Verify your need for Singapore tourist visa and apply in 3 Steps
Do you know why Singapore is always on the top list of world tourism? Singapore is one of the top destinations in the world preferred by many countries nationals for tourism purposes. It is the 5th most visited city in the world and 2nd in Asia.
Annually, Singapore experiences 3 times more tourists than its actual population. The island-city has the lowest crime rate, and it is famous for its natural scenic beauties, landscapes, vibrant and rich diversity.
There are many good records made by the island city, a few of them are – The Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report ranked Singapore 13th out of 136 countries in 2017; and received the 1st position for its outstanding business environment, travel and tourism policy, and international openness.
Among the many visitors from the world, Indians lead as the top in Singapore’s Visitor arrivals. The number is increasing gradually from year to year.
In 2017, about 12,72,074 visited Singapore from India, and the percentage rose to 16 percent in 2018, with 1.32 million visitors.
To have an amazing experience in this beautiful land, a Singapore Tourist Visa is a need. However, there are a few exceptions and conditions for availing the visit visa of Singapore.
Let us now discuss the needful points and verify whether a Singapore tourist visa is needed for you or not.
1. What is the Singapore Tourist visa?
A Singapore Tourist Visa is a multiple entry visa document which is needed by Indians on a mandatory basis. It is issued in the form of an Electronic Travel Authorization or ETA.
Singapore visa is a policy issued for 15 countries. And Indians are fortunate that they are eligible to apply for the Singapore Visa.
Usually, the processing time of the visa is from 7 to 10 working days. But, it is always suggested to lodge or start your application before 30 days of your travel date.
By applying an application before, it can help you be secured and make your process move hassle-free. The Singapore e-Visa has a validity period of up to 2 years. However, it can be stretched to a maximum of 30 days further.
You can enter into Singapore with a valid passport of at least 6 months from the date of entry. Since it is a multiple entry visa, you are approved to enter multiple numbers of times to Singapore during the visa validity.
2. How can you get a tourist visa for Singapore from India?
After gathering every required information related to the Singapore visit visa, you should start your online application. The application form can help your process move to the next level.
Also, it is advisable for not spending more than 20 minutes on the application form, as the page gets refreshed every 20 minutes.
Let us now fill the Singapore Application Form in three steps:
Step 1: Fill every blank in the form with your valid information such as name, passport info, address, etc. Then, select one of the processing times based on your requirement. Change in the processing times can affect the cost of the Singapore e-Visa.
Standard Processing: The application is processed within 72 hours at the cost of $55.
Rush Processing: The application is processed in only 24 hours at the cost of $87.
Super Rush Processing: The Singapore e-Visa is processed very fatly through this visa process. At a cost of $122, the visa is processed in just 18 hours.
Step 2: Now, you need to perform a revision and make the needful payment. While revising, make sure that you have entered every detail, and every entered detail is correct. Any mistake made in the process can make your application invalid for the visa process.
Step 3: The last stage is for uploading a document. In this stage, you need to provide the required documents to support your visa process.
If any additional documents are required, you need to submit them and wait to receive the approval of Singapore e-Visa in your scheduled time.
3. What are the documents required for a Singapore visa from India?
Documents are one of the important requirements in any visa process. Any mistake or failure in providing the documents can result in the entire process either delayed or rejected.
Hence, it is very important to be alert while providing relevant documents. Below you find a few of the documents which are essential while processing the application process.
- A filled application form.
- A valid passport.
- A passport with a validity of at least 6 months from the date of the journey.
- Two recent passport-sized photos.
- If having any invitation obtained, you need to submit the passport copy of the invitee.
- 6 months of bank statement copies.
- Your return air ticket.
- A cover letter which includes your purpose of visit, traveling date, the total number of passengers, your stay during visit, and employment details.
- Your living address proofs.
- A statement stating your intention to return after completing your visa stays period.
- If you are invited by your family member or friend, then you need to provide an invitation letter.
- Sponsorship letter and financial assets to support the visa process.
4. Which countries need a visa for Singapore?
The immigration government of Singapore has grouped visa required nationals into two groups.
- Assessment Level I and
- Assessment Level II
Assessment Level I Countries: The people from the respective country list need to obtain a visa online by contacting a local Singaporean or nearest Singapore diplomatic mission or a strategic partner in Singapore or with the one working as authorized immigration agents outside the country.
