Visa extension requirement of sponsor & vacation ?

[singasong]

Hey guys,
calm down please. I am sorry that you got me completely wrong here! I am (!) grateful for advice and the time you spend here for helping others. I am glad that this forum exists and I was only adding potential useful information to the stream, when I was back from ICA. For that I was then called a "gambler" not responsible with kid and all. This I defended by explaining that I did not gamble. I WAS NOT attacking, abusing, offending or blaming any of you !
When I used the S word I was adressing a system which makes you feel you are worthless the moment an employer lays you off - for whatever reason, nothingh else.
And "to be cynical" is not an offense in my eyes. It's an intelligent way to deal with frustrations, that's all. f that hurt or offended you sms then I am sorry. I didn't mean to.
So where is all the heat coming from? I am utterly confused.
Keep on the good work, but try not to read insults into e-mails when the author is frustrated about the facts, not the people.

[sundaymorningstaple]

No worries. I never get hurt or upset. If I did, I sure wouldn't have lasted lo these many years on this board. I feel sorry for some, I get frustrated at some, but hurt, angry or upset? Nah. I was primarily having a poke at you because of your spelling of cynical and the fact you made sure we knew you were a PhD.

Part of the post I deleted last night had to do with the fact that you should have had the HR Executive/Manager accompany you to either ICA or MOM to try to sort it out from the beginning. Also, you can be forgiven for possibly not understanding the ICA site if your native language is not English (here I am assuming) what with your spelling of cynical and not seeing that the text meant if you were required to go to ICA you would have to also bring your sponsor.

Additionally, the one thing you need to understand here in Singapore is that you are a hired gun. Nothing more and possibly something less. Don't shoot the messenger, but as your "living arrangement" falls somewhat outside of what locals consider optimum, the government allows it as long as they extract what they want. In other words, your partner's expertise as well as your expertise as you were able to find employment as well. As hired intelligence, you are expendable and as soon as they have finished with you, unless they think you are suitable for PR, you will be given enough time to give your landlord notice and shut down here (e.g., 30 days) and sent home as your services are no longer required. It's the way of the gahmen here. They allowed you to stay previously as they see it as being pragmatic to do so as long as you are providing something.

Unfortunately, now that we finally have all the data, we see a situation that has been a comedy of errors and bad timing. I still think you are going to have to take somebody from your partners employer down with you to assist you to straighten the mess out as soon as possible as they are effectively your sponsor.

[singasong]

Thankyou for the clear message!

just some short questions:

- if I were allowed to apply for a social visit pass with sponsor, would I have wait for the outcome of this in order to stay and how long would it take?

- if I left to JB for a couple of hours today or tomorrow are there chances that I could be denied entry back in? Officially I had until the 20th, but I guess I am loosing that right when exiting, correct?

- if they consider it a "visa-run" would that in itself be an offence?

Best regards,

sas (not a native speaker)

[sundaymorningstaple]

Thankyou for the clear message!

just some short questions:

- if I were allowed to apply for a social visit pass with sponsor, would I have wait for the outcome of this in order to stay and how long would it take?

- if I left to JB for a couple of hours today or tomorrow are there chances that I could be denied entry back in? Officially I had until the 20th, but I guess I am loosing that right when exiting, correct?

- if they consider it a "visa-run" would that in itself be an offence?

Best regards,

sas (not a native speaker)

http://www.ica.gov.sg/data/resources/do ... _Notes.pdf

You would definitely need the local sponsor to accompany you for a counter submission but I am unable to ascertain how long it would take but it required that you have a minimum of 2 days left on your current visa. Unfortunately, in almost all cases it would seem everything revolves around a valid union. In any case, you will have to go down with a sponsor but you will have to really read the pdf file carefully as if you don't have everything, they will not even consider it. It's also a one-time thing. Frankly, I've not run into a case where the relationship was not a legal one so we are only making suggestions. If you leave the country, you will need, for sure, to be outside the country for 5 days. (do not count the day you leave). You would probably be stopped at immigration if you tried to make a visa run to JB or Batam and told you would not be allowed to return for a minimum of 5 days as the passport would already be flagged due to the cancellation of the EP.

[singasong]

thanks again for your valuable advice, but I was already on my way to JB when you posted this, I am afraid. I didn't see any other way other than maybe taking my son and leaving into an unplanned vacation without dad, not ideal.

But I made it back ok, I got my 90 days stamp and was back at child care center in time for pick-up. Great relief. I am now gladly officially a tourist again and can celebrate my son's birthday in peace.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Big sigh of relief for you I'm sure. I'm very surprised they gave you a full 90 days though. I'm also glad you came back here and let us know. This is how we get most of our information and anecdotal evidence. Thanks.

sms

[singaporeflyer]

thanks again for your valuable advice, but I was already on my way to JB when you posted this, I am afraid. I didn't see any other way other than maybe taking my son and leaving into an unplanned vacation without dad, not ideal.

But I made it back ok, I got my 90 days stamp and was back at child care center in time for pick-up. Great relief. I am now gladly officially a tourist again and can celebrate my son's birthday in peace.

Congrats and Good Luck !!!

Thanks SMS for your continuous support. You are great !!!

