Entered SG with a tourist VISA, EPEC just approved.Now what?

[cruyff_fan]

Hello there,

I am a Canadian citizen who has been here for 2 wks in search for a job. NO luck so far and I've been told by recruiters that employers are now going on a hiring freeze.

Anyways, I entered with a tourist VISA (max stay 30days) on Aug 11th because my EPEC had not been approved at that time. So yesterday, my EPEC was finally approved and they will be sending the documents to my Canadian address which sucks cause i'm here in SG right now (stupid me for assuming the EPEC process would take exactly 2 weeks). So I have a few concerns here and I was wondering if someone could shed some light?

1) I'm planning to walk into a MOM office tomorrow and see if I can pick up the EPEC papers as opposed to waiting for it to arrive in Canada and then having someone fedex it back to me in SG. Anyone got a better idea than this?

2) Say if I do get the EPEC papers, do I have to leave SG and then re-enter and show Immigration my EPEC papers? I ask because i've got 2 weeks left until my tourist visa expires and i'm hoping Immigration can let me stay here long enough to get my LTVP and continue my job search

3) If i have to leave, How many days do I have to be away from SG before I can re-enter?

thanks in advance

[Asian_Geekette]

So did you actually go to MOM last Friday?

[cruyff_fan]

No i didn't go friday. Been sick the last few days. Need to stay away from the hawker's food and eat something nutritous...

I did go today only to have been told by the security guard from Man Power that today is a Malay holiday...

No more excuses. i've been told its opened tomorrow and i'm going there first thing morning.

[JR8]

1) I'm planning to walk into a MOM office tomorrow and see if I can pick up the EPEC papers as opposed to waiting for it to arrive in Canada and then having someone fedex it back to me in SG. Anyone got a better idea than this?

The paperwork might not be physically issued from the MOM office. Even if it is they must deal with loads of applications and are not going to have a way of going and picking out yours and handing it to you. At least I doubt it. I suppose you could go and try and get a copy issued on the spot, though in SG things tend to operate in the stated way, and that's the end of it there is no work around.
As a worse case could someone scan the EPEC and e-mail it back to you from Canada?
Can you call MOM and ask? Visiting might be a wasted trip.


2) Say if I do get the EPEC papers, do I have to leave SG and then re-enter and show Immigration my EPEC papers? I ask because i've got 2 weeks left until my tourist visa expires and i'm hoping Immigration can let me stay here long enough to get my LTVP and continue my job search

If you go to ICA and file your EPEC-based LTVP application they'll stamp you a new SVP there and then (mine was 60 days)

3) If i have to leave, How many days do I have to be away from SG before I can re-enter?

You could do a one-time online extension of your SVP on-line, rather than border-hopping. The latter will only, at some unpredictable point, start flagging up in ICAs radar. Still, as explained above I don't think any of this is necessary.

Edit for font colour and to add.
p.s. Today is not a 'Malay holiday', it is a Muslim holiday. Hari Raya or Eid-el-fitr. It is the end of the Ramadan fasting month. In simple terms it is as significant as Christmas is to Christians, and is a Singaporean national holiday.

[cruyff_fan]

JR8, Thank you so much for your reply! i really appreciate you taking the time to write this up for me.

You bring a very good point about calling MOM. I think i'll try that first and see how they can help me. My plan initially was that if i go in person I can get a copy of that EPEC doc. If not, I'll ask them if they could provide me all the info from the EPEC doc that I need to apply for LTVP (such as the EPEC issue date which unfortunately cannot be obtained from the EPEC MOM website). anyways, i'll see what they say on the phone first...

JR8, may I ask you how far into the LTVP process did you get before you went to ICA to grant you a SVP of 60days? I see on e-vp LTVP application process that there are 5 steps and after that, i assume there are other steps to that... I wish I could apply on the e-vp now but i can't even get through the first step cause i don't know what my EPEC issue date is, which is a field required to be filled in.

[cruyff_fan]

1) I'm planning to walk into a MOM office tomorrow and see if I can pick up the EPEC papers as opposed to waiting for it to arrive in Canada and then having someone fedex it back to me in SG. Anyone got a better idea than this?

The paperwork might not be physically issued from the MOM office. Even if it is they must deal with loads of applications and are not going to have a way of going and picking out yours and handing it to you. At least I doubt it. I suppose you could go and try and get a copy issued on the spot, though in SG things tend to operate in the stated way, and that's the end of it there is no work around.
As a worse case could someone scan the EPEC and e-mail it back to you from Canada?
Can you call MOM and ask? Visiting might be a wasted trip.


2) Say if I do get the EPEC papers, do I have to leave SG and then re-enter and show Immigration my EPEC papers? I ask because i've got 2 weeks left until my tourist visa expires and i'm hoping Immigration can let me stay here long enough to get my LTVP and continue my job search

If you go to ICA and file your EPEC-based LTVP application they'll stamp you a new SVP there and then (mine was 60 days)

3) If i have to leave, How many days do I have to be away from SG before I can re-enter?

You could do a one-time online extension of your SVP on-line, rather than border-hopping. The latter will only, at some unpredictable point, start flagging up in ICAs radar. Still, as explained above I don't think any of this is necessary.

Edit to add.
p.s. Today is not a 'Malay holiday', it is a Muslim holiday. Hari Raya or Eid-el-fitr. It is the end of the Ramadan fasting month. In simple terms it is as significant as Christmas is to Christians, and is a Singaporean national holiday.

