dapizl:
A question about accommodation: Would you recommend Airbnb? And are there specific hotels that the Singapore immigration require for Visa issuance? Cos I have an agent who is telling me that I have to book a stay in a 4 or 5-star hotel as a prerequisite for visa. And these hotels are pretty expensive (minimum $240 per night or $160 sharing)

Generalmerchant:
I just stumbled on this thread and was surprised to see that I was also in singapore within the same period. Haha. The country is very clean and beautiful as well. Thanks for sharing your experience.

HRprof:

Cool did you attend opera show at garden by the bay ? It was fun night, the place was crowded with tourists.

Raalsalghul:
Nice one Op.

I just came back from Malaysia (Singapore used to be part of them for about two years) recently.

If there one thing I respect Asia, it is the taste and variety of their food. Quite spicy, tasty with so so many options for you to choose from.

Cannot forget one variety of rice I ate while there, tastes like Jollof Rice but better; more like Jollof Rice Premium.

I attached a picture.

tensazangetsu20:


You Don escape?

HRprof:
After eating I branch at fruits shop to buy fruits. I don’t know the name of the fruit but test nice

HRprof:

Yes for Nigeria it my not applicable to other country visiting Singapore

I met with a Burundi lady she said she does not require any visa to visit Singapore she just book her flight down to Singapore I was surprised imagine Burundi.

HRprof:
There are rules in Singapore that blow my mind

- shewing gum in public. Is prohibited
- feeding pigeons in public is prohibited
The above is to keep Singapore clean as the cleanest country in the world

Singapore is still using right hand wheel car and only the rich own a car because their government wants to discourage citizens from populating the city with cars and encourage then go by public transport therefore set a rule that your car should not be older than three years meaning you must change your car every three year to a brand new.
The country No send their citizens

HRprof:
Singapore is the most beautiful country in the world. The safest and cleanest . I thought Paris is heaven until I visited Singapore

HRprof:
l notice a kind of tradition among restaurant customers mostly the street food restaurants when a customer finish eating is the customer’s responsibility to take away the place to the dishwasher. I saw a notice on the wall also dishwasher wearing a T-shirt written. Thank you for returning your stray

HRprof:
More pictures
1. Residential building
2. Breakfast
3. Shopping mall

HRprof:
So I head to another tourist destination called SANTOSA decide to take a sky ride for the first time my mind cut

HRprof:
More pictures

Dre183:
Hope alcohol plenty there?

HRprof:
My 10 take home from Singapore
1. Singapore is 100% safe

2. Cleanliness of the country is superb, in fact is so clean that your conscience will not allow you to drop a dirt on the street. Hotels and business areas are inspected by agency to ensure they are SG clean certified., some are given certificates of SG clean which they displayed at the reception,

3. CCTV cameras are everywhere

4. Prostitution is not allowed

5. Crime like drug trafficking and kidnapping is death sentence not negotiable

6. Singapore is expensive. I Interviewed a Singaporean guy who narrates the living conditions of the low income earners using himself as an example. He work 3 jobs and his total monthly income is 2k Singapore dollars which is almost same with USD his family stayed in Malaysia where his kid’s school because of cheap education, he visits them weekends. Many low income earners live in shared apartments 3 guys per room. Mind you this guy is not educated so he does menial jobs to survive.

7. Government monitors everybody bank transactions if you get more inflows than what you earn as monthly income you will be subject to questions.

8. At the food court a popular street food restaurant you must remove your tray to the dishwasher after eating or else you pay a fine.

9. When you mentioned you are from Africa what comes to their mind is South Africa. It happens that Singapore has kind of relationship with South Africa.

10. Lastly, if you are on tourist visa and overstayed you will be tracked down and deported no hidden place.

Gerrard59:


Alcohol is available. East Asians drink a lot of alcohol, and it cuts across both genders. However, after a riot by mostly Indian labourers due to working conditions, the Singaporean government introduced a time limit when alcohol could be served in certain places. She also increased the tax on alcohol.



Yes, it is freakingly safe. The rules are rules. Everybody must follow it. Singapore does not bend its rules. However, I was chatting with a Singaporean doctor and told him the reason Singapore is safe is largely because of the rules. Because when compared to Japan which has rules too, but are largely culturally inspired, Japanese can behave the way they do even without any government law. But remove the laws in Singapore, and an increasing number of people will break them.



This is true. One of the cleanest cities on the planet.



Very true. You cannot hide from the government. E no dey possible.



Not true. I have asked this question twice, one to the doctor and two on a public page. The government legalises prostitution, but it comes with its rules and restriction. Sex workers are tested periodically, pay taxes and are confined to Geylang district.



Again, rules are rules in Singapore. I did not know no dey. Ignorance is no excuse.



