To Download Our Visa Guide: Fill & Download for Free

I visited with Koryo Tours in August 2011.The tour company held a mandatory briefing for tourists prior to our departure which covered safety, logistics and what to expect. There were 18 people in our tour, about half of whom were Americans, including American expats living in China. The rest were Australians, Swiss-Germans and UK citizens.Both Air Koryo and Air China fly to Pyongyang, but Air Koryo is definitely the more interesting flight to take. It is banned from European airspace because of safety concerns, but they kept telling us that Air Koryo has never had a crash. Their fleet consists mostly of older refurbished Soviet aircraft and these planes retain many of their old Soviet quirks, like open overhead storage spaces. (Thank God we didn't encounter turbulence!)I was seated in the rear of the aircraft with several North Koreans returning home from Beijing. They could be identified because they had already put on the Kim Il-Sung pins every North Korean is required to wear in public. After takeoff I pulled out my mini-laptop to backup some photographs I’d taken of Beijing and quickly noticed a lot of eyes gathered around me, watching. Evidently, computer technology is very interesting. About halfway through the flight, revolutionary music started blazing over the loudspeakers. A woman said (in English!) that we had entered the glorious paradise of Kim Il-Sung and about 45 minutes later, we landed in Pyongyang.In 2011 when I visited, cellphones, GPS devices, cameras with GPS, lenses longer than 300mm and radios were banned (though the lens rule wasn't enforced), so once we landed, customs officials went through our luggage with a fine-toothed comb and pulled out prohibited materials. They were kept at the airport and given back when we left. You were allowed to keep computers, tablets and mp3 players, but there was no internet to connect to then.Once we got through customs, our bus and the guides were waiting. They asked us for our passports, which they said were needed to process our visas. We didn’t get them back until we left. On the ride to our hotel (the Yanggakdo Hotel, aka “Tourist Alcatraz” because it is on an island in the middle of the Taedong River that you can't leave without permission), we were introduced to our guides. The thing that struck me on the ride into Pyongyang was how dark it was for a city of 3 million people. Our plane had been delayed so we arrived at dusk and could see a lot of people walking around,presumably going home from work in the dark. The great monuments and buildings are brightly lit, but the rest of the city was very dark.The Yanggakdo Hotel is huge, with lots of shops, restaurants, bars and entertainment venues, staffed by Chinese. The accommodation itself was 3 stars - not luxurious but fine. It’s an immense place. The main lobby had a restaurant, souvenir shop, food store and a bar. Downstairs from the main lobby was a karaoke lounge, another bar, meeting rooms and a recreational area. Despite what some may think, I never got the feeling we were bugged because: 1) It's extremely expensive, as well as time and labour consuming to do so; and 2) They don't really care what foreigners think, unless you're a visiting official.The views of Pyongyang from the hotel were breathtaking, but I had to massively overexpose my photos to get much detail at night because the city was so dark.You can see how long I had to keep the shutter open to get a photo: it was the amount of time it took a car to drive several blocks.Foggy morning on the next day.In Pyongyang, we spent most of our time visiting the landmark buildings and monuments. Pyongyang is much more affluent than the rest of the country and presents itself as a clean, attractive city, though I would imagine very dull to live in, especially if you're a foreign expat. There wasn’t much traffic or many people on the street and there is no advertising. The billboards are all propaganda.We visited the U.S.S. Pueblo which was captured by the North Koreans in 1968 and is docked in the Pot’ong River where it is used for tourist propaganda. The crew of 83 was held until the U.S. signed a statement saying that we were guilty of spying on the North Koreans.After that, we walked to Kim Il Sung Square and visited the Grand People's Study Hall (the DPRK's national library) where we dropped in on an English language course. While the Study Hall is presented as a place open to all Koreans, it was obvious from the look of the patrons that it was a place for the elite.Here, students are working on computers hooked up to the North Korean intranet called “Kwangmyong”. This is walled off from the larger World Wide Web and hosts only ideologically acceptable content.We saw the Arch of Triumph (modeled on the Paris monument, only bigger because everything has to be bigger in North Korea!); took a ride to the top of the Juche Tower; visited the Great Fatherland Liberation War (Korean War) Museum, which presents the Korean War from their side and took a ride on the Pyongyang Subway, the world’s deepest.Below is a wedding party. The Bride and Groom are posing in front of their nearest Kim Il Sung statue for photographs, after their wedding ceremony.One of the oddest museum visits we had was to the Transit