Visa run to Singapore - can you help?

[nickcapolla]

Hello guys, my Thai visa extension is ending on 4th of this month, so I need to do a visa run and I was thinking of going to Singapore since I can meet my old friend there. But I'm not sure if I can make it. Maybe some of you can help me. 

 

This is my plan:

- Flying to SG tomorrow 3rd 7:40 AM. Will be there 11.20AM. From what I read It seems embassy will be already closed, so I will have to apply for the visa on Thursday 4th. Do you think I can make it in a way, I can fly back on Friday around 5 PM?

 

- I'm asking because I wanna buy already return ticket, but I don't know how long it takes to get my visa and if I'm not able to do it over one night, I would have to stay in SG even for the weekend, which would be a problem for me. Maybe I can fly there even tonight and apply for VISA tmr morning and this way I can guarantee myself, I'll be able to fly back on Friday? I never did a visa run to SG, so I don't know how to approach. I know I can do the visa run to any other country, but I want to meet with my friend there and staying there for a weekend would be an issue for me.

 

TLDR: My visa ending 4th, wanna fly SG tomorrow morning, come back Friday (can also fly tonight and apply tomorrow) - is it possible?

 

Thank you so much in advance, have a great day everyone.

Also if any of you done already SG visa run, can you share some tips about how it goes on the embassy/place to stay?

 

Nick

 

 

[BritTim]

What kind of visa will you be applying for in SG? In general, SG is a terrible place to apply for a Thai visa, but you might get lucky under some circumstances. You provide no relevant details for us to be able to provide definitive advice. If you decide to go ahead, start at https://www.thaiembassy.sg/visa-matters-consular, and use the Electronic Visa Application process.

[organicman]

SG would have to be the most expensive place to do a visa run! It usually takes 1-3 days where I would buy the plane ticket once I have the new visa. The extra cost on a next day plane ticket wouldn't cost more than an extra night at a hotel! 

[nickcapolla]

11 minutes ago, BritTim said:

What kind of visa will you be applying for in SG? In general, SG is a terrible place to apply for a Thai visa, but you might get lucky under some circumstances. You provide no relevant details for us to be able to provide definitive advice. If you decide to go ahead, start at https://www.thaiembassy.sg/visa-matters-consular, and use the Electronic Visa Application process.

Im going to be applying for the 2 months visa. I dont know how is it called extactly, Im kind of amateur in this. But I want to do this visa, so I can stay again in thailand 2 months and then extend for 1 month. So basicly based on what you saying, I should avoid doing visa run to SG and go there just for vacation if possible and do my visa run now to Laos for example?

[BritTim]

7 minutes ago, nickcapolla said:

Im going to be applying for the 2 months visa. I dont know how is it called extactly, Im kind of amateur in this. But I want to do this visa, so I can stay again in thailand 2 months and then extend for 1 month. So basicly based on what you saying, I should avoid doing visa run to SG and go there just for vacation if possible and do my visa run now to Laos for example?

What you are planning to apply for is called a "single entry tourist visa". Probably, you will not get one in SG when you have recently been in Thailand on a tourist entry. I would certainly suggest doing your visa application elsewhere (Laos being one of several good options).

 

If you intend staying a lot longer in Thailand on tourist entries, you need to learn all the ins and outs of being a long term tourist in Thailand. It is not easy.

[nickcapolla]

30 minutes ago, BritTim said:

What you are planning to apply for is called a "single entry tourist visa". Probably, you will not get one in SG when you have recently been in Thailand on a tourist entry. I would certainly suggest doing your visa application elsewhere (Laos being one of several good options).

 

If you intend staying a lot longer in Thailand on tourist entries, you need to learn all the ins and outs of being a long term tourist in Thailand. It is not easy.

Ok guys, thank you so much for your help. Ill not go to SG then and will fly to spend 2 days in Cambodia or 1 night in Laos. Thanks for the tips anyway and have a great day, im happy this community is so helpful.

[alex8912]

Doesn’t this guy need a Visa for Laos or Cambodia? He didn’t even say where his passport is from. Also doesn’t he need an appointment even for a single entry tourist visa in Vientiene? Lastly aren’t there reports that there can be a two week wait for an appointment? Oh yah isn’t Songkran coming soon and embassy’s and consulates are closed for extended periods? 

What about Penang being an option for this guy if he does not need a visa for Malaysia? 

Edited April 3, 2019 by alex8912

[krseoul8888]

Visa runs to Singapore are never recommended as mentioned it is the most difficult and expensive place to get a Visa.

 

 

[Jaxxper]

I think you should have equivalent of Thb 20,000 on you when you return. Heard lots of stories of people being refused entry as no ready cash available. Just a thought.

[Essecola]

Phnom Penh is not a good place to apply for the 60 day SETV visa either. Yangon, Hong Kong, Bali, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Savannakhet - all better options. The Maldives has a Thai consulate as well, not sure how strict they are but seems pleasant. Its $120 plane fare from KL.