Most likely a Malay Chinese or even Malay itself. Singapore is expensive to live in, which is why salaries are high, especially for citizens. Foreign talents as the government calls them are those with superior work experience and qualifications to augment certain skills gap in the economy. However, Indians in India have used a loophole in the trade agreement the Singaporean government signed with India to fill almost every position, including those blue Singaporeans (those who have been there since independence call themselves that name) can fill.

Ask Singaporeans, the Chinese ones, what they think about Indians in Changi Business Park. The Indians from India used the native Indian population to mask themselves and fill positions. The Chinese Singaporeans got angry and complained bitterly on social media platforms. They threatened to vote out the PAP (has been in power since 1965). The government had to revise some of the employment laws making it very hard for average or slightly above-average folks to be employed. There is the S and E pass. Another one is the ONEVisa Pass, but strictly for the top 1% of workers/business people. There is also the Tech Visa, but with strict conditions.

The cost of living is like Switzerland—even her universities, although world-class, are very expensive for foreigners. Most scholarships are allocated to citizens from neighbouring countries rather than far away, except a few from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.



The "gahmen" monitors everything you do. Protests or rallies cannot be held unless applied two weeks before the date and must be at Hong Lim Park. The last time a protest against government policies was held was in 2013, when citizens campaigned against the White Paper plan to increase the population from 5 million to 6.9 million. Singapore has one of the lowest birthrates globally, but not as low as South Korea.



A tradition in East Asia.



I cannot think of any presently. But Singapore enjoys a good relationship with South Africa. To be fair though, South Africans tend to stick to the host country's laws. The spate of drug smuggling by Nigerians pre-2007 really vexed Singaporean elites. They really hate that stuff, especially if the smuggler's country is not a major trading partner. Lee Kuan Yew even mentioned Nigeria(ns) when addressing a journalist about the death penalty.

As a Nigerian with a Nigerian passport in Singapore, you will be treated differently from a South African or African American. For instance, few Indians from the mainland tend to misbehave, but the government is mindful of how they are treated due to trade relations with India and the native Indian population.



Rules are rules. I say it in Singapore's defence that the rules are so simple as ABC. If you don't like the rules, don't break them.

Sincere apologies for almost taking over your thread, but anytime I see anything related to Singapore, it ignites an interest in me. I have followed events in the country for ten years now. I know the politicians by their names, pictures and the universities they studied. Lee Hsien Loong, son of Lee Kuan Yew studied at Cambridge like his father. But he did Computer Science, not Law. Both made a double first class. I wept when Lee Kuan Yew died. He is the number one politician I revere. The second is Abe Shinzo.

Let me stop here for now.

Majulah Singapura!

Generalmerchant:

I did it. was beautiful I stayed at the marina bay sands its superclose. Did you visit any of the hawker centers? Did you like the food?

arena07:
I have observed that you base in Japan, how are you coping with academic and work? Japan long hours work na die

Gerrard59:


Academic work is pretty independent. You are shown some stuff; they expect you to take it from there. It is largely research-based rather than taught as in the UK. The classes are pretty easy. The koko lies in research and experiments. Working hours are long, overtime is loved. People do their jobs diligently and take it seriously. For someone coming from a country with a high unemployment rate, nothing concerns me with long hours.

arena07:
I understand your viewpoint, but not everyone possesses the endurance to withstand prolonged hours of menial labor. From my perspective, it appears that both the United States and Europe offer more favorable working conditions.

Gerrard59:



Why do you think it is menial work? Isn't part-time job common across all developed countries for students? If you mean after studies, if you know the language to a considerable extent and have relevant skills, especially as a STEM graduate, chances of getting a good job are higher. No discrimination against native Japanese, as both foreigners and natives undergo the same process.

arena07:
The work ethics in several Asian countries are challenging. particularly for Africans, as a significant portion of available jobs tend to be menial in nature, even when you graduate from there universities.

However, it is worth noting that a limited number of STEM graduates occasionally secure positions through a combination of luck and exceptional language proficiency. Japan may be different but some East Asian countries may have higher instances of discrimination against individuals of African descent

HRprof:
My trip to Singapore

As promised to share my trip experience I arrived Singapore from Lagos yesterday

Let me first start with the information on how I got my visa for others to learn. Meanwhile some of the information regarding visa I got them in this forum and also on the Singapore visa site online.
I Arranged my documents with passport heads to the Singapore embassy Abuja where my visa was processed.

Lst of documents
- Visa application form printed and filled
- reference form filled by a citizen or permanent resident in Singapore.
- passport photo


congratulations, please how do u go about the introduction letter signed by the citixen or pr.
- international passport
- flight reservations
- hotel reservations

Meanwhile you must submit your documents 30 days to your plan arrival date. I didn’t know about this and I went to the embassy 2 months to my plan trip but pleaded they should keep my passport and documents till 1 month to my trip date to start processin

Gerrard59:


That is because all Asian countries are not the same. The opportunities for foreigners, regardless of race in say Malaysia aren't the same as opportunities for foreigners in say, Singapore. Yes, the work ethic is most Asian countries, especially those characterised with East Asian culture, can be tedious for non-natives. The koko is that the jobs are available.



