Singapore Break: October 9 – ?

I would like to stay in HK awhile longer, but just learned that a work visa would take longer than time I have left on my 90-day tourist visa.

Tina‘s in charge of securing work visas, and apparently no one’s told her to apply for mine yet. She said work visas take 6 weeks; my 90-day visa expires in 5. Regardless of what happens HK job-wise, it’s looking like I need to be on a plane outta here before October 11.

Overstaying a Hong Kong visa’s a pretty big deal: $6,400 ($50,000HK) and up to two years in prison. It’s like, “You overstay your time?! We’re gonna house you and feed you for two more years!” Just Google “Hong Kong visa overstay” for some entertaining reading.

So I’m going to Singapore! The one-way ticket for October 9th was just $102 and I can stay there up to 30 days on a tourist visa. I can re-enter HK after October 11 and get another 90-day stamp. Apparently this game of Tourist Visa Hot Potato isn’t that uncommon. Ian lived in Bali (Indonesia) for 6 years but left every 90 days to get fresh-stamped.

Plan A: secure a job in HK. Plan B: secure a job in Singapore. Plan C: Go to Thailand and take a beachy break from all this job-securing business! I imagine my sister will support me for a little while. (Right, Evelyn? …hello?)

Where I’ll be staying and for how long is yet to be figured out. I pretty much bought the plane ticket first / work the rest out later. (I didn’t trust the price to stay this low for much longer.)

So where is Singapore exactly?