plannning to do a border run via singapore

[webber4]

Hi,

 

I have an Israeli passport with METV living at Koh Phangan currently, I'll have to leave Thailand at the end of January to get my second entry. I was thinking to apply the easiest option and fly directly from Samui to Singapore and come back the day after. has anyone visited Singapore recently and can confirm it's possible? also, regarding Covid 19 - i understood that non vaccinated (my case) require to show Covid test upon entering. anything else? i read something about Covid 19 travel insurance? would i need this even if come there only for 24 hours or so? if so, how do i get that in Thailand?

 

Thank you.

[sqwakvfr]

I just got back from SIN.  For me it was easy because I am fully vaccinated.  These are the entry requirements for you:

 

If you can meet the COVID-19 requirements above, you may skip to the General Entry Requirements. If not, you must fulfil the additional COVID-19 requirements listed below.

 

Requirements for Travellers Not Fully Vaccinated with COVID-19 WHO EUL Vaccines

i) Pre-Departure Test (PDT)

Within two days before departure, take any of the following COVID-19 tests:

• COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction test; OR
• Antigen Rapid Test (ART) administered by a trained professional, or self-administered ART that is remotely supervised by an approved ART provider in Singapore [for Singapore citizens, PRs and Long-Term Pass Holders (including In-Principle Approval holders) only]

The Pre-Departure Test (PDT) report, which shows a negative test result, must be in English (or accompanied by a notarised English Translation), and clearly states the traveller's name, date of test, as well as the traveller's date of birth or passport number per the passport used to travel to Singapore.

A PDT is not required only if you tested positive for COVID-19 between 14 to 90 days before your date of departure for Singapore. You can use this tool to check if the pre-departure test can be waived, and the documentation required to prove your first infection or recovery.

ii) COVID-19 Travel Insurance

Short-term visitors must ensure they have travel insurance covering COVID-19, with at least $30,000 of medical coverage. Read the COVID-19 insurance and medical treatment page for details.

 

Good luck.  I flew with Soot nonstop from CNX.  SIN is a great place and got a reminder of home.  I am from Southern California and many of the things I want I found there but of course everything was expensive.  Just something to consider for the SIN MRT (city train) is No Cash and no single journey tickets.  MRT only accepts cards that you top up.  

 

For the required insurance try AXA Thailand at direct.axa.co.th.

 

 

[wasabi]

I am hoping to go to Singapore in the next 6 months. Would be nice if they drop all requirements. I have been vaxxed but it's always stressful to go through the proof process.

 

 

Edited December 30, 2022 by wasabi

[webber4]

46 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

I just got back from SIN.  For me it was easy because I am fully vaccinated.  These are the entry requirements for you:

 

If you can meet the COVID-19 requirements above, you may skip to the General Entry Requirements. If not, you must fulfil the additional COVID-19 requirements listed below.

 

Requirements for Travellers Not Fully Vaccinated with COVID-19 WHO EUL Vaccines

i) Pre-Departure Test (PDT)

Within two days before departure, take any of the following COVID-19 tests:

• COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction test; OR
• Antigen Rapid Test (ART) administered by a trained professional, or self-administered ART that is remotely supervised by an approved ART provider in Singapore [for Singapore citizens, PRs and Long-Term Pass Holders (including In-Principle Approval holders) only]

The Pre-Departure Test (PDT) report, which shows a negative test result, must be in English (or accompanied by a notarised English Translation), and clearly states the traveller's name, date of test, as well as the traveller's date of birth or passport number per the passport used to travel to Singapore.

A PDT is not required only if you tested positive for COVID-19 between 14 to 90 days before your date of departure for Singapore. You can use this tool to check if the pre-departure test can be waived, and the documentation required to prove your first infection or recovery.

ii) COVID-19 Travel Insurance

Short-term visitors must ensure they have travel insurance covering COVID-19, with at least $30,000 of medical coverage. Read the COVID-19 insurance and medical treatment page for details.

 

Good luck.  I flew with Soot nonstop from CNX.  SIN is a great place and got a reminder of home.  I am from Southern California and many of the things I want I found there but of course everything was expensive.  Just something to consider for the SIN MRT (city train) is No Cash and no single journey tickets.  MRT only accepts cards that you top up.  

