Was Prohibited to Enter Singpore, Chances EP Getting Approve

[jmondejar]

Hi, I'm from Philippines and I was once Prohibited to enter Singapore last July 2010. The reason for me being prohibited is because at that time I just resigned from my previous company in Kuala Lumpur and was moving to another company in Kuala Lumpur as well. So my Visa from my previous company that time was just cancelled and I was informed by my new company that it will take them 1 week to process my new Visa. So bored in KL, I took a bus to visit my then fiancee who's also from Philippines working in Singapore. When I reach SG immigration I was hold and was prohibited to enter because my visa was already cancelled. I try to explain the matter but to no avail, so I was sent back to KL.

After I got my Malaysia working Visa in the new company I tried to go back to SG knowing that with the new visa that was already stickered in my passport, I will be able to enter SG already to visit my fiancee. But little that I know since I was once prohibited to enter in SG, my immigration status is "BAN" and I'm not able to enter SG without the ICA lifting that ban. So again I was sent back to KL on August 2010.

So we appealed to ICA right away with the help of my FIlipina fiance working in SG. The first appeal, we we're denied. So we appealed again and finally got our Approval to Enter Singapore, thus lifting of my ban on January 14, 2011 just couple of weeks before our wedding.

So since Feb 5, every weekend I'm now able to enter SG (ofcourse everytime I enter SG I'm always being interrogated by rude looking and rude acting immigration officers for half an hour or so), but once I showed them the ICA letter and tell them that I'm visiting my wife (showing a photocopy of her EP card), they let me enter SG.

Now here's my situation. I got an offer from an Software company as a Project Manager in Singapore. I was quite worried that my EP might not be approved because I was prohibited to enter SG last year. Please let me know the answer to the following:
1. What will be my chance of my EP getting approved by MOM given that I was prohibited to enter Singapore before.
2. In the EP Form there is a checkbox questionaire there asking "Have you ever been prohibited in Entering SG. Give the details
2.1 With this question, should I answer No since my ban is already lifted anyway?
2.2 If I a answer Yes, what sort of details do I need to give with regards to me being prohibited in entering Singapore before that would increase my chance of my EP getting approved.


Thank you very much for anyone who will take time in answering this question. I posted my "boring" story online so that my story would somehow help other people know how to deal with things like this. I know I made a mistake of entering SG before, without first waiting for the Malaysian Working visa from my new company, but that is a lesson I already learned and a lesson I want to share to other individuals (so please don't judge me guys). Again thanks.

[jmondejar]

guys, after posting my EP application in MOM, we saw that the status is rejected. Can this still be re-appeal?

[Saint]

So you have a wife and a fiancee living in Singapore??

[jmondejar]

So you have a wife and a fiancee living in Singapore??

my fiance has just become my wife when we got married in Philippines January 29, 2011

[Mad Scientist]

I think the problem is two part. You are banned and most banned immigrants has a two to five years placed on them.
I do not think because of your work visa has been canceledyou are immediately banned from entering and living in SG. It takes alot more to be given this "award".
There are more to this than meets the eye.
Although ICA and MOM are very strict in their protocol but they do abide that protocol. You must have cross a few boxes in order to get a VIP welcome.
You need to give us more info if you want us to help.
ICA if they lift your banned, their database should have removed that "removal from SG and banned from entry to SG for a period ........yrs" from your profile.
Then you have to inform MOM to do the same.
Methinks you are not giving us straight answers here.

[x9200]

2. In the EP Form there is a checkbox questionaire there asking "Have you ever been prohibited in Entering SG. Give the details
2.1 With this question, should I answer No since my ban is already lifted anyway?

They do not ask if you are banned but whether you ever have been banned. What did you actually answer?
Also to me the ban sounds like a very harsh punishment for just not having a valid visa (business visa?).

