Expat possibly being deported from the US back to Singapore

[1000ming]

Please forgive me if this is in the incorrect section of your forum. Please move if it is not correct.

My daughter, whom I seldom see, has married a fellow from Singapore last year here in the states.

She has just discovered (?!) that he has been here over ten (10) years on a student visa and now faces deportation back to Singapore.

She has decided that because of his deception to her that their marriage could never precede. However she is concerned with his treatment when he is either deported back or voluntarily returns.

Could this be a situation that he be banned from Singapore?

Caned?

Not allowed to work there?

I know that he has finished college here and has been employed stateside for a number of years. I wish that I could fill in more blanks for you but the above is all that I have been made privy to.

So, will he suffer any great hardships back in Singapore or will life go on and he simply be banned from entering the United States in the future?

I thank you for your help with this. Any information that you can offer is greatly appreciated.

[sundaymorningstaple]

If he was originally over there on a Student Visa, then, in all probability, he has not done his Singapore National Service. If that is the case, they will pick him up and he could be jailed for a couple of years, fined and subsequently be made to do his NS. Other than that, as he is still a citizen, once he as sorted out his mandatory military obligation he's free to work just like any other citizen. As far as the US banning him, well, he got what he deserved. I feel sorry for you however, being conned like that without knowing the truth of his status in the US. Can you get the marriage annulled for false pretenses?

[PNGMK]

I agree with SMS with one proviso - if he of serving age (<40) he is probably only going to be held in the brig at the airport for a few days until he has to report to camp for mandatory 2 years service.

(Based on a recent experience of a friend deported from Australia).

On another point - why, once he was married, didn't he work out how to get a green card? I had a filipina friend who had overstayed in the US 20 years recently do this when she married a US citizen.

[1000ming]

Thank you so much sundaymorningstaple and PNGMK; it was so kind of you to take the time to help us understand this convoluted situation.

I just checked with my wife and she believes that he is in his mid-forties.

Whether he has served his military obligation is not known to us, but we somehow doubt it.

Why he didn’t pursue obtaining his green card is also a mystery to us.

So, let’s assume that he didn’t fulfill his military obligation before he left Singapore for the states and is now too old to satisfy this requirement, may he be punished in lieu of doing the service, or just passed through to being a private citizen (?)

Yes, my daughter is going to try to have their marriage annulled, but she is fearful of the treatment he may receive upon returning to Singapore.

I’m in the middle trying to gather all of the possible information to make her choice(s) less painful.

And I thank you all sincerely for your help.

-dave-

[sundaymorningstaple]

If he is above the serving age, e.g., over 40, then he will serve time and pay a fine. just how much we cannot say, however, a famous example is Melvin Tan, aka The Piano Man. Who, it was said, due to his virtuosity as a classically trained pianist, got off with a $5,000 fine. But he came back on his own free will. He has also gained British citizenship.

Being deported from the US back to Singapore wouldn't bode well, I'm afraid. The maximum penalty is, "If convicted, they face three years' imprisonment and a fine of S$10,000."

As he is being deported, the Singapore authorities will already have been alerted by the US Immigration service, so he will be picked up on arrival.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_s ... _Singapore

http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/press_ ... 06_nr.html

[1000ming]

Thank you so much Mr. Sunday.

I think that just about answers all of the questions I had. I'll pass this along to my daughter so she'll know what to expect.

If I have any new info I'll drop back to see you, otherwise my heartfelt thanks for taking the time to share your knowledge with me.

-dave-

[zzm9980]

I'm curious how he was able to work after completing college here without a valid residency visa. I'd imagine someone who came here from Singapore for higher education didn't spend the next however many years working for some cash-only undocumented labor job.

[sundaymorningstaple]

I was never asked for proof of citizenship when I lived in the US. I reckon, considering the numbers of illegal aliens living in the US an working for Walmart and everywhere else and being allowed to obtain drivers licenses, it's quite easy. Usually a Divers License is all you need at home. Especially if he's also carrying a US University Sheepskin as well.

[JR8]

I'm curious how he was able to work after completing college here without a valid residency visa. I'd imagine someone who came here from Singapore for higher education didn't spend the next however many years working for some cash-only undocumented labor job.

Quite, how did he get a Social Security Number, without valid residency?

[sundaymorningstaple]

Easy. He had residency while on a student permit and was able to work on the student permit therefore getting a social security number is a piece of cake.

[JR8]

Easy. He had residency while on a student permit and was able to work on the student permit therefore getting a social security number is a piece of cake.

OIC. Apologies if this is naive, but If he was with a legitimate employer, wouldn't he have had to file for taxes?

Either way by the sounds of it, harsh as it might sound at present, it might be that she's better off without this rather 'Walter Mitty' sounding character. I mean if no one even knew he was 'illegal', what else ... ?

[sundaymorningstaple]

All one need to file taxes is a SS number. Actually, you don't even need that. you can apply for and receive a ITIN number for filing of income tax. Don't even need to even be in the US or a US citizen or a US resident. It's purely for taxation.

Good example is my wife, who isn't a resident, doesn't have a green card, etc. If we wanted to I could include her on my tax return (but would also have to report her income as well). All we need to do is apply for an ITIN.

[sundaymorningstaple]

In fact, not that it makes any difference, as we have enough idiots in the US already, but they can do just about anything they want, except to be able to vote for O'bamy. But he's tryin' to change that as well.

[PNGMK]

If your daughter wants the marriage to survive this is not an impossible hurdle to overcome.

Firstly compulsory military service (or prison for not doing so) in some countries is grounds for applying for refugee status in Australia - it may be in the USA. Has anyone actually spoken to an immigration lawyer? I can ask a friend of mine - a wonderful classmate who practices as a US immigration lawyer - is this is grounds for staying deportation in the USA... do you want the answer?

Secondly there is a little known visa classification in the US specifically for Singapore citizens - I can't recall the code number but it was a side effect of the US/Singapore FTA. This may still be AVAILABLE - even if he is being deported. Once again my friend may be able to help. And WTF didn't he know this?

Thirdly if your son in law is a stoner, which it sounds like he is, and he is living in a state where MJ consumption is legal - it would be a fascinating situation to see him apply for compassionate leave on the basis that he may face severe, and possible death penatlies, for being such a person in Singapore... (I'm being a little cynical but frankly if a poof can avoid deportation from the US for being gay then why not a stoner from Co. or Wa.)?

[1000ming]

***(Thanks all and to PNGMK, yes, I think he is a stoner from Oregon and I think my daughter has had enough of the deception and wants out if it isn't a death sentence for him. Thanks for the offer to ask your friend, let's see how this plays out this week and I may take you up on that)*****
---------------------------------------
Boy, do you guys have the questions and answers! Wow!

Those are the questions that my daughter and I should have been asking, but when you just get the phone call…”