Immigrate to Singapore from UK

Updated on Tuesday 08th February 2022

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The immigration procedures you must follow if you want to immigrate to Singapore from UK are always influenced by the duration of the stay. This is the most important variable in determining what you must do as a British citizen who wants to travel to Singapore.

Another important matter that can influence the relocating procedure is the legal status of the person who will travel to Singapore – that is, if the person is a British national or a permanent resident (there is a distinction between the two categories, even though permanent residents benefit from almost the same rights as British citizens).

This is given by the fact that permanent residents are not holders of British passports, but holders of passports issued by their country of residence. In this respect, this can influence the visa procedures and immigration formalities required by the Singaporean authorities. A presentation concerning this matter can be offered by our team of lawyers in Singapore.

When is a visa required for British nationals?

The rules to relocate to Singapore are mainly influenced by the duration of the stay and the nationality of the applicant. While in some cases, foreign nationals are required to apply for a visa regardless of the duration of the stay or the purpose of stay, in other cases, visa exemptions can be granted. However, the latter can be true for short-term stays.

In some situations, regardless of the nationality, foreigners will be required to apply for a visa, and this can be the case of those who will immigrate to Singapore from UK. For British nationals, a visa exemption is applicable for short-term stays, which refers to visits in Singapore of maximum 90 days. A visa exemption is also granted to those who want to immigrate to Singapore from US.

This visa exemption is applied to British nationals for a wide category of reasons for which they can travel to this country, such as for business purposes and traveling. You can refer to our team of lawyers in Singapore in the case in which you are interested in finding out when the visa exemption can apply and if it is applied to your particular reason for arrival.

What are the characteristics of the expat community in Singapore?

Numerous persons who immigrate to Singapore from UK arrive here for employment purposes, just like in the case of other foreigners who choose this country for relocation. Persons who live for a limited period of time in a foreign country are known as being part of the expat community, which, in Singapore, is comprised of multiple nationalities. In the list below, you can discover few highlights of the local expat community:

in June 2020, the expat community in Singapore was comprised of 1,64 million persons;
this represents a major number, accounting for almost 29% of the country’s entire population;
out of this, the British population accounts for 50,000 persons (persons who chose to relocate to Singapore on a longer period of time);
for those arriving here from the UK for touristic purposes, it is important to know that the average spend per person per visit was of GPB 1,281 in 2019;
the highest spending was registered in 2014, when British citizens spent GBP 1,592.

What are the main criteria one should respect when arriving in Singapore?

Those who move to Singapore have to respect a minimum set of requirements upon the entry on the Singaporean territory, regardless if they arrive here under a visa or if they benefit from a visa exemption. All foreigners must comply with basic immigration conditions, such as having a valid passport, which must be valid for a period of minimum 6 months since the entrance in the country, according to the rules applied by the Immigration&Checkpoints Authority.

Then, it is required to have sufficient financial funds that will cover the costs of living in Singapore for the entire duration of the visit. This is necessary for almost all categories of foreigners, with the exception of those who immigrate to Singapore from UK on an employment visa.

In the case in which Singapore is just a transit destination, the local authorities will need to observe immigration papers that show the person will be able to leave the country to follow the next destination. Here, one can present a visa that was issued by the authorities of the next country.

Our law firm in Singapore can help foreigners in presenting the visa options applicable here. Those who will immigrate to Singapore from UK for employment purposes can address to our team for advice on the visa application procedure, as well as on other employment rules that have to be followed. Our lawyers in Singapore can also help in obtaining a residence permit. This is necessary for those who relocate to Singapore of a long-term basis.