[jmondejar]

I think the problem is two part. You are banned and most banned immigrants has a two to five years placed on them.
I do not think because of your work visa has been canceledyou are immediately banned from entering and living in SG. It takes alot more to be given this "award".
There are more to this than meets the eye.
Although ICA and MOM are very strict in their protocol but they do abide that protocol. You must have cross a few boxes in order to get a VIP welcome.
You need to give us more info if you want us to help.
ICA if they lift your banned, their database should have removed that "removal from SG and banned from entry to SG for a period ........yrs" from your profile.
Then you have to inform MOM to do the same.
Methinks you are not giving us straight answers here.

Maybe the term that i use is not right, i'm not so sure. But i was prohibited to enter singapore since July 2010 so we did appeal to the ICA just for me to enter again Singapore from Kuala Lumpur. So as I stated in my very long story, ICA already approved my appeal to enter singapore again since January 14, 2011 and since then I'm freely going in and out of singapore. This friday will be the fifth time I will enter Singapore since the appeal to ICA was approved.

Hopefully I've given the correct picture now, if not i'll be more than willing to tell it as it is.

But my real problem now is that I have signed an offer letter from a Singapore company already and they already processed my application in MOM. But MOM rejected my application. We don't know what the reason why it was rejected, but i have a hint that it's because I was prohibited to enter Singapore last year that's why my application was rejected.
I just want to know if you have any suggestion on what I can do or the HR of the Singapore company who wants to hire me so that when we re-appeal, MOM will approve our application for me to work in Singapore.

[jmondejar]

2. In the EP Form there is a checkbox questionaire there asking "Have you ever been prohibited in Entering SG. Give the details
2.1 With this question, should I answer No since my ban is already lifted anyway?

They do not ask if you are banned but whether you ever have been banned. What did you actually answer?
Also to me the ban sounds like a very harsh punishment for just not having a valid visa (business visa?).

I answer "Yes" because I know they already have a record so it's useless for me to say "No".

Maybe, "Ban" is not the right word but just say "I was prohibited to enter Singapore" last year. But we already re-appealed to ICA and we already got the letter from ICA saying that I can now enter Singapore.

[ecureilx]

But my real problem now is that I have signed an offer letter from a Singapore company already and they already processed my application in MOM. But MOM rejected my application. We don't know what the reason why it was rejected, but i have a hint that it's because I was prohibited to enter Singapore last year that's why my application was rejected.

Pass rejections are due to many reasons, and while your suspicion may hold water, it may not be the actual reason ... reasons can also include influx of your countrymen here (with election around the corner) and also maybe a past ICA entry being tagged as a NFE / Wx / suspicious entry into Singapore.

Example: The one case I fought for, ICA doesn't share everything with MOM, and while ICA says 'rejected entry' ICA fails to tell MOM that the rejection was due to the application not having a valid return ticket - and for MOM, they only see "prior rejection of entry"

I just want to know if you have any suggestion on what I can do or the HR of the Singapore company who wants to hire me so that when we re-appeal, MOM will approve our application for me to work in Singapore.

If your employer is big enough, and they need you dearly, they will know how to proceed in the appeal process, and also submitting a letter of support and in cases, they could rope in some additional recommendations, along with a copy of 'clean seperation' from your malaysian employer etc can fix your problem .. most of the times ..

[jmondejar]

But my real problem now is that I have signed an offer letter from a Singapore company already and they already processed my application in MOM. But MOM rejected my application. We don't know what the reason why it was rejected, but i have a hint that it's because I was prohibited to enter Singapore last year that's why my application was rejected.

Pass rejections are due to many reasons, and while your suspicion may hold water, it may not be the actual reason ... reasons can also include influx of your countrymen here (with election around the corner) and also maybe a past ICA entry being tagged as a NFE / Wx / suspicious entry into Singapore.

Example: The one case I fought for, ICA doesn't share everything with MOM, and while ICA says 'rejected entry' ICA fails to tell MOM that the rejection was due to the application not having a valid return ticket - and for MOM, they only see "prior rejection of entry"

I just want to know if you have any suggestion on what I can do or the HR of the Singapore company who wants to hire me so that when we re-appeal, MOM will approve our application for me to work in Singapore.

