Overstayed in Singapore

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tewi
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Overstayed in Singapore

Post by tewi » Sun, 07 Dec 2008 12:40 pm

Hi. Can anybody clear something for me????

I came to Singapore the 31. October and was planning to leave for Bangkok last weekend.. But because of the demonstration in Bangkok and the closing of the airport my flight was canceled.. So now I have overstayed...... But I had booked and bought a ticket, planning to leave Singapore, but couldn't.. It was out of my hands......
I am leaving for Denmark (that is my home contry) on Wednesday the 10. December..

Do anybody know what will happen???? To be honest I am a little bit afraid... Can I myself do anything?????

Thank you for your time.

Merry Christmas...

skye
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Post by skye » Sun, 07 Dec 2008 5:57 pm

Call the ICA (immigration and checkpoints authority) helpline or go down there to their office at Kallang with passport and ticket and explain. They are pretty helpful and will probably sort it out for you. They might give you a telling off for not leaving by other means (eg bus to JB) or getting an extension in time, but better than worrying for the next few days and getting an "overstayer" stamp in your passport. The SVP entry stamp for Europeans was changed from a standard 30 days to 90 days in November, so had you arrived a few days later it wouldn't even be an issue.

tewi
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Hi Skye

Post by tewi » Sun, 07 Dec 2008 6:39 pm

Thank you very much for your answer.

Have tried to call them, but unfortunately they are closed and open on Tuesday.. I am a nerve-wreck!!
Will try to go and talk with them, first thing Tuesday... Will bring my tickets I bought for Bangkok, so they can see I was planning to leave the country..

I was told maybe I couldn't come back to Singapore the next year... I really hope this is a worst case scenario!!! Actually we have to Singapore, I am looking for a job, my boyfriend already got one and we just moved into our apartment...

Do you, by any chance have an advice or is the best I can do just to be honest and humble and tell them my story..

Again, thank you for your answer, really appreciate it!

TEWI

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durain
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Post by durain » Sun, 07 Dec 2008 8:54 pm

you will be alright since you got a legit reason why you overstay. probably have to goto a room and explain yourself.

years ago i overstayed as well. i had 30 days visa from the airport but then went to JB and didint notice the new visa was reduced to 1 week only! so the next time i went to JB and then back into singapore, i got pulled to the office. immigration officer were cool. explained myself my mistake and they let me in.

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Post by NC30 » Mon, 08 Dec 2008 10:09 pm

skye wrote:Call the ICA (immigration and checkpoints authority) helpline or go down there to their office at Kallang with passport and ticket and explain. They are pretty helpful and will probably sort it out for you. They might give you a telling off for not leaving by other means (eg bus to JB) or getting an extension in time, but better than worrying for the next few days and getting an "overstayer" stamp in your passport. The SVP entry stamp for Europeans was changed from a standard 30 days to 90 days in November, so had you arrived a few days later it wouldn't even be an issue.
My friends are coming over from Europe for Christmas, so this means they can stay actually 90 days now, or at least more than 30 since the changement??
Never know how long we gonna party.... :P :P

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durain
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Post by durain » Mon, 08 Dec 2008 10:33 pm

yes, 90 days for EU passport.

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Post by louy » Tue, 09 Dec 2008 12:30 pm

durain wrote:yes, 90 days for EU passport.
Can you tell me how ??

My girlfriends UK passport is only stamped for 30 days.

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Post by zjules » Tue, 09 Dec 2008 4:02 pm

apparently they just changed it recently. My friend came to visit a little while ago and got 30 days. Then went to Aus for a few weeks and when he came back to SG got 90 days... Not sure if its possible to extend to 90 if you are already stamped for 30 though...? I would take a trip to JB or something and see what they do. Is it still a shorter time on the stamp if you enter by land?

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Post by skye » Tue, 16 Dec 2008 6:58 pm

Hope I wasn't passing on misinformation there. Just had a convoluted discussion with ICA about how long my UK passport visitors would get stamped for SVP and answer still seemed to be 30 days, but could extend online for up to 90 days if we sponsored online as PR close family. Probably won't be an issue as they plan on visiting other places around the region before re-entering Singapore, but has anyone had problems checking in at a UK airport (on SQ) when the return date on their air ticket is more than 30 days away?

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Post by durain » Tue, 16 Dec 2008 10:47 pm

90 days at changi and causeway for EU passport. confirmed with ICA in kallang too.

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Post by NC30 » Fri, 02 Jan 2009 10:52 pm

stamped for 90 days @ Changi, on december 3rd... 8-)

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Post by skye » Sat, 03 Jan 2009 9:23 pm

my son was given 90 days on Dec 23 with UK passport. While it is up to the immigration officer at Changi, doesn't look like it's a problem.

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