Museum.One would think it would be a museum dedicated to transit (subways, trains, boats, etc.), but it’s actually a museum dedicated to all the times Kim Il Sung got on a train and went somewhere, or said something about a train, or pointed at a train.But it was at this museum we were exposed to one thing North Koreans do very, very well - creating dioramas. Part of the display below is painted and part of it is a model, but the line between one and the other is almost impossible to see from where you stood.Below is a diorama from the Great Fatherland Liberation Museum. The gun turret is a model, the men are painted. While it is a bit easier to see where the line is in the photograph, it was impossible to see in person. In their own way, they represented what visiting North Korea itself was like.One of the highlights of the trip was going to the heart of the Kim-cult. The Kumsusan Palace of the Sun is where Kim Il Sung (and now Kim Jong Il) lie in state, under glass. You have to dress up for the occasion. Nice slacks and ties were required for men and a nice dress (no pants!) for women. (The tour company told us to be bring appropriate clothes ahead of time.) No cameras allowed inside.After walking through several long hallways past well-dressed North Koreans (whom I presume got a day off from work to tour the Palace because of good work, or connections), we arrived in a room with marble walls and brass relief pictures showing North Koreans crying and convulsing in pain at the news of Kim Il Sung’s death. The local guides handed us small mp3 players which you held up to your ears that described the day that he died on how his death affected everyone.Then we came to a large statue of Kim Il Sung where we all took turns and bowed. The tour company warned us that this was going to be expected, and told us that those who couldn’t do it had to notify them in advance. All of us took turns bowing and then we moved on to a room that had a display of his accomplishments. Finally we got to the room where he lay. He is under glass, bathed in red lighting with the “Kim Il Sung Song” (North Korea’s unofficial national anthem) playing softly in the background. Here, we had to walk around him and bow once on each side. Despite myself, I was very moved by the whole thing. I had to remind myself that this was a man who ran a whole country like a religious cult and started a war that killed millions.After bowing to Kim, we went to a room where more trinkets and honours were displayed. I always tried to find anything from the U.S. or Canada and I did! Kim Il Sung received a Doctorate from Kensington University in Glendale California for Political Science. (Kensington University was a notorious diploma mill that was shut down by the State of California years ago.)Knowing that our cellphones were going to be confiscated, I had brought an iPod Touch so I had music to listen to while on some of the longer bus rides. Also on it were a couple TV shows downloaded from iTunes. While showing it to my guide I inadvertently played part of a show which showed a couple making out which (strangely enough) embarrassed me. But the guide asked if he could borrow the player for the evening. Reluctantly, I said yes - I didn’t want to get him or me into trouble. When I got it back the next day the battery had been totally drained. He must have watched everything on it.We visited the Martyr's Cemetery; Kim Il Sung's birthplace, the "Three Revolutions" Museums and several bookstores and restaurants (mostly catering to foreigners). We visited a Pyongyang park on their day off, when the locals often picnicked and played music and games. While walking along, a family was playing DPRK pop music on a cassette player, and asked us to dance with them. That felt a bit staged, as until then no one had just come up to us and asked us to participate in anything, so after we’d left the country I got onto YouTube and found numerous examples of this impromptu event from other tourists.Finally we got to the main course, for me at least! I came to North Korea primarily to see the Arirang Mass Games. A year earlier I’d watched a BBC documentary called “A State of Mind” which followed two schoolgirls who performed in the Games and had decided that I wanted to see it in person. The Games are a big propaganda show for the regime. About 100,000 people participate in each performance, including 20,000 school children that use books with coloured pages to form mosaics in the background. It is an hour and a half performance which tells the propagandized story of North Korea and its many accomplishments.Here is a clip I recorded of one from the scenes. This one celebrates Children. The background changes are signaled by a man with a flag behind us:It was spectacular, beyond anything I expected.We went rollercoaster riding at the Mangyongde Fun Fair, which was packed because of the Youth Day holiday. I tested how good North Korean safety standards were and somehow lived to tell you about it. (Please don’t tell me whether it was ballsy or stupid. I’m leaning toward the latter, but my number wasn’t up yet.)At the last minute, we were told that Pyongyang was going to stage a Youth Day Mass Dance, so we got on the bus and headed there. It’s a choreographed dance to the regime-praising pop