Legality of Singapore visa runs

Metter

Markit wroteClassic! I always want to punch all those "happy, shiny faces"....

And after watching the video so do I!!

spicyayam

And again: Hi! So I'm in lock up in Singapore Airport! Singapore no longer wants people from Bali using it as a turn around for Visa. I was actually meeting my daughter here on her way to Berlin but apparently that was not a good enough reason. My Visa wasn't due for weeks & was planning on Japan. I use Social Visa's or VOA's depending on how long I will be staying in Bali. That doesnt seem to matter any longer. Since Xmas I have been in Aus, then a week in Singapore, then this day to see my daughter. I dont think that looks at all like a turn around Visa run. Watch your back kids, think KL might be a better choice because Singapore, The land of the unfree & the small dick has made a stand. I don't believe it's law based as yet but they have been instructed to stop the Bali turn around. They offered me a smaller room & hand cuffs for questioning the logic but 10 hours locked in this room has been a deterent. https://www.facebook.com/groups/canggucommunity/permalink/2272991476131115/

Markit

So all the millions of tourists headed for Bali via Singapore from around the world expecting to get a VOA should also be turned around and sent back ? I think not. And since a Social visa is preceded by an invitation that also has some traction legally in Singapore, one would think. Since the observance of the "law" seems to be based entirely on length of nose I suspect if you were to get a truthful answer from the SNG officials they just pick people to fuck with.

Balifrog

I guess they target the people having back to back visas to Indo in their passport ?

Mark

As I pointed out in post#4 above (with citation to the regulations), one requirement for a foreigner's admission to Singapore is that he/she be able to prove that they have permission to enter their next destination (this is actually a condition for entry into virtually every country in the world). In the case of a foreigner on a visa run from/to Indonesia, this is not easy. First, if the foreigner is coming to Singapore to collect a Sosbud, they do not [U]yet[/U] have valid permission to return to Indonesia, so they are effectively seeking to enter Singapore without being able to prove that they can legally return to Indonesia. So, an immigration officer could justifiably deny entry. For those looking to do a quick turnaround and return to Indo on a VOA, the situation is a little less clear. Singapore does not allow this abusive practice (ie, living in the country on a string of back to back VOAs) and most likely believes that there is a risk that Indonesia could deny entry on that basis as well (and indeed they could, but as we know they typically do not), so again the traveller can't prove they have valid permission to enter the next destination if they are travelling on a return ticket Indo-Singapore-Indo. Yes, all a bit technical, but the law's the law and I'm more shocked by the outrage of those posting on the FB Canggu page in Spicy's post above, expressing their complete ignorance of the law that Singapore is enforcing (and which would no doubt be equally enforced also by their respective home countries in Europe, Australia/NZ and North America) - maybe they have been 'living' in Indonesia too long :rolleyes:

Mark

Markit wrote So all the millions of tourists headed for Bali via Singapore from around the world expecting to get a VOA should also be turned around and sent back ? I think not. And since a Social visa is preceded by an invitation that also has some traction legally in Singapore, one would think. Since the observance of the "law" seems to be based entirely on length of nose I suspect if you were to get a truthful answer from the SNG officials they just pick people to fuck with.

Nah, it's not like that. Singapore immigration no doubt knows who the visa runners are, ie the ones who are essentially 'living' full-time in Indonesia without a proper stay permit (and sosbud or VOA are not proper stay permits, only an Itas -temporary stay permit or Itap -permanent stay permit are). And I imagine they they are unimpressed by a request for permission to enter Singapore not for the purpose of actually visiting Singapore but instead to prolong a stay in Indonesia. But no doubt they would tend to target the 'low hanging fruit' for extra attention, just like immigration everywhere.

Markit

Please explain why the SnG civil servants would GIVE A flying FUCK if people are coming into and [U]out of SNG[/U] for whatever purposes? This has been happening for 30+ years.

Mark

Markit wrote Please explain why the SnG civil servants would GIVE A flying FUCK if people are coming into and [U]out of SNG[/U] for whatever purposes? This has been happening for 30+ years.

Hmmm, dunno, maybe they are more concerned these days about threats of terrorism, drugs and weapons smuggling, illegal working, fraud and other nefarious activities... Gee isn't it funny to see a small, wealthy and somewhat vulnerable country in a tough neighbourhood actually care about who comes and goes, especially in these kind and gentle times full of warm, loving and universally well-intentioned people?

Markit

Mark wrote Plenty of grizzled, dyspeptic expats in Bali are involved in drugs, illegal working, financial scams, robbery, assault or other socially and morally unacceptable behaviour.

Boy, you move in some interesting circles

Markit

Mark wrote Hmmm, dunno, maybe they are more concerned these days about threats of terrorism, drugs and weapons smuggling, illegal working, fraud and other nefarious activities... [COLOR=rgb(0, 168, 133)]SNG as a renowned repressive place full to bursting with "shiny, happy people" hasn't felt the need to express these "preferences" in law and are just relying on the personal initiative of it's immigration civil servants? [/COLOR] Gee isn't it funny to see a small, wealthy and somewhat vulnerable country in a tough neighbourhood actually care about who comes and goes, especially in these kind and gentle times full of warm, loving and universally well-intentioned people?

Yeah, and your average grizzled, dyspeptic expat really fits that description.

Mark

Markit wrote Yeah, and your average grizzled, dyspeptic expat really fits that description.

Plenty of grizzled, dyspeptic expats in Bali are involved in drugs, illegal working, financial scams, robbery, assault or other socially and morally unacceptable behaviour. We all know examples, whether personally or through the police reports. Anyway, I don't understand the point - Singapore, along with every other country in the world, has the right to refuse admission to anyone for any reason. Most countries will publish their admission criteria, but [U]none[/U] will give you every reason why they would decide not to admit someone, since the final decision is up to the individual immigration officer's judgment and discretion. Try travelling to the US as a non-citizen and refusing to share the unlock code for your phone with ICE... Fair or not, it is what it is. Lots of injustice in the world.

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