EP rejected and weird mixed-up

Hmmm it looks like you are a victim of identity thief. Assuming that the passport numbering system of your country is not managed properly, the same passport number may be used to create a /!\ I AM A STUPID SPAMMER /!\ under your real name / DoB for another guy and that guy have used that /!\ I AM A STUPID SPAMMER /!\ to apply for an SPass in Singapore.

you may want to ask your HR to explain that to MOM and may want to ask your HR to request for more details from MOM so that they can make a police report (because your name, dob, passport number was illegally used)

It can also be a bug in MOM management system (assuming that they have one....) No one knows what happens inside though...

@Patrick Collison Thank you. Yes it was very strange. The most strange thing is I only have this passport number after 2018 (my passport was replaced then), and how can the 2009 record have it? So in MOM system, after applying for a Spass, can the person continue updating passport number?

"So in MOM system, after applying for a Spass, can the person continue updating passport number?" Technically yes, for example you change you passport in between. However I think what's most important now is to make clear with MOM that you are a victim. Else, a bad record in MOM may ban you from working in Singapore forever.

@Patrick Collison.   Thank you. I have provided my full education history with no gap year in the middle (all verified), would this be enough? I am thinking an alternative could be to change a passport and then re apply with a new passport number, however I am not sure HR would let me do it, and I am not sure it makes me more suspicious if MOM found out.

@zyevelyn Since you are German (according to your profile), errors by the officials in issuing passports (e.g. with numbers already used) can be ruled out - as German authorities are very diligent in this respect.

However, changing passport will NOT make any difference, because Singapore has one record per person - not one per passport. Adding a new passport will thus just add a new entry in your profile, but the overall picture remains the same. (Such attempts to "game the system" will never succeed in Singapore!)

If you are really a victim of identity theft or another error here, you and the company's HR should together have a personal meeting with the processing officer to clear this up. Still, it might mean delays of weeks or months until your case is processed properly.

@beppi Thank you. I am a Chinese passport holder working in Germany now. It is a very stressful situation because I have quit my current job to relocate to Singapore, without anticipating this problem. It is so awkward for my passport information to appear in another person's profile.

@zyevelyn Do this kind of errors happen in your country's officialdom?

I hope you can sort this annoying situation out. Perhaps you must contact your country's authorities first.

You should also, at the same time, look for a Plan B - i.e. a job in another country. (And please correct the nationality in your profile!)

As we wrote many times on this forum: NEVER quit your previous job before the Singapore work pass is approved!

@beppi I don't think it is a mistake on the government side. I got this passport when I was working in Toronto, so it was issued in Toronto. It seems the Spass applicant has ALL the information the same. I am a university professor. Unfortunately, the academic job market works differently, we typically hire in the Fall for next year. it is required in the contract that we have to give school notice of leaving a semester before, to arrange teaching and classes.

@zyevelyn All this is of no consequence to the Singapore authorities and their decision whether you can work in Singapore or not. And their decision is final - so the best you can do (as I already advised in my first post above) is to work with MoM/ICA and your employer to solve the mix-up. It might not be easy and it will take time, but there is no alternative. And for the (in my opinion not unlikely) case that you cannot get a work pass, you should already develop a Plan B outside of Singapore now.

@beppi Thanks again for your response. I would like seek advise on the following: 1) sharing name and birthday is not uncommon for Chinese, in this case, how can MOM tell? 2) In my case, the other person has exact my passport information. How can I show MOM that I am the authentic passport holder? I can verify my entire education and job history, but still I am not sure how to convince them. 3) my employer was not on the S pass application, hence they don't know any details to defend me. They were trying to verify my education (one of which was in conflict with the school declared in the S pass application), my highest degrees were obtained after 2009. Do you have any advise on how to proceed? Can I reach out to Singapore police as a foreigner? Chinese government can only suggest me to replace my passport, which will immediately deactivate the number. I think the ability to change to a new passport somehow shows I am holding the authentic one. But I am not sure MOM buies this argument. Thanks again!!

@zyevelyn I am not MoM and do not know what they need and how they would resolve such an issue (if at all). Ask them!

The police has nothing to do with all of this, unless you can prove that a criminal act was involved. (This seems unlikely to me.)

3) my employer was not on the S pass application, hence they don't know any details to defend me.

Only the employer (or an appointed agent acting on their behalf) can apply for your work pass. So they are fully responsible for what was submitted!

@beppi Thank you.

> Thank you. I have provided my full education history with no gap year in the middle (all verified), would this be enough?

NO. The system does not work like that. The person/ process who verify your education is most likely different than the person/ process which blocks your application because there was a SPass application 15 years ago with the same passport number. Dont assume that they will by any chance "talk" to each other and "oh but i have verified all of his/her education and the timeline shows that... so there might be something wong.. do not block his/her application".

> I am thinking an alternative could be to change a passport and then re apply with a new passport number

It does not change the fact that your application (this company + this name + this DoB) is suspicious in MOM's eye and changing another passport number may be considered an attempt to game the system.

Have you tried to call MOM hot line and speak to them?

@Patrick Collison Yes, I tried several times actually and most of them say "let your employer call us." My employer is arrogant and won't call. However, today I met a nice agent. She escalated the case for me and gave me a case number, saying someone will get back to me within three days typically.

...today I met a nice agent. She escalated the case for me and gave me a case number, saying someone will get back to me within three days typically.
        -@zyevelyn

Would you tell us the cost for the agent, please?

@Aidan in HCMC I think you misunderstood me. By "agent" I mean the MOM officer who picked up my call by chance.

It is true that MoM does not normally entertain calls by job seekers - they only deal with employers. Thus do not put much hope into this "nice agent" (officer!) - she is the exception and, as a mere call center worker, cannot make decisions or change anything.

The only way, really, to clear this up is with the help of your employer, who should request a personal meeting with the processing officer (and you should attend that, too!). If your employer thinks hiring you is not worth the additional effort, then you will not get a work pass! (You cannot force them, so ask nicely!)

@beppi It seems that there was a person with same name and birthday in the system, when I entered the system, MOM grouped us into the same FIN number. As a result, the passport info and everything of that person was automatically updated to mine. I should have a different FIN myself because we are two different people. What should I do in this case?

@zyevelyn You can ask again and again, or just follow the advice we already gave several times: Your employer should contact MoM!

@beppi Thank you. I am not being stubborn. My employer has contacted MOM and worked on the case. The 2009 record was with a different org, so that my current employer cannot get much information. Therefore I am wondering what I can do.

Happy to share here that I got my EP approved today. Thanks to everyone for the support. The key to solving my problem is that I was able to convince a hotline officer to escalate my issue.

My timeline is as follow:

Mar 21 Initial submission

Apr 9 Rejected

Apr 12 got feedback suggesting an appeal with education verification on a degree that I don't have

May 2 escalated to MOM via hotline

May 14 an officer confirmed the investigation outcome and engaged IT department to fix the issue

May 24 the officer assigned me a new FIN and application number

May 31 EP approval

Congratulations! Happy to hear.

    Happy to share here that I got my EP approved today. Thanks to everyone for the support. The key to solving my problem is that I was able to convince a hotline officer to escalate my issue.
My timeline is as follow:
Mar 21 Initial submission
Apr 9 Rejected
Apr 12 got feedback suggesting an appeal with education verification on a degree that I don't have
May 2 escalated to MOM via hotline
May 14 an officer confirmed the investigation outcome and engaged IT department to fix the issue
May 24 the officer assigned me a new FIN and application number
May 31 EP approval
   

    -@zyevelyn