Good evening TRS,
I am writing this after trying my best for almost 2 years to appeal for my wife's entry back into Singapore and still got rejected. I am a Singaporean, quite young actually, finished my NS duty, married to a Vietnamese.
*Background Story*
Back in 2012, a year into my first job ($1.9k), I was offered a IT job interview with a higher salary ($2.6k - $3.2k). It was a group interview, around 7 people and it was a 4 Indian, 1 Pinoy and 2 Singaporean scenario. All with Bachelor's Degree, (except me (ITE) and the other girl(diploma)), incredibly related working experience. After the interview, thought I was not chosen, as I am an ITE grad, 1 year work exp, but with a hobby that would help greatly on the job scope. Talked with some of them and they were saying they will accept even if it's 2k-2.2k.
A week later, the agent called and informed me that I was selected with a $2.6k salary. As I will need a 1 month's notice, I triple confirmed with him if I am able to hand in my resignation letter for my current job immediately. He confirmed and I submitted. 2 weeks into the wait, there was no news on anything, and I emailed that agent. He responded with a there is currently some internal shuffling going on in the company I'll be working with and told me to wait again. I waited, and it's nearing my last days, sent him an email and he gave me a few short sentences and a "You are KIV-ed".
I left my job and was left hanging for another month before I started a hawker business. An office job definitely gave me time for my wife and she have some friends to keep her entertained once in a while. And so I started my hawker business. Like everyone who started a business, it was a "I'll stick to a 10 hours work day" to a "I need to work all day" mindset. Business was growing slow but steady. I got officially married with her, on the 2nd month with a shoestring budget (that would be another story...), and managed to turn a profit of $3k on my 3rd month. That is when it was too late. My wife has been visiting the casino for quite some time already.
She is pretty well off in Vietnam I must say, being able to lose over S$40,000 in the casino and still went back gambling. And with her "reasoning" of wanting to win the money back then she would stop, she played on over 2-3 tables in one go. Bet and go another table to look at results. This resulted in a few times that she placed a bet when the results was out, which was stopped by the banker, obviously. And one fine day, when I received a Long Term Pass application for her that very morning, she called me to say that she was in trouble.
Calmly, I asked where she is. I pulled down my shop's shutter and left immediately, while asking her to fill me in on what happened. She told me she was at the casino and the police has caught her. Before I could ask more, she say that the police are here and she hang up the phone. I rushed down like how a husband will do. Talked to the police officer over the phone after trying to contact her multiple times. They got some problem trying to explain to me what happened. Said she was caught cheating in a game. Told me to go back first and visit Clementi Police Station later that day. Reached there before the stated time, had trouble trying to get to anyone in charged as my conversation with the officer was too brief. A few minutes later, I saw them placing her into a police car, and was told to visit Cantonment Police Station. Quite vague information were given. Not sure which department to go to. Ended up in the Bail area.
Again, was told to wait till much later. Finally got to bail her out and we left for home. We were very co-operative. Officer told me chances are high for jail time. The court case was being dragged for 2 months, so that I can spend time with her.
Went around for legal advice, all say there was no point. Didn't engage a lawyer, which was kind of regretted. And finally the verdict was given for 1 month jail time, for cheating $300 worth of chips. Minus the holidays and weekends, it's around 3 weeks. I appealed for leniency of having a fine instead on every hearing. But it failed. Before she was released, I even went to ICA to appeal to let her stay in Singapore as we just gotten married. Also failed and got sent back, after staying over for an additional 2 days in their horrible lock-up. No blanket, extremely cold, food is quite bad, and the place is dirty. Much worse than the prison.
But in there, even when she was supposed to feel sad and all, she got to know of someone from Indonesia, who was cheated to enter Singapore and work for a inhumane boss. She was an overstayer, and it wasn't her choice. She was beaten, starved and whatever you can think of being a maid of a madman. She has to pay the agent fees so that she isn't able to leave immediately. And that boss didn't extend for her and she got charged for overstaying. Not sure about her jail time but she was in ICA lockup for 2 weeks(?), as she couldn't get enough money to pay for her air ticket back! Everyone don't really have money on them, so they gave whatever they have to her when they left the lockup. That was the first thing my wife told me when I got the chance to call her after her release. Please buy her a ticket back to Indonesia. Before she even talked about her own return ticket. That is one of many reasons on why I am still with her. Liased with an officer and got her flight back. She called when she returned to Indonesia, thanking us in a language we don't know, but we are able to understand her.
*Problem Starts*
I took the same flight with her back to Vietnam. The officer who took care of her paper work were surprised to see me flying back with her. That's where the dilemma hit me. Should I be there for her in Vietnam? Or Should I be with my over 70 years old parents in Singapore. I went ahead with Vietnam for a while. I feel really bad not being with my parents. Not really earning much and not much savings left, I tried my best to get some money to provide my parents and at the same time, buy tickets for them to fly over some times. Problem temporary solved. It's 2 years long, with lots of other problems along the way. But I have left some of i out. Like how this made my wife is unable to do her duty as a daughter in law and ICA has the power to give me a time frame so that I can plan myself a path to walk.
