Can re-enter Singapore showing IPA letter?

Before visa expires you have to leave Singapore. I won't say where you should go (Malaysia or Indonesia or to your home country or elsewhere), stay out 1 week from Singapore then enter with IPA letter which must have shown its validity and other documents of the employer at immigration counter. There should not have an issue.  Beware of overstaying even for one day will leads to penalty. Good luck

You should visit ICA before your current visa expires, show them the IPA and explain the situation. I am sure they will propose a solution where you do not need to leave Singapore (unless you want to).

Hi All,

I would like to share something which might be helpful for others who visit the post.

First of all, I would like to thank Surya2k for the advise. It saved me from huge penalty from SG. Thanks a ton buddy.

Here is my story :
I was on DP and my husband on EP. My husband changed his job due to which his old EP was cancelled along with my DP ( on 20th April ). Same time, my current employer decided to apply S Pass for me. It was applied on 14th April.
My social visit pass was for 1 month which was until 20thMay. But I got my IPA on 17th May which was more than a month after the application.
I was told by many people including my company HR that I can continue my stay in SG with just IPA. But thanks to forum and people here who made me approach ICA to get the correct process.
I got to know that it is illegal to stay ( even with IPA ) if you do not have valid pass ( be it S Pass or EP or social visit pass )
So I quickly approached ICA today and got my Social visit pass extended for a week.

Lesson learnt : DONOT rely on your employer , sometimes they might not have correct details and mislead people.
It is your duty to check properly, as you will be the one impacted if something goes wrong.

Hope it is helpful.
Thank you

Hello wini ash

My 1 month visit pass in SG will expire next week wednesday (18 July), and my s pass is still pending. It was requested last friday, 6 July. Do you think I need to exit the country or I could just go to ICA and tell them my pass is still pending?

Hoping for you reply. Thank you

Don’t wait, you have to exit on or before 18th July. You can only able to stay if you have an IPA letter in hand then you may visit ICA to extend. Good luck

Okay. Thank you very much

Hi...
You should go to ICA and ask for extension of your visit pass with showing IPA ....there are good chances that you may get extension of your stay.

Ertiza Abbas wrote:

Hi...
You should go to ICA and ask for extension of your visit pass with showing IPA ....there are good chances that you may get extension of your stay.

Did you read his message? He says that his S pass is still pending then where did you get the fact that he has IPA letter in hand?

But, your suggestion was correct. If he has IPA letter in hand then he should visit ICA to request them for extension.

I think i mixed up and answer to another question posted in forum.

If I already have my IPA letter while Im outside sg , and to enter sg again as soon a i received my IPA letter,will I be enter the country without any question asks or do I still enter as a tourist?

You can read the thread again, it has clearly stated that once you have an IPA letter then you can travel without any other visa then show to immigration officer as you are legalised come to Singapore and work, along with carry your offer letter, in case immigration officer needs further information.

Before asking any question, please go through various threads, as we have addressed all most all questions related to work visa. Good luck

GJSH wrote:

If I already have my IPA letter while Im outside sg , and to enter sg again as soon a i received my IPA letter,will I be enter the country without any question asks or do I still enter as a tourist?

I was on the same situation 2 days ago.  I didnt go back to my home country. stayed in Kl, when my spass was approved and my boss sent me the iPA, book my flight to sg. came back, showed them the Ipa, no questions asked.

But i had with me my docs.

kristen123 wrote:

GJSH wrote:

If I already have my IPA letter while Im outside sg , and to enter sg again as soon a i received my IPA letter,will I be enter the country without any question asks or do I still enter as a tourist?

I was on the same situation 2 days ago.  I didnt go back to my home country. stayed in Kl, when my spass was approved and my boss sent me the iPA, book my flight to sg. came back, showed them the Ipa, no questions asked.

But i had with me my docs.

You were lucky enough to got your IPA during your short stay in KL. What would have happened if you don’t get IPA letter in next 15 or 20 days? Will you able to afford to stay in KL? If yes, fair enough but not for everyone could afford to stay so long in a foreign land. If no, then you would have forced to either try to entry again SG (no guarantee that immigration officer would allow to enter SG) or else go back to home country (which is the ideal plan for anyone).

So, it’s a risk to go to another country (instead of going back to home country) then wait to S pass approve & get IPA letter within a stipulated timeline. Good luck

Just to clarify, my short term visiting pass will end on oct 5, my ipa was already approved, den i will start my work on oct 8, can i exit on sep 29 in jb then go back to sg again on sep 30 (overnight stay only) Or do i need to go back on oct 7?  Thank you for upcoming response...

And for clarification again, i went to ica yesterday, they are not giving anymore extension pass, you need to go to MOM to be sure for any advices.. thanks

If they say you will not get any extension, then all the more you will not get a new entry after a short stay abroad. They are not stupid!
Do as they say and approach MoM. If that doesn't help, leave Singapore until your IPA is valid..

So it means i need to stay at least 1 week abroad then go back during near date to start my work?

It means you cannot enter with a normal visit visa (on arrival) any more.
If you come with any other visa, it should be o.,k.

My purpose Of my exit before my short term visa pass (thats on october 5 ) is so that they will give me disembarkation card(white card) during the time that i will return in sg.. because requiremnt also for my company and also to extend my stay in sg until i’ll start work on october 8...

Well, you take your own chances - but I advice avoiding entering Singapore now AT ALL COST!

