Transit thru Changi

[elanshin]

Australians don't need a visa to enter Singapore...

I think they meant Entry Requirement and accidentally wrote Entry visa.

If you read up Singapore's entry requirement, it is written that you either need a return ticket or an onwards ticket.

ICA | Entering Singapore

Visitors seeking entry into Singapore must satisfy all health and immigration requirements before you can be considered for entry.

www.ica.gov.sg

Short-Term travellers should have sufficient cash and proof of onward travel (tickets, visas), and ensure that you do not stay beyond your visit pass validity. You may retrieve your e-Pass after arrival using the e-Pass Enquiry Portal or check your visit pass validity using the visit pass validity tool.

And before you argue that you can be airside, you are NOT a valid transit passenger without an onwards ticket already booked. In technicality you are loitering on airside if you don't have a valid ticket. It's a question of if or when airport security check in with you about it if you stay there for 24h+.

 

[ozstamps]

Thinking more about it -- is there a 'length of time cap' for visiting the Silver Kris lounge there? They have those 2 rooms of sleeping recliners there at back. If we arrive at 9pm on SQ with carry on only, and go to lounge to say we are going to doze ahead of our 9am SQ Biz class flight to Brunei, that should be perfectly allowable I guess? And a guest is allowed in with a Biz passenger I think - or do they need to be flying SQ? (We are both also Star Alliance Gold members.)

 

[Cynicor]

Australians don't need a visa to enter Singapore...

Ah yes, pedantry…

 

[elanshin]

Thinking more about it -- is there a 'length of time cap' for visiting the Silver Kris lounge there? They have those 2 rooms of sleeping recliners there at back. If we arrive at 9pm on SQ with carry on only, and go to lounge to say we are going to doze ahead of our 9am SQ Biz class flight to Brunei, that should be perfectly allowable I guess? And a guest is allowed in with a Biz passenger I think - or do they need to be flying SQ? (We are both also Star Alliance Gold members.)

In regards to your local friend, I don't think they can go airside without a valid boarding pass.

In terms of stuff to do, Jewel should still be open. From memory it closes around 10pm.

Dine - Jewel Changi Airport

www.jewelchangiairport.com

If not, ask to meet somewhere in the city. There are lots and lots of late night eateries and bars. I was having midnight hotpot in Bugis 2 months ago.

 

[dajop]

And a guest is allowed in with a Biz passenger I think - or do they need to be flying SQ? (We are both also Star Alliance Gold members.)

No guests allowed for Business class passengers. who don't hold status, but otherwise:

Solitaire PPS Club, PPS Club, KrisFlyer Elite Gold and Star Alliance Gold members can invite a guest departing on the same flight.

Detailed link here:
https://www.singaporeair.com/saar5/...s-Lounge-and-KrisFlyer-Gold-Lounge-Access.pdf

Also note this clause from Star Alliance:

You are entitled to bring one guest travelling on any Star Alliance flight departing from the same airport on the same day. As of May 3, 2021, the guest must be traveling on the same flight.

 

[ozstamps]

Great info thanks.

OK, him getting air side will be a hassle anyway.

Had already booked that capsule Hotel at over $A300 which I assumed was air side and now find it is not!

Seems like it is at 'JEWEL' which near T1, but apparently all dining options closes there at 10pm, and we arrive 9ish assuming plane on time.

That food area upstairs as you exist customs in T3 seems a better bet to meet - anyone know if that parties on later than 10pm ish?

 

[dajop]

OK, him getting air side will be a hassle anyway.

Not only a hassle but liable to arrest unless actually taking a flight. .gov.sg has arrested people for going airside with no intention to travel.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/singapore-airport-ticket-arrest/index.html

 

[JohnK]

We fly Biz to Brunei next morning early with SQ mainline. No idea if we can talk our way into the very nice Silver Kris lounge for a drink and snack - I suspect it will be 'NEIN' for arrivals, but maybe with next morning flight proof they'll be OK with it in evening? Anyone ever tried?

I answered your question in other thread. As a Virgin Gold I had 16 hour transit with lunchtime flight the next day and had no issues accessing T3 SilverKris Lounge all night.

I think you should be ok with business class tickets and if worse comes to worse go to lounge at 12:01am and technically it's same day as your flight.

 

[elanshin]

Great info thanks.

OK, him getting air side will be a hassle anyway.

Had already booked that capsule Hotel at over $A300 which I assumed was air side and now find it is not!

Seems like it is at 'JEWEL' which near T1, but apparently all dining options closes there at 10pm, and we arrive 9ish assuming plane on time.

That food area upstairs as you exist customs in T3 seems a better bet to meet - anyone know if that parties on later than 10pm ish?

Jewel is a giant shopping complex mall that is right in front of you that is connected to T1.

If you're not too tired, a 15-20min taxi/grab to downtown somewhere like Bugis is another choice. Was 30SGD from memory. Lots of late night eateries in town. In fact, Ive seen hawkers that only open at night.

