Bear0Mack

PT Cargo sounds like the ticket, if only I could understand what their quote means. I've left the country now, so it will have to wait until I can get someone to lug my other bag down there. Thanks guys.

http://postimg.org/image/4luvevwej/

I just found out today that my airline won't allow me to buy enough baggage to move everything with me to Australia, and I'm just 25KG out. Not exactly enough to fill a 20 foot container is it? Anyone got good ideas for cheap options? I'm really in a hurry, sorry for not searching the forum more but I couldn't find it on here yet.

Ok. So I went to the consulate again this morning, and had a meeting with the Nick and Dill. They saw the same thing I did in terms of being unable to contact Singaporean officials. We called Immigration, got an automated message saying that they were too busy and then got cut off. Although, we did finally get through to ICA at Tuas Checkpoint. But the person answering the call refused to provide any useful information or escalate to his supervisor.

Nick and Dill were very keen to help and support in any way officially possible. They supported my position of raising this case with the Australian embassy, just in case something should go wrong. However, they didn't have any additional resources besides what I had access to from what I understand. But it did make me feel better to have them call into officials on my behalf.

I the nwent down to Lavender immigration, and mentioned my problem to the reception on the 4th floor, and was given a queue number. After waiting an hour, I was greeted by a lady at counter 48 I think it was, who then referred me to her colleague Kanaan. He was very friendly. But, I was forced to get fingerprinted as if I was a criminal. That really angers me that they treat me like that before they have even heard my story. Still no clue if they're going to charge me with anything.

I had to fill out an application form for a visa and white card. Meanwhile I explained my story. I had to then write it down on a piece of paper as to what happened. Then I had to go to the interview room to explain the story again. I was referred to exit via the Tuas checkpoint and speak to a man named Ivan, but I wasn't given any supporting documentation. No stamp, no white card, just a post it note.

So I get to the checkpoint and the guy asks me for my white card. So now I need to explain my story all over again. This guy doesn't know the man named Ivan either. I get taken inside the ICA building at the checkpoint where Ivan is called in. Now for the millionth time I explain my story again. Now Ivan is a cool guy, really friendly just like all the other immigration officials. Smiling, listening, and understanding. I then take Ivan through what happened at the checkpoint for me to end up with no visa in Singapore. I have to fill out yet another white card application and I have to wait while they pull up the CCTV footage, which was amazing how quickly they found me just giving the approximate time. They then process me through their computers, stamp my passport in and out again, then finally after all that I'm free to go.

Can't wait to get out into the free world and not be an illegal alien anymore! And I'm outta there.

I didn't have to pay a SGD$4,000 fine, or serve 6 months in prison. But it did cost me my holiday in Singapore, alot of stress, and worried family members.

Singapore authorities are in my experience all very friendly people. As for the Singaporean bureaucracy, I think alot of improvement is needed in ICA and LTA. Namely, guiding visitors through the checkpoint procedure and how to do a U-Turn to Singapore. The LTA also needs to make it clear how to obtain the IU hire 24 hours a day at the checkpoint as mentioned in the brochure.

Thanks for your support guys. I hope this helps anyone in this situation in the future.

Sunnyjim, what makes you think they won't just detain (arrest) me throw me in a holding cell (jail)?

Also, they've been closed for the weekend. Do you know if they have a phone number? Maybe I'll call them.

P.S. Anyone know a good immigration lawyer in Singapore?

Well I tried to call all of the phone numbers listed for both the Tuas and Woodlands checkpoints today in order to hopefully clear this matter up and make my exit much easier, which I plan to do tomorrow.. None of them picked up the phone.

http://www.ica.gov.sg/page.aspx?pageid=117#tuascheckpoint

Tuas Checkpoint Duty Officer Contact Number Arrival Bus Hall 6865 4621 Car / Motorcycle (Block A1) 6865 4627 Car / Motorcycle (Block A2) 6865 4645 Departure Bus Hall 6865 4618 Car / Motorcycle (Block D1) 6865 4676 Car / Motorcycle (Block D2) 6865 4693 Woodlands Checkpoint (24 Hours) 21 Woodlands Crossing, S(738203) Tel: 6767 5963

I will try the Australian High Consulate again tomorrow before attempting to make my exit.

So Australian High Consulate didn't want to help at all because it's their break day. They gave me a phone number to call, but how am I going to call them without a passport to purchase a SIM card? They wouldn't even let me use their phone.

However, after explaining to them how serious a situation it is to not have a visa in Singapore, they finally sent a man down to consult with me. His name was Peter. A friendly fellow. But all he could suggest was to turn myself at Tuas or Woodlands in when I exit.

They refused to give me any documentation to show that I had discussed the matter with the Embassy.

That's my interpretation of the law and from the stories I've heard from other people.

The law is clear. I have no visa, therefore I have committed a crime by simply existing in Singapore. Even though it's the fault of the Tuas checkpoint organization. The people there are really friendly, and that's a plus, but they're incompetent. That's the fault of the organizations poor procedures and training. Not the staffs fault.

As Mestern says, they're so straight laced and inflexible, that I might well be screwed. It's like the frustration of talking to a call centre operator reading from a script and flow chart.

Hey Woodsie, I went through the Tuas checkpoint with a Thai registered motorbike. No one knew about where to hire the IU in the little LTA box there. Thanks for your help.

Correct Crossy. Foreign registered cars no longer need to rent an IU. All other foreign vehicles need to rent an IU, including motorcycles.

Yes. I agree SunnyJim, Singapore immigration and transport jargon is difficult to understand.