[argiope]

thanks again for your valuable advice, but I was already on my way to JB when you posted this, I am afraid. I didn't see any other way other than maybe taking my son and leaving into an unplanned vacation without dad, not ideal.

But I made it back ok, I got my 90 days stamp and was back at child care center in time for pick-up. Great relief. I am now gladly officially a tourist again and can celebrate my son's birthday in peace.

And you didn't have to leave SG for a minimum of 5 days? Great!

My EP has been canceled and i'm now holding that "Visit pass and embarkation form" letter and it's gonna due on 27/08. So i'll leave to JB in the morning and come back to SG in the evening. I hope the immigration will give me a pass.

"Pending last month's pay and tax clearance". Is that reason good enough in case the immigration officer ask?

[sundaymorningstaple]

thanks again for your valuable advice, but I was already on my way to JB when you posted this, I am afraid. I didn't see any other way other than maybe taking my son and leaving into an unplanned vacation without dad, not ideal.

But I made it back ok, I got my 90 days stamp and was back at child care center in time for pick-up. Great relief. I am now gladly officially a tourist again and can celebrate my son's birthday in peace.

And you didn't have to leave SG for a minimum of 5 days? Great!

My EP has been canceled and i'm now holding that "Visit pass and embarkation form" letter and it's gonna due on 27/08. So i'll leave to JB in the morning and come back to SG in the evening. I hope the immigration will give me a pass.

"Pending last month's pay and tax clearance". Is that reason good enough in case the immigration officer ask?

As that is not what is written in the ICA website, I'd just remember that before you go, ensure you DO have enough funds and plans to stay out of the country for 5 days, otherwise, you might get a bit of a surprise. Everybody's case is a little different and we are all sailing in uncharted waters at the moment, so be sure to take a change of underwear!

Also, be sure to come back here and let us know what happens. We need the data to help others.

[singasong]

yes, definitely have a plan B!
I had my credit cards, and Embassy tel number (as well as documentation for my case) with me. The backpack was packed, ready to stay for 5 days (but I left it at home, I didn't want to pretend I am leaving for good or anything, I wanted to go shopping only), I would have had a friend bringing the backpack (plus kid) to me in case I had to stay out there.
At exiting Singapore I was asked whether I remeber when I entered the country, and as this happened to be the 23rd of June they were fine. Even though my Embarkation pass told them that I had no more than 2 days left, the officer just told me to remeber to fill in the white card when I enter Singapore again.
At returning, the officer was carefully checking the pages of my pass, he checked the screen of his computer and my face, he asked how to address me, he saw that I had been in Malaysia for one day only, I am sure, but he only asked whether I am travelling alone.
Maybe it helped that I had plans to leave SG 8 days later (but he didn't ask for evidence) and that my original 90 days weren't up at the time, but this is mere speculation.
I wish you good luck.

[sundaymorningstaple]

"Pending last month's pay and tax clearance". Is that reason good enough in case the immigration officer ask?

Frankly, no. The employer had to file your tax clearance 30 days before your last day of work. If it were filed manually it would have probably taken around 20~25 days. If it were filed online, it would take less than 7 days, so you would have already received the balance of your final salary as soon as IRAS notified the employer. Of course, if you didn't give the employer 30 days notice, then the immigration officer may well raise his eyebrows and adjust his decision accordingly.......

The other thing that might happen is the officer might give you the same expiration day of the 27th of August. They have been known to give only 3 days for those suspected of doing multiple visa runs, with the warning that the will not be allowed back in the country for 6 months after exiting after those three days. It's a gamble.

[argiope]

Yea so i left SG this afternoon. Upon exiting, they only asked "so you canceled your EP ah?" and stamped on my passport.

When i returned to SG, the officer stamped a 30-day visit pass on my passport with no question asked. Hopefully i'll be able to secure a job within this 30 days.

Oh and a friend of mine said that i should be able to extend my visit pass to 90 days at the post office. Anyone can confirm this?

[sundaymorningstaple]

In theory you can.

[candypants]

i hope i'llget the same treatment from the sg immigration in jb...but coming from a 3rd world country and all i doubt i would :S

[singaporeflyer]

yes, definitely have a plan B!
I had my credit cards, and Embassy tel number (as well as documentation for my case) with me. The backpack was packed, ready to stay for 5 days (but I left it at home, I didn't want to pretend I am leaving for good or anything, I wanted to go shopping only), I would have had a friend bringing the backpack (plus kid) to me in case I had to stay out there.
At exiting Singapore I was asked whether I remeber when I entered the country, and as this happened to be the 23rd of June they were fine. Even though my Embarkation pass told them that I had no more than 2 days left, the officer just told me to remeber to fill in the white card when I enter Singapore again.
At returning, the officer was carefully checking the pages of my pass, he checked the screen of his computer and my face, he asked how to address me, he saw that I had been in Malaysia for one day only, I am sure, but he only asked whether I am travelling alone.
Maybe it helped that I had plans to leave SG 8 days later (but he didn't ask for evidence) and that my original 90 days weren't up at the time, but this is mere speculation.
I wish you good luck.

Hi Sing A Song,
Any updates on your EP Application? Thanks

SF