Singapore Expats

What happens if entry is refused by ICA at airport ?

Discuss about life in Singapore. Ask about cost of living, housing, travel, etiquette & lifestyle. Share experience & advice with Singaporeans & expat staying in Singapore.
Post Reply
sunilmicheal
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue, 19 Feb 2019 2:16 am

Re: What happens if entry is refused by ICA at airport ?

Post by sunilmicheal » Fri, 22 Feb 2019 12:31 am

Sorry to interrupt !
I had same experience here I went to Singapore in business visa , and since I’m travelling for the first time I was not knowing about return tickets and all , since my visa was multiple entry so I thought of going twice in 3months so I booked return ticket till last day of my visa expiry .
When I enter in Singapore In immigration they asked me return ticket I explained them that I’ll leave with few days Bt I booked for the last date so that I can com again ., they didn’t listen me anything they just took my finger prints and photo and deported , sent back to my country
Now my question is I’m planning to work in Singapore and I approached an agent and explained everything he told me there won’t be any problem if u get ipa ..
But I’m scared what if I deport even with ipa since they have all my details .

User avatar
zzm9980
Governor
Governor
Posts: 6869
Joined: Wed, 06 Jul 2011 1:35 pm
Location: Once more unto the breach

Re: What happens if entry is refused by ICA at airport ?

Post by zzm9980 » Wed, 27 Feb 2019 4:47 pm

sunilmicheal wrote:Sorry to interrupt !
I had same experience here I went to Singapore in business visa , and since I’m travelling for the first time I was not knowing about return tickets and all , since my visa was multiple entry so I thought of going twice in 3months so I booked return ticket till last day of my visa expiry .
When I enter in Singapore In immigration they asked me return ticket I explained them that I’ll leave with few days Bt I booked for the last date so that I can com again ., they didn’t listen me anything they just took my finger prints and photo and deported , sent back to my country
Now my question is I’m planning to work in Singapore and I approached an agent and explained everything he told me there won’t be any problem if u get ipa ..
But I’m scared what if I deport even with ipa since they have all my details .
If you actually get an IPA letter after completely the application truthfully and explaining entry was previously denied, you should be OK. I've now seen ICA let people back in after being rejected under a few different circumstances.

GSM8
Chatter
Chatter
Posts: 218
Joined: Sat, 14 Dec 2013 11:01 pm
Location: Singapore

Re: What happens if entry is refused by ICA at airport ?

Post by GSM8 » Wed, 27 Feb 2019 8:13 pm

We face a somewhat similar situation and appreciate any experiences or opinions that fellow forummers can share. My wife's parents will be visiting us from China next month (my wife is originally from China, now Singaporean). Her parents have visited us before but only for a month at a time. This time they'll be staying for 5 months, for which my wife will be applying for LTVP upon their arrival, prior to expiry of e-Visa's 30-day SVP (fulfills all criteria to do so). Her parents are both retired pension drawing professionals in China but do not speak any English, and we already booked their round-trip business class tickets for a 5 month stay, as it was cheaper to book early.

My question is, should we book an additional cancellable one-way economy ticket for them from Singapore to Beijing for within 30 days (the typical SVP duration) to avoid problems with airline at point of boarding and with ICA upon landing? This will cost $160 or so in cancellation fees but we'll obviously do it if required. On the other hand, at least the airline, can clearly see the return segment of the original business class ticket for 5 months later, so the 1 month additional ticket may needlessly raise eyebrows. Also, at boarding in Beijing or entry in Singapore, if their 5 month stay ticket is questioned, might a signed explanatory letter from my wife with copy of her IC be sufficient clarification of the situation? We are of course keen that they are not inconvenienced in any way.

Appreciate any experiences/opinions that fellow forummers can share, especially about this duration of return ticket when planning to apply fro LTVP upon arrival. Thanks!

User avatar
PNGMK
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 9076
Joined: Thu, 21 Mar 2013 9:06 pm
Answers: 10
Location: Sinkapore

Re: What happens if entry is refused by ICA at airport ?

Post by PNGMK » Wed, 27 Feb 2019 8:34 pm

chinese parents (PRC) seem to get a pass on this based on some friends experiences. (Chinese PRC parents of SPR who became SC in this specific case - partly because ICA know they can get a long visa to stay on application).
I not lawyer/teacher/CPA.
You've been arrested? Law Society of Singapore can provide referrals.
You want an International School job? School website or http://www.ISS.edu
Your rugrat needs a School? Avoid for profit schools
You need Tax advice? Ask a CPA
You ran away without doing NS? Shame on you!

sunilmicheal
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue, 19 Feb 2019 2:16 am

Re: What happens if entry is refused by ICA at airport ?

Post by sunilmicheal » Wed, 27 Feb 2019 8:43 pm

It’s better if u book tickets then u cancel once they entered ! Because immigration people will act rule if they don’t knw the language , the same situation I came across .. and I saw ppl deported for the reason that they can’t explain in English !

User avatar
zzm9980
Governor
Governor
Posts: 6869
Joined: Wed, 06 Jul 2011 1:35 pm
Location: Once more unto the breach

Re: What happens if entry is refused by ICA at airport ?

