Coming to Singapore for baby--have you heard this?

mommyto3kiddos · Post by **mommyto3kiddos** » Sat, 22 Aug 2009 9:45 am

I am an American citizen expecting a baby in December. My family is making plans to come about a month early to wait for the birth of the baby. We are planning to return to our home in Cambodia as soon as the US passport is issued after the babies birth.

While checking into airline restrictions for travel late in pregnancy we ran across this statement on JetStar Asia's website...

Mums-to-be are welcome to fly with us anytime up to the start of 36th week of a normal pregnancy. If you have experienced complications or are expecting multiple births we recommend that you speak to your doctor before booking. Most experts strongly advise against flying during the last 2-3 weeks of your pregnancy.

Special note if you are intending to visit Singapore - as per new regulations, if you are 6 months pregnant or more you are not permitted entry into
Singapore.

What is this about not being able to enter the country at 6 months preggo??

I'd appreciate any help you can give!

Heidi

Post by **sundaymorningstaple** » Sat, 22 Aug 2009 11:49 am

Heidi,

Start here:

http://www.ica.gov.sg/printpage.aspx?ur ... &secid=171

Good luck.

sms

mommyto3kiddos · Post by **mommyto3kiddos** » Sat, 22 Aug 2009 12:04 pm

I've checked out this website already and I didn't see where it made any statements about not allowing people who were 6 months pregnant to enter the country. That seems a bit extreme unless they are concerned about certain health issues or something? We have had 2 babies in Thailand and never were confronted with restrictions for entering the country...except from the airlines point of view.

Anyone else?

Heidi

Post by **sundaymorningstaple** » Sat, 22 Aug 2009 12:41 pm

Hate to tell you this, but you are trying to enter Singapore and not Thailand. Different countries, different rules. If you are already in Cambodia you should already know that the rules vary widely from country to country.

Anyway, this link from the Ministry of Home Affairs (last paragraph at the bottom of the page) just to reinforce the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority's position I gave you earlier......

http://app.mfa.gov.sg/generator/asppage ... AppReq.asp

cbavasi · Post by **cbavasi** » Sat, 22 Aug 2009 12:54 pm

Where are you currently living? I remember some time back expats living in Indonesia needed a special type of visa to come over and have the baby and then return. They had to apply prior to the 6th month of the pregnancy ... I'm not sure why. There used to be a snippet on an indonesian expat forum - but I can't seem to find it. Have you tried contacting the US Embassy? You can usually speak to someone in person - perhaps they could help you?

mommyto3kiddos · Post by **mommyto3kiddos** » Sat, 22 Aug 2009 1:58 pm

Yes! I'm realizing that this is going to be much more complicated than going to Thailand for the birth of a baby!

So, from the looks of it, I'm not going to be able to enter on a tourist visa and then just get it extended for the week or two that I will be over 30 days? I had looked on the ICA website and it looked like medical tourists wouldn't have any issues extending a regular tourist visa up to 90 days. This is what the US Embassy in Singapore emailed to me as well.

Seems like some places online say that it will be an easy process (tourist visa) and others make it look really complicated (applying to be a visitor seeking to give birth in Singapore.) Does it just depend on who you talk to? Of course, I'd hate to show up at the airport at 8-9 months pregnant and not be allowed to enter! I'm 6 months along now so I have some time to sort it out!

Heidi

Post by **sundaymorningstaple** » Sat, 22 Aug 2009 3:04 pm

Yes, the odds of you even getting on the flight are slim. When you check in most checkin counters are staffed by people who know the current positions in Singapore. So if you come waddling up to the counter looking 5 or 6 months pregnant, you are going to probably be asked how far along and if you have a doctors confirmation of the due date. If not, you wont be allowed on the plane unless you have applied for the pass as required by Immigration in advance. They'll do the same for passports with less than 6 months validity as well or for not having an onward ticket (or a relevant pass in hand that allow you a long term visa.

You are really stressing yourself out for nothing. I have already given you the official links and all you can do is follow policy. Like it or not.

Looking for a side door or back door is only going to get you in trouble or having your baby born in Cambodia if you just keep thinking you can change government policy.

The whole world really doesn't care if your passport has an eagle on the front of it. Believe me. I've been using one of those for the past 27 years overseas myself and most immigration officials don't take too much guff from people carrying one anymore.

It's now just what it was designed to do. It no longer has any stroke anywhere in the world.

mommyto3kiddos · Post by **mommyto3kiddos** » Sat, 22 Aug 2009 7:13 pm

Believe me, I am not trying to "get in the back door" or not follow policy. That is why I am requesting info on here. I have emailed the ICA and have not heard back from them about these exact questions. I will contact the Singapore Embassy in Phnom Penh when we are in town next and get all the specifics from them.

