Certain steps one needs to follow when applying for a Singapore business visa

There are certain countries whose citizens need to procure a visa prior to their entry into Singapore.

Those countries are classified into two categories Assessment Level I Countries/Regions and Countries/Regions of Assessment Level II. In case, your country is not listed in both the categories, it means that you would not need a Visa for Singapore. For both the categories, the requirements of visa and procedure are the same. The only difference is that for an applicant get a visa from an Assessment Level II country, it takes longer, which around eight to ten days.

There are certain requirements that specifically need to be satisfied if you are applying for a business visit or tourist visas. Immigration and Checkpoints Authority of Singapore has on its website detailed the list of the requirements. In addition, there are more things which you would only get to know when you commence the process of filing an application for a Singapore business visit visa.

Both Singapore Business Visas and tourist visas are normally issued for two months multiple entries – where an individual can stay for up to 30 days in each of the visits. For a long-term business visit visa of Singapore, an individual would be issued two-years multiple entry visas. Here too, the individual can stay for up to 30 days stay in each of those visits. Of course, it also depends on the country one is applying from. Whether you are eligible for a two-month visa or two-year visa, it is solely up to the discretion of the authorities of Singapore. 

When one wishes to apply for a visa at Singapore's High Commissions or Embassies, one can do so only by availing services of authorized visa agents. Offered by these visa agents are offline and online processes of submitting visa applications. In the offline process, physical documents have to be submitted while in the online, they are not required.  Though the online method costs more than twice as much as the offline one, visa issued is of a shorter validity. Despite this, online method is may be conveniently obtained and could be useful in some situations.

The fee charged for Tourist Visa of Singapore is SGD30, besides one has to pay the visa agent a service as mandated by missions of Singapore depending on the country where they are located in. You have to remember that regardless of whether you get a visa or not, the fee charged for it is non-refundable.

For both Singapore Business Visa, Singapore visit visa and Singapore tourist visas, one has to submit an original Completed Visa Application Form 14A along with a recent passport-sized colour photograph and which meets certain requirements. The said requirements are that the photograph should not be more than three months old, should be in colour  showing the full face (even if headgear is worn in keeping with religious or local customs, all facial features must be clearly visible.), a photocopy of the passport CV page of the applicant, when  the Passport is being submitted, it should be valid for a minimum six months following the applicant’s date of entry and a letter of introduction for visa application, which is also known as Form V39A.

Besides the above, it may require you to write a covering letter (depending on your visa agent’s advice), submit your bank statements of the past few months (applicable to people applying for a visa of Singapore for the very first time) and a no objection letter from your employer.

Particularly required for business visitors applicants who are partaking in business discussions are a printout from a computer of the registered business enterprises exhaustive business profile (listing the names of the directors and shareholders from instant information service, ACRA (Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority). Importantly, the printout should not be more than three months old.

Also required may be a letter of introduction in Form V39A. The local contact for visa applicants attending business discussions should be a Singapore registered business enterprise.