I want to stay in Singapore with my family!! :(

[ecureilx]

But do you think my reason for visit is valid? Upcoming national exam, family lived here for 9 years or so?

Generally, ICA don't accept reasons.

It's yes or no, their discretion.

[tofumilk]

Thank you for your responses! My friend just got back to me and said he had similar experiences and similar reasons like mine and ICA was completely okay with it. He made a total of 4-5 visa runs if i am not wrong.
Thanks for helping! Good night you all

[x9200]

Thank you for your responses! My friend just got back to me and said he had similar experiences and similar reasons like mine and ICA was completely okay with it. He made a total of 4-5 visa runs if i am not wrong.
Thanks for helping! Good night you all

You know what is the risk, whether it is a valid reason or not, and whether ICA was (seemed to be, to be precise) ok with your friend, is always on case by case basis. Remember what you wrote about you calling ICA. Was that also an ok? The whole problem is you are abusing the system. It may work, but you may be also refused an entry at the time you come over for the exams. Then what?

If I were you I would, as a bare minimum, try to limit the trips to Singapore, especially try to minimize the time you spend in Singapore. If this exceeds 180 days within 1 year, your problems probably will begin (if not earlier).

[tofumilk]

Hmm yes, I have been told its a case by case kind of a thing too. My mom's friend visited in and out of Singapore so often for a span of 5 years and on his 2nd last trip, they finally gave him a warning that he would not be allowed back in Singapore. But that was nullified after he renewed his passport and his entry was perfectly fine, no problem whatsoever.

And when i did call the ICA, the lady sounded more annoyed that I was taking up her time with my "irrelevant" questions. She said "you can do your self-explanation at the immigration" after I told her about my situation. I kept telling her I didnt want to try to outrun the system or whatsoever and she just scoffed and said my reason is okay but she can't guarantee anything.

Yea so my plan is to try to go back to Korea for at least 2-3 weeks in December after my renewed visit pass expires and maybe travel a bit more then come back here when I am called in for school interviews because then it is a legitimate reason for me to fly back.

( i realised you already answered this qn ahhh paranoia) Also, do you think ICA will be more "understanding" about the fact that I have lived in Singapore for so long and my family is here, which makes it very natural and valid for me to come back frequently? I know the reason ICA is so careful about this entire visit pass thing is because they dont want to allow any kind of illegal activities and over-staying that they do not know about but I am not working or doing anything illegal. My friends who are advising on me tell me not to worry so much because it is very unlikely they will detain and deport a person with a history of carrying a student pass here for 8 years. I'm just really paranoid because I'm hearing all these stories

[Lostsoul]

Hmm yes, I have been told its a case by case kind of a thing too. My mom's friend visited in and out of Singapore so often for a span of 5 years and on his 2nd last trip, they finally gave him a warning that he would not be allowed back in Singapore. But that was nullified after he renewed his passport and his entry was perfectly fine, no problem whatsoever.

And when i did call the ICA, the lady sounded more annoyed that I was taking up her time with my "irrelevant" questions. She said "you can do your self-explanation at the immigration" after I told her about my situation. I kept telling her I didnt want to try to outrun the system or whatsoever and she just scoffed and said my reason is okay but she can't guarantee anything.

Yea so my plan is to try to go back to Korea for at least 2-3 weeks in December after my renewed visit pass expires and maybe travel a bit more then come back here when I am called in for school interviews because then it is a legitimate reason for me to fly back.

( i realised you already answered this qn ahhh paranoia) Also, do you think ICA will be more "understanding" about the fact that I have lived in Singapore for so long and my family is here, which makes it very natural and valid for me to come back frequently? I know the reason ICA is so careful about this entire visit pass thing is because they dont want to allow any kind of illegal activities and over-staying that they do not know about but I am not working or doing anything illegal. My friends who are advising on me tell me not to worry so much because it is very unlikely they will detain and deport a person with a history of carrying a student pass here for 8 years. I'm just really paranoid because I'm hearing all these stories

Friend of mine was on student pass for 10 years - finished her diploma here and unable to find work. So she tried visa runs to visit her family (Uncle is a PR with family, brother here on S Pass) and look for work. She was denied entry on her 4th visa run.

[tofumilk]

Oh dear, may I know what her nationality is??? Ya I think a year is the maximum duration the ICA can tolerate which I hope can be solved upon getting into a Uni here soon. How is your friend doing now?? Is she still unable to enter Singapore?

[ecureilx]

Oh dear, may I know what her nationality is??? Ya I think a year is the maximum duration the ICA can tolerate which I hope can be solved upon getting into a Uni here soon. How is your friend doing now?? Is she still unable to enter Singapore?

Getting 3 successful ns is a miracle nowadays. Even if you hold good passport like US, Japan etc, especially if you are a girl.

On denied entry, the options are :

1) Apply for visa in advance and arrive
2) Return after a nominal gap of 3 to 6 months

Being denied is not the same as deported. If deported, then there will be a ban period.

Rather than do visa run,(Which I can feel is what you like, as you like to travel .. - don't get offended .. ) better try to extend the visa at ICA.

[tofumilk]

Man... does that mean I won't get to see my family for 3 months? Do you think Leaving Singapore in early December and coming back in late Jan is too risky? what do you mean by "3 successul ns" do you mean visa runs?

I don't mind travelling, but it's just that I will be forced to go out before my pass expires to do "visa runs". Judging by how strict ICA is with everything, I'm surprised they didn't give me any problem when I re-entered the country after 3 days trip in Korea and I had left for Korea just before my visit pass was about to expire. I guess I got lucky.