BTW, most pregnant women don't waddle at 5-6 months and most airlines don't even ask how pregnant you are for a number of weeks to come...I've traveled quite a lot internationally in all stages of pregnancy. I always come equipped with a note from my doctor though and I've never had an issue...even flying internationally just a couple of weeks before my due date (but still within airline restrictions.)

Heidi

skye · Post by **skye** » Sat, 22 Aug 2009 7:23 pm

Just go ahead and apply now using all the correct ICA forms in the link from SMS. Do it by the book with all the right pieces of paper and you'll be fine getting an entry visa. Loads of people in our company, working or living in Indonesia or Vietnam have come over here to give birth, sometimes staying for a few months in a Serviced Apartment with their other kids in tow. Singapore does it this way as they want to know that you can afford it, will leave again after the birth taking the baby with you, and will have no problem getting citizenship for your newborn, as he/she cannot claim Singapore citizenship by being born here. As a US citizen that won't be a problem for you. The ICA officers are usually very helpful if you have questions so you could ring them if you are unsure. Most of this stuff is pretty transparent as long as you follow the ICA guidelines. Does your company have a rep office or do you have another contact/friends here to sponsor your application?

mommyto3kiddos · Post by **mommyto3kiddos** » Sat, 22 Aug 2009 8:13 pm

No, we don't have a sponsor there in Singapore, just a number of personal friends. Will that be a problem?

Heidi

cbavasi · Post by **cbavasi** » Sun, 23 Aug 2009 9:05 am

You'll be fine - as mentioned so many expats come here from neighboring countries to have babies as long as you fill in the proper paperwork you'll be ok. I came to Singapore at 5, 6 & 8 months months pregnant (before I had my dependents pass) and was never questioned - though I'm assuming my ticket showed I was only here for a couple of days and then returning. I do, however, remember being wary of the rule and wearing a very loose fitting top, and sort of "sucking it in" so they thought I was just fat

On a side note - I, like you, carried a letter from my doctor since it was the airline (particularly Garuda) who would stop me as early as 20 weeks!

Post by **sundaymorningstaple** » Sun, 23 Aug 2009 4:50 pm

Heidi,

As per forum policy, please do not spam messages with the same content across multiple forums. Most of us read all of them anyway, so do appreciate reading the same messages several times and furthermore it's a waste of bandwidth as well.

Thanks,

Moderator

NB: the other post was deleted.

cbavasi · Post by **cbavasi** » Thu, 27 Aug 2009 7:26 am

mommyto3kiddos - I just got this email re travel to Singapore from the California state government (I must have registered somewhere along the line)... anyhow this was within the body:

ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: A valid passport is required. U.S. citizens do not need a visa if their visit is for business or social purposes, and their stay is for 90 days or less. Travelers to the region should note that Singapore and some neighboring countries do not allow U.S. citizens to enter with fewer than six months of validity remaining on their passport. Female U.S. citizens who are pregnant when they apply to enter Singapore for a social visit are no longer required to make prior application through the nearest Singapore overseas mission or to provide documentation from a U.S. embassy concerning the nationality the child will acquire at birth. Specific information about entry requirements for Singapore may be obtained from the Embassy of the Republic of Singapore at 3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008, tel. (202) 537-3100. Visit the Embassy of Singapore’s website for the most current visa information.

Post by **sundaymorningstaple** » Thu, 27 Aug 2009 9:40 am

cbavasi,

Very interesting. I just had a search of both the New York & Washington DC Singapore websites as well as the ICA, MFA sites here and darned if I can find any reference to your email contents. Sounds like it might be something new. Wish I could find a link to a reference. Did you manage to find an online reference to it? I only ask as I'd hate to see somebody come waltzing into Singapore and get hung up at immigration for wearing a burkha to cover the pregnancy and then get caught without anything to refer to.

cbavasi · Post by **cbavasi** » Thu, 27 Aug 2009 10:59 am

sundaymorningstaple wrote:cbavasi,

Very interesting. I just had a search of both the New York & Washington DC Singapore websites as well as the ICA, MFA sites here and darned if I can find any reference to your email contents. Sounds like it might be something new. Wish I could find a link to a reference. Did you manage to find an online reference to it? I only ask as I'd hate to see somebody come waltzing into Singapore and get hung up at immigration for wearing a burkha to cover the pregnancy and then get caught without anything to refer to.

here you go (see Exit/Entry Requirements):

http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_ ... _1017.html

ps - this info was released Aug 26th and replaces the Country Specific Information for Singapore dated January 16, 2009.

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Coming to Singapore for baby--have you heard this?

Coming to Singapore for baby--have you heard this?

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