Appeal for entry visa rejected

[Maarten]

Hi all,

I am Maarten a Singapore PR from the Netherlands who works and lives in Singapore

A few months ago I invited a lady from the Philippines for a social visit to Singapore but when entering she was refused entry by Singapore customs. And was treated as a criminal before being send back to Singapore.

Because I am a PR it was possible for me to appeal against the refused entry of her. Yesterday after waiting for 9 weeks I received the information that the appeal was rejected.

The rejection letter did not give any information on the reason why, further they did not give any information how to pursue further.

The current situation is highly frustrating since she just wants to come to Singapore to visit me ... for a week or so .. what is the big deal??

I dont want to give up yet ... she is a great person and it would be unacceptable for me that she is simply not welcome to Singapore.

Could anyone be so kind to suggest me what to do next? I am totally in the dark Is there maybe a professional I could turn to who deals with this kind of matters?

Your help is very much appreciated

Cheers,

Maarten

[zzm9980]

Has she ever been to Singapore before? Denied entry previously?

Does her passport show multiple chops in and out of Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau, Johor, Batam?

Things like that could have been used against her on entry. The only things I can suggest are of dubious legality and depend on whether or not ICA has her fingerprints. Sorry

[Maarten]

@zzm9980 Thanx for your quick reply!

She did travel in the region and even to Europe before... but these are just short holiday trips.

Maybe good to mention she did work for 2 years in Singapore as a DH and left Singapore in 2009 after finishing her contract. (in a decent way ...)

She has currently a restaurant and a shop in the Philippines and not keen on staying in Singapore for more then just holiday.

[nutnut]

ICA would not deny her entry if they didn't have good reason to, it is also not their perogative to give you a reason whether you are a foreigner, PR or citizen, they are acting in the interests of the borders.

Maybe this person has a past that you are unaware of that causes this issue?

Sorry to sound pragmatic about it, but why else could it be?

[Saint]

The current situation is highly frustrating since she just wants to come to Singapore to visit me ... for a week or so .. what is the big deal??

Did she have a confirmed return flight?

I dont want to give up yet ... she is a great person and it would be unacceptable for me that she is simply not welcome to Singapore.

Could anyone be so kind to suggest me what to do next? I am totally in the dark Is there maybe a professional I could turn to who deals with this kind of matters?

I wouldn't recommend you a 3rd Party to help your case with the ICA as they don't like other Parties meddling in their business

Your help is very much appreciated

Cheers,

Maarten

[Maarten]

Yes, she did had a return ticket, 10 days from arrival if I remember correctly ...


I thought citizens of ASEAN countries had the freedom of travel between these countries. Apparently this "freedom" has a lot to do with your ethnicity and your social status.

[the lynx]

Yes, she did had a return ticket, 10 days from arrival if I remember correctly ...


I thought citizens of ASEAN countries had the freedom of travel between these countries. Apparently this "freedom" has a lot to do with your ethnicity and your social status.

Sorry to disappoint you but ASEAN doesn't work like how EU does. Being a member country for this one doesn't offer easier mobility between member countries. Same thing goes for employment.

It may sound unpleasant but when you have many third world countries (and developing countries) as members of such, a country like Singapore has no choice but to raise the bars. Not fair but this happens.

On similar note, there must be something in your friend's records that raised the flags there. Like what other forum members already mentioned, ICA officers wouldn't go trigger happy deporting random people back without good reasons.

[Maarten]

@the lynx

Thanx for your honest feedback

We both have honestly no idea what that could be ... The challenge I have to get into contact with ICA, they only thing I keep on hearing is that if I can always appeal my appeal or just let her try to enter Singapore in a few months from now.

Is it possible to meet with a officer to discuss the issue or will this only be counter productive?

[ecureilx]

I thought citizens of ASEAN countries had the freedom of travel between these countries. Apparently this "freedom" has a lot to do with your ethnicity and your social status.

Well, tongue in cheek, I would have suggested that you should 'migrate' to Philippines, if you want her with you ..

But ..

Anyway, ICA is the final decider on matters such as entry visa, and the denial could be due to many things, such as her former employer having reported her, or she herself had prior visits under different passport and forgot to reveal it when asked, or stuff you may not know ..

And eligibility to have arrival visa is not a guarantee and is not a promise .. as a lot of ASEAN country citizens tend to abuse Singapore's easy immigration, ICA does look at ASEAN citizens carefully, and so does Malaysia .. not just Singapore .. and that Singapore, and closely following, Malaysia, are richer countries in the region only makes a lot of fellow ASEAN member country citizens using up the visa system to visit and make $ as well ..

