Singapore: Denied Visa at Application Window

[JayBird]

Arrived at the counter with all documents.

They looked at my passport

Asked why I spend so much time in Thailand

Said I can only stay 90 in 180 day period.

Said I need to leave for two to three months before can go back.

Said I may be denied entry if I fly in for visa on arrival (30 day)

 

I'm on a G7 and this is the first time I've applied for a visa immediately after leaving Thailand.

 

 

she said it is not a new regulation but an old one. I thought this one was cancelled a while ago. I saw no point in arguing so I took my passport and left

 

 

 

[ubonjoe]

Singapore has been reported several times as not accepting a visa application if you have just left here.

They tell the same thing to Singaporeans and deny the application.

[JayBird]

I find it slightly amusing they accept those who can only budget an overnight trip to laos but not those who spend a week in Singapore.

 

Is there a  legal reason for then to deny or is it completely up to their discretion?

 

for what its worth they were polite and spoke clear English.

 

 

[Xaos]

Should go laos or penang for visas

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

[NanLaew]

11 minutes ago, JayBird said:

I find it slightly amusing they accept those who can only budget an overnight trip to laos but not those who spend a week in Singapore.

 

Is there a  legal reason for then to deny or is it completely up to their discretion?

 

for what its worth they were polite and spoke clear English.

 

 

The Thai Embassy is primarily in Singapore for the rapidly spiraling value of the land it occupies.

 

But sometimes they issue visas.

Edited February 20, 2017 by NanLaew

[ubonjoe]

8 minutes ago, JayBird said:

Is there a  legal reason for then to deny or is it completely up to their discretion?

No legal reason and it is just their policy.

[NanLaew]

12 minutes ago, JayBird said:

I find it slightly amusing they accept those who can only budget an overnight trip to laos but not those who spend a week in Singapore.

Sometimes it pays to be (seen as) a cheap charlie.

[JayBird]

Any idea if I'll be rejected if i just fly in for the visa on arrival?  (Something they suggested may be done)

[ubonjoe]

1 minute ago, JayBird said:

Any idea if I'll be rejected if i just fly in for the visa on arrival?  (Something they suggested may be done)

You should not have a problem getting a 30 day visa exempt entry (not a visa on arrival) unless you have done several of them already.

[IMA_FARANG]

As I said before Singapore has a long history of being a very difficult and unfriendly place to get any Thai visa.

It has been like that for years.

I really don't know why

[alex8912]

Why doesn't someone, sometime find out EXACTLY why?  Many have said KL difficult. Can't we get to the bottom of this someday and ask a higher up at both of these embassies why they are such royal pain in the asses??  Imagine how many people do not know about this and waste so much time and money. Really what is their job? How can a 60 day Tourist visa be so hard to get?  Anyone have a real reason?  Not just that is the way it has been blah blah blah.  Maybe a letter or e mail campaign?  I don't really know 

[Suradit69]

4 hours ago, NanLaew said:

The Thai Embassy is primarily in Singapore for the rapidly spiraling value of the land it occupies.

 

Embassies exist for many reasons other than issuing visas. As to speculation on increasing land prices, I believe that's the reason the Brits are trying to flog their embassy in Bangkok.

 

Quote

British Embassy quietly trying to sell their downtown home for THB18 billion

 

https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/british-embassy-quietly-trying-sell-their-downtown-home-thb18-billion/

 

 

 

Edited February 20, 2017 by Suradit69

[Suradit69]

38 minutes ago, alex8912 said:

Why doesn't someone, sometime find out EXACTLY why?  Many have said KL difficult. Can't we get to the bottom of this someday and ask a higher up at both of these embassies why they are such royal pain in the asses??  Imagine how many people do not know about this and waste so much time and money.How can a 60 day Tourist visa be so hard to get?  Anyone have a real reason?  Not just that is the way it has been blah blah blah.  Maybe a letter or e mail campaign?  I don't really know 

 

Maybe you could kick off your campaign by asking the British embassy, American embassy and others in Bangkok EXACTLY why it's so difficult for many people to easily get visas  to their countries. That might give you some idea of the criteria involved.