Along this 2 years, I sent in numerous appeal letters to ICA, met MP of quite a high position with my parents, visited ICA's Appeal Office which ended up with the Stance of, "We are doing this to see if you really married the right person or not." And another time, "You have to choose yourself, you want your wife, or you want your family? We cannot chose for you.". While everyone else of the public hinted of the slightly less spoken but obviously there stance of "You must contribute to society, aka $$$, then we can consider your applications, you know the usual CPF, Medisave, Tax, Kaching Kaching... So they know you got the power to, contribute...", eg. for Long Term Pass, PR, etc.
(During my visit to ICA with my father, there was this elderly man, say 65+?, who was appealing for his China wife to enter Singapore as he is having a Heart Operation in a week's time. He was rejected.)
So, how do I show that this is the right person by not being with her? And how do I contribute to society, if I am not allowed to have my wife enter Singapore, so that I can start to contribute? After this 2 years of reasoning with myself, since ICA always gives a "We are unable to disclose any reason for the rejection nor give a timeframe of this ban" template letter. I gave up eventually and will try again much later.
*Roulette Game*
So how do I solve the problem with my elderly folks when they are in Singapore when they have Medical Checkups, Housekeeping to do, say during New Year and such, when I want to pass them some cash or even gifts? Yes, they are not frail. They can still walk. But this is something that I should be doing myself. And yes, they are still able to walk! I (may not be able to) earn much here in Vietnam, but not being able to go back to Singapore with my wife to work has already slowed down my earning power, if I were to stop altogether and head back to take care of them occasionally, I think, by the time my appeal is successful AND my career or business is successful (be it in Singapore or Vietnam), I don't think they will be in the health that they are in now! Let's assume it's a total of 5 years ban, which is another 3 years, and to be successful is another 5 + an additional 3 years of delays to give it a bad example. Do you feel that a 80 years old person could be enjoying stuffs like traveling or eating good food? They won't be able to walk, much less taste properly anymore...
So to prevent anymore delays to my minor chance of financial success, my Vietnamese brother in laws are kind enough to apply leave to fly over to Singapore to take care of them on behalf of me, whenever there is things needed to be done. Sometimes, 2 weeks, sometimes 1 full month. But they never overstay. And ICA love playing this roulette game, of randomly sending people back. Even when my parents are outside waiting for them. I wrote letters with my parents and my I/C number, phone number and address that they will be staying. My parents informed the information counter and was told to wait. And this would last between 4-8 hours. No followups even when rejected, Nothing. They just send them back WITHOUT giving me or my parents a call, only asking them to wait indefinitely while they slowly do their paperwork of sending them back. There was once, when my father was there, waiting for 5 hours in the cold already, ICA could even charge my father $80 as admin fees, because "They have already placed my brother into the hotel and if you want to get him out, you need to pay for the admin fee of, Staying in a "Hotel" while waiting to be sent back."
Of this 2 years, I have wasted more than S$3,000 on this kind of rejections. Money that could have gone into an investment funds, or donated to charity. Which most of rejection, gets a magically accepted entry on their 2nd attempt to enter, a week or two later. All the Return Air Tickets ($200-$300/rejection), Transportation on both ends, LOTS OF INDEFINITE WAITING TIME, stress of getting through to ANYONE past the information counter (Their most simple reply is "Call this ICA office number." and "Sorry, can't help." and they'll leave you to that option till it's too late before you can do anything about it. "Sorry, they are not allowed to enter Singapore and has been sent back." After 4-8 hours.)
My brother in laws have never overstayed.
They did not get into trouble with the law in Singapore.
They have people expecting them, my parents are waiting outside.
They have legitimate reasons that I have letters written, which includes my parents and my phone number, I/C no.
Reasons usually includes accompanying my parents to medical appointments, housekeeping (Move House, Preparing for Festivals, Any task that could be assisted, such as cleaning, mopping, cooking meals etc), assisting me in purchasing items from SIngapore, giving money or presents to my parents, etc.
They are not working in Singapore.
Most of them have been away from Singapore for more than 2 months before re-entry.
Why are ICA rejecting them when my intentions and options are clear and limited?
I really hope to get the attention of the public, so that there is no more, "Cause Lim Peh Say So!" decisions from ICA for people visiting Singapore. Instead, really look into case by case basis, with a proper checklist? Be it holiday-goer or caretakers in my case. The world is talking about Global Citizenship/Passport and Singapore is still treating people from supposedly less wealthy countries like they are all here to do bad things. I've seen many couples in a holiday mood being sent into their office.
What a way to start a holiday!
Lost
TRS Contributor