Singapore Visa for Indians

Singapore, officially known as the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign city-state and island country in Southeast Asia. The country is known across the world for its transition from a third world country to a first world country. Singapore is a global hub for many purposes such as education, human capital, innovation, entertainment, finance, healthcare etc, and has also been recognized as the most technology-ready nation.

Given the reasons mentioned above, Singapore is one of the countries which features in the priority list of tourists from all over the world. If an Indian citizen aspires to visit the country, he/she would need to get himself/herself a visa to enter Singapore. The Singapore Visa for Indians acts merely as pre-entry permission for the holder to enter the country and is not an immigration visa.

How to Apply Singapore Visa from India?

A Singapore visa can be availed by Indian citizens courtesy the authorized visa agents that operate in the country. The application needs to be submitted in person at the authorized agents. The application has to be made through the visa agents because with effect from 1 April 2009, the High Commission of the Republic of Singapore and the Consulate-Generals, stopped accepting individual walk-in applications.

To apply for a Singapore visa, applicants need to fill up Form 14A and submit it to the visa agents. The form can be downloaded from the official website or the physical application form can be availed free of cost from the authorized visa agents or any Singapore overseas missions. The visa application can also be submitted via a new electronic visa (e-visa) application system which has been introduced to process the visa applications online. Online applications can also be filed on behalf of the applicant if he/she has a local sponsor in Singapore possessing a ‘Singpass account’.

Authorized Singapore Visa Agents in India

The authorized visa agents through whom a Singapore visa can be applied for can be found in New Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai, Lucknow, Jaipur, Ludhiana, Bangalore, and Chandigarh. The names of the authorized visa agents, addresses, and contacts can be found in the link mentioned below.

Singapore Visa Requirements

When an applicant files the application for a Singapore Visa from India, the documents which need to be submitted are as follows:

1. Duly filled up Form 14A.
2. The Indian passport having a minimum validity of 6 months on the date of arrival in Singapore.
3. Two recent passport-sized photographs.
• The photo must be clicked within the last three months.
• Should be clear and in focus.
• Must be taken against a plain white background without any shadows.
• It should be 35mm wide and 45mm high (without any borders)
• Avoid wearing headgear and plain white clothing (permissible if it is in accordance with religious or racial customs but no facial features must be hidden because of it.)
• The applicant’s hair must not cover his/her eyebrows or the eyes.
• The photograph should have even exposure.
• Spectacle frames must not cover part of the eyes.
• Spectacles lens must not be glaring or reflecting.
• The photograph must cover the full face with the upper shoulders visible.
• Should be in JPEG image format (with .jpg file extension).
• The image size should be 400 by 514 pixels.
• The file size should not be more than 60KB.
4. Other documents like the ones mentioned below might be required to be submitted:
• A copy of the bio-data.
• A copy of the last page of the passport.
• Letter of Introduction.
• In-Principal Approval Letter.
• Company Invitation Letter.
• Employment Letter.
• Residential proof.
• Letter of Guarantee from Shipping Agent.

Singapore Visa Fees for Indian 2022

Those who apply for a Singapore visa are required to pay an application fee of 30 Singapore dollars which is currently equivalent to Rs.1592.32. Apart from that, authorized visa agents charge an additional amount of Rs.300 as a service fee. The fee which needs to be paid is non-refundable regardless of the outcome of the application.

Disclaimer – The fees and charges can be changed at the discretion of the Singapore ICA (Immigration and Checkpoints Authority).

Singapore Visa Processing Time

After the visa application is submitted to the authorized visa agents, the time taken by the agents for the processing of the applications filed by Indian citizens varies depending on the location of the agents. If the application is submitted to the authorized visa agents based outside Chennai and Bengaluru, the number of days taken is 3 (three) days. The visa applications are processed after 1 (one) working day by the authorized visa agents based in the metro cities of Chennai and Bangalore.

Singapore Visa Status

Once the application for a Singapore Visa is submitted by the applicant, the status of the application can be checked using the application reference number provided by the authorized visa agent. The entire process involved in getting to know the status of the visa application is mentioned below:

• Step 1: First, the applicant must visit official website
• Step 2: Next, the option ‘Check Status/Make Appointment’ needs to be clicked at.
• Step 3: Select the option of which you want to check the status.
• Step 4: Next, click on ‘Enquire Application Status’
• Step 5: Thereafter, provide the visa reference number and travel document number.
• Step 6: Next, click on ‘Submit’.
• Step 7: In doing so, the status of the application is displayed on the corresponding page. If the application is approved, you can go ahead a get a copy of the e-visa by clicking on ‘Proceed’.

