Visa Questions

[Viper619]

Hi guys, I've been checking the various visa websites and there's a couple of questions I couldn't find the answers to. If you could help me out I would greatly appreciate it.
I'm an Irish citizen on a 90 day Social Visit Pass (expires Dec 27th).

1) how long do I have to leave Singapore before I can get a new 90 day pass.

2) do I have to return to Ireland to renew my pass or can I just take a short trip to Kuala Lumpur

3) I am currently on leave from work but will be returning early next year. I work offshore in the Oil & Gas Industry in Norway. I work rotation work - 2 weeks work then 2 weeks off. Would it be a problem visa wise to come to Singapore every 2 weeks?

[sundaymorningstaple]

It might be over the long term. In the short term I reckon you would be able to pull it off. But there will come a point that Immigration may well see it as "living" here as opposed to "visiting" and then require you to remain out of the country for several months, e.g., six months. It's a gamble, but for those working in the O&G industries, normally don't have any problems except most work month on/off rota. I did it for 11 years here, but that was before they started tightening up (and I had a local wife & 2 children).

How does one get 2 weeks rota?!? I worked in the O&G industry for 20 years and my daughter is currently working for Maersk Drilling in Angola. (she on month on/off) I worked 2 & 1 on/off but that was back in the 70's & 80's.

[Viper619]

Hopefully it will work out. 2/2 rota for Statoil in the North Sea is standard although I have worked 2/3, 2/4 and 3/2 depending what platform or project I'm on.

[sundaymorningstaple]

So your girlfriend is working in Singapore, yeah?

[Viper619]

It's that obvious?
Yeah she just signed a 2 year contract so I'll be traveling back and forward for a while at least.

[JR8]

1) I think it’s more subjective than that. I think they will seek to prevent people using repeat SVPs to work here ‘under the radar’. The more you push it, the more persuasive your case needs to be that you’re not abusing it. A similar thing happened to me repeatedly visiting the US, under their Visa Waiver Scheme, for say 5 out of every 8 weeks. All was fine for half a year or so, until ‘the next time’ when I got sent out of the queue, taken away, and interrogated and almost deported. It was a ***highly*** unpleasant experience (and I don’t say that lightly). I then had to apply for a visa. Have you considered simply applying for a SGn visa?

3) Ah so it’s love I’m no expert but visiting SG every two weeks is surely going to send up some red flags. Most visitors here stay 2.5 days (average), and are here during a long-haul transit stop-off. You’ll see how different your circumstances would be from that.

I’d suggest trying to go the ‘legit route’ looking into getting a multi-entry visa, and declaring the circumstances ... if they say you don't need one, fine (keep a hard copy of their reply with you). Better than feeling you're perhaps 'winging it' each time....

[JR8]

p.s. The thing the US wanted to see to get a long term tourist visa, was that I had close ties to my home country.

- Home
- Employment
- Family
i.e. solid reasons why I wasn't trying to emigrate to or live in the US.

Perhaps you might consider it in the same way? You just want to visit SG each month, because you can, and because you wish to. But equally, that does not mean you wish to move there....


[just thinking aloud]

[Viper619]

Thanks for the input JR8. I think I'll take a trip to the Irish Embassy today to see if they can give me some advice. It's seems like multi-entry visa might be the route to go but I'll make sure to keep proof of employment etc with me when I travel.
I used to travel every 2 weeks from Ireland to Norway so I've been pulled aside a couple of times but it was never a problem since I was always traveling within Europe.

[Beeroclock]

I know of someone who was in Singapore for a little over a year using SVP's and short 5 day regional trips before the 90 day expiry. This was on Australian passport during 2011-12, maybe it is harder nowadays (?). Multi-entry visa sounds like a better way to go if you value the peace of mind, as SVP will always be a risk each renewal / and subject to immigration officer.

[JR8]

Some years back...

I arrived here, and got a 90 day chop.
Right near the end, went to JB for a few hours, got a new 30 day chop.
Batam, 30 day chop.

At that point I felt (just a hunch) that I was at the end of the SVP-road.

[sundaymorningstaple]

I probably hold the record as I lived here on a bog standard 30 day visa (before the advent of 90 day visas) for 11 years. Got married, had two kids and three cars all while on 30 SVPs. But as said, I worked a two months offshore, one month in Singapore as a tourist for 11 years before I left the O&G industry and took up employment in Singapore to start that process to eventually get my PR.

[JR8]

I remember you saying this, perhaps unimaginable these days when ICA have your entire record at their fingertips.


p.s. Was it perhaps before they invented computers?

[sundaymorningstaple]

Well, come to think of it.......

[Wd40]

p.s. The thing the US wanted to see to get a long term tourist visa, was that I had close ties to my home country.

- Home
- Employment
- Family
i.e. solid reasons why I wasn't trying to emigrate to or live in the US.

Perhaps you might consider it in the same way? You just want to visit SG each month, because you can, and because you wish to. But equally, that does not mean you wish to move there....


[just thinking aloud]

I thought they troubled people only from poor 3rd world countries. I didnt know they had a problem with white brits trying to emigrate into their country

[sundaymorningstaple]

The UK has the same problem with eastern Europeans (westerners) trying to immigrate to the UK upsetting the Curry Clan there.