Actually i have my ipa in my hand already, just need to exit to sg since my short term pass will end on oct 5... and go back to sg  to start my work on oct 8.. im just waiting for my s pass card... so, i will just present these documents in case the imigration will ask.. ?is der any problem will i encounter when its time for me to go back in sg?

If you have a valid visa IPA at the time your visit pass expires, there is no need to exit the country and return. Just visit ICA and show the IPA!

I went already in ICA YESTERDAY afternoon.. according to the officer He cant give advices, and he referred me to MOM for advices.. so mom adviced me to exit a soon as possible... and return to sg before october 8

Well, then what are you asking us here?!?

Hi
I have already an IPA just got yesterday but my visit pass will expires today. I am going to exit and go to malaysia today and back tomorrow. Is it okay to do that?
Thank you.

Why do you need to exit the country?
Do you have some urgent errand to do in Malaysia? If so, bring written proof of that along. Otherwise better do not leave and come back within a week..
It is ALWAYS better to visit ICA for an extension or switch of visa type, rather than doing a visa run (which might work in other countries, but not in Singapore)!

You did two major mistakes here.

One is you didn’t extend your visa online while waiting for your pass approval.

Secondly, once you got your work pass approval on Friday, immediately you should have visited ICA to seek extension of your visa, as it can take at least couple of days to get MoM appointment to visit their office then complete the formalities.

Now, your tourist visa expired yesterday, today is Sunday, you won’t visit ICA office, which means you will be considered as overstaying.

This is what I had advised you when you PM me, yesterday evening. Are you still in Singapore?

If yes, Monday can visit ICA office to seek for visa extension and may incur penalty of $100 for one day overstaying (penalty amount can vary). Good luck

Note: Going ahead, you should give priority to these kind of critical things. Overstaying can jeopardise your chances to work here, if ICA won’t extend your stay, later denied your entry.

Hi I know its been a few years since this forum but currently Im on your situation. Just want to know how did it go? Did you have a hard time coming back to sg from malaysia? You went overnight right? I also have IPA  already but my visit pass expiring soon. Hope you can help me. Thanks.

Visiting ICA for a visit pass extension is ALWAYS better than exiting and re-entering Singapore!

Hi all, I was told by immigration officer that I’m still have 9 days in SG and now I got my IPA ady... Do I still need to exit SG after 9 days?? Pls advice...

In 9 days, if you get an appointment from MoM to go through the formalities and they will hand over the letter stating that it will act as Work pass till you get the card, then no need to exit.

Your joining date should be near to your visit visa expiry (or earlier to the expiry date). For further clarification, you should reach out your employer cause your employer only can get date to visit MoM for your card issue process.

How long does it take for MOM to issue the so called letter work pass?
So if I don get the letter means I need to exit SG and re-enter again by showing IPA? Do I still need to fill the visit pass card?

If you have a valid follow-on visa (here: IPA), you never need to exit and re-enter. Just visit ICA and have your status changed!

IPA holds you right to enter Singapore (one time), if you don’t have any adverse record. But, it doesn’t give you rights to stay here with that IPA (not more than few days). Thats the reason when a work pass holder enters Singapore with his or her IPA letter, he or she has to go medical check up immediately followed by your employer to get immediate appointment with MoM for you to visit and complete your formalities including photo shoot, finger prints, certificate verification. Once this is done then MoM issues a letter (same time) stating that within a week or so your work pass card to be issued and will be sending to your given local address , till that time this letter is proof of your work pass pending to be issued and continuation of your stay in Singapore (can work as well).

You simply can’t stay in Singapore just holding an IPA. It’s required to go through above process.

Why don’t you contact your employer who can guide you what to do? Did they get appointment of your visit to MoM, which can be obtained through online registration? Did you complete your medical check up? Did you talk to them on this? Now, you know what to do and how to do.

I had go to employment pass service centre to do my work pass on yesterday ady.. I submit my embarkation white card to the officer ady.. and now is to wait my card issuance only by next week.. do I still need to exit SG?

As I informed earlier, after this process, you can stay 100% in Singapore as your visit pass is no longer valid. Now, you are an employment pass holder.

Hi , may I ask if I’m cancelled my work permit and had an IPA letter from my new employer , how Long can I stay in Singapore? Because my new employer only can get my pass  when the business is resume , which will be in July , thanks if anyone can give me some advice 🙏

Who said business will resume in July! From 02 June, most of companies can able to open though WFH will be continuing. Secondly, pass can be delivered to residential address of the employee. So, they can go ahead with the process to obtain your card.

Pertaining to how Long you can stay in Singapore. Once your old company submitted the form to cancel the pass, from day one it submitted, you will get 30 days time to stay in Singapore. But, in your case as you have already IPA then speak to your new employer to submit the details at MoM so that you can get your FIN pass card on time.

Hi Surya, thank you for your reply 🙏 my new employer is under fitness industry and my role is personal trainer, which the shop will only be open in phase 2 which will be July (probably ), so they said that the pass will only be process nearer to date when the shop is open, and I did found at mom website the employer can help work permit employee to apply STVP if they are unable to submit approval of work permit on time . But what if my employer refuse to do so , can myself apply Thur ICA? Btw , because I’m work permit holder and my nationality , I only allowed to stay in Singapore for 7 days after my work permit cancelled, thank you to spend time reading thru this , really appreciate 🙏