Thread: An Idiot’s Guide to the One Day Visa Run (to Singapore)

(Also an aid to the just mildly deluded)

Anyone that considers the option of the one day visa run is mainly interested in saving money and time – things that are better spent on Bali rather than, say, Singapore – in my not-so-humble opinion.

Take any airline from Bali as long as it gets you to Changi Airport in Singapore no later than 9:30 a.m. I found that the one that fits this requirement the best is the AirAsia flight leaving Bali at 7:00 a.m.

With no luggage (except your hand luggage – I took the trusty laptop to while away waiting time, more about that later) and you have filled out the stupid Singapore registration card (they ask: Where are you staying in Singapore? If you try and lie by telling them that you are just there for a one-day shopping trip they will actually fill out the answer: Orchard Road! I knew there was a good reason I didn’t like Singapore and it’s poreans) – you will be standing outside the airport at around 10 a.m. with the day in front of you and a pocket full of over-valued Singaporean dollars in you moist pocket (I think it’s even hotter there than Bali is…).

I know of 2 “Agents” Mr. Malik (0065 6458195) and Mr. Ismail (0065 63345520) but as I only used Mr. Malik I will restrict my coverage to his efforts on my behalf. I did initially contact Mr. Ismail and his English seemed better but M’s English was up to the job in hand and I didn’t want to chat anyway.

Having contacted M on the previous day to confirm his requirements from me:

• 1 - 4 x 6 color photo
• 1 - letter of invitation (with that funky 6000 Rupiah postage stamp that they so love as proof of identity – governments and banks of the world throw away your pin numbers and biometric data)
• 1 - copy of an illegible KTP card supposedly showing the identity details of your sponsor

He arranged to meet me in the lobby of the Hyatt in downtown Singapore, as he does with all his clients, before 11 a.m.

SINCE THE INDONESIAN EMBASSY CLOSES AT 12 NOON.

At least for accepting visa renewals.

Anyway, we were standing outside Changi Airport with the day in front of us weren’t we, so climb in a cab to the Hyatt. This will cost you 17 S$ for the drive and 3S$ for the hard luck story of the poor, starving Chinese driver with 25 children (that probably aren’t his – still here Bert?) to support, working 15 hours a day for peanut dust. You will arrive at around 10:30 a.m.

If you are feeling particularly adventurous or have taken an even earlier plane, and therefore have time to kill, you could always take the number 36 bus (S$1.90) going downtown and ask for the Marriots Corner (the Hyatt is 50M down the road). Bus trip back in the evening took about 45 minutes and I was told in the mornings going the other way about the same. You will miss the hard luck story.

Mr. Malik, ignoring any contact help given him (or perhaps did not understand what I meant by blue and white striped shirt with white cotton trousers), was found skulking around the horrible lobby of the Hyatt (looking like he had a pocket full of drugs to sell) gazing lovingly at every passer by hoping for that spark of recognition. Since we had never met, a little optimistic, I thought.

Anyway, you can’t miss him – but he won’t find you.

The exchange is made very quickly and I refused payment (S$175) until I got my passport back that evening with visa – he took that like a man, too. So that was that – it’s now 11 a.m. on a hot and sweaty Singapore day and you are on Orchard Road (nearly) – have fun until 4 p.m. when you are scheduled to meet up with Mr. M to pay and receive.

No problems in view, you know what he looks like so what can go wrong?

Fast forward to 4 p.m. when you have scheduled to meet Mr. Malik to pick up your spanking new 211 Social visa. Don’t be late – I got the feeling that would be frowned upon and you might have to change your flight and overnight plans just a little – don’t be late!

I wasn’t and was scanning the crowd in the Hyatt lobby (does anybody really like that much marble and large “natural” stones?) searching for the familiar guilty looking Mr. Malik until almost 5 p.m. Maybe it’s me but I don’t think there is really anything quite like being alone in a large Asian city after giving your passport to someone you have never met before and know nothing about for kicking your imagination nerve into overdrive. Panicking in the lobby of the Hyatt when I noticed that there was this other person skulking around gazing lovingly at all passers by. Yep, Mr. Malik, I presume in an attempt to make the situation more exciting for the jaded European/Westerner, had sent a helper to make final delivery – of course, with only the most rudimentary contact details too.

Ta Da! Mission accomplished. We get to go back to Bali.

Plane left at 8:30 p.m. just time for a meal and some quality computer time. Unless you have a Singapore mobile phone number (in which case just log on anywhere in the airport and supply it during the registration procedure and they will sms you the login details which are good for 3 years anywhere in Singapore – hey, nobody is all bad) go to the info desk and ask for log on details (password, ID, server name) which are then good for 6 hours of surfing fun – me, I skyped the best woman in the world.

Just a short footnote to this: In thinking about it I would actually recommend that everyone wishing to get a Social Visa should go this route and forget doing it before your trip from home. At least from the UK out – the visa costs about £60 plus 2 way registered post coming in at around £76. S$175 at the present exchange rate is £78 so for that £2 you don’t have to hassle with employer letters, bank statements and the like. Up to you but if you have the time and are in Singapore anyway…

Yours Markit