music tunes we had all become familiar with by then.We drove about 100km north to Mt. Myohyang to visit the International Friendship Exhibition (which is a massive building cut into the side of a mountain to protect it in case the Americans bomb again) which houses all the gifts foreign leaders gave to Kim Il Sung, (where I found that Jimmy Carter had given Kim Il Sung a small pewter plate with the Presidential Seal on it.) This site was also considered holy. You had to take off your shoes and wear special slippers so you don’t scuff the floor. It was strange to see the names of so many dead dictators from countries that no longer exist (e.g., Ceausescu, Saddam, East Germany, Yugoslavia). While walking through the Exhibition, one of the guides and I had a discussion about the differences between how voting and elections work in the DPRK and how they work in Canada and the U.S. He had trouble grasping the idea of different political parties with different and often contradictory policies competing for our votes and thought it must all be really chaotic. It was a fascinating exchange.We also went south and saw Kaesong (the only major city that wasn't heavily bombed during the Korean War) and the DMZ. Kaesong has some interesting historical (pre-DPRK) paintings, statues and burial monuments. This part of the trip, which delved into more ancient Korean history, provided a nice break from the Kim cult.Here we are at the DMZ looking across to the Americans and South Koreans.Finally we visited a collective farm outside of Pyongyang.Where we were supposed to have met a typical farmer and see how they lived (ahem!)What's it like to visit North Korea? Well, you'll be under the watchful eye and control of the guides. The guides we had were very nice, albeit distant people. Being a guide is a dream job in the DPRK because the money they make from hard currency tips from tourists gives them access to items most North Koreans can't buy. They seemed to truly enjoy our company and, within limits, were curious about our lives. However, it's important to know that when the guides are done for the day, you are taken to your hotel and you aren’t allowed to leave. You will never be able to wander around on your own. The tour was very busy all the time, so the only downtime we got during the day was on the bus rides. Many people napped but I didn't want to miss anything so I was really exhausted once we left the country.The accommodations were comfortable but not luxurious. The food is bland but edible. One of my friends on the trip is vegan, which really puzzled them, but they always tried to accommodate him. You could find sweets, soda and other western food items at the gift shops throughout the country. The local beer is very good. When I was there we were totally cut off from the world - no internet, cell phones, etc. and the TV channel broadcasts the Kim Il Sung show all the time. And of course, there are no ATMs, and credit and debit cards can't be used.The North Koreans will do their best not to let you see poverty, deprivation or malnutrition, though it isn't always possible to completely hide it and we did see glimpses of it, particularly outside Pyongyang. You'll be exposed to the DPRK's view on things, which will probably be at odds to your own. You're not going to hear anything about labour camps or human rights abuses. You will be expected to always show respect and occasionally bow to the Great Leader and Dear Leader's statues, images and their bodies at rest in the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun.The North Koreans themselves are very lovely people. They aren't the militaristic robots that are often shown on TV. We often got treated to impromptu musical performances, which didn’t always strike me as staged. Everyone seems to know how to play the accordion (the People’s Instrument!) and it never seemed to take much encouragement to convince them to perform.However for the most part, they are shy around foreigners, particularly in smaller towns and rural areas where foreigners are rare, and there is the language barrier. But the children are very friendly. You'll never hear a North Korean speak critically about their situation, even "off the record" like you do in Cuba or China, and if you’re an American, you won't be able to visit anyone's private home. But when the guides and others we encountered let their hair down (usually after a few drinks at the end of the day), we had a good time with them. However, it's hard not to feel a sense of tragedy. They have been cut off from the world in a way that the Soviets, East Germans and Cubans haven't been and for a much longer period of time. If/when the regime disappears, it will be far, far more difficult for them to interact and integrate into the international community. They are woefully unprepared to become highly skilled, productive people who can deal with outsiders in a globalized world.The country itself is verdant, green and rugged; extremely beautiful to look at. But it’s understandable why they have so much trouble feeding themselves. Even if their farming practices were efficient, there simply isn't much farmland and, being adjacent to Siberia, the growing season is very short.More of my photos are here: North Korea 2011It was a very memorable trip.