If your employer is big enough, and they need you dearly, they will know how to proceed in the appeal process, and also submitting a letter of support and in cases, they could rope in some additional recommendations, along with a copy of 'clean seperation' from your malaysian employer etc can fix your problem .. most of the times ..

thanks ecureilx. Yeah I was informed that they will appeal my EP application in MOM by this week. I just hope that they will do whatever they can to have my EP application approved. The company is still small and it's still new so i'll cross my fingers with regards to this matter.

[Mad Scientist]

Ah.... my bad

You are requested to leave SG after pass expired. Removal can be from One day to 14 days.

You are not banned nor prohibited

You are certainly NOT undesirable visitor

Appeal you must, your HR or the MD should go and see MOM armed with docs to show that your skillset is needed for their operation. You can go with them if need be. Then wait. This the only thing you can do after that.

Good Luck

[jmondejar]

Ah.... my bad

You are requested to leave SG after pass expired. Removal can be from One day to 14 days.

You are not banned nor prohibited

You are certainly NOT undesirable visitor

Appeal you must, your HR or the MD should go and see MOM armed with docs to show that your skillset is needed for their operation. You can go with them if need be. Then wait. This the only thing you can do after that.

Good Luck

Thanks Mad Scientist! me and one HR personnel will join me in re-appealing my EP to MOM this Friday.

By the way, one question, why is it that when HR told me they already re-appealed my case online (https://eponline.mom.gov.sg) like 2 weeks ago, when I go and check online using my passport number, i dont see any appeal indicator when i check the status of my EP application. I was assuming, that there is at least an indicator like date of appeal or maybe, change of Application No (from "A" prefix ro "R" prefix), or change of status (from Rejected to Pending). But these indicators I cannot see, im still seeing the same application number, same application date, and same status. Is it really like this? Or if not, is it safe to assume that the HR staff did not really re-appealed my case? I don't want to ask the HR staff directly to fear that she'll think that I'm thinking she did not re-appeal.

[ecureilx]

I don't want to ask the HR staff directly to fear that she'll think that I'm thinking she did not re-appeal.

This question comes up and the answer is the same

MOM doesn't change the status, of an appeal, from the previous rejection, as one would expect ..

90% of the times, appeals still show as 'rejected' and not 'under appeal'

Best - if your employer is good, and the HR is professional, I see no reason why they should lie to you ... of course, small shops may do that .. instead of telling you they gave up on you ..

Asking the HR to provide proof is a double edged sword - it may make you feel happy, and also may make HR suspect that you don't trust them ..

Play safe ..

[jmondejar]

I don't want to ask the HR staff directly to fear that she'll think that I'm thinking she did not re-appeal.

This question comes up and the answer is the same

MOM doesn't change the status, of an appeal, from the previous rejection, as one would expect ..

90% of the times, appeals still show as 'rejected' and not 'under appeal'

Best - if your employer is good, and the HR is professional, I see no reason why they should lie to you ... of course, small shops may do that .. instead of telling you they gave up on you ..

Asking the HR to provide proof is a double edged sword - it may make you feel happy, and also may make HR suspect that you don't trust them ..

Play safe ..

thanks ecureilx! Now I know that 90% of the time MOM does'nt change the status when trying to appeal for EP.

By the way, the EP applied (and I guess appealed on the same day) on March 1, 2011. The HR personnel told me that appeal usually take 3 weeks to get the result of the appeal. I suggest to the HR personnel for us to go to MOM and appeal personally this coming friday March 18 which is more than 2 weeks and a half from the time that appeal has been made. I just want to know if going to MOM personally while waiting for the online appeal before the 3 weeks appeal processing is a good move to do. Thankfully the HR personnel agreed to come with me to MOM.

[ecureilx]

I suggest to the HR personnel for us to go to MOM and appeal personally this coming friday March 18 which is more than 2 weeks and a half from the time that appeal has been made. I just want to know if going to MOM personally while waiting for the online appeal before the 3 weeks appeal processing is a good move to do. Thankfully the HR personnel agreed to come with me to MOM.

let me give you my 2 cents opinion

If your company needs you and they have employed foreigners in the past, they will know what to do ..

As for the personal appeal, unless your company writes a letter saying without you, the company will close down or something like that, the duty officer will take your application and still put it into the normal process ..