 

For the required insurance try AXA Thailand at direct.axa.co.th.

 

 

wow! thank you for the detailed information.

 

are taxis also expensive there?

[sqwakvfr]

39 minutes ago, wasabi said:

I am hoping to go to Singapore in the next 6 months. Would be nice if they drop all requirements. I have been vaxxed but it's always stressful to go through the proof process.

 

 

The only time I had to show my Vax Certificate was at check-in at CNX airport.  For Singapore one has to complete an online declaration form 3 days before the flight.  I had to upload my Vax certificate on this SIN Immigration portal.  The actual entry process at Changi was very quick.  I was at the Taxi pickup point about 45 minutes after I landed.

Edited December 30, 2022 by sqwakvfr

[sqwakvfr]

1 minute ago, webber4 said:

wow! thank you for the detailed information.

 

are taxis also expensive there?

$40 USD from Changi to Queenstown (about 25 KM).

[Haveasay]

If you leave Changi there's now a visa charge of around $60 dollars. It is possible to chill at airport and do a turnaround if you can get cheap flights. Scoot the best option as there's a transfer desk, C, I think it is will happily print boarding pass rather than reenter when your hit with the exit visa, not stamped passport in and out as before. You could do same with air Asia at KL and to the best of my knowledge, no visa fee. Train to KL and back plus AA do accommodation packages that reduce air fares, but musts stay a night or two. Or again wait for flight, and they had a transfer area to print next flight ticket. Don't have checked baggage unless leaving airports. That's brief

[Salerno]

6 minutes ago, Haveasay said:

If you leave Changi there's now a visa charge of around $60 dollars.

What/who is that for?

Edited December 30, 2022 by Salerno

[sqwakvfr]

4 minutes ago, Salerno said:

What/who is that for?

Ahh, I was in Singapore for 3 days and I do not recall being charged this fee.  I was there was over Christmas. 

 

Also, Scoot sucks.  Scoot is like Air Asia in yellow.  Only reason I flew with them was they were the only nonstop from CNX to SIN.  

Edited December 30, 2022 by sqwakvfr

[BritTim]

2 hours ago, Salerno said:

What/who is that for?

He is referring to the departure tax at Changi airport, which has long existed but is temporarily higher than normal. See https://www.timeout.com/singapore/news/changi-airport-implements-higher-airport-fees-on-travellers-starting-nov-1-092822.

 

Quote

passengers departing from Singapore’s Changi Airport will now have to pay extra airport fees and levies starting November 1, 2022 to Mar 31, 2023. 

 

Changi Airport departure fees will be increased from $52.30 to $59.20 to make way for the aviation industry’s recovery phase. This comprises $40.40 passenger service and security fee, an $8 aviation levy and a $10.80 airport development levy. The passenger service and security fee will subsequently go up again in phases, to $43.40 on Apr 1, 2023 and $43.40 on Apr 1, 2024.

 

[Salerno]

7 minutes ago, BritTim said:

He is referring to the departure tax at Changi airport, which has long existed but is temporarily higher than normal.

Thanks, so built into the ticket, I thought he was talking about an extra $60 tax payable on departure.

[still kicking]

2 hours ago, sqwakvfr said:

Ahh, I was in Singapore for 3 days and I do not recall being charged this fee.  I was there was over Christmas. 

 

Also, Scoot sucks.  Scoot is like Air Asia in yellow.  Only reason I flew with them was they were the only nonstop from CNX to SIN.  

You are right Scoot sucks I used them ones from Perth to Bangkok they said they could not book me through, so I had to walk out and pick up my luggage walk back through custom and check in again 

[ozfarang]

7 minutes ago, still kicking said:

You are right Scoot sucks I used them ones from Perth to Bangkok they said they could not book me through, so I had to walk out and pick up my luggage walk back through custom and check in again 

Which airline was your SIN-BKK sector with?

Edited December 30, 2022 by ozfarang

[still kicking]

19 minutes ago, ozfarang said:

Which airline was your SIN-BKK sector with?

Scoot

[ozfarang]

Just now, still kicking said:

Scoot

OK. That would be a good reason to avoid Scoot in future if they are incapable of checking you bags through to your destination via their home base on their service.

