Visa Help!
Feb 19th, 2008, 04:38 PM
#1
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Visa Help!
I am a US citizen who is planning on doing a one day stopover in Singapore coming from Bali. I read that the entry requirements require a showing of enough money for your stay in Singapore and a visa for your onward journey. I am traveling to Siem Reap from Singapore and plan on obtaining a visa once I arrive. Does anyone anticipate not having a visa beforehand to be a problem for entry into Singapore?? Also, how do you "show" that you have enough funds for your stay in Singapore?? Any help would be appreciated! Thanks.
Feb 19th, 2008, 05:05 PM
#2
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Where did you get your information? US citizens do NOT need a visa to enter Singapore if they are staying less than 90 days. They haven’t for at least the last 25 years. Immigration won’t even ask for proof of an onward flight ticket, let along “enough money to remain in Singapore or a visa for your onward journey”. (I don’t know how that last one would work anyway, as few countries in Asia require visas for US citizens, so how would you produce a visa for an onward journey to a country which does not require one? That should have been your first clue that the info was wrong…)
See the website for the US State Department at http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_p.../cis_1017.html and the website for the Singapore embassy at http://www.mfa.gov.sg/washington/.
You may be looking at very old info, if it says something like the don’t let people in with long hair or they confiscate copies of Cosmopolitan Magazine, your info is about 20 years out of date…
See the website for the US State Department at http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_p.../cis_1017.html and the website for the Singapore embassy at http://www.mfa.gov.sg/washington/.
You may be looking at very old info, if it says something like the don’t let people in with long hair or they confiscate copies of Cosmopolitan Magazine, your info is about 20 years out of date…
Feb 19th, 2008, 05:55 PM
#3
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2. Entry Requirements For Foreigners
All visitors to Singapore must meet the following entry requirements:
Valid travel document (minimum validity = 6 months);
Onward / return ticket;
Entry facilities to next destination;
Sufficient funds to stay in Singapore and
Visa for Singapore (if applicable)
I copied and pasted the above from the Ministry Affairs webpage: "Sufficient funds to stay in Singapore" - How would they be able to check that??
"Entry facilities to next destination" - I would imagine that means a visa to enter the country you would be traveling to after Singapore
*I was just a little confused - I was wondering if people who have traveled to Singapore before experienced any problems with the above 2 requirements.
All visitors to Singapore must meet the following entry requirements:
Valid travel document (minimum validity = 6 months);
Onward / return ticket;
Entry facilities to next destination;
Sufficient funds to stay in Singapore and
Visa for Singapore (if applicable)
I copied and pasted the above from the Ministry Affairs webpage: "Sufficient funds to stay in Singapore" - How would they be able to check that??
"Entry facilities to next destination" - I would imagine that means a visa to enter the country you would be traveling to after Singapore
*I was just a little confused - I was wondering if people who have traveled to Singapore before experienced any problems with the above 2 requirements.
Feb 19th, 2008, 05:59 PM
#4
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where do you live first of all...requirements vary by country of residence...
a credit card should surfice for enough funds....
almost all countries have these requirements but usually never invoke them....
as long as you do not look like a bum you should not have any trouble...
a credit card should surfice for enough funds....
almost all countries have these requirements but usually never invoke them....
as long as you do not look like a bum you should not have any trouble...
Feb 19th, 2008, 06:06 PM
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US citizens don't need a visa for a short stay as a tourist.
Your passport has to have at least 6 months validity to enter most Asian countries.
They won't check that you have money unless you really look suspiciously broke.
Immigration doesn't tend to check your onward ticket, but often the inbound airline does, as they can be fined for transporting passengers who are not eligible for entry. If you have the ticket to go to Siem Reap, you are fine.
You can either get your Cambodian visa in advance online, or get it at the airport in Siem Reap.
Your passport has to have at least 6 months validity to enter most Asian countries.
They won't check that you have money unless you really look suspiciously broke.
Immigration doesn't tend to check your onward ticket, but often the inbound airline does, as they can be fined for transporting passengers who are not eligible for entry. If you have the ticket to go to Siem Reap, you are fine.
You can either get your Cambodian visa in advance online, or get it at the airport in Siem Reap.
Feb 19th, 2008, 06:55 PM
#6
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A great many countries (including Thailand and Indinesia, for instance) say in their entry criteria that a person must have an onward ticket and enough financial resources for their stay. Such things are rarely checked, but they will check if you seem suspicious to them or if they are having an immigration crackdown. As others have said, a credit card is probably sufficient proof of adequate funds.
Feb 19th, 2008, 07:22 PM
#7
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Yes, your airline in won't let you check in without an return or onward ticket. Singapore Immigration won't even look for the ticket (they rely on the airline to have done so). Believe me, with a US passport, you do not have to worry about the rest. No one will give you a second glance.
Feb 19th, 2008, 09:50 PM
#8
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"Yes, your airline in won't let you check in without an return or onward ticket."
That's not always the case. Many travelers don't leave the country via airline. They travel overland via bus, train or car, but aren't always on a set schedule, so have no onward tickets/transportation purchased yet.
That's not always the case. Many travelers don't leave the country via airline. They travel overland via bus, train or car, but aren't always on a set schedule, so have no onward tickets/transportation purchased yet.
