EP renewal - police investigation

1. What is AGC? Maybe you better ask your lawyer.
2. If your EP expires (no matter whether a renewal is pending or not), you must stop working. If the 30-days SVP, which you get on EP expiry, also expires, you must leave Singapore. Do not overstay or work illegally!!!

1) AGC is attorney general chambers (Singapore’s prosecuting body). My lawyer is not sure how long it will take, could be months or over a year.
2) I can’t leave the country as the police have impounded my passport during the investigation stage. I’m an EU passport holder, so can I still stay in Singapore for 90days? If not, how am I supposed to find a place to live for my children with no EP or work.

Am I right in assuming EP renewal will not be granted until the police investigation is over? (Even if I’m not charged)

Seems you fucked up big time - passports are only confiscated for serious crimes and if there is a danger you will flee.
In that case it is quite certain that your EP will not be renewed. How (and under which visa) you will stay on in Singapore is something you should clarify with the court or your lawyer (possibly together with ICA).
How/where you will live and how you finance the situation is up to you - nobody will help you there.

The reason For holding passport was because I was stopped at the airport before going on holiday and I guess they were concerned I was trying to flee because my EP was due to expire. In reality I had a return flight booked. Lawyer suggests that is common practice with any foreigner. The “crime” is late payment on debts, which have since been paid... lawyer thinks a conditional warning is most likely. Again if it was serious I would have been arrested or cautioned and my EP renewal would have surely been rejected and not pending at this stage?

„Pending“ means the EP renewal is still under consideration. The result may well be a rejection.
In any case, it is your lawyer‘s job to advice you on these issues. If he doesn‘t, engage another one!
And learn for the future not to spend more than you have. Good luck!

Thanks beppi!
My lawyer says he’s not sure about the EP renewal and if it’ll be affected. The police IO said it won’t affect my ability to work, but then I understand it’s MOM and ICA that decide on EP, not the police?
From doing research online it looks like even conditional warnings are considered in EP renewals so I may need to just start making plans to leave.
And yes, lesson learned!

Warrup wrote:

I may need to just start making plans to leave.

It's always good to have a plan B.

Update - my EP renewal was approved after 9 weeks! But still nothing from the police/AGC...

Anybody have experience of the time taken to hear back from attorney general chambers after submitting reps?

Just heard back that the police want to charge me next week and then want me in court the following morning. I need a Singaporean bailor too.

Can anyone please recommend:
1) a good criminal lawyer;
2) usual course of proceedings here. Will I be given a sentence at court straight away? Or is there a trial period? I’ve already admitted to everything and so have nothing more to defend, apart from any sentence.

I think the court will announce the verdict but still your lawyer can defend it or argue for lesser sentence or no sentence but can pay fine.

There are lawyers who charge hefty fees, avoid them. Good luck

Hello everyone,

Some unnecessary posts, which were not helping the OP at all, have been removed from this thread in order to clean it up.

Thanks,

Diksha
Team Expat.com

Thank you Diksha.

Silly question - but Does a fine still count as a criminal record all around the world? Does anybody know if your EP is automatically revoked on a fine? Or is it at the discretion of your employer?

The EP is not automatically revoked when you receive a fine. It depends on how strongly the authorities want to remove you - aggression, drugs or illegal work means out, shoplifting or traffic violation not.
You employer has no influence on this and may not even get information that you are convicted - unless you tell them.
A criminal record is in Singapore only. Such data is shared internationally only for serious crime, but visa applications in some countries require submission of your criminal record.

***

I am not a legal expert (you may want to engage a lawyer to advice and represent you in this matter), but I doubt that it is wise to share all these details in public here.
You can delete your post or contact the moderators team to remove it for you.

Already hidden his post. Kindly contact legal experts or your lawyer who can give you right approach to follow. Wishing you good luck.

Had a similar thing happen to me, you will be allowed to travel while your passport is impounded provided your attorney presents the following in Pre Trial Conference OR Court Mention OR Alternatively to the AGC if its before no1 and 2 . 

Letter from employer asking for release of passport due to work/leisure
Your travel itinerary, (excel)
Screenshots of planned ticket bookings (dont have to book them)

Please check with your attorney. Suggest you try ASL law or Glora -James Civetta