General Information for Visitors to Singapore
From its humble beginnings as a trading post to the bustling metropolis it is today, the dynamic city of Singapore, located at the tip of the Malay Peninsula, Malaysia and Indonesia. The main island is about 42 km from west to east and 23 km from north to south.
- Visa and Entry Requirement
- Climate
- Culture
- Language
- Time
- Electricity
- Drinking Water
- Money
- Banking
- Money Changers
- Telephone Country Code
- Mobile & Public Phones
- Smoking
- Tipping
- Touting and Soliciting
- Airport Tax
- Goods and Services Tax (GST)
- Medical Facilities
- Transportation
For further information about Singapore can be found at: http://www.visitsingapore.com
All visitors to Singapore must meet the following entry requirements:
- Valid travel document (minimum validity = 6 months);
- Onward / return ticket;
- Entry facilities to next destination;
- Sufficient funds to stay in Singapore and
- Visa for Singapore (if applicable)
Foreigners holding travel documents issued by the following countries will require wither a Business or Social Visit visa to enter Singapore:
Assessment Level I Countries
Commonwealth of Independent States (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan), India, Myanmar, People's Republic of China and holders of Hong Kong Document of Identity and Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) Travel Permit.
Assessment Level II Countries
Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Yemen, and holders of Palestinian Authority Passport, Temporary Passport issued by the United Arab Emirates and Refugee Travel Document issued by Middle-East countries.
The climate in Singapore is generally warm and humid with no distinct seasons. The daily average temperature ranges between 24°C (75°F) to 31°C (87°F). November and December are generally the rainy seasons.
Singapore is a multicultural society with a blend of Malay, Chinese, Arab, Indian and English cultures. Citizens live in harmony with each other and see themselves first as Singaporeans regardless of their ethnicity or religion.
Most Singaporeans speak at least one of the four official languages of Singapore – English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil. In schools, children are taught in English but they also learn another language - Mandarin, Malay or Tamil. Singaporeans have a unique version of English commonly known as Singlish which is a mixture of English with other Malay and Hokkien words. Phrases sometimes end off with terms like ‘lah’, ‘leh’ and ‘ah’.
Singapore time is 8 hours (+8 GMT) ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.
Singapore voltage is 220-240 volts AC, 50 cycles per second using 3 square pin plugs (similar to the UK). On request, most hotels will provide transformers to visitors with electrical appliances of a different voltage.
It is perfectly safe to drink water straight from the tap in Singapore.
The local currency is Singapore dollars and cents. Foreign currency can easily be exchanged at the airport, hotels, banks or licensed money changers. Other than Singapore dollars, the UK and Australian dollar, Yen and Euro are accepted in major shopping centres and departmental stores. All major credit cards are accepted and can be used without paying a surcharge.
Banking hours are from Mondays to Fridays: 1000 hrs to 1500 hrs. Saturdays: 0930 hrs to 1300 hrs. Most banks can process travellers' cheques and change foreign currencies. However, some banks do not have foreign exchange dealings on Saturdays. Passports are required when cashing in travellers' cheques and a nominal commission may be charged.
Apart from banks and hotels, money can be changed wherever the sign "Licensed Money Changer" is displayed. Most shopping complexes have a licensed money changer. Visitors are discouraged from changing money with unlicensed money changers.
The country code of Singapore is +65
There are two mobile phone networks - GSM900 and GSM1800 - and three mobile telephone service providers - SingTel, M1 and StarHub.
To make international calls, the access codes are 001, 013, or 019 for SingTel, 002 or 021 for M1, and 008 or 018 for StarHub.
Smoking is not permitted in air-conditioned eating places, public service vehicles, museums, libraries, lifts, theatres, cinemas, supermarkets, department stores and government offices. Offenders can be fined up to SGD 1,000.
Tipping is not a practice in Singapore. Almost all hotels and restaurants in Singapore already levy a 10% service charge on customers' bills.
Shopping in Singapore is a hassle-free experience. However, there are the occasional touts and solicitors who may approach visitors to buy products or services on the streets. If you are not interested, ignore the touts or tell them firmly you are not interested and then walk away.
There is a passenger service charge of SGD 21 during check-in at the Singapore Changi Airport. This is usually absorbed by your airline. Passengers who are in transit for less than 24 hours may leave the airport without having to pay the service charge upon departure from Singapore.
A GST of 7% is levied on all purchases in Singapore. As a visitor, you can claim the GST that you paid on your purchases when you take them home. The GST refund form must be validated by Customs at the Singapore Changi Airport before departure by air travel and is not applicable for land and cruise departures.
Singapore's medical facilities are among the finest in the world. Pharmacies are readily available at supermarkets, department stores, hotels and shopping centres. Registered pharmacists generally work from 0900 hrs to 1800 hrs.
Most hotels have their own doctor on-call around the clock. Other doctors are listed under Medical Practitioners in the Yellow Pages of the Singapore Phone Book.
Travelling around Singapore is a cinch! An efficient network of taxis, buses and the modern Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) rail system ensures that your ride is hassle-free and extremely affordable. To get you around, pick up a copy of the MRT guide from the Station Control Rooms in all MRT stations. For more information on both the MRT and bus services, you can refer to the Transit Link Guide which is available for purchase in most MRT stations and bus interchanges as well as at major bookstores.