Why visit Singapore

If you are lucky your employer suggests you visit Singapore for a Look & See Trip before you take on the offered position. Prepare this trip as best as possible. This is a life changing decision and you, your partner and your family should be fully aware of the consequences. Your employer only knows too well the high cost involved with the transfer to Singapore and trusts your preview visit to Singapore may be able to avoid a failure of this overseas assignment.

Detailed advice on how to prepare your Look&See Trip and what is at stake when you are "going expat" is given in e-relocation Singapore.

See also Business Clothes for what to pack and e-relocation Singapore on the ideal gifts for your business partners or future colleagues.


If this visit is meant to prepare your move, there is a lot to be done to optimize the outcome. Ideally you find a new home on your home search tour with Knight Frank. It all depends on your preparation and how much you already know, when you arrive.

This website is designed to enable you to virtually live in Singapore before you enter the country and we strive to spare you the expat's frequent complaint: " I wish I had known this before".

Well, you can - or in "Singlish "can do lah"... Surf entersingapore.info! We keep you busy surfing on entersingapore.info for 24/7 from everywhere in the world.

Visas are not required for business/travel visits up to 90 days. More info on work permit and employment pass see the section on Immigration.

For more info such as details on Changi Airport see Tourism and Travel



Vaccination before your visit/relocation



When a position in Asia has been offered to you and you have never been in this region before, there will be a number of precautions necessary. In most cases your GP or the company doctor will provide you with vaccinations and medication for your trip. Sometimes immunization may not be completed before your departure and you may need to complete the sessions during your stay in Singapore. See below whom to contact.

If you need to take along medication, get a letter from your GP for importation into Singapore.
Do not forget to pack your vaccination records!

See Importing Goods for details on other items you might want to import.

If you need health consultation regarding the availability and quality of treatment of chronic health problems of yourself or members or your family prior to your relocation to Singapore, you should book an appointment with the International Medical Clinic - see below. See the yellow box for recommended vaccinations.

Immunisation against infectious diseases has been one of the most significant advances in modern times in lowering child mortality. It is most important that children in the process of moving to another country do not fall behind in their routine vaccinations. It is useful to bring your vaccination records with you when you first see a doctor in Singapore. Singapore follows the 'WHO recommended childhood vaccination program'.

Visit the health section for further info on health services in Singapore.
Advertorials

International Medical Clinic Singapore

Highly recommended


May be needed
in certain cases

Hepatitis A & B


Influenza

Poliomyelitis


Meningitis

Rubella


Japanese B encephalitis

Tetanus/Diphtheria


Rabies

Typhoid fever


Yellow fever


Pneumococcal

For more info on health and vaccinations visit the International Medical Clinic
(0065) 6465 4440



House Hunting



We strongly recommend you to visit the Housing Market Section to make yourself familiar with homes available in Singapore. We have selected Knight Frank Singapore as our anchor partner to assist you with house hunting. You should contact them prior to your Look and See trip and book a free house hunting tour tailored to your needs. The service is free of charge and you will be provided with free access to e-relocation Singapore.
View a selection of homes for rent in Singapore

View 2 bedroom apartments

View 3 bedroom apartments

View 4 bedroom apartments

View landed houses 4 - 6 bedrooms

View penthouses
Copmpass@Chancery


GST Refund Scheme



Singapore Sale
Once you spend a minimum of S$ 100 a visitor is entitled to Goods and Services Tax refunds (5% - from 1/7/07 this is 7%)) through Premier Tax Free or Global Refund Singapore. Ask for Tax Free Shopping vouchers for receipts of purchases above S$100 or more. Refund can be claimed in cash at the airport departure hall or credited to Credit Card accounts. Refunds are in Singapore Dollar only and limited to SGC 500 per tourist.

You may collect your refund either at the airport or in the city. Global Refund and Premier Tax Free provide refund vouchers at point of sale terminals with 21 refund options. Produce these receipts and vouchers as well as the purchased goods at the GST refund counters at Changi airport.

Photo: enterAsiaArt
Info: GST Refund Locations

Airport


Departure, Terminal 1 and Terminal 2

Scotts Shopping Center


Information Counter Level 2

Websites: Shopping Areas

Tourism Singapore Go to Discover >What to Do > Shopping

Locations of Refund Counters

Global Refund Singapore
Tourist Refund Scheme



Consumer Association/Consumer Protection


Info

Consumer Association of Singapore (CASE)
Help line: 6 463 1811
Fax: 6 467 9055
http://www.case.org.sg/

Hall of Shame of merchants with unethical sales techniques
http://www.visitsingapore.com

Complain about errant retailers
Tel: 1800 7363366

Retail Promotion Center
Tel: 6450 2114

Small Claims Tribunal
Tel: 6435 5946 and
Tel: 6241 3575

24 Hour Hotline Global Refund
Tel: 6225 6238
Fax: 6225 5773



Outdoor Wireless Surf *186



Wireless Singapore
SingTel offers Business Travelers a prepaid card for wireless access to 170 wireless surf zones in Singapore. Regardless of your service provider you are able to log in for 100 minutes with the user ID and password that comes with the card.

The Card is available at SingPost branches, 7-Eleven outlets and some hello! stores and is valid for 180 days from the first log-in.

Access costs 36.4 cents per minute plus the surcharges imposed by the visitors' home operator. Get started by roaming the SingTel mobile network and dialing *186 on your mobile phone to request for User ID and password once you have bought the card. See the web sites below for detailed information.

At Changi airport there are more than 200 computers for free Internet surfing in the departure lounges of Terminals 1 and 2 and most gate hold rooms. There are many "hot spots" where you can use your wireless enabled laptops or personal digital assistants. In the arrival and departure hall Star Hub provides wireless access which must be paid at SGD 6 per half an hour.
Websites

Outdoor Wireless Surf *186 > Outdoor Wireless Surf

Outdoor Wireless Surf *186 _ Visitors

SingPost branch locator

7-eleven store locator

hello! stores

Info

Burger King, Starbucks Coffee, Gelare Café, Orchid Country Club, CDAN Country Club, SPANs Country Club, Seletar Country Club, Jurong Country Club and Serangoon Gardens Country Club, McDonald at Funan the IT Mall

Changi Airport

Dial up and Ethernet
LAN points for laptops for free


Terminal 1: Transit Lounge West
Terminal 2 Transit Lounge North

Internet corners (free)


Terminal 1: near Transfer C, Transit lounge West, transit lounge East
Terminal 2: Transit Lounge North-East, near Transfer E and F, Transit Lounge Central

Infra Red (IR)


Transit lounge North

Websites: Hot Spot Locations

SingTel Outdoor Wireless (print list)

Starhub Wireless Broadband (location search)

JiWire (search Singapore)



Business Hours


Info

Office hours:


9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday to Friday, and to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday

Shopping hours:


from 10:00 A.M. to 6:00 pm and later Monday to Sunday with the exception of Chinese New Year

Banking hours:


9:30 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. weekdays, and from 9:30 A.M. to 11:30 A.M. on Saturdays 1:00 P.M, Sunday (some Banks on Orchard Road> 9:30 am to 3:00 p.m

Doctors:


Many private doctors also practice on Saturdays and some on Sunday morning.