Singapore with my Thai Wife

[bkkvictor]

I'm planning to visit Singapore in the next 2 weeks but have read that Thais are having trouble getting in, my wife owns her own Thai company for almost 2 years. We Only want to stay for 5 days in Singapore. Any info on this.

[MJCM]

Been recently to Singapore with my Thai wife and she didn't had any problem getting her visa on arrival. I don't know where you heard this.

Ps: just in case (if you are worried) let her carry a copy of the hotel booking and the return flight

Edited January 1, 2016 by MJCM

[JHolmesJr]

The action is targeted at women suspected of being hos.

No problem for couples.

[IMA_FARANG]

There have been problems bringing Thai women into Singapore.....but that has most often been with people bringing their Thai GIRLFRINDS and not WIVES.

It is up to the immigration officer.....but with a Thai marriage certificate and a return ticket in her name your chances are very good at having no problem.

[Cpkt8]

Shouldn't have any issue if flying in. Stricter check at immigration checkpoint if travel by land. Happy holiday!

[cornishcarlos]

My wife and her cousin (female) went last month for a 4 day holiday. No issues at all...

[oxo1947]

That's something that has been worrying me also---decided will take wife 50+ & her 4 children for a Songran escape.....Problem is that the children (all Girls) & all in their 20s, have all kept their family name (wife has mine) & I was worrying about this also. Whether to look for more paper work to take, if so what.

Anyone can print a flight itinerary out......

[keithcresswell]

Took my Thai girlfriend to Singapore last year with no problem. In fact immigration there were so surprisingly friendly, polite and welcoming. The complete opposite to the miserable and surly Thai immigration at BKK.

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

Unfortunately it is true. A number of times Thai women was refused entry in Singapore. The one case it was a Thai woman that went to visit her fiancé in Singapore, they refused her entry even after she said they can speak to her Singaporean fiancé. We have entered Singapore 3 times without problems, but no one can give you guarantees. What you can do is to have a translated copy of the company document showing your wife as the owner (certified), bank statements proving funds, return ticket, marriage certificate and enter through immigration together. In the past most of the problems occurred when Thai women traveled alone. By entering immigration together you may prevent your wife from been red flagged.

[DDbkh]

If she owns her own company she may be able to get an APEC business travel card. This gives her automatic two month visas for any of the Asia Pacific countries - there's the added advantage of being able to use the Fast Track lane through immigration.

[Taffyfromflint]

Took my Thai girlfriend to Singapore last year with no problem. In fact immigration there were so surprisingly friendly, polite and welcoming. The complete opposite to the miserable and surly Thai immigration at BKK.

Ditto, went to Sind 2 months ago with my wife, who has refained her pre marriage name. No problems at all.

[bkkvictor]

The APEC business travel card sounds good how can she apply ?

[Bill Miller]

We went to Singapore November 13-18, we being my GF, her sister, and two nieces. No problems at all in immigration, either way.
Regarding Thai immigration, I remove my cap while approaching and say "Sawadee krub". I am sure my accent sucks, but the effort seems to be really appreciated.

[TBWG]

Visited Singapore for a few days with my girlfriend, no issues at all.

TBWG

[MiKT]

Never had a problem taking my wife to Singapore either by fling or driving, which we have done a couple of times from KL. But if your wife is a little on the dark side (dam as they would say here - beautiful colour as I would say) you might be horribly surprised by some of the awful racist comments that you will get because the local Chinese think she is your Fillipina maid!

I lived in Singapore for 5 years in the 80's with a white wife and could never stand the racism towards the maids, much worse than in HK, but then they were obviously maids helping to look after our kids, so nothing untoward was directed towards me. But to actually experience the ugly disdain towards me (and of course her) when I took my Thai wife their for the first time @1998/9 I found it very hard to keep my mouth shut.

My wife now hates Singapore and only goes back reluctantly.

Of course there are many great Singapore people and the immigration have always been very polite. But.......

[Gracas]

I usually meet my wife in Singapore, she comes down from Thailand and I come from the US or Indonesia. She has never had a problem entering Singapore, I usually wait for her at arrivals. Sometimes she is asked a few questions but never a problem.

[saakura]

If she owns her own company she may be able to get an APEC business travel card. This gives her automatic two month visas for any of the Asia Pacific countries - there's the added advantage of being able to use the Fast Track lane through immigration.

Correct me if i am wrong, but i think the APEC card is only for people owning or employed by companies that do a very significant volume of business with other APEC countries. Not for anyone who owns a small business in Thailand. You have to produce volumnous amount of documents and the process takes 4-6 months and the card is valid for 5yrs and limited to 5 thai employees per Company. But it is of great value to frequent business travellers, no visa required for many South American countries and China. Can use fast track in USA & Canada (visa is needed).

[DDbkh]

Well yes in theory but my wife has one as a director of a very small company - the best thing is to ask the Thai Chamber of Commerce.

The paperwork was not very onerous, far less than any local govt requirements.

[saakura]

Thanks, it is news for me and i will pass it on to the legal department of my comapny.

[MiKT]

Never had a problem taking my wife to Singapore either by fling or driving, which we have done a couple of times from KL. But if your wife is a little on the dark side (dam as they would say here - beautiful colour as I would say) you might be horribly surprised by some of the awful racist comments that you will get because the local Chinese think she is your Fillipina maid! I lived in Singapore for 5 years in the 80's with a white wife and could never stand the racism towards the maids, much worse than in HK, but then they were obviously maids helping to look after our kids, so nothing untoward was directed towards me. But to actually experience the ugly disdain towards me (and of course her) when I took my Thai wife their for the first time @1998/9 I found it very hard to keep my mouth shut. My wife now hates Singapore and only goes back reluctantly. Of course there are many great Singapore people and the immigration have always been very polite. But.......

I forgot to add that there are no visa requirements for Thais visiting Singapore for up to 30 days (same for me as UK) and as far as I can remember we only had our passports with us on any of our visits. No problems, questions about funds, etc.

Obviously we either had return air tickets or we were taking the car back into Malaysia so no problems on that score. There are some formalities for taking a car in and out of Singapore but nothing serious and if you have driven from Thailand via Malaysia you will have followed all the requirements for taking a car across the Thai/Malaysia border, which I am sure are fully covered in other forums on TV and its similar at the Malay/Sing border, but better organised - we did it quite late a night on one occasion - that time was in a Malaysian registered car, however the paperwork is the same as driving a Thai vehicle (ownership papers, insurance, etc.). Also you need to remember that you will need to pay any CBD entry costs you have accrued when you exit from Singapore - assuming you went into the CBD, which is hard to avoid on most visits.

I think if a single Thai lady (or man) tried to fly on a one way ticket to Singapore without showing a valid visa in her passport the airlines would not let her/him fly. Actually probably the same for any nationality.

[Tomtomtom69]

Never had a problem taking my wife to Singapore either by fling or driving, which we have done a couple of times from KL. But if your wife is a little on the dark side (dam as they would say here - beautiful colour as I would say) you might be horribly surprised by some of the awful racist comments that you will get because the local Chinese think she is your Fillipina maid! I lived in Singapore for 5 years in the 80's with a white wife and could never stand the racism towards the maids, much worse than in HK, but then they were obviously maids helping to look after our kids, so nothing untoward was directed towards me. But to actually experience the ugly disdain towards me (and of course her) when I took my Thai wife their for the first time @1998/9 I found it very hard to keep my mouth shut. My wife now hates Singapore and only goes back reluctantly. Of course there are many great Singapore people and the immigration have always been very polite. But.......

I forgot to add that there are no visa requirements for Thais visiting Singapore for up to 30 days (same for me as UK) and as far as I can remember we only had our passports with us on any of our visits. No problems, questions about funds, etc.

Obviously we either had return air tickets or we were taking the car back into Malaysia so no problems on that score. There are some formalities for taking a car in and out of Singapore but nothing serious and if you have driven from Thailand via Malaysia you will have followed all the requirements for taking a car across the Thai/Malaysia border, which I am sure are fully covered in other forums on TV and its similar at the Malay/Sing border, but better organised - we did it quite late a night on one occasion - that time was in a Malaysian registered car, however the paperwork is the same as driving a Thai vehicle (ownership papers, insurance, etc.). Also you need to remember that you will need to pay any CBD entry costs you have accrued when you exit from Singapore - assuming you went into the CBD, which is hard to avoid on most visits.

I think if a single Thai lady (or man) tried to fly on a one way ticket to Singapore without showing a valid visa in her passport the airlines would not let her/him fly. Actually probably the same for any nationality.

Actually, they would be stricter with Thais and nationals of other poorer countries than say Japanese, Koreans, Hong Kong passport holders and of course westerners. But in that case if they are missing the right documents such as a return or onward ticket, they won't be getting on a plane in the first place. Once you are in Singapore, more than likely you'll pass through immigration quite easily.

​What I like about driving into Singapore is that it's quite similar to driving across borders in say north America or Europe (in those countries where you still have to do formalities at the border). None of this getting out of your car, bouncing around from one window to the next, bringing half a dozen documents, getting them photocopied and spending an hour at the border like when you cross by car between Thailand and Laos or Thailand and Cambodia for instance. You stay in the car while everything is processed. Very professional and first world. And I'm talking about 2007, which is when I last crossed into Singapore by land from Malaysia. Thailand, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia are very "baan nok" by comparison.

[Postmaster]

Expensive and wet every day. Don't go there

[jacko45k]

The action is targeted at women suspected of being hos.

No problem for couples.

Mine got stopped on the way out of Thailand for our Singapore bound flight.... just a quick question for her asking how long she had known me.

Perhaps I should wear less bling.

[MiKT]

Expensive and wet every day. Don't go there

Ooooh, this is a total exaggeration,

the average is only 215 rainy days per year..........................It just seems like its wet every day.

Thunderstorms..............spectacular

Expensive............................yes

[KhaoNiaw]

How do others approach the immigration desk at Singapore? I'd read a few things before I went down with my 20-year old daughter last year and someone had recommended if travelling with a Thai female to go through the passport check together. So we stepped forward together but the immigration officer very sharply sent her back to wait her turn. No problem anyway but he did have quite a bark on him.

[JHolmesJr]

How do others approach the immigration desk at Singapore? I'd read a few things before I went down with my 20-year old daughter last year and someone had recommended if travelling with a Thai female to go through the passport check together. So we stepped forward together but the immigration officer very sharply sent her back to wait her turn. No problem anyway but he did have quite a bark on him.

Don't be the first to explain anything …let them ask you…don't even appear concerned…just act bored with a vacant expression, just like any tourist after a flight might feel while waiting in a queue when they'd rather be flopping on a soft bed.

[GOLDBUGGY]

I think Younger Single Thai Women travelling alone were the ones scrutinized by Singapore Immigration on suspicion they were coming there to work in some bar and not returning. Travelling as a couple, married or otherwise, or as a group, is not a problem.

I went there with my Thai Girlfriend 2 years ago. She had no job or business then either. I just made it known to the Immigration that we were travelling together, and she got through no problems at all. In fact they were extremely friendly to us as I worried so much.

I suppose it wouldn't hurt for her to hold the money, and return flight tickets, but my Girlfriend never got asked for either. We also had hotel reservations in both our names, but again we never got asked for that either.

[Blue Muton]

We went quite recently and just sailed through immigration with no questions asked, but then that was what I had expected.