 

[super5]

And before you argue that you can be airside, you are NOT a valid transit passenger without an onwards ticket already booked. In technicality you are loitering on airside if you don't have a valid ticket. It's a question of if or when airport security check in with you about it if you stay there for 24h+.

I've been told that you only come across airport security airside when you try to board a plane at the gate, assuming you don't do something stupid airside. Security is not going to walk up to a random person airside and ask to see a valid onward ticket. Besides, even if that was to happen, what are they going to do, put someone in jail for not having an onward ticket? Doubt it.

 

[elanshin]

I've been told that you only come across airport security airside when you try to board a plane at the gate, assuming you don't do something stupid airside. Security is not going to walk up to a random person airside and ask to see a valid onward ticket. Besides, even if that was to happen, what are they going to do, put someone in jail for not having an onward ticket? Doubt it.

You clearly haven't watched any airport security shows have you? They do notice people staying airside for a long time and they will check what's going on. That is after all their job.

And no, you likely won't get jailed, just deported and permanently on your record as having been deported. (Aka hard to visit again). Then again I don't play around with SG law or police so I don't know how hard they push.

 

[super5]

You clearly haven't watched any airport security shows have you? They do notice people staying airside for a long time and they will check what's going on. That is after all their job.

And no, you likely won't get jailed, just deported and permanently on your record as having been deported. (Aka hard to visit again).

That may happen if someone has something shady to gain by staying airside without an onward ticket. But if one has nothing to gain by doing that, and is chilling waiting for a good price to appear on an onward ticket, within the allowed 96 hours for transit, how can that lead to deportation?

 

[elanshin]

That may happen if someone has something shady to gain by staying airside without an onward ticket. But if one has nothing to gain by doing that, and is chilling waiting for a good price to appear on an onward ticket, within the allowed 96 hours for transit, how can that lead to deportation?

From an airport security PoV, you are shady just being airside for a long time. Even if you have legitimate reasons they may check up on that.

Also I'm still confused at how you're not understanding that you're violating Singaporean Immigration law (and thus deportation risk).
You can't be defined as a transit passenger without an onwards ticket. Thus you are not transiting and the transit rules don't apply.

But hey if you want to risk explaining that to immigration police, that's on you.

 

[dajop]

I've been told that you only come across airport security airside when you try to board a plane at the gate, assuming you don't do something stupid airside. Security is not going to walk up to a random person airside and ask to see a valid onward ticket. Besides, even if that was to happen, what are they going to do, put someone in jail for not having an onward ticket? Doubt it.

You are right for the first 24 hours or so. If they see people on security cams (or in person) loitering for much longer than that they may investigate further.

 

[super5]

From an airport security PoV, you are shady just being airside for a long time. Even if you have legitimate reasons they may check up on that.

Also I'm still confused at how you're not understanding that you're violating Singaporean Immigration law (and thus deportation risk).
You can't be defined as a transit passenger without an onwards ticket. Thus you are not transiting and the transit rules don't apply.

But hey if you want to risk explaining that to immigration police, that's on you.

Can you show me where the law says having an onward ticket is required to be a transit passenger? Because from what I can see, an intention to travel to another country is enough to be a transit passenger.

 

[elanshin]

Can you show me where the law says having an onward ticket is required to be a transit passenger? Because from what I can see, an intention to travel to another country is enough to be a transit passenger.

Good luck explaining that one to an officer.

You play stupid games with immigration officers you'll win very stupid prizes. And in this case you're risking deportation and a permanent mark against you in Singapore.

 

[dajop]

Two more comments:

1) You do you, but
2) Don't mess with the Singapore government. It ain't a western democracy.

 

[super5]

Two more comments:

1) You do you, but
2) Don't mess with the Singapore government. It ain't a western democracy.

So why do people want to go through Singapore when they treat foreigners like cough?
Unfortunately just about every flight out of Australia goes through Singapore, which makes it hard to avoid when travelling.

 

[elanshin]

So why do people want to go through Singapore when they treat foreigners like cough?

They don't? They are very happy with foreigners coming in and following their rules. It's a corporate tax haven right now. Key part though - follow their laws.

There's a reason why people often google if Singapore is a dictatorship even though it's officially a democracy. It's closer to authoritarian democracy, but in a good way.

Unfortunately just about every flight out of Australia goes through Singapore, which makes it hard to avoid when travelling.

Hence why it's puzzling you're considering a risk that puts Singapore as a no go in the future.

 

[antycbr]

So why do people want to go through Singapore when they treat foreigners like cough?
Unfortunately just about every flight out of Australia goes through Singapore, which makes it hard to avoid when travelling.

Other than those which go to the US - ESTA required for all transits as they don’t have transit at all.

Or Hong Kong which requires an onward ticket to transit:

Visit/Transit | Immigration Department

Visit/Transit

www.immd.gov.hk

Or or any number of other countries where proof of onward travel is required, and TIMATIC will tell the check in agent to ask for proof of onward travel.

Carriers are fined by destination countries for uplifting passengers that don’t meet immigration requirements and must also fly them back to port of origin.