I was looking at Scoot to Perth and return in the near future, but with their checked through baggage policy I will avoid them

[still kicking]

4 minutes ago, ozfarang said:

OK. That would be a good reason to avoid Scoot in future if they are incapable of checking you bags through to your destination via their home base on their service.

I was looking at Scoot to Perth and return in the near future, but with their checked through baggage policy I will avoid them

Yes, they are cheap but nasty plus all the extras you have to pay for

[Lemsta69]

10 minutes ago, still kicking said:

Yes, they are cheap but nasty plus all the extras you have to pay for

sounds like Australia 

[still kicking]

2 minutes ago, Lemsta69 said:

sounds like Australia 

Nothing wrong with Australia unless you live in Sydney or Melbourne 

[ballpoint]

3 hours ago, Haveasay said:

If you leave Changi there's now a visa charge of around $60 dollars. It is possible to chill at airport and do a turnaround if you can get cheap flights. Scoot the best option as there's a transfer desk, C, I think it is will happily print boarding pass rather than reenter when your hit with the exit visa, not stamped passport in and out as before. You could do same with air Asia at KL and to the best of my knowledge, no visa fee. Train to KL and back plus AA do accommodation packages that reduce air fares, but musts stay a night or two. Or again wait for flight, and they had a transfer area to print next flight ticket. Don't have checked baggage unless leaving airports. That's brief

The OP has an Israeli passport, and so would need a special visa to enter Malaysia.

 

And, in Singapore you can leave the airport as long as your flight out is within 24 hours of your arrival.  The departure tax is built into the airfare, so a return flight within 24 hours should be cheaper than one with a longer stay.

Edited December 30, 2022 by ballpoint

[CANSIAM]

13 minutes ago, still kicking said:

Nothing wrong with Australia unless you live in Sydney or Melbourne 

Katherine NT is lovely........

[still kicking]

Just now, CANSIAM said:

Katherine NT is lovely........

I live for rent now haven't had an increase for 6 years 

[CANSIAM]

Darwin and Katherine bit of blur for me, too many beers flying around the hotel pubs.........????

[BritTim]

2 hours ago, ballpoint said:

And, in Singapore you can leave the airport as long as your flight out is within 24 hours of your arrival.  The departure tax is built into the airfare, so a return flight within 24 hours should be cheaper than one with a longer stay.

I have not researched this thoroughly, but I thought some of the airport fees were payable, even if you were deemed only to be transiting in Singapore. Does anyone know exactly how this works?

[ballpoint]

36 minutes ago, BritTim said:

I have not researched this thoroughly, but I thought some of the airport fees were payable, even if you were deemed only to be transiting in Singapore. Does anyone know exactly how this works?

Changi transit tax is $9.00.  This didn't increase in November with the other taxes.

 

Changi Airport hiking airport charges from 1 November - The MileLion

[webber4]

Thank you all for your comments.

 

 

 

For the purpose of getting a stamp I'd assume that technically it would also be possible to arrive and leave Singapore in the same day, right? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, webber4 said:

Thank you all for your comments.

 

 

 

For the purpose of getting a stamp I'd assume that technically it would also be possible to arrive and leave Singapore in the same day, right? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That means you be returning visa exempt.

I suggest the airline may require onward flight.

Also depending on you recent stays in Thailand immigration on arrival may question you. 

[MrJ2U]

12 hours ago, webber4 said:

are taxis also expensive there

Everything is expensive in Singapore.   

 

Be prepared to pay a kings ransom for everything and anything. 

[webber4]

3 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

That means you be returning visa exempt.

I suggest the airline may require onward flight.

Also depending on you recent stays in Thailand immigration on arrival may question you. 

I have multiple entry tourist visa, entering Thailand again will be my second entry. So possible in the same day? Or better stay in Singapore for 1-2 nights?

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, webber4 said:

I have multiple entry tourist visa, entering Thailand again will be my second entry. So possible in the same day? Or better stay in Singapore for 1-2 nights?

Yes with a METV you can return same day as you have a visa.

I just assumed that your METV had expired.

If you want to stay longer after expiry of your METV then you can do border bounce. 

[webber4]

10 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Yes with a METV you can return same day as you have a visa.

I just assumed that your METV had expired.

If you want to stay longer after expiry of your METV then you can do border bounce. 

thank you. what does border bounce mean? like getting a visa on arrival?