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I am from Yemen and I am studying in Malaysia.

well the iPhone 7 is coming out soon and I am planing to buy it from Singapore, they do have istudio in the airport so I though if i book a round flight with airasia, go get my iPhone from the airport and go back without even getting inside Singapore, I just need the phone that's it .

So can I do that ? .. Won't there be any problems when i come back to Malaysia because I have no entry stamp in Singapore or whatso ever ?

Will Malaysia let me out event tho i don't have Singapore visa ?

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    I'm pretty sure that if you advertized that you were willing to pay the cost of an iPhone and the price of a round trip ticket (i.e. what you were planning on spending on this plan), someone would fly out from Singapore to Malaysia and deliver an iPhone to you. – DJClayworth Sep 15 '16 at 13:15
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    A more fundamental question - is the iStudio inside the immigration zone? Or would you arrive in Singapore just to learn that you needed to transit immigration (which would be denied) in order to reach it? The entire airport is not considered to be a visa-free transit zone, only inside the secured area. – GalacticCowboy Sep 15 '16 at 14:08
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    Its worth taking into account that most of the local telco's websites are not handling demand for iphones well, and there's a possibility you wouldn't be able to find one, even if there was an electronics store in the transit area. – Journeyman Geek Sep 15 '16 at 15:24
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    @chx This is called a back-to-back (well, it is if you depart on the same plane that you arrived on). I am not an expert in Singaporean law but it is not illegal in most places. I've done it just for the air miles when the price was lower than the value of the miles, and when it was significantly cheaper to depart from another country and transit back through my home city. :) However I would never do it without authority to enter the country because of the difficulties in the event of IRROPS. – Calchas Sep 15 '16 at 15:40
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    Keep in mind that the store may not have any in stock when you arrive. – chepner Sep 15 '16 at 17:47
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I think that if you try this, you will be denied boarding at check-in.

There are two reasons for this:

First, airside transit without visa is intended for traveling from one country through the international transit area of a second country en route to a third country. Returning to the country of origin is not intended. Timatic, the system which airlines use to verify passenger documents, notes this.

Transit Without Visa (TWOV): Passing through an international transit area of the airport in order to board a connecting (or to proceed by the same) flight, without entering the country (i.e. clearing immigration).

Unless stated otherwise, passengers wishing to TWOV must: - be en-route to a third country (e.g. itinerary TYO-LON-TYO is not considered TWOV);

(In this case, it is not "stated otherwise" anywhere.)

Second, passengers flying on low cost carriers such as Air Asia cannot transit airside in Singapore. You would be required to clear immigration and check in lansdide for your return flight. Timatic also notes this.

TWOV (Transit Without Visa): - Transit passengers holding 2 separate tickets can check in for the connecting flight in the international transit area, except when arriving/departing on a budget carrier. Budget carriers are: Air Asia (AK), Indonesia AirAsia (QZ), Thai AirAsia (FD), Air India Express (IX), Cebu Pacific Air (5J), Firefly (FY), Jetstar (JQ), Jetstar Asia (3K), Jetstar Pacific (BL), Lion Air (JT), Scoot (TZ), Spring Airlines (9C), Tigerair (TR) and VietJet Air (VJ).

Timatic output for your proposed itinerary

You will need a visa to visit Singapore, which as a resident of Malaysia ought not be too difficult to get on your own. If you have friends who are Singapore citizens or permanent residents, they can also apply for the visa on your behalf.

For returning to Malaysia, you need to ensure that your student pass/visa are still valid, or that you've obtained a re-entry permit.

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    What if he flew to a different airport in Malaysia? For instance KUL - SIN - KCH with Singapore airlines is a valid route, as Singapore is more or less half way between KL and Kuching anyway. I mean it would be very expensive, but it should work as OP wouldn't have to go landside for this. – drat Sep 15 '16 at 7:59
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    @drat As noted in Timatic and on the other answer, it's third country, not third airport. – Michael Hampton Sep 15 '16 at 8:00
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    Then he needs to fly to some intermediate third country, and then back to Malaysia. – dbanet Sep 15 '16 at 12:22
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While the authorities at Singapore might be okay with your plan, the airlines are unlikely to let you board without a Singaporean visa, as outlined in the other answer. However you might still pull it off:

  1. Buy a ticket from your city in Malaysia to a different country via Singapore, e.g. Cambodia which has a visa on arrival available for Yemeni citizens

  2. In addition, buy a ticket from Singapore to Malaysia within 24 hours of the first flight's arrival

  3. On arriving to Singapore, discard the second leg of your first ticket, buy the iPhone and fly back on the second ticket

  4. Both tickets have to be on a non-budget airline, so that you qualify for transit without a visa

Be aware that this would make the journey not worth the price savings, as the first ticket would cost at least a couple hundred dollars. You might also pull it off by having a fake second leg (e.g. a non-paid reservation), but the success of that plan would depend on how through your documents are checked by the airline.

Overall I'd recommend getting a visa and seeing Singapore in the process.

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    OK, now that's an interesting way to do it. Probably the visa would be cheaper, though. – Michael Hampton Sep 15 '16 at 8:02
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    Yes it will cost me only 50$ .. And I'll get to visit Singapore again :) – al-yemen al-saeed Sep 15 '16 at 8:13
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    +1 for seeing Singapore in the process. At least makes the iPhone hunt a more thorough experience. – Jan Sep 15 '16 at 10:03
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    @SimonRichter From comments and answers I've read on this site, I'm pretty sure there's a fine involved for the airline if you get denied entry, in addition to the cost of transporting you back. That's why they'd care. – Anthony Grist Sep 15 '16 at 14:16
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    @SimonRichter The airline isn't going to accept "I promise I'm not going to try to illegally enter Singapore." If they take somebody to Singapore, they are liable if that person is denied entry to Singapore, even if the person promised they wouldn't be denied entry (for whatever reason, including that they wouldn't even try to enter). – David Richerby Sep 16 '16 at 10:41

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