[Essecola]

Good thing to keep in mind too is if you are flying into one of Bangkok's airports be well prepared for whatever crap might start once you hand your passport to the immigration officer. Recently it seems they really dont like people coming here more than once or twice. "Farang roo mak mai dee" . Thailand is not the destination it once was. And that is not to say that a very large number of people of Thai background dont live a comfortable life in countries like America, UK, Canada, and Australia. Seems when the level of foreigners in Thailand goes near the 1% threshold, they will say it is getting too uncomfortable.

[orchis]

I was good in KL, although they work on an appointment system now, too.

 

[kevin612]

I will go to Singapore soon, but only once. Because I never been there and I heard it is an expensive country.

[Tomtomtom69]

On 4/3/2019 at 11:03 AM, Essecola said:

Good thing to keep in mind too is if you are flying into one of Bangkok's airports be well prepared for whatever crap might start once you hand your passport to the immigration officer. Recently it seems they really dont like people coming here more than once or twice. "Farang roo mak mai dee" . Thailand is not the destination it once was. And that is not to say that a very large number of people of Thai background dont live a comfortable life in countries like America, UK, Canada, and Australia. Seems when the level of foreigners in Thailand goes near the 1% threshold, they will say it is getting too uncomfortable. 

It's probably far higher than 1% if you consider that Thailand's population is about 69 million (for the most recent figures, check out the CIA's world factbook) and that there could be as many as 3 million migrant workers from Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar here with 2/3 of these from Myanmar alone. Then you have countless thousands of mostly illegal Vietnamese and Filipino workers, and possibly hundreds of thousands of Chinese and Indians. Westerners alone could make up almost 1% of the population, but many of these are probably tourists so to count them as residents is a bit misleading, even if they spend a few months here each year. So as you can see the percentage of foreigners to the total population could well be 7-10%, with the vast majority being from other nearby Asian countries.

[Tomtomtom69]

On 4/3/2019 at 11:03 AM, Essecola said:

Good thing to keep in mind too is if you are flying into one of Bangkok's airports be well prepared for whatever crap might start once you hand your passport to the immigration officer. Recently it seems they really dont like people coming here more than once or twice. "Farang roo mak mai dee" . Thailand is not the destination it once was. And that is not to say that a very large number of people of Thai background dont live a comfortable life in countries like America, UK, Canada, and Australia. Seems when the level of foreigners in Thailand goes near the 1% threshold, they will say it is getting too uncomfortable. 

Another thing I wanted to point out is the differences in the immigration systems between western countries and Thailand.

 

Western countries all opened their doors to non-native peoples between roughly 1965 and the late 1970s. Immigration laws have been relaxed and foreigners can easily get citizenship, irrespective of whether they work in the country or not, or, in most cases, irrespective of whether they can even speak the native language. Thailand works a bit differently and has far more stringent requirements for permanent residency and citizenship, though it is possible. If I'm not mistaken a white, western female still receives instant citizenship of Thailand upon marrying a Thai male. This means for female foreigners, Thailand is actually much easier immigration wise than western countries. Do correct me if I'm wrong or if this law has since changed, but I clearly remember reading exactly this some time ago. This means that only male foreigners have to jump through lots of hoops, not females.

 

For tourism, Thailand is clearly much easier, not requiring a visa for short stays and generally being accepting of repeat visits using a visa waiver or a tourist visa up to a certain point. Western countries on the other hand become suspicious, often on the second visit of a Thai national for example, who has spent "too much time" in the country on a recent visit, even without overstaying. So a Thai national who spends 3 months in Australia then goes to New Zealand for a week and wants to return to Australia for the second time on a 12 month multi entry tourist visa with a 3-month per stay limitation will be asked lots of questions and could be refused entry. In fact, it's almost inevitable.

 

Seems like Aussie immigration wants these visas to be used only as follows (at least unofficially): say your visa is valid from Apr 2019 to Apr 2020, enter in May 2019 for 2 weeks, then come again in September for 3 weeks, then Dec for 2 weeks and you should be OK. But if you do what many foreigners here do and stay most of the time in the country, leave for a few days and come back (on a multi entry visa) expect problems. So far Thailand is still perfectly OK with multi entry visas being used for de-facto residence, but not with visa exempt or TR visa tourists who spend the entire entitlement here, leave for a short time then return. Australia and the USA are ahead of the curve and basically don't tolerate such visas being used like this at all.

 

Thailand is simply catching up with the times and weeding out those that abuse the system - perpetual tourists they don't want, just like Australia, the USA etc. don't put up with it either.

Edited April 7, 2019 by Tomtomtom69

[Kelsall]

On 4/3/2019 at 6:25 PM, kevin612 said:

I will go to Singapore soon, but only once. Because I never been there and I heard it is an expensive country.

I have been there several times.  You heard right.  https://www.businessinsider.com/most-expensive-cities-in-the-world-singapore-paris-hong-kong-2019-3