Ah, I must of heard him wrong. My sincere apologies to the Muslim people. Thank you for the interesting facts. I have so much to learn about Singapore and thier people...

[JR8]

JR8, may I ask you how far into the LTVP process did you get before you went to ICA to grant you a SVP of 60days? I see on e-vp LTVP application process that there are 5 steps and after that, i assume there are other steps to that... I wish I could apply on the e-vp now but i can't even get through the first step cause i don't know what my EPEC issue date is, which is a field required to be filled in.

Well it was a few year ago, I have a lousy memory and they change the rules periodically. So I'm not sure at my experience being too relevant

At some point you have to go to ICA and have your fingerprints taken, as an image of those is on your LTVP card. As I remember it that was at a meeting I had set up online to file my initial LTVP application.
I.e. My SVP was running low, ICA Kallang Road stamped me 60 days there and then. This was before my LTVP card was issued at a later date.
As it happened I went on holiday a few days later. The 60 day SVP of course got cancelled on departure at the airport. I returned back to SG, and either got issued another 30 or 90 day SVP at the airport. During the validity of which my LTVP card was issued.

The steps that you mention, do any of them mention having to go to ICA in person?

All a bit hazy now. Hope that might give some clues!

p.s. Yes, as searches here will show, don't get the EPEC issue date wrong on an LTVP application or it will be instantly rejected! Several people here have already witnessed that first hand.

[cruyff_fan]

JR8, may I ask you how far into the LTVP process did you get before you went to ICA to grant you a SVP of 60days? I see on e-vp LTVP application process that there are 5 steps and after that, i assume there are other steps to that... I wish I could apply on the e-vp now but i can't even get through the first step cause i don't know what my EPEC issue date is, which is a field required to be filled in.

Well it was a few year ago, I have a lousy memory and they change the rules periodically. So I'm not sure at my experience being too relevant

At some point you have to go to ICA and have your fingerprints taken, as an image of those is on your LTVP card. As I remember it that was at a meeting I had set up online to file my initial LTVP application.
I.e. My SVP was running low, ICA Kallang Road stamped me 60 days there and then. This was before my LTVP card was issued at a later date.
As it happened I went on holiday a few days later. The 60 day SVP of course got cancelled on departure at the airport. I returned back to SG, and either got issued another 30 or 90 day SVP at the airport. During the validity of which my LTVP card was issued.

The steps that you mention, do any of them mention having to go to ICA in person?

All a bit hazy now. Hope that might give some clues!

p.s. Yes, as searches here will show, don't get the EPEC issue date wrong on an LTVP application or it will be instantly rejected! Several people here have already witnessed that first hand.

Thanks JR8 and yes you've given me alot clues already. You've Definitely been very helpful. In terms of the nitty gritty details of the LTVP application, i'm sure i can this stuff by doing a search on this forum.

Anyways, i called MOM and the only method they offered to me was to email this address: mom_wpd_epec@mom.gov.sg and request they mail it to my hotel in singapore. this should take about 7 days.

Since My social visa expires next week, i'm going to take your advice JR8 and apply for that one time short term pass extension which should allow me to stay here an extra 30 days.

Assuming i get the 30days extension, The LTVP process as per ICA website takes at least 4 weeks so its going to be very tight and i probably won't get that done in time before i have leave. but i think this is ok at least the next time i have to exit and re-enter, i'll have my LTVP papers (assuming ICA approves and fingers crossed and hope they will approve) so that i wouldn't be flagged or denied entry etc...

[JR8]

Glad things are moving along in the right direction

Anyways, i called MOM and the only method they offered to me was to email this address: mom_wpd_epec@mom.gov.sg and request they mail it to my hotel in singapore. this should take about 7 days.

Usually the government manage to do what they say (unlike many other countries), so this is a positive too.


...Assuming i get the 30days extension, The LTVP process as per ICA website takes at least 4 weeks so its going to be very tight

No as mentioned when you go to ICA to file the application it is like your slate gets wiped and they issue you another new SVP with a duration that they believe is long enough to cover the LTVP application process.

When I applied for my EPEC based LTVP the standard issue date was listed as 28 days (mine took c. 3 weeks). Maybe the 60 day SVP I was issued at Kallang Road was standard then, to cover all eventualities.


and i probably won't get that done in time before i have leave. but i think this is ok at least the next time i have to exit and re-enter, i'll have my LTVP papers (assuming ICA approves and fingers crossed and hope they will approve) so that i wouldn't be flagged or denied entry etc...

I also feel that once you'll filed your LTVP application, you're in the system and that is flagged up when ever you go through immigration. So if you need to go away and return, they will see that data in front of them, and I wouldn't worry about it.

p.s.
My reference to 'flagging up', is more re: people who repeatedly border-hop in order to extend their stay in Singapore. But that does not apply in your case.

[cruyff_fan]

Just providing an update here.

Last month, I applied for an one time extension short term visitor pass which allowed me to stay in Singapore for an extra 30days and due to expire on the 10th of this month. I also recieved my EPEC doc 3 wks ago and as soon as I recieved it, I went online and applied for the LTVP which ICA approved just yesterday (they gave me 1yr to find work). So now all i have to do is meet up with the ICA officers which i've made an appointment on the 18th of october (that's the earliest date available) to show them my med exam reports and what not and I wouldn't have to worry about VISAs expiring at least for another year and I can soley focus on my job search. So once again, thank you JR8 and thank you singapore expat forum for all the help!

[JR8]

Congratulations!