Getting visit pass for business visit with a spent conviction in SG

[GOGO123]

Hi all, I am here to ask for your help with all sincerity. I am looking into travelling to Singapore in half a year for business meetings and I need to get a visit pass for a 4 day visit. The issue is about seven years ago when I lived in Singapore after college I was convicted in Singapore for shoplifting when I tried to steal ten Singapore dollar or so worth of grocery (some canned food, some fruit, so stupid, I know) and was fined by the court for about six hundred sg dollar. It is a spent record and I moved away from Singapore a bit afterward, I have no issue with legal system since but I understand it will be a significant challenge for visa acquiring. I was very young and was depressed at the time (recession) and didn't know how to cope and made a terrible terrible mistake.

It is the worst mistake I made when I was younger, I now have moved on from that dark past and started a career and my new job would ask me to visit SG maybe once a year, I will need a multi entry visit pass. I have talked to the consulate here and was advised to apply via the consulate or online and state everything clear. I wonder what are my chances of being allowed to visit Singapore? and if I should hire a lawyer and if you or anyone you know have similar experience?

Thank you

[ecureilx]

I was very young and was depressed at the time (recession) and didn't know how to cope and made a terrible terrible mistake.

I thought of doing many things when I got depressed long time ago, but robbery wasn't one of them knowing how easy criminals are caught here and punished

Apply via the embassy and wait for them to respond, before deciding if you should submit an appeal or not

[x9200]

I was very young and was depressed at the time (recession) and didn't know how to cope and made a terrible terrible mistake.

I thought of doing many things when I got depressed long time ago, but robbery wasn't one of them knowing how easy criminals are caught here and punished

So it was conscious, cold mind calculation, not a sound ethical backbone?

[ecureilx]

I meant, when you live in a county you must learn pretty fast that there are things you must never do, unsound mind, drink or otherwise ... (can't include stoned there, because consumption of drugs earns stripes in the behind side ... )



Time to pull my neck in ...

[GOGO123]

no one answered the question, sigh...

[Strong Eagle]

no one answered the question, sigh...

The reason no one has answered the question is because they don't know. You are lucky that some a-hole hasn't jumped in with false information... although the regulars would catch that.

My sense is this:

a) A lawyer is useless, at least until you get rejected, and even then, you'll probably do better with yout own appeal.

b) Based upon what you have said, I think you will prevail.

c) You will never know until you do it, so do it. The worst that can happen is that you will get a rejection, in which case you can appeal. But, I think you won't have a problem entering Singapore.

[bgd]

Agreed, I think point c above covers it pretty well. Apply, see what happens, let us know. Your experience might be able to help someone else in future.

[GOGO123]

thank you both, i will, we all learn our lesson and i am just trying to go on with life, really appreciate it