Safe Travel - Selecting an entry date

[ashtag06]

Hi - I am currently trying to work the ICA SafeTravel Portal to gain access to Singapore.

After selecting dates, it seems every date is "not available" for the next 30 days. However, every now and then a date comes up.

Is it best to just keep trying for the date you want each day? I don't understand how you are supposed to coordinate a flight and entry given most flights are being cancelled and you lose your SNH payment if you change dates after entry approval.

Has anyone been through this process and are able to help?

[ashtag06]

Update: I have just gained entry for the date after I will land. However, if you read the guidance, they allow for +/- one day.

The system is very unflexible and I imagine is saturated by people filing their applications where they have a 20 minute window to complete. So tip from me is to keep trying for the date you want +/- 1 day around it and hopefully/eventually you will get to apply for the date you need.

Little worried now if my airline cancels another flight what happens and not sure what to do if that does happen.

[Sunjackal]

Hello Ash,

Hope you got your LTVP stuff sorted? You never came back to your last post.

My situation was basically this:

Wife is Singaporean. Her spouse visa (UK) expired on 27th July and our tenancy was up on the 7th August. I got permission from U.K. government for her to stay until our tenancy ended on 7th August.

We emailed and explained we hadn’t booked a flight because we wanted permission to enter before doing so. In the end, I just booked my flight for the 7th August and then I kept emailing the ICA and explained I needed approval to return as a family on this date.

They literally emailed me my permission to enter letter on the day before the flight, so it was a pretty harrowing experience.

The thing is, my wife and son are Singaporean. I don’t know if they’ll be as inclined to help you (they might well do). All I can suggest is that you explain that you’ve booked for when you’ve booked, that you need them to issue your letter around this date, and then you have to hope that the flights don’t get cancelled.

Not sure what else to suggest.

[Sunjackal]

Just checked your old posts. The wife is a SC, so your situation isn’t vastly different to mine besides the child.

Get her to email for you, too. Explain that (from her perspective) that you’re returning home and she needs permission for you to enter on the days you’ve booked the flight, that the portal isn’t giving you any dates and that you have to depart by this date because it’s when employer is expecting you etc.

Unfortunately there’s no guarantee, but it’s what I did and they eventually came through at the 11th hour.

[ashtag06]

Hello Ash,

Hope you got your LTVP stuff sorted? You never came back to your last post.

My situation was basically this:

Wife is Singaporean. Her spouse visa (UK) expired on 27th July and our tenancy was up on the 7th August. I got permission from U.K. government for her to stay until our tenancy ended on 7th August.

We emailed and explained we hadn’t booked a flight because we wanted permission to enter before doing so. In the end, I just booked my flight for the 7th August and then I kept emailing the ICA and explained I needed approval to return as a family on this date.

They literally emailed me my permission to enter letter on the day before the flight, so it was a pretty harrowing experience.

The thing is, my wife and son are Singaporean. I don’t know if they’ll be as inclined to help you (they might well do). All I can suggest is that you explain that you’ve booked for when you’ve booked, that you need them to issue your letter around this date, and then you have to hope that the flights don’t get cancelled.

Not sure what else to suggest.

Sorry Sunjackal! It's been a stressful month or so organising things.

I haven't got my LTVP, unfortunately won't be able to apply for that until I'm in Singapore, but I have got a LOC agreed in principle with my employer.

I've now just found out that safe travel lanes have opened up for the UK and I now won't have to quarantine. However, I've just paid $2k for quarantine for me and my partner, which when I paid for it stated it was non refundable... I'm hoping that can now be refunded now things have changed but it's now clear.

Oh god, that must have been worrying to hang on that long! So are you in SG now?