Singapore Visa on Arrival

Indian citizens are not eligible to avail the facility of Visa on Arrival (VoA).

Singapore Visa Free Transit Facility

Apart from availing of a Singapore visa, Indian tourists are also eligible for obtaining a 96-hours Visa-free Transit Facility, which is commonly known as VFTF. VTFT is for Indian nationals who are in transit to or from any third country by air through Singapore.

To avail of VFTF, transit travellers apart from satisfying the criteria for VFTF will also need to meet the prevailing entry requirements which are assessed by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers at the point of entry. It needs to be mentioned that the extension of stay for transit travellers under VFTF is not allowed.

Indian travellers willing to avail VFTF (which is only for air to air travel and is valid for one transit in the itinerary) would need to possess:

• An onward air ticket departing within the next 96 hours.
• A Valid visa/long-term pass which has a validity of at least 1 month from the date of entry into the country under the VTFT which is issued by any of the mentioned below countries:
• Australia
• Switzerland
• Germany
• New Zealand
• United Kingdom
• United States of America
• Canada
• Japan

It is noteworthy to mention here that Indian nationals who have a valid visa or long-term pass from the above-mentioned countries can also use the Single Journey Visa (SJV) when transiting through Singapore on the onward or return leg of the journey. If the SJV is used for the onward leg of the journey, for the return leg of the journey, the conditions mentioned below need to be met:

• The traveller must travel directly from the country that issued the SJV, on route through Singapore, directly back to the home country.
• The traveller has not returned to his/her home country since the SJV was last utilized.

Important Tips on Singapore Visa

• Possession of a visa does not guarantee entry into Singapore.
• Every visa application is considered on its own merits.
• Applicants must meet entry requirements such as:
  • Holding a valid passport.
  • Having sufficient funds for the period of stay in the country.
  • Onward and return air tickets.
  • Granting of entry and duration of stay in the country is determined by the Immigration Officers posted at the checkpoints upon the individual’s arrival in the country.
  • For Work Permit/Employment/Training pass applications, Ministry of Manpower (MOM) website can be visited while for Student pass the website of Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) needs to be visited.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Singapore Visa

1. What is the processing time for a Singapore Visa?

   Usually, the processing time for availing a Singapore Visa is in the range of 1 to 3 days.

2. Do I need a visa to enter Singapore?

   Yes, it is mandatory to have a visa for entering Singapore.

3. Does Singapore offer Visa on Arrival to Indians?

   No, the facility of Visa on Arrival (VoA) is not available to Indians.

4. How can I check the status of Singapore visa application?

   The entire process involved in getting to know the status of the visa application is mentioned below:

   • First, the applicant must visit official website
   • Next, the option ‘Check Status/Make Appointment’ needs to be clicked at.
   • Following that select the option for which you want to check the status.
   • Next, click on ‘Enquire Application Status’.
   • Thereafter, provide the visa reference number and travel document number.
   • Next, click on ‘Submit’.
   • In doing so, the status of the application is displayed on the corresponding page.
5. Who decides if I will get a Singapore visa?

   The decision of whether the individual is eligible to get a Singapore Visa is taken by Singapore Immigration and Checkpoints Authority. (ICA)

6. Can my application for Singapore Visa be rejected?

   Yes, the visa application can be rejected by ICA.

7. Will I get to know the exact reason for which my visa application was rejected?

   In case the visa application is rejected by ICA, the exact reason will be made known to you by the officials.

8. Can I travel to Singapore if the validity of my passport is less than 6 months?

   You may be permitted to travel to the country but you would need permission from the airline to board the airline. It is strongly recommended to renew the passport if travelling to Singapore is on the cards.

9. Do I need to submit my passport at the time of filing the visa application?

   Yes, the original passport needs to be submitted at the time of filing the visa application for the Singapore Visa.

10. When can I submit the visa application for availing a Singapore visa?

    The visa applications can be submitted during the visa processing hour, which is between 10:00 am to 12:00 pm (Monday to Friday).

*Disclaimer