Stamped 30 Days Social Pass allowed - but return/departure date written on passport (per return ticket shown date)

[yoshioka09]

Hello Singapore Expats community!

I've been here in Singapore since last June. I was able to extend my stay online for another 30 days thanks to the Online eXtend feature of ICA. After a total of almost 2 months in Singapore, I decided to extend my stay for another 30 days, that is why I decided to exit in Bintan, Indonesia and stayed there for 2 days and return to Singapore on the 2nd night.

There were no interrogations upon our arrival at Bintan, but the next day when we're supposed to return in Singapore, I was asked a few questions by the Immigration officer in SG. She asked why I intended to stay in SG for another 30 days so I answered here because I still have to attend several events related to my work in my home country. I bought a return ticket dated 7 days after our return in SG. She stamped my embarkation card 30 days allowed as well as my passport with that 30days permitted stamp, but the supposed departure date from my return ticket is written down on my passport, along that 30 day stamp.

Question, am I supposed to follow the original return date written on the passport or it's okay to spend the entire 30 days and tell them I changed plans or something happened that is why I wasn't able to come home on the original return date I showed them per my return ticket?

Thanks!

[sundaymorningstaple]

I think you have been given fair warning. Should you change your flight again, I reckon they will probably ban you from returning for at least 6 months and maybe a lot longer than that. The ICA officer was probably just itching to pull you out if you told her you still had to attend several events related to work. I think you were lucky as if you have been attending work related stuff for two months already, then you should have been here on a business pass. I'd say you better be on that flight out of Singapore with any changes else you may find yourself not able to return for a while.

[yoshioka09]

Hi sundaymorningstaple,

Thanks for your quick reply! I've been with several friends but we have different scenarios -

Person 1 is already hired but is waiting for his pass to be approved, what is the best thing he should do? (he also has the 7 day written note on his passport) but on embarkation, 30days is stamped.

Person 2 is trying to find a work here, what if he was able to find a work and get that spass/epass within that 30 days? Or should he be returning to his home country as well as per his return ticket?

Person 3 (me) is only attending events and meetups related to my work, there are still lots of events to attend to and people to meet, so there might be a possibility that I might not be able to follow the return ticket date. Would I be banned of enterning SG if I didn't follow my return date? Or I should follow what's written on my passport even though I am stamped with another 30 days?

Appreciate your fast responses!

[ecureilx]

Question, am I supposed to follow the original return date written on the passport or it's okay to spend the entire 30 days and tell them I changed plans or something happened that is why I wasn't able to come home on the original return date I showed them per my return ticket?

Thanks!

They stamp 30 days because they don't have stamp for 13 days or 23 days.

Since you have extended your stay as it is, it is wise to leave per your original ticket (which ICA would have also noted in their system).

You won't have problem leaving if you stay for the full 30 days but on your next entry you may be denied entry or given 7 days to stay.

Unless you have valid reasons like family etc, don't push your luck.

[sundaymorningstaple]

^^^This.