# Thailand vs Singapore Visa for Indians: Entry Rules Compared > Thailand lets Indians in visa-free for 30 days; Singapore needs a visa through an authorised agent. Fees, processing, arrival cards and transit rules side by side. _Published: 2026-11-08 · Reading time: 5 min · Words: 1140_ ## TL;DR Indian ordinary passport holders can visit Thailand visa-free for up to 30 days, while Singapore requires a visa before travel, filed by an Authorised Visa Agent. Singapore's visa is quick, at 3 to 5 working days, whereas a Thai e-Visa for longer stays takes about 14 working days. Both countries ask for an arrival card, and Singapore's officers decide your length of stay at the checkpoint. ## Key takeaways - Thailand: visa-free for up to 30 days for tourism and short-term business, effective 15 September 2026 until further announcement. - Singapore: visa required; Authorised Visa Agents file it in ICA's e-Visa system for INR 2100 plus Rs. 1300. - Processing: Singapore 3 to 5 working days; a Thai e-Visa about 14 working days from fee payment. - Thailand requires the free Digital Arrival Card 3 days before arrival; Singapore issues an e-Pass to the email in the SG Arrival Card. - Singapore's 96-hour Visa Free Transit Facility needs a visa from Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, the UK or the USA. **Thailand is easier for Indian tourists: ordinary passport holders can enter visa-free for up to 30 days, according to the Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi. Singapore needs a visa before travel, filed through an Authorised Visa Agent for INR 2100 (New Delhi and Mumbai) plus a Rs. 1300 agent fee and processed in 3 to 5 working days.** ## Article Both are short-haul favourites from India, and many itineraries combine them. Their entry rules, though, work in opposite ways. This comparison puts them side by side, as published on the official sources and checked on 15 October 2026. Country detail is in our Thailand visa guide and Singapore visa guide, and every other destination is on the India visa hub. ### Do Indians need a visa for Thailand or Singapore? QuestionThailandSingaporeVisa for a short holiday?No: visa exemption up to 30 days for tourism and short-term businessYes: entry visa before travelVisa on arrival?No: Thai VoA now covers only Azerbaijan, Belarus and SerbiaNoHow you apply (if a visa is needed)e-Visa at thaievisa.go.th, yourself or through VFS, BLS, DU Digital or travel agentsThrough an Authorised Visa Agent, or online by a local contact in SingaporeTourist visa feeINR 3,000 single entry (60 days stay)INR 2100 processing fee + Rs. 1300 agent feeProcessingAbout 14 working days from fee payment (Embassy New Delhi)3 to 5 working daysArrival formalityThailand Digital Arrival Card, 3 days before arrivalSG Arrival Card; e-Pass sent by emailInsuranceNot listed as mandatory on the pages readNot published on mission pagesThe Thai exemption took effect on 15 September 2026 and runs until further announcement. Stays longer than 30 days need a visa. The Embassy's revision notice has the details. ### How do the fees compare when you do need a visa? Thailand. Revised fees apply at the Royal Thai Embassy and all Consulates-General in India from 27 April 2026. A Tourist TR single-entry visa costs INR 3,000 (3 months validity, 60 days stay); the multiple-entry version costs INR 13,500 (6 months validity, 60 days per entry). Transit visas cost INR 2,500. If you file through VFS, add its INR 500 service charge. Thai visa fees are non-refundable in all circumstances, including when an e-Visa application is withdrawn. Singapore. The visa processing fee is INR 2100 per application at New Delhi and Mumbai (Mumbai's rate applies from 1 January 2026). The agent's service fee is Rs. 1300 on the New Delhi list updated as at 1 August 2026, up from Rs. 1000 a month earlier. The Chennai page still shows a fee of 30 Singapore dollars converted to rupees and an INR 1000 agent fee. Mumbai says there is no extra charge for urgent applications. ### Who files the application, and where? Thailand moved fully online on 1 January 2025. You create an account at thaievisa.go.th, upload your passport page, photo and documents, and pay the mission covering where you are located. The Embassy issues Thai visas only to applicants physically present in India throughout the process, and asks for proof of current location such as a house agreement, Aadhaar card or electricity bill. The Kolkata checklist adds a six-month bank statement with a balance equivalent to USD 700 per person or USD 1400 per family. Singapore works through intermediaries. Authorised Visa Agents file applications in ICA's e-Visa system, and the High Commission in New Delhi and Consulates-General in Mumbai and Chennai accept no walk-ins. Your state decides the mission: - Mumbai: Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat and Odisha. - Chennai: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and Telangana. - New Delhi: the northern and eastern states, including Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal. The core Singapore documents