The passport holders from these countries can receive their visas in a day by taking a printout of the e-visa. Except for the people of North Korea, non-ordinary passport holders from these countries do not need to apply for a visa.
The countries falling under the Assessment Level I are:
Armenia | India | Russia |
Azerbaijan | Kazakhstan | Tajikistan |
Belarus | Kyrgyzstan | Ukraine |
China | Moldova | Turkmenistan |
Georgia | North Korea | Uzbekistan |
Assessment Level II Countries: The residents or the citizens from the below mentioned Assessment Level II countries should get a visa in advance. For this, they can approach to a strategic partner in Singapore, or contact to a local Singaporean or reach to a nearest diplomatic mission or consult an immigration consultant living outside of Singapore.
The visa for the following countries will be issued a maximum of 3 working days. The countries falling under the criteria of Assessment Level II countries are:
Afghanistan | Algeria | Bangladesh |
Egypt | Iran | Iraq |
Jordan | Kosovo | Lebanon |
Libya | Mali | Morocco |
Nigeria | Pakistan | Palestine |
Saudi Arabia | Somalia | Sudan |
Syria | Tunisia | Yemen |
Non-ordinary passports
For the non-ordinary passport holders of Assessment Level II countries, visa requirements will not be applied to the diplomatic or official service passport holders of Jordan, Bangladesh, Tunisia, Morocco, diplomatic passports of Saudi Arabia.
5. Which countries are exempt from Visa-free visits?
The citizens who are not included in the Assessment Level I and Assessment Level II list are granted visa-free visits for a maximum of 30 days. However, there is an exception for a few passport holders, and they are eligible for 90 days to stay.
All European Union Citizens | Australia |
New Zealand | Norway |
South Korea | Switzerland |
United States |
6. How can you check Singapore visa status?
After submitting the Singapore Visa application, you can check your visa application status with the help of the application reference number. The application reference number is provided by the authorized visa agent.
The steps involved to check your visa application status are:
- Need to visit the official website.
- Then, need to select the “Check status/make appointment “option.
- Here, you need to select the option of which you would like to know the status
- After selecting, click on “Enquire Application Status.”
- In the page obtained, provide your document number and visa reference number.
- After entering, click on the “Submit.”
- On the corresponding page, you can find the status of your application displayed. And, if the application is approved, you can take a copy of it by selecting the “Proceed” option.
7. What is the processing time for Singapore Visit Visa?
The processing time differs based on the type of the chosen, and the place from where it is applied. The processing time of Singapore Visa for Indians takes a maximum of 7 to 10 working days.
Though it seems like just a week in getting the application processed, it is suggested to apply for the application at least 30 days before the traveling date. It helps in experiencing tension-free processing.
8. What is the fee of Singapore Visit visa for Indians?
The application and payment process for a Singapore tourist visa is an online process; hence, you need to have a valid credit card. The Singapore tourist visa processing fee for Indians is nearly 30 SGD (Singaporean Dollars), i.e., Rs 1565 (Indian Rupees).
In addition to this, there may be a requirement of paying an additional amount for your visa consultants as per your visa applications.
9. What is the Singapore Visa Free Transit Facility?
Indian tourists are fortunate to have an option to obtain a Visa-Free Transit Facility. The Visa-Free Transit Facility or the commonly known VTFT is a 96-hours Visa Free Transit Facility.
It is applicable for the Indian nationals who are moving in transit from other countries while they are moving by air. For availing the VTFT, the Indian citizens have to satisfy the criteria and meet the eligibility requirements.
The eligibility requirements for the Singaporean visas are assessed by the officers of ICA or the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority at the entry point.
For availing the Singapore VTFT visa, Indians have to possess the required eligibility:
- An air ticket declaring your onward moment within the next 96 hours.
- A long –term visa with a validity of at least a month from the date of entry under the VTFT issued by Australia, Germany, Switzerland, New Zealand, United Kingdom, United States of America, Canada, and Japan.
- Indian travelers who are having a valid visa or long-term pass from the mentioned countries can even receive a Single Journey Visa (SJV) when moving from Singapore on return or onward of their journey.
- The traveler has to move from the country issuing the SJV; while routing through Singapore and back to the home country.
- If the traveler has not returned to their home country since the last utilization of the Single Journey Visa (SJV).