SVP query...

[James Lim]

Hi all

Having read what I presume to be majority of posts related to my situation, am still concerned hence am here.

Thanks for taking time to read through and sharing your thoughts.

Background:

1. Am a father with investments/businesses in HK and Phil, coming here to SG almost on a monthly basis for the sole purpose of catching up/bonding with my family on 30 day SVP granted to Phil passport holders.

2. Wife is on LTVP and 4 kids are all attending schools here with student passes. Oldest Sec 3, youngest P1. I am never in SG from late May /June and late November/Dec as kids are out of school then.

2. Stay at a condo purchased new for own use.

3. Duration of stay usually is from 18 to 21 days/non-fixed dates as am thankfully able to manage/supervise work from a distance for relatively short periods of time but things happen hence the erratic times.

4. Aside from having to attend to work issues some time and reading through information here, I make it a point to space family visits with roughly a 7 day interval between each SG entry chop to avoid any inconvenience at ChangGi.

Here goes:

Our youngest son got sick on the last leg/few days of my last trip, I couldn't stay on to help my wife tend to him as my SVP was approaching 27 days. I left.

Queries are as follows:

1. Should I be so wary about staying up to near maximum days a SVP is allowed? Is there an unspoken cutoff date as in don't stay till last day but one day before is okay type deal? In above situation, I felt REALLY bad but didn't want to get hassled or blacklisted upon next return.

2. Is there a warning that ICA officers give to people who have been using up majority of their SVPs?

I do bring proof to justify purpose of my social visit in case am questioned as to frequency of visits and thankfully haven't been asked to show kids student passes and wife's LTVP.

Thanks again for your time.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Hi all

Having read what I presume to be majority of posts related to my situation, am still concerned hence am here.

Thanks for taking time to read through and sharing your thoughts.

Background:

1. Am a father with investments/businesses in HK and Phil, coming here to SG almost on a monthly basis for the sole purpose of catching up/bonding with my family on 30 day SVP granted to Phil passport holders.

How long have you been doing this?

2. Wife is on LTVP and 4 kids are all attending schools here with student passes. Oldest Sec 3, youngest P1. I am never in SG from late May /June and late November/Dec as kids are out of school then.

I am assuming, then, that your wife is on a Study Mom's LTVP for the children?

2. Stay at a condo purchased new for own use.

3. Duration of stay usually is from 18 to 21 days/non-fixed dates as am thankfully able to manage/supervise work from a distance for relatively short periods of time but things happen hence the erratic times.

4. Aside from having to attend to work issues some time and reading through information here, I make it a point to space family visits with roughly a 7 day interval between each SG entry chop to avoid any inconvenience at ChangGi.

Here goes:

Our youngest son got sick on the last leg/few days of my last trip, I couldn't stay on to help my wife tend to him as my SVP was approaching 27 days. I left.

Queries are as follows:

1. Should I be so wary about staying up to near maximum days a SVP is allowed? Is there an unspoken cutoff date as in don't stay till last day but one day before is okay type deal? In above situation, I felt REALLY bad but didn't want to get hassled or blacklisted upon next return.

I don't know about today, but for me, I did that for close to 11 years (but I worked offshore for 2 months and was back here on an svp for 30 days, usually leaving on the 27 or 28th day (basically I would be here 4 weeks). But my duration away was considerably longer even though the gahmen knew what was going on in regards to Oilfield workers.

I don't think, as long as you are leaving a couple of days prior to the actual expiry instead of the last day, that with a minimum away time of 7 days, you should/would have any problems. However, having said that, proof of residence elsewhere would be desirable as without that, it would appear then that you were living in Singapore without a proper residency visa. But on the other hand, we didn't have other residences either so maybe you can swing it okay. If at all possible, don't apply for extensions though as that will probably throw a red herring into the works.

2. Is there a warning that ICA officers give to people who have been using up majority of their SVPs?

None that I'm aware of. Although they might give you a shorter SVP the next time you come in. That will be a strong hint that they are getting fed up.

I do bring proof to justify purpose of my social visit in case am questioned as to frequency of visits and thankfully haven't been asked to show kids student passes and wife's LTVP.

I don't think you would really have to worry if you did show the kids student passes or your wife's LTVP. It would be a good idea to carry copies though just in case all else fails.

Thanks again for your time.

[James Lim]

Thanks for the quick reply sundaymorningstaple. Have been doing this roughly for the past 9 months.

Yes, wife is on study mom LTVP for children.

Did you mean I shouldn't or would have problems? I have proof of residence in mother country and realize NOT to apply for extensions.

I carry copies of relevant details with me on every trip I make to SG and thankfully haven't been asked to show yet.

Apologies as don't know how to include your reply in mine to facilitate reading through.

Thanks again for your time and the help this forum gives.

[James Lim]

Apologies. Reread your kind reply and my mistake in not reading thoroughly. Thanks again.

[JR8]

So if a mother has a child in a SGn school, the husband can spend say 3.5 weeks a month living in SG on SVPs?

I'm rather surprised at that.