ENTRY ALMOST REJECTED BY ICA

Hi All, I wanna share my recent experience with ICA just two days ago. To give a background to the story, I used to work in SG for the past 6 years. I met a Brit ('Im from Manila), fell in love etc etc. I am separated with a daughter so everything was not exactly easy. We talked about having kids- he is single and don't have any kids so he is kinda eager to have one. He asked me to start annulment process in the Phils which is very slooow. Its almost two years and nothing is really happening. We found out we were pregnant Sept last year.  Due to the work that I had, I have to unfortunately resign from work. That was Nov last year. I had a month to stay here before we flew to USA and when we came back, I got another 1 month to stay here. We wanted to have the baby here and I have to apply a permit for visa for Women wanting to give birth here in SG. We tried it for three times but it was all rejected. Reason being is that we are not married.

So after my 1 month was up last January, I went back to the Phils and thought of just waiting for the big day there. But then, my partner's gran passed away and he wants us to go to the UK for the funeral. He went, I didnt coz being heavily pregnant and travelling is not something Im up to at that time. He came back to SG and I came back here again as my OB stil gave me the go signal to travel. Went back home last March and didnt came back till the baby was born. He flew to the Phils for the delivery and stayed there for a month. After getting the passport for the baby, we came here. And the fun part starts.

So the baby and I have been flying back and forth since  May . Staying for a month  in SG and a week or more in the Phils and flying with SIA all the time and always with a return ticket. I dont know, I just have this feeling that, if you dont fly on budget airline, they will not question you as much. Well, I wasnt questioned at all. Just the simple why are you here? Visiting his dad. And that's just about it. Most of the time there would be no question at all. This is for the last four months. Or maybe that is their maximum number of entry before they start questioning you.

The baby and I were back last Sept 5th thru SIA but I booked my returned ticket on 24th of October. That is 50 days but since we have planned on going to Bali for the weekend (21-25th Sept). I had like, 17 days in SG only, 5 days in Bali, and another 30 days once we are back. Oh boy, It was not that easy.

I was pushing the baby in his pram and all my stuff was with his dad. There was no queue at all when we reached the immigration counter. He passed thru easily as he got a valid work permit  but for me? Well you guessed it, I was questioned this time. The IO said I have been coming here frequently and do I think this is a loophole? He can deny me entry because of this.  He demanded to see the baby who was sleeping on his pram so I carried him and showed to him. He was scolding yes, but I anticipated being questioned too. In my mind, I was wondering. Is it because I came in on a budget airline? Is it coz it was just 5 days away from SG only?  Could be. Seems the minimum exit is 7 calendar days.  The IO said I need to  go to the office. That, I didn't anticipated.

Together with the baby, we followed the officers who got our passports to a room that only opens from the inside. His dad, who was at the next counter saw what happened. I couldn't sms him as he got my bag and other stuff. In the room. there was an old indian lady. We waited for around 5 mins and I was called to an adjacent room for my  print. Another IO interrogated me about why I come here frequently. I said, we are visiting his dad and just trying to keep the family together. He was stern (part of their job for sure) said that I am abusing their system and he already checked my record. That I resigned and I got a rejected visa- thats the LTVP request I had so I can give birth here. And yes, how can I prove that he was my baby's dad too. In my bag, I got the baby's birth certificate and if they saw his dad, they are so much alike. So yeah. He asked about my returned ticket and I said its in my bag which is with the dad, so they went out there and look for it. Luckily, he didnt know where to see it amidst the stacks of documents i kept there. So he was allowed inside the office.

They did asked him few questions too while they were outside. Why dont he just marry me and make me his dependant pass. Well its not that easy. My annulment in the Phils is still ongoing and we have a pending divorce case here too. (FYI: same  case just different venue)  That is another topic for people who wants to know about it. They asked me to show  proof about it and showed them my phone on the email exchange I had with the firm.

They even suggested that I should seek a job here to make things easier. ALERT!!! This is a trick question. Once you say yes you are looking for a job, they will really kick you out.  In my case, I am not looking for a job, just to keep our very complicated family.

They did advised that next time, I come here, I should show them a letter from the lawyer that I need to be here and other pertinent documents. But it still personal and its not guarantee of my entry.

So my passport's initial chopped of 30 days was voided but was chopped with another one that clearly indicated my exit of 25th Oct. And after that we were allowed to go out.

Phew. I have read a lot of thread regarding this and some are not so lucky as they were really A2A. After this exit. I will take a long time off coming here as I am applying a UK visa in the Phils.