Post by zzm9980 » Thu, 28 Feb 2019 8:20 am

sunilmicheal wrote:It’s better if u book tickets then u cancel once they entered ! Because immigration people will act rule if they don’t knw the language , the same situation I came across .. and I saw ppl deported for the reason that they can’t explain in English !
It's best you book tickets and not cancel, but actually use.

If you're coming to a country where you don't speak one of the four languages it's rude of you to assume ICA should cater to you.

User avatar
zzm9980
Governor
Governor
Posts: 6869
Joined: Wed, 06 Jul 2011 1:35 pm
Location: Once more unto the breach

Re: What happens if entry is refused by ICA at airport ?

Post by zzm9980 » Thu, 28 Feb 2019 8:24 am

GSM8 wrote:We face a somewhat similar situation and appreciate any experiences or opinions that fellow forummers can share. My wife's parents will be visiting us from China next month (my wife is originally from China, now Singaporean). Her parents have visited us before but only for a month at a time. This time they'll be staying for 5 months, for which my wife will be applying for LTVP upon their arrival, prior to expiry of e-Visa's 30-day SVP (fulfills all criteria to do so). Her parents are both retired pension drawing professionals in China but do not speak any English, and we already booked their round-trip business class tickets for a 5 month stay, as it was cheaper to book early.

My question is, should we book an additional cancellable one-way economy ticket for them from Singapore to Beijing for within 30 days (the typical SVP duration) to avoid problems with airline at point of boarding and with ICA upon landing? This will cost $160 or so in cancellation fees but we'll obviously do it if required. On the other hand, at least the airline, can clearly see the return segment of the original business class ticket for 5 months later, so the 1 month additional ticket may needlessly raise eyebrows. Also, at boarding in Beijing or entry in Singapore, if their 5 month stay ticket is questioned, might a signed explanatory letter from my wife with copy of her IC be sufficient clarification of the situation? We are of course keen that they are not inconvenienced in any way.

Appreciate any experiences/opinions that fellow forummers can share, especially about this duration of return ticket when planning to apply fro LTVP upon arrival. Thanks!

You're likely to have more problems with the airline at check-in. As PNGMK said, ICA will understand what's going on and be OK since you're a PR. Airlines check-in counter if they actually follow procedures won't know the nuances of what's allowed in SG; they're just going to look at the expiration of the visa paper they ask for at check-in.

If it's a business class ticket, can't you just book it for a month and then re-schedule it out to the real date once they're in Singapore?

GSM8
Chatter
Chatter
Posts: 218
Joined: Sat, 14 Dec 2013 11:01 pm
Location: Singapore

Re: What happens if entry is refused by ICA at airport ?

Post by GSM8 » Thu, 28 Feb 2019 11:54 am

Thanks zzm9980 and PNGMK. We also figured more of an issue at the airline checkin counter in Beijing than at ICA. Original r/t business class ticket return date cant be changed without incurring a significant change fee as it was a discounted fare. On an earlier instance they flew in on one booking and out on another, so checkin counter would likely have seen it as a one way ticket, but they weren't asked to show details of the return segment (which would have been for within 30 days anyway). But these questions do tend to get raised at the most inconvenient times. We are debating just keeping fingers crossed that the airline can see that its a paid r/t business fare (albeit discounted), even if for a later date, so airline is not completely on the hook in case of problems at destination immigration as they would be with a one way ticket

GSM8
Chatter
Chatter
Posts: 218
Joined: Sat, 14 Dec 2013 11:01 pm
Location: Singapore

Re: What happens if entry is refused by ICA at airport ?

Post by GSM8 » Sun, 24 Mar 2019 5:37 pm

Thanks for all the info. Updating my earlier post on this thread. At boarding in Beijing, airline did not ask parents-in-law for return ticket as they could see the return segment (albeit for 6 months later). At entry in Singapore also ICA didn't ask for anything and stamped a short visit pass - my wife will now apply for their LTVP

User avatar
PNGMK
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 9076
Joined: Thu, 21 Mar 2013 9:06 pm
Answers: 10
Location: Sinkapore

Re: What happens if entry is refused by ICA at airport ?

Post by PNGMK » Sun, 24 Mar 2019 8:14 pm

Sweet.
I not lawyer/teacher/CPA.
You've been arrested? Law Society of Singapore can provide referrals.
You want an International School job? School website or http://www.ISS.edu
Your rugrat needs a School? Avoid for profit schools
You need Tax advice? Ask a CPA
You ran away without doing NS? Shame on you!

Imaricris
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue, 26 Jul 2016 10:33 am

Re: What happens if entry is refused by ICA at airport ?

Post by Imaricris » Thu, 12 Sep 2019 1:41 pm

Hi everyone. I hope you can help me. I was refused for an entry in singapore last 2016 due to staying on singapore and went to malaysia and going back to singapore and so i have a record in the immigration but I was able to get an approval from ica with the help of my PR cousin. My question is, if I get an IPA letter approval for Spass and show them to enter singpore, will that be questioned? will they let me in?

Post Reply
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post

Return to “Staying, Living in Singapore”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests