HELP NEEDED - Refused Entry to Singapore - Can I Still Enter?

[kotaki]

Hi. I'm a Thai national who just got refused entry to Singapore on Feb 5th from Woodlands Checkpoint. I'm a 25 years old male and I really need advices and answers from this forum's visitors.

Long story short, I completed my uni studies at one of Singapore's leading universities in 2015, hence my Student Pass ended in August 2015. After that I went back to Thailand for grad trips etc. Only in 2016 I decided to start looking for a job in Singapore. I entered Singapore in early Jan 2016 and obtained my short term visit pass for 30 days.

In early Feb 2016, I decided to go to Johor Bahru for one night and travelled back to Woodlands the day after to extend my stay. Much to my stupidity, I made my trip on the 31st day of my stay because I miscalculated the number of days. I made my way to JB safely and stayed one night there. The day after, I took the shuttle train to Woodlands. To my horror, the immigration officers brought me to their office after seeing I had overstayed one day. My passport was taken. I underwent the machine interview with lie detector, got my fingerprint scanned and was interviewed by an officer who asked me why I stayed so long to look for a job while I could apply online. I only brought one SGD $50 note and few ringgits in my wallet and no flight tickets back home, despite my OCBC ATM card, which could have heightened their suspicion.

Honestly, I was complacent and spent much of my time in Singapore hanging out with friends and shopping and staying over at my friends' places so I had not got any successful job interview yet. Then, after sitting in the waiting room for about 15 minutes, an officer handed me my passport back and told me I could not enter Singapore. I was sent to a bus straight back to JB.

I was also given a white paper (Notice of Refusal of Entry) telling me that I was refused entry for 'being ineligible for the issue of a pass under current immigration policies.' I'm totally confused of what that means, whether I have been blacklisted or I won't be able to enter for a certain period. I tried to ask the ICA officers but they only gave me stern faces and no answers. The only statement I got from one officer is that 'I have to fulfil ICA's requirement first.'

Dear forum's visitors, please advise me on these matters:

1. Does this mean I cannot visit Singapore any more in a certain period of time and how long?
2. Can I still enter after 2-3 weeks by bringing enough cash ($1000) and proof of return flight ticket to Thailand? I will only visit for maximum 14 days and go back right on the 14th day without overstaying.
3. Does this mean I need EP before I can go back? Will my EP's application be hindered with this record?

Thank you very much. Your advices and answers are much appreciated.

[ecureilx]

1. Does this mean I cannot visit Singapore any more in a certain period of time and how long?
2. Can I still enter after 2-3 weeks by bringing enough cash ($1000) and proof of return flight ticket to Thailand? I will only visit for maximum 14 days and go back right on the 14th day without overstaying.
3. Does this mean I need EP before I can go back? Will my EP's application be hindered with this record?

Answers, to the best of my knowledge.

1) no idea as Singapore doesn't always explain except in some cases where they explicitly say you can't enter for 12/24 or 36 months.

2) unless you apply for visa using form 14a. Or plan to get back before 14 days, like 10 days, you may have better luck.

3) from what I have seen, since it was a 1 day over stay, not likely to have issues if you secure a pass.

Most important question, in case I missed it. Are you a male or female ?

[kotaki]

1. Does this mean I cannot visit Singapore any more in a certain period of time and how long?
2. Can I still enter after 2-3 weeks by bringing enough cash ($1000) and proof of return flight ticket to Thailand? I will only visit for maximum 14 days and go back right on the 14th day without overstaying.
3. Does this mean I need EP before I can go back? Will my EP's application be hindered with this record?

Answers, to the best of my knowledge.

1) no idea as Singapore doesn't always explain except in some cases where they explicitly say you can't enter for 12/24 or 36 months.

2) unless you apply for visa using form 14a. Or plan to get back before 14 days, like 10 days, you may have better luck.

3) from what I have seen, since it was a 1 day over stay, not likely to have issues if you secure a pass.

Most important question, in case I missed it. Are you a male or female ?

Thanks! I'm a 25 yo male and I've edited my information above. I plan to go back to Singapore at the end of the month (around Feb 26th) perhaps on another short term pass for 14 days. Will it be safe for me after 20 days?

[PNGMK]

No one really knows. If possible I would try to find a job from overseas (or at least secure some interview invitations). \Take those in with you to show the interviewing immigration officer if you're held up.

[BBCWatcher]

In early Feb 2016, I decided to go to Johor Bahru for one night and travelled back to Woodlands the day after to extend my stay.

That was also a problem all by itself. What you tried to do is called a "visa run," and (especially if repeated, but not only if) you can get caught with or without a past overstay. The general "rule of thumb" is you should remain outside a country where you don't have residence rights at least as long as you were in that country before attempting to reenter as a short-term visitor.

For future reference (primarily for others), ICA has a process to apply to extend a short-term stay. Your extension request may or may not be approved, but a bus ride to/from Johor is not the way to try this.

[ecureilx]

The general "rule of thumb" is you should remain outside a country where you don't have residence rights at least as long as you were in that country before attempting to reenter as a short-term visitor.
.

[sundaymorningstaple]

The general "rule of thumb" is you should remain outside a country where you don't have residence rights at least as long as you were in that country before attempting to reenter as a short-term visitor.

Interesting. In my 33 years here and the last 20 of them in HR roles, I've never read or heard that at all. Where did you pick up that tidbit?

I'm not questioning it, but rather surprised I'd not heard it before, as I was a typical Oilfield expat for the 1st 11 years - doing the occasional 'visa run' as and when necessary, as I lived here, had one wife, two children and three cars here all while on a bog standard 30 day tourist visa during that time! (before the advent of the 90 visas for selected countries). And an anecdote, I wish you had seen the face of the ICA officers (2 - when doing the PR interviews back then as they still did face-to-face interviews before you went through the finalization process) when I related the above to them. I received my PR 2 weeks later.

[BBCWatcher]

I was not limiting my remarks solely to Singapore. As with most visa enforcement, it's (as I wrote) a "rule of thumb." Tax residence is quite similar in many countries with the same "rule of thumb," by the way. A rule of thumb is not universal, by definition. It's merely a "sanity check."

The entire Schengen Area makes their less-than-half-time "rule of thumb" quite explicit, to pick an example. Tourists cannot exceed 90 days out of any/every 180 day period, period. They must be outside the Schengen Area at least as long as they're inside it. Schengen border control officers are allowed to question and limit entry further if they wish.

To pick another example, in 2013 Malaysia publicly announced they'd haul "tourists" in for questioning on their third quick turn (suspected visa runs), many to/from Singapore. Malaysia routinely grants 30 day stay permission to most tourists, so the third turn would actually be a bit less than half time (measured within a 365 day period).

Like most countries, Singapore won't tell you exactly what patterns of "tourist" stays cross their line(s). But if you're spending half or more of your time in Singapore on STVPs, chances are quite excellent nowadays that ICA will flag you down in due course. As you yourself have explained in previous threads.

....Or less than half time. Rules of thumb are rules of thumb.

[DominionXE]

While I still waiting for them to reply my mail. The thing I don't understand is why they still used the classic mail to them stuff. It will be easier if we sent via Email. So now... Month after I sent my email. I'm still waiting if able to go back to Singapore

[ecureilx]

While I still waiting for them to reply my mail. The thing I don't understand is why they still used the classic mail to them stuff. It will be easier if we sent via Email. So now... Month after I sent my email. I'm still waiting if able to go back to Singapore

For this offense of yours ??

Yup, a single punch and the person sued you and went to court go prison come out sent back your country with no stated how long then you can come back to Singapore


I doubt you will hear from ICA any time soon, if at all, and not positive is my bet. A big bet.

And why would you desperately want to come back to Singapore, no offense, just wondering, since you been hauled up and punished ...

[s.dova]

1. Does this mean I cannot visit Singapore any more in a certain period of time and how long?
2. Can I still enter after 2-3 weeks by bringing enough cash ($1000) and proof of return flight ticket to Thailand? I will only visit for maximum 14 days and go back right on the 14th day without overstaying.
3. Does this mean I need EP before I can go back? Will my EP's application be hindered with this record?

Answers, to the best of my knowledge.

1) no idea as Singapore doesn't always explain except in some cases where they explicitly say you can't enter for 12/24 or 36 months.

2) unless you apply for visa using form 14a. Or plan to get back before 14 days, like 10 days, you may have better luck.

3) from what I have seen, since it was a 1 day over stay, not likely to have issues if you secure a pass.

Most important question, in case I missed it. Are you a male or female ?

Hi Ecureilx,

A quick question on the mentioned form 14a.

I keep coming across advises to obtain visa via form 14a, but upon checking the ICA website, saw that form 14a are required only for certain nationals.

Could you please shed a light on this?

I had a recent unfortunate event with the immigration, which in short was being refused entry. However, I received a job offer but my work visa was rejected likely due to the entry refusal case. I'd like to understand if I could possibly try to apply for entry visa using the above mentioned form 14a and enter Singapore, simply to seek advises from ICA on whether or not my case has been resolved (and potentially to request for a letter from them if possible on this).

Many thanks in advance !

[sundaymorningstaple]

I reckon OP is still holding something back with the information she's given us. What was the actual reason claimed that OP was not allowed entry?

[s.dova]

I reckon OP is still holding something back with the information she's given us. What was the actual reason claimed that OP was not allowed entry?

OP? Who's OP??

[ecureilx]

I reckon OP is still holding something back with the information she's given us. What was the actual reason claimed that OP was not allowed entry?

OP? Who's OP??

You, the original poster

[s.dova]

I reckon OP is still holding something back with the information she's given us. What was the actual reason claimed that OP was not allowed entry?

OP? Who's OP??

You, the original poster

Ah okay. Well, I was not granted entry due to not having a flight ticket out of Singapore, and I just went to Malaysia for an overnight staycation with a friend. Understand this being seen as a "Visa run" by the ICA. Careless, I know. But I was simply continuing with my interviews in Singapore and the staycation was something unplanned. This is all.