She has currently a restaurant and a shop in the Philippines and not keen on staying in Singapore for more then just holiday.

Well, same goes for Asians applying for US/Europe visa. showing sincerity and promise of not having any plans to stay forever does not translate to a visa guarantee .. when Asians apply for US/Europe visa.

Same goes for Singapore

I dont want to give up yet ... she is a great person and it would be unacceptable for me that she is simply not welcome to Singapore.

Well, this is where I give really valuable advice:

Thinking aloud, could it be that be because you are NOT MARRIED TO HER ??? Hence ICA didn't want to approve your appeal .. what's the hold for then to consider you, a stranger, asking for an appeal for a lady, who is not your sibling or spouse ??

[ecureilx]

and not stereotyping, previously, I did write in another thread, that, my former employer insists that any applicants scan / photocopy and send all the pages of the applicant's passport .. since, simply some would have overlooked or forgotten that during the previous visit or exit, the ICA stamped something like "no entry" or "denied entry"

ICA people are not heartless ..

And, coincidentally, yesterday, on Ch 5, there was this nice program, Point Of Entry, and when a filipina got stopped at a Checkpoint and asked to meet the officer, first thing she starts of is "why are you harassing me ? Because I am a filipina ?? "

No offense .. but it just happened that the program was on yesterday ..

[Maarten]

Of course not married to her, in order to go to that stage first you have to know each other very well.

Honestly I think comparing Singapore with US/Europe is a bridge to far. Singapore is not similar at all ... Race or social background is never an issue with these destinations .. as long you did your paperwork well and you live up to the rules and regulations being publicized openly by those governments ...

Further Singapore is a city state, which makes it very easy to check who is in or out. (try that with Europe ...)

Apparently ICA has a non transparent process in place witch as a citizen is very hard to influence ... especially when your are a second class Singapore resident. (me being PR)

But would it be smart to seek direct contact with ICA to find a way to talk one on one with an officer?


Just to

[ecureilx]

Of course not married to her, in order to go to that stage first you have to know each other very well.

Well, since you seem to be jovial enough, why not you frequently go there .. like the saying, when the mountain cannot go to .. .....

Honestly I think comparing Singapore with US/Europe is a bridge to far. Singapore is not similar at all ... Race or social background is never an issue with these destinations .. as long you did your paperwork well and you live up to the rules and regulations being publicized openly by those governments ...

Further Singapore is a city state, which makes it very easy to check who is in or out. (try that with Europe ...)

With all the loopholes, if you visit the tower, you will realise that the approximately 1000 ++ girls there, all of them are on social visit and have sworn to ICA that they are here for 'holiday'

Ica can't suspect everybody to be freelancing or engaging in imoral activity, and that Singapore gets rapped by the various non-govt-organisations as being the center for human trafficking only makes ICA vary of not controlling ..

and add to it that everyday, ICA handles 100,000 people entering through the land checkpoints, on top of the fact that about 10 million visitors enter Singapore every year .. .. they are doing a tough job ..

Apparently ICA has a non transparent process in place witch as a citizen is very hard to influence ... especially when your are a second class Singapore resident. (me being PR)

Wrong ... I am a PR, and I don't get treated second class, ...

And as a PR, you and me are NOT CITIZENS, Second class or not ..

But would it be smart to seek direct contact with ICA to find a way to talk one on one with an officer?

Try and do tell us what happened

[Maarten]

I certainly will update the progress and if I am able to meet up with an officer.

Only would be great if people have some success stories


/of topic
And yes I know I am not a citizen ... and maybe not fair to mention about second class beeing PR ... but on the other hand, did you read recently the postings on websites like STOMP and Yahoo! News? As a PR you do not get that warm feeling of being welcome in your "new" country that you can call home

[revhappy]

I certainly will update the progress and if I am able to meet up with an officer.

Only would be great if people have some success stories


/of topic
And yes I know I am not a citizen ... and maybe not fair to mention about second class beeing PR ... but on the other hand, did you read recently the postings on websites like STOMP and Yahoo! News? As a PR you do not get that warm feeling of being welcome in your "new" country that you can call home

Well, atleast in Singapore, the unwelcome feeling is limited to just the cyberspace. But look at it the other way round, an asian going to Europe, USA or Australia will get a taste of it in a more tangible way.

I would anyday prefer Singapore, in that context.

[Maarten]

Well I have chosen Singapore as my new home, and the reason is not only the warm weather and the good food And your right there are many things that make Singapore a great place ... however equality of people is not the first thing that comes to my mind