All visitors who wish to work in Singapore should essentially hold a valid ‘Work Visa’. There are different categories of Visa for different workers depending on their capabilities and skills.Professionals into managerial and executive posts need an Employment Pass.EntrePass is for foreign entrepreneurs and Personalised Employment Pass for existing high-earning foreign professionals.Skilled and semi skilled workers require what is called the S Pass and a series of Work Permits for different categories of workers.Trainees and students require another set of visas called the Training Employment pass and other Training Work permits.You can visit the official Ministry of manpower website of Singapore for detailed information.Download our Singapore relocation guide for more information about singapore.

16 days. 6 cities. 4 countries. A trip of a lifetime.Paris - Amsterdam - Prague - Barcelona - Ibiza - MadridI just completed a 16 day backpacking trip across Europe and am delighted to share my thoughts here. Please read this answer from the perspective of an Indian travelling out of India for the first time.ParisParis is the most visited city in the world and rightly so. Merely walking through the streets is like wandering through picture postcards. Louvre is the most visited art gallery in the world and is home to Mona Lisa. I was simply gobsmacked by it. I spent 8 hours there and barely completed 20 percent of what it had to offer. Although the tourist attractions were very far from each other, the Metro in Paris is awesome and runs everywhere.Places of interest: Louvre, Eiffel Tower and Notre Dam Cathedral.AmsterdamAmsterdam has amazing architecture. It was never destroyed during the world wars. The canals run across the city. I went on a canal tour and the views were simply stunning. It is a city with amazing history, beautiful houses, remarkable art and cosmopolitan people. Although it was bitterly cold when I went there, I had a great time at Van Gogh Museum, Rijksmuseum and the Heineken Experience. The most surprising thing was the number of bicycles on the road. It is said that you are more likely to be run over by a bicycle than by a tram in Amsterdam!Places of interest: Van Gogh Museum, Rijksmuseum, Heineken Experience.PraguePrague is B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L. Its like the city was lifted from a child’s playbook. Visiting Prague was easily the the best part of my trip. I went on two walking tours here, one through the Prague castle and the other through the old town and the Jewish quarter. Its a city best explored by foot. Watching the sunrise at Charles bridge is the picture-perfect postcard moment of my entire trip.Places of interest: Astronomical Clock, Prague Castle, St Vitus CathedralBarcelonaBarcelona is famous for its beaches and the best night-life in Europe. Strolling through the Gothic quarter and La Rambla with hordes of tourists was an astounding experience. I just loved the Spanish music there and find myself humming the songs even now. Barcelona is home to Barcelona FC and going to Camp Nou was a fun.Places of interest: Gothic Quarter, Camp Nou stadium, Sagrada Familia.IbizaI have to admit that going to Ibiza at this time of the year was a mistake. It was off season and almost the entire island was devoid of tourists. However, I met really cool people at my hostel there and we went on a cruise to another island near Ibiza named Formentera.Places of interest: Ses Illetes beach(Formentera) and sunset at Cafe del Mar.MadridMadrid is the cultural Mecca of Spain. I watched a bullfight there and it was a disconcerting experience to say the least. Just like Paris, metro in Madrid is awesome and goes everywhere. I went on a day trip to a castle in Segovia which inspired Walt Disney for their Disneyworld castle.Places of interest: Prado National Museum, Stadio Santiago BernabeuSome thoughts:-(1) As an Indian, the first thing you notice in Europe is crowd, or the lack of it. In Delhi, I am used to travelling in Metro where I would be lucky if I could even stand comfortably. Getting a seat to sit on is a luxury. In Europe you are supposed to apologize even if you touch someone by mistake. India is home to more people than US and Europe combined. Our population is pushing the society to limits which a European would never be able to comprehend.