Visa story Singapore

Enter Singapore does not require a special visa. The first month visa is free on arrival at the airport, but it is better to have a return ticket or a paper to proving it. I let your imagination a bit. Indeed, the immigration officer may ask to see your return ticket if you do not have one you may be denied entry into the country.

My one month visa is nearer to the end. we went to the Singapore immigration website to apply for an extension. Here there’s no immigration office for tourists where you can make a visa extension for a few bucks a day. Every traveler needs to apply extended stay with the highest authorities of the country. The easiest way is to visit the ICA website and apply for the extension of her « social visit pass » with an online application (e-XTEND at http://www.ica.gov.sg).

You must fulfill certain conditions to make a formal request:

Having a local sponsor over 21, Singaporean or foreigner with a permanent residency which they can log into the ICA website (Signpass)to support your application. You can also apply through a trusted Partners which are mostly hospitals such as these: ALEXANDRA HOSPITAL CHANGI GENERAL HOSPITAL (check the ICA website for the full list of locations)

– Still have a valid « social visit pass » for more than three days
– You have to leave singapore for at least 3 days before coming back after your current stay.
– You will then receive an email response within 48 hours.

That’s theory here’s what I experienced.

My girlfriend is from Singapore and when I arrived she asked me why you do not stay here? You could find a job, living in my arms and especially save the cold and snow of Canada. Yes it’s good idea, is the woman and the place I expected to settle down a life in South East Asia.

After a quick poll, I came to the conclusion that Singapore is one of the few countries in Southeast Asia who can offer me a real chance of future. A comparable western lifestyle with a pair of chopsticks at every meal.

I sent nearly a hundred resumes, mostly in job search sites and their advertisers. The field of finance, technology and communications is very well represented.I had three job interviews, including one for a great iPhone application named showmynearby.com. Young people from here who have had a few million funding to develop an application that informs us about everything that surrounds us; restaurants, parkings, banks, movies schedules, etc.. from mobile phone GPS. A bit like I discovered with the new Google service open Lattitude. I would enjoyed participating in this exciting project with young « crack » people, but having just bought my first smartphone two weeks ago. I did’nt made a great impression.

I was offered a position as web developer in a computer product distribution company. I hesitated a bit before accepting, but i need people ready to take the chance to sponsor me with local authorities and is not quite common. So I gathered the necessary paperwork (My resume, my degree, letters of recommendation, copy of passport)for help my employer to apply online for my «  Employment Pass « . The online application process is accelerated and it is supposed to give us an answer within 10 days compared with the manual request who can take up to six weeks.

My visit visa was going to expire and we had no choice but to apply online on Thursday evening to make sure we have 3 days left for apply again. Is a chance that the office is open on Saturday morning and my girlfriend can sponsor me via his government access code. We fill the online form and we have no choice but to choose our relationship as spouse in order for the application to be processed. The only thing that we can do is wait for the reply in 48 hours.

We will connects to the ICA site the next day to know the answer. My online application is denied. We got an appointment on Monday at 12:15 am for my extension request with our respective passports. We go to this downtown building. A busy building of 5 floors where people of Singapore are validate their passports and foreigners resolve immigration issues. We « scanned » my visa bar code in a self service-kiosk that gave us a ticket for waiting number at 4th floor. Here everything is well organized, the electonic indicator shows your ticket number and the counter you have to report to.

When It’s my turn went to the counter, but the officer who was stern-looking said , »you have not printed the letter of invitation. » « er no, » confused by what she had just said. » Go to the first floor in a print and return to me. »she barked. We do not see the link, she probably had access to this paper from her computer, but with her bad attitude is better to submit her demand. I try to get her attention from because we don’t have ticket. Only customers of our counter seemed clueless and impatient. I am the only « gwailo (white ghost at what chinese people call us ) the rest of the crowd is mostly composed of Chinese, Indian, Malaysian and Philippino’s. Am I in the right place I do not want a political refugee I want just a tourist visa extension. We finally meet Miss make me sweat a second time.

It’s a lie! it’s not your spouse! You can get charged by the state for this. But I had no other option but physical allow other choice so we are friend. I am waiting for a work permit, your permit is denied she said with a smile. It’s been two days that he was sent … I love to learn from the mouth of someone else …why did your passport got no stamp in it? it’s a new, I do in Singapore, look at the place of issue. No. I need the old passport, and do it quickly, because I will go dinner soon. We go at the car, to pick it.

We returning to the evil counter, I expect to have a chance,i show my color, but nothing seems to bother her. People around seem as frustrated as me. I go to the counter, but she must go to lunch right away, « come back after my lunch and take another number. I go back and try to have a new number in the self-service facility, it saying that this number has already been assigned, go around the counter and try to fit in.

We will see his replacing worker who seems more sympathetic. She says it’s already denied and i can’t do anything, she even said that i should leave the country within 6 hours because it’s already rejected. Wait for my collegue I can’t do anything for you. We waited for her our joyful servant’s back. She’s finally back, I’m waiting in front of her to try to get her attention. She consults my passport and ask us if we tell that she promised us something? Uh, not really! she finally stamped my passport and saying I give you one week anyway you have no reason to stay in Singapore anymore. – « Ah! She cursed us she gave us one week insted of out possible 89 days, this one really doesn’t love us at all. At the end she askid to go make her a copy of our respective passports and it over to her before we live

A beautiful 4 hour of evil bureaucracy, I have so much grievances but yet I do not have the authority to vocalize it.

In short, it can get really complicated when it comes to getting a visa extension in Singapore the moment you are assigned to an unfortunate counter. I’ll do like everyone and I will leave the country for 4 days for better back then ….

bobby Dennie

GetLostinAsia est édité par Bobby Dennie un canadien amoureux de l'Asie basé à Singapour qui couvre le terrain depuis 2007. visitez la page a propos GetLostinAsia is edited by Bobby Dennie a Canadian based in Singapore. I am a South East Asia travelling Junkie.I am writing and discovering asia since 2007.

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