Moving to Singapore 🇸🇬

As you probably know it, when you travel from a country to an other with your personal belongings, it is mandatory to go through customs and thus clear your goods. Of course, Siam Relocation is used to working with customs and can offer you to deal with the custom clearance of your goods.

1.1 Customs process

The first thing to know regarding the Singapore customs process is that you may have to pay for two different taxes. The first one is the duty, payable only for dutiable goods. In Singapore, dutiable goods belong to four categories:

• Intoxicating liquors, including spirits, wine, beer, ale, stout and porter
  • Beverages and liquors consumed for health reasons and used for cooking are dutiable if the alcoholic strength by volume exceeds 0.5% (eg shandy, bottled alcoholic cocktail drinks, D.O.M., Yomeishu, shampoo and rice wine)
• Tobacco products, including cigarettes and cigars
• Motor vehicles, including motorized bicycles
• Motor Spirits and Diesel products, including gasoline, petrol, motor fuel and automotive diesel fuel

*The second is the Goods and Services Tax (GST). It applies to all goods imported into Singapore. They all are subject to a 7 percent GST.

You may also pay both for some goods you import for local consumption (tobacco for instance). The custom process in Singapore is well defined.

There are two ways to declare your goods when entering Singapore’s territory. They are called the Red and the Green Channels. You will find these systems in any major entry checkpoints in Singapore.

The Red Channel. You should proceed to the Red Channel if you are carrying dutiable goods exceeding your duty-free concession, goods exceeding your GST relief (cf. 1.2), controlled, restricted or prohibited goods.
You will find the Red Channel easily, unless you enter Singapore by car. If you do, you must declare all dutiable, taxable, controlled or prohibited goods to the checking officer at the Customs Examination Area before immigration clearance.

Once at the Red Channel, you will only need to inform the officer of your declarable goods, produce them and produce the relevant permission if you have one.

How do I know if I need a permit?

You need a permit for clearance if you are carrying :

• More than 0.4 kilogrammes of cigarettes or other tobacco products;
• More than 10 litres of liquor products;
• More than 10 litres of petroleum;
• More than 0.5 kilogrammes of investment precious metals for personal use;
• Goods for trade or commercial use the GST on which exceeds S$300; or
• Goods clearly marked as trade samples (excluding liquor and tobacco products) the value of which exceeds S$400

The Green Channel is to choose when you have nothing to declare. Then the Immigration and Checkpoint Authority officers will briefly take care of you and your goods.

1.2 Taxes exemption

Good and Services Tax reduction may be given on importation of used furniture’s merchandises and individual objects for:

• Citizens of Singapore and Singapore’s permanent residents living abroad and come back to live in Singapore
• Foreigners who transfer their residence or who come to Singapore to immigrate

The Good and Services Tax Reduction is submitted the following.

That this person convinces the customs officer that:

• He changes the place where he lives in Singapore;
• He is the proprietor of the imported items, individual objects, and domestic animals;
• Items and individual objects belong to him and exploited over the last three months and
• Items and individual objects are transported by maritime or air transport.
• Items, individual objects, and domestic animals are transported within six months of arrival in the country
• An agreement is made not to prompt items and individual objects within three months from the date of importation.

Travelers can benefit from a GST relief on goods destined for their personal use. But the amount of relief depends on the time the traveler spent out of Singapore.

*Please note that merchandises don’t qualify for Goods and Services Tax reduction

The importation of intoxicating liquor, tobacco items, motor vehicles, personal plane, vessels, yachts and commercial merchandises by all people, independently of their residency status, will result in the Good and Services Tax and duty (if any).

A Customs-In-Payment (Duty and Goods Service Tax) license is needed for importing merchandises that can be taxed, but an In-Payment (Goods and Service Tax) licence is needed for importing merchandises that cannot be taxed.

1.3 Vehicle importation

First, used cars can’t be imported to Singapore if they are more than three years old (from the date of its first registration in a foreign country). The only exception is for classic cars (cars at least 35 years old from their registration date). You can’t import a left-hand drive vehicle either.

*Second, import duties on vehicles are a bit high: 20% of Open Market Value for cars and 12% for Motorcycle and Scooter.

Finally, the administrative procedures to import a vehicle are really complex and long. Your vehicle would go through mechanical inspection at the Land Transport Authority in order to see if it complies with the 52 (or even more) standards requirements. These requirements concern emissions, special brakes, no hydrocarbon refrigerants in air-conditioning systems, minimum of 70 percent light transmittance for safety glasses, …

And this mechanical inspection only is one of the 10 big steps for importing a car in Singapore. Most expats make the choice not to take their car with them.

1.4 What duties and taxes will I pay for my personal effects?

Sample of a declaration for personal effect importation

Customs process

Drug Contreband

Explosives

Biohazard

Chemicals

Corrosive

Counterfeit

Ivory

Batteries

Flammable

Firearms

Drugs

Counterfeit notes

Poison

Pornography

Knife

Tobacco

Gambling

Hazardous

Sea freight rates

Sea freight rates are very variable, depending on many factors. For instance, according to whether you ship a big volume or a small one, you will not choose the same container type.

We advise to choose a FCL (Full Container Load) if you ship more than 15 cubic meters and a LCL (Less than Container Load) if you ship less than 15 cubic meters. Of course, our experts will help you to choose the best solution in order to fit your needs.

*According to your needs, we can provide you with a packaging and/or loading service which also has consequences on the total price. 

Why choose us?

SIAM Relocation provides dedicated services to best respond to your specific needs and has been doing so since many years. Our moving consultants are experts and want the best solution for you.

Let’s see together how air freight are calculated. The most important aspect that you have to understand is the difference between actual weight and volumetric weight. Once you get it, you can understand your air freight quotations.

*If the volumetric weight is higher than the actual weight of your box, the carrier will quote based on this weight. You can use online chargeable weight calculators to make it easier, now that you understand how it works.

SIAM Relocation has been dealing with relocations for a long time and always with the same perspective: the client comes first. That is why, through years of operations and observations, we decided to create specific offers in order to better fit your needs.

3.1 Moving insurance

When you are transporting goods on international areas, there is always a risk of delay, damage, loss or theft during transit. Consequently, we advise you to make an arrangement before the problem happens. It is called an insurance (“cargo insurance”, “freight insurance”, “maritime insurance”). SIAM Relocation has a strong international network that will provide you the best protection possible.

Insurance generally cover damages caused by bad weather, inadequate storage of shipping company or fumigation services. Obviously, it will vary according to the insurance you subscribe to. Some cover piracy, others don’t.

To subscribe to insurance, you can go through a specialist insurance broker, a general insurance company, your bank or us, SIAM Relocation.

*Our consultants are here to make sure you choose the service you need. feel free to contact him!

3.2 Moving with your pet to Singapore

All animals must be inspected by Thailand’s government vet before leaving the country. For this reason, exactly three days before your departure, you must go to the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport Custom and Animal Quarantine Office. Your animal has to be up to date about its vaccinations. During this inspection, you will need several documents:

• A rabies certificate, with all the contact details in English of the vet who made it. The pet must also have undergone a blood serology test to check for rabies antibody levels at least 30 days afterthe rabies vaccination. The test result must be at least 0.5 IU/mL.
• A copy of your valid passport
• Your flight details
• Your pet’s micro-chip number if your animal has one

*Then, once at the office, you will have to fill in an export request form.

*That was what you have to do regarding Thailand. But Singapore also has its requisites.

The following dog breeds are not allowed in Singapore :

Pit Bull, including American Pit Bull Terrier (also known as American Pit Bull and Pit Bull Terrier), American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Bulldog, crosses between them and other breeds. Akita, Boerboe, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Neapolitan Mastiff, Tosa, Perro De Presa Canario, crosses of any of these breeds.

As for cats, forbidden breeds are 1st to 4th generation Bengal or Savannah cat crosses.

You should also check that your pet is allowed at your intended residence at Singapore, referring to the Housing Development Board rules.

3.3 Packing service

The most common packing materials are packing boxes. They can be of different size and very resistant if your cardboard is of good quality. Pack smartly if you are on a tight budget. Prefer the good boxes for important and sturdy items.

Bubble wrap will be very useful to take care of delicate items like glass or any item that you wan to treat with care and avoid all damages.

Wooden boxes are often used for packaging when a large packing sized is required, when a high strength is needed for heavy loads. They can be used for a longer time than cardboard boxes and can stay long in a warehouse, resisting the humidity for example.

3.4 Warehousing service

A warehousing service can be useful to you if you have an emergency, a setback or whatever could disturb your relocation. For instance, if you have to quit Thailand a few days before your goods are shipped to Singapore, you can stock them in our warehouse.

3.5 Office moves

Please take note that we also have a service specialized in commercial moving for companies, associations and government agencies. We have proven experience in those logistics needs as our team is diversified into several department: packing team, customs broker, operations team, warehousing team.

In order to adapt our offer to the customer, to his needs but also to his budget, we created three moving packages : from the simple package to the complete package.

5.1 Visa & Business

We know how Singapore immigration restriction policies can be strict, and so about the visa system.

Visa

For short term residence, you have different options, depending on your status. For instance, if you are involved in a student exchange, you can become a Student Pass holder. Holiday passes are delivered for short term visits, as well as Social or Business visas.

For long term residence, you may need to become a Permanent Resident of Singapore. As a foreigner, you may be eligible to apply for permanent residence if you are a/an:

• Spouse of a Singapore citizen (SC)
• Singapore permanent resident (PR)
• Unmarried child aged below 21 born within the context of a legal marriage to, or have been legally adopted by, an SC or PR
• Aged parent of a SC
• Holder of an Employment Pass or S Pass
• Student studying in Singapore
• Foreign investors in Singapore.

To know the exact procedures to follow to obtain the status, you must of course refer to the ICA website.

Yet, the Permanent Residence application process can take up to 6 months so, while waiting for the process to be completed, you should be prepared either to renew your tourist visa (which lasts 90 days) or to apply for a Long Term Visit Pass.

Business

For a foreigner, it can be very interesting to work in the financial or oil sector in Singapore. Indeed, Singapore is a huge financial centre and also the third-largest oil refining and trading centre.

Finance and banking industries are the two sectors where opportunities are the most important. Electronics, shipping and information technology industries are also potential sectors. However, the trend is good despite the global economic issues.

Starting a business in Singapore can be as profitable as difficult. The economy is flourishing but in order to live decently, you need a good income that you may not be able to perceive from your start-up at the beginning. More, Singapore laws are quite strict and can act as chains for some business developers.

5.2 Living in Singapore

Overview

Many people consider that life in Singapore is like a dream because the city is supposed to be perfect where life can be at its best. As an Asian city, Singapore is a clean and efficient city which charm comes mostly from the period of the British colonization. People can live in a well-developed and cutting-edge environment. Thanks to its position in Asia, the country has been developed into a very important finance and trade centre in Asia. Considering GDP per habitant, Singapore in nowadays the fifth wealthiest country. Moreover, in terms of foreign exchange trading centre, Singapore has the fourth largest in the world.

5.3 Local contacts