(2) I wish India could learn a thing or two from Europe about gender equality. While we are notoriously infamous because of female foeticide and gender discrimination,Europe is truly a gender equal society. I saw women driving trucks, trams and in a host of other professions. Women are everywhere!(3) As a vegetarian from India, the one thing which I hated about my trip was the lack of good vegetarian options. Eating the local cuisine is a part of travelling too which I sorely miss. I basically survived on bread, corn flakes and fruits for 16 days!(4) While in India, we are busy setting up anti-Romeo squads to keep girls and boys apart, PDA is common and culturally acceptable in Europe. Maybe its the Indian in me but its something you surely notice.(5) Europe is clean. Imagine a European city. Then throw all the waste bins into the streets. Then multiply the population by 10. Voila! You now have an Indian city. Even with pictures, its incomprehensible. I wish Swachh Bharat Abhiyan becomes a huge success.Some tips to save money:-(1) Book tickets at least 3 months in advance. Always use Google flights and a few other websites to compare flight prices. Also, some countries have visa restrictions for transit. I had booked a British Airways flight from Madrid to New Delhi via London. I had to apply for a British transit visa and my passport did not arrive on time. I was forced to cancel this flight and book a direct Air India one instead.(2) Apply for Visa as early as possible. Trust me you should never take risks with this. Just to give you an idea, cost for a British transit visa:-General appointment(15 days): Rs 2500Priority appointment(5 days): Rs 12500Super priority appointment(1 day): Rs 62500(3) Travel light. I traveled for 16 days with a 7 kg bagpack. Flights within Europe are cheaper than India if you do not have any check-in luggage.(4) Explore all travel options. Buses in Europe are very cheap and comfortable. I traveled from Paris to Amsterdam in a luxurious bus for just 25 Euros. Also, when you book overnight buses you can easily save money on accommodation for a day. For an early morning flight, you could even consider reaching the airport the night before if you are really thrifty.(5) If you are a bachelor, you should always prefer hostels to hotels. Hostels in Europe are great and you get to interact with people from all over the world when you stay there. Book a hostel near a railway station/old town. Then you save a lot of effort walking/travelling to there.(6) Book tickets for museums online. Time is money and you wouldn't want to waste 2 hours standing in a queue just to book tickets!(7) ‘Google Offline’ is great and I used it extensively. Just download the maps of all the cities in your phone and you wouldn't need to buy a local SIM card everywhere.(8) There are various free day tours in almost every city where you get to explore the city with a guide. Note that you are expected to tip the guide in the end.Final thoughts:-More than anything else, the best part of the trip was conversations. I got a chance to meet people from totally different backgrounds. Because I read a lot, I could easily relate to most of the travellers. I met an Irish guy who had hitchhiked through India for 9 months. I discussed Ashes with an Australian guy. I met an Iraqi guy whose family members had died because of US invasion in 2003. I discussed Trump with a girl from Cleaveland. I met a Korean student who was starry eyed because he never expected he would meet a software developer at a party hostel. I convinced a Canadian couple to travel to India and I would be their local help. I doubled up as a debate moderator during a discussion about Brexit. I met Pakistanis everywhere and they could not be more similar to us. I met a Czech yoga teacher who just travels all around the world by just teaching yoga. These good conversations with fellow travellers lead to great memories.The entire trip was an immersive experience. Its about getting lost in the streets, stumbling upon great places, meeting people and preserving memories. It is people gazing in Paris, calmness of canals in Amsterdam, sunrise at Charles Bridge in Prague, spine-chilling bull fighting in Madrid, serene beaches in Ibiza and Spanish music in Barcelona.