are Form 14A, a passport valid at least six months on the date of entry, and recent photos; a Letter of Introduction (Form V39A) from a local contact is required case by case. ### Which is quicker if 30 days in Thailand is not enough? Singapore wins on speed. Its entry visa takes 3 to 5 working days, excluding the date of submission, weekends and public holidays, and missions advise applying about 30 days before arrival. Chennai suggests at least one week ahead off-peak and two to four weeks ahead in the March to May peak. A Thai e-Visa takes approximately 14 working days from the date the Embassy in New Delhi receives the fee payment. The Kolkata Consulate-General gives the same period and asks that the fee be paid within 14 days of submitting a complete application. If your Thai stay will exceed 30 days, apply early enough to clear that 14-working-day window before you fly. ### What happens when you land? - Thailand: every passenger completes the free Thailand Digital Arrival Card, which foreigners must submit 3 days before arrival. Visa holders must print the e-Visa for the airline and immigration; copies on phones are not accepted. - Singapore: ICA officers decide admission and the length of stay at the checkpoint and send a digital visit pass (e-Pass) to the email given in the SG Arrival Card. Carry a valid passport, sufficient funds and a confirmed onward or return ticket; a visa alone does not guarantee entry. ### Which fits your trip? - Beach or city break of up to 30 days: Thailand, with no visa, only the arrival card. - Transit through Changi: the 96-hour Visa Free Transit Facility applies if you hold an onward ticket within 96 hours and a visa or long-term pass from Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, the UK or the USA. - A combined Thailand and Singapore holiday: apply for the Singapore visa through an agent about 30 days before arrival; Thailand needs nothing extra for up to 30 days. - Remote work from Thailand: the Destination Thailand Visa costs INR 30,000 and allows up to 180 days per entry over 5 years. Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, travel itineraries and cover letters for visa files. Packages range from INR 1,000 (flight reservation) to INR 3,000 (reservation, hotel, itinerary and cover letter). Message +91 95230 91018 on WhatsApp or visit our contact page. ### Frequently asked questions #### Can I visit Singapore without a visa if I am going on to Thailand? Only under the 96-hour Visa Free Transit Facility, which needs an onward ticket departing within 96 hours and a visa or long-term pass from Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, the UK or the USA. Otherwise you need a Singapore entry visa. #### Is travel insurance mandatory for Thailand or Singapore? Neither tourist route lists it as a requirement in our dataset. The Thai VFS and Embassy pages read do not list it as mandatory, and Singapore's missions do not publish an insurance rule for visit visas. #### Does a Singapore visa guarantee entry? No. ICA officers decide admission at the checkpoint and may ask for a confirmed onward or return ticket and proof of sufficient funds. #### How can I extend a stay in Singapore? The Mumbai Consulate-General says to apply to ICA for an extension at least 5 working days before your visit pass expires. Visas themselves cannot be amended or extended. ## FAQ ### Can I visit Singapore without a visa if I am going on to Thailand? Only under the 96-hour Visa Free Transit Facility, which needs an onward ticket departing within 96 hours and a visa or long-term pass from Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, the UK or the USA. Otherwise you need a Singapore entry visa. ### Is travel insurance mandatory for Thailand or Singapore? Neither tourist route lists it as a requirement in our dataset. The Thai VFS and Embassy pages read do not list it as mandatory, and Singapore's missions do not publish an insurance rule for visit visas. ### Does a Singapore visa guarantee entry? No. ICA officers decide admission at the checkpoint and may ask for a confirmed onward or return ticket and proof of sufficient funds. ### How can I extend a stay in Singapore? The Mumbai Consulate-General says to apply to ICA for an extension at least 5 working days before your visit pass expires. Visas themselves cannot be amended or extended. ## Sources 1. [Royal Thai Embassy New Delhi – Revision of visa exemption and VoA schemes 2026](https://newdelhi.thaiembassy.org/en/content/the-revision-of-thailand-s-visa-exemption-and-voa?cate=614489aad04d1e09fa498c92) — Royal Thai Embassy, New Delhi 2. [Royal Thai Embassy New Delhi – Visa](https://newdelhi.thaiembassy.org/en/page/visa) — Royal Thai Embassy, New Delhi 3. [High Commission of Singapore in New Delhi – Visa information](https://new-delhi.mfa.gov.sg/consular-services/visa-information/) — Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore 4. [ICA – India visa requirements](https://www.ica.gov.sg/enter-transit-depart/entering-singapore/visa_requirements/visa-detail-page/india) — Immigration & Checkpoints Authority, Singapore