BBCWatcher wrote:To expand on Singaporeflyer's advice, if you're particularly nervous for whatever reason(s) then you can telephone your credit or debit card company to ask whether they see a "pending" (use that word) ICA transaction for S$300. If they do, then ask whether he/she sees any problem with the transaction. The customer service agent should be able to look at your pending transactions and tell you if the transaction looks OK. If the transaction is pending and approved, it should "post" (get processed) within a few days, as Singaporeflyer mentioned.
I'm a little surprised you're not familiar with how card payments work. You're applying for citizenship in
Singapore, one of the world's top financial centers, correct?
For future reference, go into your online account settings and configure SMS (text message) notifications for your card transactions. Most banks in Singapore offers that service. Some, like Citibank, can even send you a text message for
every card transaction if that's what you want. Others will only notify you for transactions of a certain minimum value or higher, but you can change the minimum value. (I know that CIMB Singapore lets you change that value to as low as $100, but you have to send CIMB Singapore a paper form to do that. Their online system doesn't expose that particular setting. So there are a few exceptions, but most banks can send you an instant text message when there's a card transaction.)
hi BBC,
Before I made my queries in this forum, I have checked my card transaction via online & also made the call to card centre. According to the customer service, there is no transaction in the record. I have not receive any SMS notification from card centre too (usually, I will receive a sms notification for online transaction). This is why I got so nervous.
My card centre mentioned no such transaction. However, ICA acknowledgement page shown as PAID.
I am not only called to the centre, I’m also called to the ICA Helpdesk.
Yet, the Helpdesk direct me to “Citizenship unit officer”. She provide me another number to call.
I was calling the Unit since 9am. However the line was always busy, the last tried for call was on 3pm++ (Anywhere, this is expected! ICA there always so busy, unlikely officer sitting there waiting for answer phone queries!)
So, since no one can help me then I asked GOOGLE!
Finally, I got this related topic! That’s why I posted my queries here.
After the explanation from Singaporeflyer, I believe it might be depend on the merchants side.
So, I will wait for my CC transaction by next week.
Hope everything go smooth.