 

You could start out by asking them " Really what is their job?" and they could explain what an embassy does other than hand out visas willy-nilly.

[JayBird]

The issue is not about handing out visas Willy Nilly but about requirements that are not document and vary from Embassy to Embassy.

 

If their web site included statement of no visas to those who were in Thailand in the last three months then there would be no complaints.

 

Their house their rules. Just, please, tell us the rules and be consistent

 

 

 

[jobwolf]

Singapore is a lousy Embassy. I almost got arrested some years back because of the arrogant women inside at the applicants window. I told her to give me the passport back and that I don't need her crap, so she called security.

[laislica]

25 minutes ago, jobwolf said:

Singapore is a lousy Embassy. I almost got arrested some years back because of the arrogant women inside at the applicants window. I told her to give me the passport back and that I don't need her crap, so she called security.

 

Do you know if the person was a Thai or a local employee?

[HooHaa]

2 hours ago, IMA_FARANG said:

As I said before Singapore has a long history of being a very difficult and unfriendly place to get any Thai visa.

It has been like that for years.

I really don't know why

 

agreed, i went to singapore for my first non-immigrant b 20 years ago. 

 

it was such an unpleasant experience and such a hassle to actually fulfill requirements including calls to my employer, requests for fax copies of documents i had in my posession etci have never gone back of visa purposes.

[joebrown]

1 hour ago, Suradit69 said:

 

Embassies exist for many reasons other than issuing visas. As to speculation on increasing land prices, I believe that's the reason the Brits are trying to flog their embassy in Bangkok.

 

 

https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/british-embassy-quietly-trying-sell-their-downtown-home-thb18-billion/

 

 

 

No matter what subject the OP relates to, you just can't resist that sly little 'Suradit69' Brit/farang bash can you??

[Fookhaht]

 
Maybe you could kick off your campaign by asking the British embassy, American embassy and others in Bangkok EXACTLY why it's so difficult for many people to easily get visas  to their countries. That might give you some idea of the criteria involved.
 
You could start out by asking them " Really what is their job?" and they could explain what an embassy does other than hand out visas willy-nilly.

Intriguing insight into this post...

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[Fookhaht]

Singapore is a lousy Embassy. I almost got arrested some years back because of the arrogant women inside at the applicants window. I told her to give me the passport back and that I don't need her crap, so she called security.

Betcha didn't get our visa THAT day, did we?


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[muffy]

Many moons ago I went to Singapore for a double entry tourist visa, denied and only rec'd a single entry . I was so mad I decided to get a retirement visa . No more b/s for me !!!!

[Scott]

A few off-topic, inflammatory posts and replies have been removed.   Continue and suspensions will be given.  

 

You have been warned.   Stay on topic, please.  

[tgeezer]

The issue is not about handing out visas Willy Nilly but about requirements that are not document and vary from Embassy to Embassy.
 
If their web site included statement of no visas to those who were in Thailand in the last three months then there would be no complaints.
 
Their house their rules. Just, please, tell us the rules and be consistent [emoji14]
 
 
 

They are as consistent as applicants I think. The rules are in The Immigration Act 15 days, 30 days, 90 days etc. Extensions are mentioned, 7 days while your application is being considered or if refused, then if accepted as prescribed by the length of stay given on entry.
I think that working in Thailand is the disqualifier, condition 37(1). If you have been effectively living in Thailand doing visa runs then they wonder how you support yourself. Since The Immigration Act was written it has become possible to earn money on the internet so rather than paltry fines on suspicion of working, vast amounts of income tax could be collected from a work permit for the internet.

[NMKDom]

Embassy's and Consulates are traditionally THE most unfriendly places on the planet. Populated by people invested with the power of refusing you entry to a country on the most frivolous pretext, and to ignore all protests out of hand, coupled with the mentality to do just that without compunction. I was once on a very remote island and my company screwed up the return flight tickets, routing me and my wife through Australia - for which no online transit visa was available to citizens of my wife's country. I used up the last dregs of my satellite phone to call the Australian Consulate in Fiji and was told to fly there and they would 'sort something out' We flew there, there was a military coup, we made it from Nadi to Suva through many army checkpoints, were first in the queue in the morning, explained the problem and the satellite call to the consulate lady who said "Nobody here would have told you that - NEXT PLEASE !!"  and that was that. No argument. We had to make our way back to Nadi, fly back to the island, wait for the Christmas Holidays to end, send emails to the Office (no satellite phone left) and wait for new tickets back via Seoul.

