in-principle approval (IPA) letter

The IPA or the in-principle approval letter issued to an applicant of work visa is valid for 6 months i.e. the holder gets 6 months to come to Singapore. Moreover, it is valid for single entry only.

Documents Required to Apply for Singapore Visa

All Indian nationals who want to apply for Singapore visa need to attach a few documents in support of their visa application. Take a look at the list of documents that you would have to submit as per the type of visa below:

• Duly filled Form 14A signed by the applicant
• One recent passport size photo
• Photocopy of passport
• Copy of the local contact’s passport (if applying for Singapore visa online as a local contact)
• Proof of sufficient funds to support the stay in Singapore
• Submission of Disembarkation/ Embarkation Card or Electronic Arrival Card (Beta)

Refer to the table given below to know about any additional documents that you need to submit along with your visa :

The list of the documents given below has to be submitted by the Singaporean resident who will apply as a local contact:

• Details of passport including passport number and date of expiry
• Letter of introduction (LOI) for visa application (Form V39A)

Do’s to Ensure Smooth Processing of Singapore Visa for Indians

• Form 16A should be uploaded in PDF format and should not be more than 445KB. Form V39A should not be more than 191KB.
• The photograph should be taken in the last three months and should be taken on a white background
• The passport should be valid for a minimum of six months from your date of arrival in Singapore
• The local Singaporean contact should be at least 21 years of age and more
• Carry a printout of your Singapore e visa while travelling to Singapore

Singapore Visa Fees

Every applicant of Singapore visa needs to pay visa fees at the time of submitting their application. Refer to the table given below to check the Singapore visa fees:

Travel Insurance for Singapore

Singapore is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. While Singapore is one of the safest countries in the world, it is also the world’s most expensive city. If in an unfortunate incident you are forced to avail medical facilities in Singapore, it can cost you way more than it would have back in India. There are also pre-trip emergencies like trip delay, trip cancellation, etc. that might interrupt your trip to Singapore and create a financial burden. The only way to stay protected from such unpredictable medical and financial emergencies is by purchasing travel insurance for your trip to Singapore.

A travel insurance policy is a safety agent that ensures that you are covered against any sudden emergencies that you may encounter during your trip to Singapore. It provides medical as well as financial assistance to the insured traveller in case of a risk, making sure that you enjoy every moment of the trip without any stress. Whether you are travelling to Singapore to study or for vacations, you can get travel insurance that provides the best coverage such as student travel insurance and international travel insurance. Moreover, people who travel frequently can but multi-trip travel insurance.

Most travel insurance providers cover the insured traveller from risks such as medical expenses, personal accident, loss of passport, personal liability, trip delay, flight delay, trip cancellation & curtailment, missed connection flight, delay or loss of check-in baggage, etc. However, different kinds of travel insurance policies offer various degree of coverage to the insured traveller. For instance, student travel insurance provides protection from student-specific risks including study interruption cover, sponsor protection cover, compassionate visit cover, pregnancy benefits cover and bail bond.

Buying travel insurance for your Singapore trip is not compulsory as per the guidelines laid by the ICA. However, applicants of S Pass work visa have to compulsorily maintain a medical insurance policy of a minimum cover of S$15,000. The insurance should cover day surgery and in-patient hospitalization. Moreover, applicants of other types of Singapore visa should also possess a valid travel insurance policy given the unpredictability of life and Singapore being so expensive. Not only will you be better prepared to tackle an emergency but will also save yourself from additional expenses that might upset your travel budget.

How to Check the Status of Singapore Visa?

If you want to check the status of your Singapore visa online, you can do so by following the procedure given below:

• Visit the official website of ICA
• Go to ‘Check Status/ Make Appointment’
• Select the type of visa you had applied for
• Go to ‘Enquire Application Status’
• Enter your details including Visa Reference Number and your passport number
• Check the status of your Singapore visa online