Thai Visa Runs to Singapore Are NOT Cheap
Think of Singapore and you probably think of an exotic city-break destination. It’s Asia but on speed; skyscrapers and sky gardens rub shoulders with ancient markets and food stalls. But you know what else it’s good for? Thai visa runs! Yes, Singapore has a Thai Embassy and this buzzing city is a great choice for that over the border hop to get your new Thai visa.
PS: If you haven’t done a Thai visa extension, make sure to do that before considering a visa run. It’s only 1,900 THB and can be done in any major Thai city!
A Hassle-Free Thai Visa Application
Singapore is a modern city, and the Embassy has a modern attitude to match. Turn up from 09:15am to 11:30am from Monday and Friday and grab a numbered ticket. A short(ish) wait will allow you to hand your documents over to an Embassy official, and you’ll get a pink slip in return. That’s it! No hassle as long as you have the correct paperwork with you.
The collection procedures are pretty straightforward too. Our main piece of advice is not to lose the pink receipt slip as you can’t re-enter the building to collect your visa without it! Turn up between 2:00pm and 3:00pm Monday to Friday and go through the same procedure again- numbered ticket, short wait, meet with an official, receive your visa. And you’re done!
Visas can sometimes be issued same-day, it depends on how many applications are handed in. The standard wait time is 2 working days, but if you budget 3 days then you should be fine. There’s plenty to do in the city in the meantime.
How to Get to the Thai Embassy in Singapore
The Thai Embassy is on Orchard Road, pretty close to the Orchard MRT station. There’s no need to take a cab as it’s easy walking distance. We recommend arriving slightly before the 09:15am opening time to bag a place near the front of the queue as this will make the whole process go even quicker.
The All-Important Documents
Embassies everywhere are pretty hot on correct paperwork, but in efficient Singapore this is even more apparent. Make sure you have photocopies of everything on the list:
- Your passport with 6 months validity and a free page for the visa
- A recent passport photo
- A fully completed visa form
- Your address when you arrive in Thailand (if necessary, book a hotel room with a cancellation option to comply with this option)
- Flight itineraries into and out of Thailand (this is being checked more and more- no flights, no visa!)
- A print out of your bank account showing adequate funds to support yourself (this isn’t always needed but it’s best to be prepared)
- The visa fee for your nationality
Failure to produce any of these when asked can mean that the Embassy won’t accept your visa application, and you may end up having to go away and try again the next day.
Things to Do in Singapore on Your Visa Run
There’s plenty to see and do in Singapore so you won’t get bored! Check out the Gardens by the Bay to see an Asian wonderland filled with tropical flowers and lakes, and marvel at the crazy Marina Bay Sands Hotel with its surfboard-shaped roof garden. The iconic Raffles hotel is the place to go to experience a Singapore Sling cocktail the way it should be made.
If you want to get out on the streets then take a wander through Chinatown to try some great new food, and hit the markets of Little India for a shopping trip lifted straight out of Delhi. If you’ve still got some energy then head to the Buddhist-Taoist temple of Thian Hock Keng for some culture. If you’ve managed to cram all of this into a couple of days then well done!
How to get to Singapore from Bangkok or Chiang Mai
Singapore is an airline hub with great connections to the rest of the region so you should be able to find a cheap flight deal if you hunt around. If you can’t find any bargains direct from Bangkok or Chiang Mai then check the prices from Kuala Lumpur; it can sometimes be cheaper to take an Air Asia hop down there and change planes. Of course, a visa run to Kuala Lumpur is also an option if you want to save a buck!
You’ll be looking at all your usual budget suspects- Air Asia, Lion Air, Nok Air etc. Flight times are short so your journey should take significantly less time than bumping your way to Vientiane in a minibus!
Bodega Highly Recommends Thai Visa Runs to Singapore
Singapore is a great choice for a Thai visa run because it’s not just a boring stopover, it’s a tourism powerhouse in its own right. Combine a bit of life admin with a few days in this exciting city. You won’t regret it! Just be sure you’ve got the budget for it on your backpacking trip because as we said earlier: this is not a cheap one!