[JayBird]

1 hour ago, tgeezer said:

They are as consistent as applicants I think. The rules are in The Immigration Act 15 days, 30 days, 90 days etc. Extensions are mentioned, 7 days while your application is being considered or if refused, then if accepted as prescribed by the length of stay given on entry.
I think that working in Thailand is the disqualifier, condition 37(1). If you have been effectively living in Thailand doing visa runs then they wonder how you support yourself. Since The Immigration Act was written it has become possible to earn money on the internet so rather than paltry fines on suspicion of working, vast amounts of income tax could be collected from a work permit for the internet.

the rules of 90 days in 180 days do not appear to be anywhere. I believe this was an old rule recently removed.

 

And what of those of us who are not working and just happen to have lots of money and want to travel around Asia but with stopovers more than 30 days there is the SETV option. In theory.....

[JackThompson]

3 hours ago, tgeezer said:

They are as consistent as applicants I think. The rules are in The Immigration Act 15 days, 30 days, 90 days etc. Extensions are mentioned, 7 days while your application is being considered or if refused, then if accepted as prescribed by the length of stay given on entry.
I think that working in Thailand is the disqualifier, condition 37(1). If you have been effectively living in Thailand doing visa runs then they wonder how you support yourself. Since The Immigration Act was written it has become possible to earn money on the internet so rather than paltry fines on suspicion of working, vast amounts of income tax could be collected from a work permit for the internet.

They could wonder the same thing about those over 50, as they do those under 50.  Granted, some consulates are now asking for proof of funds - but they could easily just remove the age-limit, and have everyone prove a lot more funds and/or a non-Thai source of income if staying in the country more than X-days/yr.  Then, no more "wondering" in the equation. 

 

They could definitely collect a fortune in visa-fees and taxes if they created a visa for persons with overseas incomes under 50.  Current B-Visa/extention rules don't allow for this.  Taxes would only be due if transferred into Thailand in the same year as earned.  If you have a buffer of cash > 1 year of living-costs, this can be avoided - unless - they made a new visa-scheme conditional on paying taxes on some minimum income amount - which would be the smart move. 

 

But Singapore has nothing to say in any of this.  They just seem to not to want to issue Tourist Visas, so make up their own rules to avoid doing so in most cases.

[sandemara]

On my occasional visits to the Thai Singapore Embassy for advice, information or a visa entry assistance over the last 5 years I've found the counter staff to be a bunch of cranky old cows. I've not known of any person being refused entry for a 30-day stay on arrival at either Bangkok a/port and just don't bother using the Singapore witches' coven any more.

[JayBird]

Just arrived in Bangkok and got the Visa Exempt from the immigration officer.  No problems, didn't even ask for outward ticket (which I have).  It looks like the people in the Thai Embassy in Singapore who said I may not be let in are just fearmongering and trying to discourage visitors.

[rott]

On 2/20/2017 at 2:10 PM, alex8912 said:

Why doesn't someone, sometime find out EXACTLY why?  Many have said KL difficult. Can't we get to the bottom of this someday and ask a higher up at both of these embassies why they are such royal pain in the asses??  Imagine how many people do not know about this and waste so much time and money. Really what is their job? How can a 60 day Tourist visa be so hard to get?  Anyone have a real reason?  Not just that is the way it has been blah blah blah.  Maybe a letter or e mail campaign?  I don't really know 

Why? is not a question to ask here. If you knew why what difference would it make - none.

 

We are just foreigners and there is never any expectation for us to understand "why it is". If we understand "what it is" then that's fine. And if we don't then that's fine too.

[rott]

Long time ago I applied for a visa in Singapore and they tossed my passport back without even opening it "You have to be out of the country 6 months to get a visa here". "That's OK I've been away for 9" I replied and very reluctantly and with very bad grace they issued my visa. Sounds like the same people with the same attitude.