Yes, I highly recommend STEM unless one is prepared to learn the language for at least a year before commencing studies if the course is non-STEM like a Gambian did. Even STEM has courses one should not touch, like nursing. I don't think patients will be comfortable with blacks attending them as nurses or psychologists - both of which require native fluency. However, skills will get you the job if the language knowledge is zero. My guy got a job with a salary equivalent of $5K per month because he knows artificial intelligence (his research is AI related). This guy does not know how to speak Japanese. I even speak better Japanese than he does. The interviewers even requested he introduce himself in Japanese, but he politely declined as he did not know how to speak the language. Mind you, before this offer, he had three offers waiting for him.

If I am to recommend Asian countries for Black Africans and courses in terms of employment opportunities, in order of ranking: Japan, Singapore, China and South Korea. The competition in Korea and China for jobs is fiercer, so one has to be very good at the skills and language. Singapore is a peculiar case as there are restrictions for foreigners to be employed there. The government scrutinises the university you graduate from and the quality of work experience as a foreigner seeking employment. Black African candidates would have to showcase their skills for a firm to leave Chinese, Indians, and Westerners to employ them. If you graduate from, say, the National University of Singapore, the chances are higher, but NUS is pricey for foreigners. Tuition fees mimic the equivalent in Harvard and Oxbridge. Scholarships are minimal for non-South East Asian citizens. If not because of the use of English, it should come last in my ranking as it is very tough for black Africans without specialist skills. The surest or easiest way is to be transferred from the European or American office to the Singapore branch. Note: an African American has it easier as getting a job in the US is easier and faster to get a transfer compared to a black African that is still on a working visa vs citizenship status for the African American.

Those countries are the ones with stable economies. The rest are still developing. So, don't mistake Vietnam for South Korea or the Philippines for Japan. I have met a Nigerian who did both BSc and MSc in Computer Science at a Vietnamese University but could not get a job until he got it in Japan. He has been here for seven years and does not know how to speak Japanese. I dare say I speak better Japanese than he does and can read Kanji better than him. But he works in a top tech firm in the country.

So, there you have it.

arena07:
The bolded part buttress my previous argument regarding the limited opportunities for black individuals from African countries, in comparison to black individuals from Europe or African America. Attaining significant career advancements, particularly in the healthcare sector, proves to be exceedingly challenging for black individuals. Nevertheless, these circumstances are comparatively more favorable than those found in African and economically disadvantaged European countries. I think countries such as South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan are stepping stones towards achieving stability in countries like Australia, Canada, and the USA. However, I do not consider Singapore an ideal location for pursuing opportunities via the student route.

arena07:
The bolded part buttress my previous argument regarding the limited opportunities for black individuals from African countries, in comparison to black individuals from Europe or African America. Attaining significant career advancements, particularly in the healthcare sector, proves to be exceedingly challenging for black individuals. Nevertheless, these circumstances are comparatively more favorable than those found in African and economically disadvantaged European countries. I think countries such as South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan are stepping stones towards achieving stability in countries like Australia, Canada, and the USA. However, I do not consider Singapore an ideal location for pursuing opportunities via the student route.

HRprof:
There are rules in Singapore that blow my mind

- shewing gum in public. Is prohibited
- feeding pigeons in public is prohibited
The above is to keep Singapore clean as the cleanest country in the world

Singapore is still using right hand wheel car and only the rich own a car because their government wants to discourage citizens from populating the city with cars and encourage then go by public transport therefore set a rule that your car should not be older than three years meaning you must change your car every three year to a brand new.
The country No send their citizens

mrdiator112:
Hi everyone, my company wants to send one of our staff to Singapore for a Business trip. I was given the responsibility to process the VISA as HR for the company.

I have these list of document here... which other ones do I need again?

Visa Application form filled
Passport Photo
International passport
Hotel Reservation
Flight Reservation
Bank Statement
Introduction Letter from Employer
Company Registration Documents
Invitation Letter from Host

what is the VISA application fee?

Thank you

HRprof:
After eating I branch at fruits shop to buy fruits. I don’t know the name of the fruit but test nice

Spoilerkid:


They call it "Durian", had it once while I was in Malaysia. Smells awful tho 😂

HRprof:

Your listed documents is in okay but one thing left which is very vital to his application, you need someone in Singapore to fill in references form for him, (see below document) since he is traveling on a business trip meaning he is visiting a company or event, someone in the company or event organizer should fill the form for him. Without this form his application will not be received.

I paid 30k visa fee when I applied in April but the fee might go up now due to the current reality in Nigeria