1 year multiple entry Visa for Thailand.

I went to apply for my multiple entry Non-Immigrant 'O' Visa at the Thai embassy today. It's my first time doing it actually.  

The documents required are exactly the same as the single entry except one thing.  The amount of money you have in your bank :P  (Thai's learning from SG, if you want to stay in Thailland for long, you must have moola :P)

Anyway, printed and endorsed my bank statements this morning at my bank and went straight down to the embassy.  There were some silly hiccups at the counter.  This is because they recently changed the rules of applications and its actually much more tedious to get approval.  A lot of the people in the Q were acutally denied on the spot or asked to come back with their more documents.

First change are the fees.  A whopping $50 SGD for Tourist Visa and $100 for single entry Non-immigrant 'O'.  It used to be free for the Tourist and Transit Visa.  $30 if I'm not wrong if you take the Non-immigrant 'O' for non-Singaporeans.  So some actually didn't have enough cash on their hands and have to rush back to their hotels to get their money.

2nd thing is the air tickets.  On their website, they actually asked people not to buy air tickets before applying for the visa as they might be rejected.  But they want to see the confirmed air tickets this time round before you even apply!  This is a big one.  Lots of people were fustrated with this change as its like a chicken and egg issue; I buy the airt tickets but you reject me how?  And I don't buy, you don't allow me to apply.  I think they really need to update their website on this one.  I see a lot of people came without a ticket and was sent home (I also kena the last time so I came prepared this time :P) 

Anyway, the Q was pretty long, waited about half an hour before it's my turn.  The same old Malay lady who serves me (quite a few times) greeted me and we chatted a bit :)  (Me old bird liao).  I asked about the 3 yr multiple entry and she said that is only for investors.  (Money again.)  Not applicable for Non -O hehe..  Anyway, all my papers were in order and approved on the spot.  Collection is tomorrow after 2pm as usual.  And one more change actually, the collection time was reduced from 2pm to 3pm only (last time used to be up to 4pm) 

So I guess I won't be going through this motion for the next 12 months.    That's pretty good news to me actually.

For those who are interested, you can see the latest fees and required documents for application of Thai Visa over here at the SG Thai embassy website.

PS:  A little update in LOS.  Called wife today and she mentioned that our flock of chickens had laid 2 eggs... hehehe.. Girl girl is very happy and she checks on them all the time.  Boy boy blur blur but oso excited :)

The Working Lady Issue - Part 2

Part 1 covers the first part of the Working Lady Myth...  Part 2 actually applies to not only working ladies but those people who had used a fake passport to come into the country.

I know it may sound wierd to most Singaporean's that there are people using fake passport to come into our country.  This is not rare especially in other countries, where its so easy to create a fake identity.

Some reasons that these ladies chose to use a fake identiy.

1) There are from countries that their gahment(eg are Myanmar, Laos, Camboida) do not allow their ladies to come to SG or other countries officially to work as working ladies.  These girls normally go to Thailand or other countries to make fake passport to come here to work.

2) They are scared of the so called 2 year ban which our dear gahment tried to impose.

3) It's not a glorious job and they wish to hide their true identity.

4) They are stateless (like my wife)

and etc.

So if your partner DID use a fake passport to come to SG to work before then its bad luck.  The only official channel is to go clean and declare that she did used a fake passport to come into SG to work before.  This would actually impose an immediate ban on her current passport.  (She would be caught at the immigration point if she comes during this period.)  To declare, you need to inform the officer at the ICA building on the old passport she first used in SG and the new (true) identity.  After that, according to Mr K is to keep appealing this ban.

If you have got married or has a kid, it might be easier to get the appeal, if not it will take a much longer time.  

Mr K, who had this predicament finally managed to appeal after a 2 years wait.  His friend who did the same was luckier, only 1 year.  SO the important thing here is NEVER give in.   Keep trying and you will get what you want in the end.  

I hope this series of info do help some brothers who need help in this as I have really received a lot of emails about this over the time.  Some of them I actually met in Maesai had this issue too.  And my sincere thanks to Mr K for sharing this info.  (You know who you are!)

 

The Working Lady Issue - Part 1

This is long overdue, suppose to be a fulll post but due to time constraints.  I decided to spilt it into 2 parts. 

I actually received quite a few emails (over the years) and actually met a couple once in Maesai with the similar issue and they are a lot of rumours and uncomfirmed answers to this question.

Thanks to another friend and reader Mr K which went through the whole ordeal, he is able to provide some clear resolutions to this troubling issues.  Here's the scenario.

A Singaporean guy met a working lady in Geylang(I don't need to be specific here but you should know what's a working lady right?).  They really fall in love and decided to be together.  The thing is our dear Gahment  Anti-Vice warned the lady verbally when she starts work in Geylang.  Here's the list.

1. She is not allowed to get into any relationship with a Singaporean Guy.

2. She is not allowed to return to Singapore at any time after her work.

3. She is not allowed to get married to a Singpaorean guy even after their 2 year course of "duty". (The most ridiculous rule of all)

If they are to break any of the rules above,  they will be jailed, fined and deported back to their country.  (Seems like SG have no human rights at all)

So here's the truth.  Its all BULLSHIT!  According to Mr K who sparred with our ICA.

It was never a problem that she worked in sg before, although it wasnt a glorious issue, but it isnt an offence! The purpose of this verbal threat is just to instill fear and caution into the girls before they leave. Hoping that they do not try to hook some dumb SG guy and cheat his money away. (looks like our gahment really like to protect us SG males... :P)

So, according to Mr K, if your partner or gf works in sg with a valid passport, she can enter anytime. (but  after giving a window of 2 yrs upon leaving).  So there is a 2 year ban for a working lady. 

Sounds good right.  But what if she is not using a valid passport??  That will be covered in Part 2.....

(TBC)