Singapore is one of the most common places to change planes between New Zealand and Nepal, India or Sri Lanka. Whether you need a transit visa depends on your passport, whether you leave the transit area, how long you stay and your onward ticket.
Staying in the transit area
Many travellers can change planes without a visa if they stay in the transit area and hold a confirmed onward ticket. Some nationalities need a transit visa even when they never leave the airport, so check the list for your passport on the official site.
Leaving the airport on a long layover
If you plan to step out of the airport, you are entering the country, so the normal entry rules apply. An arrival card or other forms may be required, and a visa may be needed depending on your passport. Check before you rely on a long layover to see the city.
Two separate tickets
If your flights are on separate bookings, you may have to collect your bags and clear immigration to check in again, which usually means the full entry rules apply even if you only planned to stay airside. Booking the whole journey as one ticket can avoid this. Ask us to price it both ways.
Other stopovers
Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Hong Kong and the Gulf hubs each have their own transit rules, so check every stop on your itinerary, not only the first. Your quote lists each stop and the layover time.
Plan your flights
We can book your flights and tell you where you connect, but we can’t give immigration advice. See flights to Kathmandu, Delhi or Colombo, or request a free quote.
Frequently asked questions
Do New Zealanders need a transit visa for Singapore?
Often not if they stay in the transit area with an onward ticket, but rules depend on the passport and what you do during the layover. Check the official ICA site.
Can I leave Changi Airport during a layover?
Possibly, but you are then entering Singapore, so entry rules apply. Check them for your passport first.
Does a separate ticket change the transit rules?
It can. If you must collect bags and check in again, you usually have to clear immigration, so the full entry rules may apply.