Feb 19th, 2008, 10:25 PM
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Yes, that is true. But it is only the airlines, unfortunately, who are tasked with making sure passengers have onward or return tickets. If you have ever tried to fly into a country without a return or onward ticket (as I have tried to do three times, unsuccessfuly, when <u>moving</u> to various countries) you will find that your originating airline will pretty much alway insist on seeing your return/onward ticket. They get fined by the arriving country if they land passengers without the proper papers or tickets. (I have ended up all three times having to buy a fully refundable return ticket and cashing it in later. I was leaving from a different country each time, and using different airlines each time, and even had the requsite work permit for the country in question on one occasion, so every airline seems to have the same rule.)
The train, bus overland thing is a loophole which most countries don't seem to care about, I guess assuming that people who may be overstayers are coming from further afield. (You can actually <i>ski</i> into Switzerland from Italy, or vice versa, without even passing a border guard...there's a loophole for you.)
The train, bus overland thing is a loophole which most countries don't seem to care about, I guess assuming that people who may be overstayers are coming from further afield. (You can actually <i>ski</i> into Switzerland from Italy, or vice versa, without even passing a border guard...there's a loophole for you.)
Feb 19th, 2008, 10:40 PM
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I can also affirm that onward/return home tickets are verified at airline check in. Not everywhere, but commonly in Asia in my experience. In cases where my onward ticket has been on a different airline and booked seperately, I have been asked for it specifically. If your ticket is all booked and ticketed together with one PNR, even if it's an open jaw into one country out of another, you will likely never know that it has been verified. But they do check.
Feb 20th, 2008, 08:08 AM
#11
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I traveled to Thailand about 3 years ago and I didn't have a problem then, that's why I wanted to double check with people who have traveled to Singapore before. Thank you again for all of your help! It is greatly appreciated! These message boards always yield very helpful information.
My friend and I will have a very short time in Singapore (arriving at 1am and leaving on a 6am flight to Siem Reap the following day). We wanted to get a general overview of the city without running around like crazy. We both live in NYC so higher end shopping is always around us to do back home. Is Orchard Road worth going to? We want to stay at the Fairmont as it seems to have a more central location and the price is pretty fair. Do any of you think that seeing Little India, the Arab Quarter and taking a cable car over to Sentosa is too much to do in one day?? It seems that there is a lot to do in the city but unfortunately we have limited time. We were maybe thinking about booking spa treatments for an hour or two.
Any suggestions for 2 women ages 28 and 30?? We will be in Bali for 4 days prior to Singapore and Siem Reap for 4 days after Singapore.
My friend and I will have a very short time in Singapore (arriving at 1am and leaving on a 6am flight to Siem Reap the following day). We wanted to get a general overview of the city without running around like crazy. We both live in NYC so higher end shopping is always around us to do back home. Is Orchard Road worth going to? We want to stay at the Fairmont as it seems to have a more central location and the price is pretty fair. Do any of you think that seeing Little India, the Arab Quarter and taking a cable car over to Sentosa is too much to do in one day?? It seems that there is a lot to do in the city but unfortunately we have limited time. We were maybe thinking about booking spa treatments for an hour or two.
Any suggestions for 2 women ages 28 and 30?? We will be in Bali for 4 days prior to Singapore and Siem Reap for 4 days after Singapore.
Feb 20th, 2008, 04:38 PM
#12
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I've been going to Singapore, for vacation, almost annually since 1998, and have never been asked for any of that. I have flown in from Bali and out again etc... And into Bangkok, down to Singapore, and back to Bangkok and no one has ever asked for anything except my passport and also up to Malaysia and back to Singapore...never a problem. I'm American,too. Happy Travels!
Feb 20th, 2008, 05:17 PM
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I have to say that I can't imagine why anyone would want to go to Sentosa. I recommend the Asian Cultural Museum and the Orchid Garden at the Botanical Gardens, and whichever ethnic areas interest you. Little India and the Arab Quarter are fine.
Feb 20th, 2008, 11:29 PM
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"If you have ever tried to fly into a country without a return or onward ticket (as I have tried to do three times, unsuccessfuly, when moving to various countries) you will find that your originating airline will pretty much alway insist on seeing your return/onward ticket."
I flew into HCMC on United Airlines on a one way ticket. Was never asked by United when I'd be leaving the country or by Vietnam immigration.
I flew into HCMC on United Airlines on a one way ticket. Was never asked by United when I'd be leaving the country or by Vietnam immigration.
Feb 21st, 2008, 12:17 AM
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But for Vietnam you have a visa, and since you work there, I assume you have a visa that enables you to work, which would mean you have intent to stay there. Vietnam does not require proof of onward travel anyway like Thailand and Singapore do.
Feb 21st, 2008, 12:31 AM
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Don't have a work visa. The airline wouldn't ask to see it even if I did.
Flew to Thailand on a one-way ticket on United Airlines as well and wasn't asked. Guess I didn't look a bum, as rhkkmk would say!
Flew to Thailand on a one-way ticket on United Airlines as well and wasn't asked. Guess I didn't look a bum, as rhkkmk would say!
Feb 21st, 2008, 12:47 AM
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I suppose you are just lucky, then. Every time I fly to Thailand, my onward ticket has been verified...and I know it because it has been ticketed separately and I've been asked for it at check in.
Feb 21st, 2008, 05:48 AM
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Last time I flew into Thailand (Nov, 2007) there was a sign at immigration that you had to show your onward ticket. That said, I expect that any info about onward travel would have been acceptable.