[sundaymorningstaple]

My general feelings are not inconsistent with x9200's. However, you may have another problem that you could have also overlooked. Your mother's visa status is also an LTVP correct? She was what is locally referred to as a Péidú māmā (陪读妈妈) or Study Mama correct? When does her visa expire? Has she ever worked here? She may also need to leave Singapore soon as well, as you are no longer a full time student. So you may even have a bigger problem.

Will ICA relent? Keep giving you extensions? I don't honestly know, but I do now that once you lose your student pass things get difficult as it's been abused to death. And doing visa runs usually ends up getting the person banned for 6 months or longer before they will be allowed back in. How many months have you been off your Student Pass and on an LTV?

My suggestion, confirm your mother's pass expiry date and inquire as to whether or not it can be renewed in the absence of your no longer being a full-time student? If sufficient time, you might be able to get an LTVP valid to the expiry of your mother's LTVP. The big problem is the fact that you are now 21 and an adult who generally can no longer qualify as a dependent. While you can still qualify as a student, you need to be a full time student if you are an adult. You seem to be stuck in no-man's land and damned if you do and damned if you don't. It's a shame that your lack of attention to details and apparent playful attitude (causing you not to study as hard as you should have) has put you in this predicament, but under the current situation, you better start making a Plan B as your mother will eventually lose her Study Mama classification and will also be forced to leave. I don't envy your position. You can try. Maybe they will listen, maybe they won't. Try and

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Study_mama

The following from a report on a question asked in Parliament on 4 Nov 2014 by Sylvia Lim to Teo Che Hean. (not a quote however - could not find the original source).

Minister Teo Chee Hean explained that as of the end of 2013, there were 4,800 female “study mamas” here on Long Term visit Passes (LTVPs) that had up to 1 year validity.

Their children or grandchildren were here in Singapore on a Student Pass.

Minister Teo pointed out that this number is lower than the 6,500 that there were at the end of 2004.

DPM Teo also shared that once the student completes study, his or her student pass will expire and the student and the mother or grandmother with the associated LTVP would then have to leave Singapore.

However, Mr Teo also said that in some instances, the mothers can stay on in Singapore if, for example, they qualify for a work passes as these a separate to their LTVP.

[ecureilx]

My general feelings are not inconsistent with x9200's. However, you may have another problem that you could have also overlooked. Your mother's visa status is also an LTVP correct? She was what is locally referred to as a Péidú māmā (陪读妈妈) or Study Mama correct? When does her visa expire? Has she ever worked here? She may also need to leave Singapore soon as well, as you are no longer a full time student. So you may even have a bigger problem.

Pandora's box.

OP mentioned somewhere that her sibling is still on Student pass.

Man... does that mean I won't get to see my family for 3 months? Do you think Leaving Singapore in early December and coming back in late Jan is too risky? what do you mean by "3 successul ns" do you mean visa runs?

I don't mind travelling, but it's just that I will be forced to go out before my pass expires to do "visa runs". Judging by how strict ICA is with everything, I'm surprised they didn't give me any problem when I re-entered the country after 3 days trip in Korea and I had left for Korea just before my visit pass was about to expire. I guess I got lucky.

3 Month is the minimum.

[Lostsoul]

my friend is a south korean as well.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Squirrel, I managed to overlook that part of the original message. But the fact that she is now 21 kind of makes the fact that the mother's LTVP will still be secured by the younger sibling rather redundant as now the only way she can get a student visa is as a full time qualified tertiary institution as she is too old to qualify as a dependent any longer. In the interim, as noted, by all, she in in jeopardy doing visa runs especially after 183 on SVPs, as we all know, gets pretty sticky. Not like it was back in the '80's & '90's.

I do think you were pretty rough on her regarding her mother's lack of English, though. I've been here 35 years (25 of them as a PR) and still do not speak any language other than English and enough Bahasa to get something to eat, drink & get laid.

[tofumilk]

My Mom's LTVP comes out every two years because of my sister's school which ends around 2020. She needs to renew it every now and then but that shouldn't be a problem. And I dont see why everyone needs to keep making personal comments about my choices or even my mother's inability to speak English. They sound like personal attacks which I do not understand why I'm getting them.

If you must know, I've had a good educational background here in Singapore, as most of the people here would like to call it as "elite schools" and I am retaking one subject for a levels because the course I want to try for is Law at Yale-nus and I didnt get straight As which was my goal. My family was adamant I do my a levels again because it has been my passion for a very long period of time and it seemed natural to try again in the country I spent most of my schooling days. Given my background as someone who studied in other countries before coming here, I always had a lot of responsibility as the eldest to "look after" my family as only I could speak fluent English back then. Which is why I am enquiring all these visa issues instead of running up to my parents to resolve things for me. I guess my take on trying to be friendly came across as being "playful".

YES, it is MY bad for not scrutinizing every detail of my gap year but how put together was anyone's life at the age of 20-21? But anyways, I had no idea I could apply for LTVP together with my mom. As far as I know, my sister's school (an int school) only gives out LTVP for parents/guardians.

[tofumilk]

my friend is a south korean as well.

Aiyoh.. What is she doing now?? I'm assuming she graduated from uni here?

[Lostsoul]

my friend is a south korean as well.

Aiyoh.. What is she doing now?? I'm assuming she graduated from uni here?

Nope, after her denial of entry. She went back to Seoul to get her degree and work. Never see her for a few years already.

Pretty girl though ^^