Moving to Singapore: How to Prepare

Tell Your Bank that You’re Moving to Singapore

Sounds like an obvious thing to do, but because of the headaches this can cause if you don’t do it the writer decided that it was worth mentioning. Simply call your bank and they’ll usually ask where you will be in the next six months and note it. Quite often you’ll need to top this up every six months. The writer of this article forgot to do this before moving to Singapore and had to wait six hours for the bank at home to open before he could have his card unblocked and finally buy dinner!

See how to open an account in Singapore here.

Arrange Accommodation before Moving to Singapore

Be it long term rental or short term accommodation, you are best having some sort of an arrangement before you arrive in Singapore. It is possible to arrange a short-term apartment prior to moving to Singapore, which is cheaper than staying in most hotels. Visit our guide for more.

Shipping

Go through a number of quotes if possible, before deciding on a moving company. If possible, the shipping company you decide on

By preparing in advance, one can make moving to Singapore much easier.

should have a partner in your home country, and DEFINITELY should have an office in Singapore. It is a good idea to ask your employer, or another reliable source for advice on which moving company to take. Moving to Singapore will be so much easier if you get a decent mover.

Getting this part right can save months of phonecalls and complaints that come with a rogue mover. Having said that- be prepared to pay the premium for a reliable mover- it’s worth it. To ensure reliability, look for accreditation like licenses, affiliations and recommendations. Also, make sure that the mover/shipper does not subcontract parts of the move as this creates real problems if something is mislaid. Finding the one responsible in this situation can be tiresome.

Health Check

Before moving to Singapore, getting a full health check is a good precaution as it will be one less thing to worry about once you arrive. Having final treatments and checks done by doctors and dentists that you know and trust will save time and give you peace of mind- one less thing to worry about. Having said that, healthcare in Singapore is among the best in the world.

Insurance

Making sure that you are fully covered before moving to Singapore is very important. Make sure that you’re either covered by your employer, or make sure that you arrange to be fully  covered. Getting emergency treatment in Singapore would be expensive.

Have Important Mail Forwarded

Again, this is quite obvious but will save time later, after moving. Any important mail should be forwarded to someone that you trust to open it, or it should be cancelled. Trying to co-ordinate this after moving to Singapore will be tricky.

Make Sure Your Passport is Valid

Singapore and all neighbouring countries require passports to be valid for six months. Always make sure you have at least half a passport of pages left before moving to Singapore- many of the countries in the region gobble up an entire page for the visa.

Finding an International School in Singapore

Make sure that you plan in advance of moving to Singapore as much as you can, as waiting lists are only growing for international schools in Singapore. Visit our guide to International Schools in Singapore here for more.

Moving your Pets to Singapore

Many expats moving to Singapore make the mistake of not organising this efficiently. Observe the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore’s website long in advance of your moving date. Your pet will probably require an import permit and will need to adhere to quarantine requirements.

There are also specific limits on the number of pets that one can keep in given properties so be sure to check for the latest at the aforementioned website. You may also want to weight up whether you send your pet in advance of moving to Singapore or not.

Finally, make sure that you check with your airline as to which pets are accepted. This can vary significantly.