So an IU is a device used to automatically pay tolls in Singapore, which are called ERPs. It requires a NETS card, which is a stored value card in order to be used.

The autopass card is a card specifically used for entering and exiting Singapore. It's like a visa for your vehicle. It's also used for paying the entry toll but not the ERP.

The toll at the border is the only one called a toll. The others are called ERPs, but we foreigners would call them toll roads all the same.

The LTA is the Land Transport Authority. The same like the Department Of Land Transport in Thailand. They regulate the border crossing of vehicles and ERPs in Singapore.

I hope that all makes sense. I'm just a visitor here and there's a steep learning curve for familiarizing oneself with the regulations involved in driving in this particular country.

While trying to find the IU rental shop around the Tuas checkpoint area, I accidentally went too far to the motorbike gates, and I was not yet ready to leave Singapore. I asked to do a U-Turn. An official took me through the gate, checked my passport, and processed my auto-pass at another machine around the corner.

I was then led by two officals who were on foot down a path, along with another car, which had signage indicating parking for fire engines (even fire engines need to have somewhere legal to park). This path led to a boom gate which they opened for me remotely. There were no further formalities to process outside of the boom gates.

It's only today when I rode my motorbike to the LTA office in Bin Tang that I've found that they stamped me and my vehicle out of the country. Side note: LTA still have no idea where I rent the IU as mentioned in the ERP booklet.

This is Singapore, how screwed am I exactly? I've noticed that they really love to fine and arrest even people the try to follow the law here. What should I do to avoid going to jail or paying a big fine?

Be careful at least on the southbound section of Thai highway route number 1 all the way from route 2 to the elevated tollway. Terribly scary conditions yesterday. A semil trailer decoupled yesterday after hitting one of the numerous HUGE fissures in the road. Another truck had a tire blowout along the same stretch. Edit: And a pickup had lost it's load. I hit a few of these fissures myself on a motorbike, jeez it scared the crap outta me. The 4 hours stretch of road with sun in your eyes in the afternoon doesn't help either. Such a dangerous piece of road.

What kind of visa do you have that allows you to stay long enough that you need to do a 90 day report. I think you probably have an extension of stay not a valid visa.

The 7 days after is only for doing the report. If you will be returning and will be doing more reports you should do the report or they may notice you missed a report and fine you 2000 baht.

Immigration on departure do not check for 90 day reports. Many people take the receipts out before leaving the country.

I was in this situation earlier this year, and I was told directly by immigration at Chaeng Wattana that I wouldn't have to worry about doing a report as my visa expired 7 days after the report due date. So I didn't report and left the country with no hassle. So what they told me was wrong?

In terms of being fined by immigration later, I don't think I'll have another instance to have to do a 90 day report because I've switched from ED visa to 30 day visa exempt. Much cheaper (free).

Thanks mate. Just booked my flight.

I'm booking a flight out of the country to coincide with the last date of my extension of stay for my ED visa. However, I'm not sure what day I need to leave the country.

The extension stamp in my passport says the following:

SUB-DIV.2, IMM-DIV.1

EXTENSION OF STAY PERMITTED UP TO 16 AUG 2015

HOLDER MUST LEAVE THE KINGDOM WITHIN THE

DATE SPECIFIED HEREIN, OFFENDERS WILL BE

PROSECUTED

SIGNED... IMMIGRATION OFFICER

Now, it says permitted up to the 16 August, does that mean I am permitted to stay up UNTIL the day before the 16th? OR am I permitted to stay until AND INCLUDING the 16th without being in violation?

Sorry if this has been asked before, but I have searched through the forms and I couldn't find the keywords I was looking for. Hopefully this thread will help others searching off keywords like this in the future.

Ah. I understand now. The article I referenced was incorrect in that you can't just have a non immigrant visa, it must be a non immigrant type B or O visa, not a type ED. Correct?

Good only if you want to apply for PR eventually, right?

Nothing is gained toward PR with an ED visa.

Paz, are you sure about that? From what I have read on ThaiVisa, you need a non-immigrant visa to apply for PR.

"1. An applicant must have received permission for yearly stays in Thailand on a non-immigrant visa for at least of three years prior to the submission of an application for permanent residency. Holders of multiple NON-Immigrant visas can not apply. You must have 3 un-broken yearly extensions in order to qualify.

2. An applicant must be holding a non-immigrant visa at the time of submitting an application."

Source: http://www.thaivisa.com/residence-permit-thailand.html Qualifications of an applicant

Sounds good Ubon. You really know your stuff about visas in Thailand.

One thing I'm worried about though is being able to do things like applying for driver's licenses, bank accounts, purchasing vehicles, etc without a non immigrant visa. I guess it's probably been posted somewhere on the forum already. I'll do a search when I get back home.

Thanks UbonJoe. I appreciate your knowledge on this topic.

But hey, that really sucks, huh? Like they told me in another thread, the ED visa is no good anymore.

It's expensive. About 2000 baht for school processing fee plus around 4000 baht embassy fee + 5700 baht for 3 extensions, plus 5 days travel out of country and 3 days in immigration for 8 months stay, totalling 11700 baht over 8 months. That's about 1500 baht+travel+half a day in immigration a month. Good only if you want to apply for PR eventually, right?

A free 30 day entry sounds better to me. 0 baht+travel+a day in transit a month. What do you think is the most economical way Ubon?

I got my ED visa extended last month, and upon receiving my passport checked that it was for approximately 3 months, which it was. However I didn't notice at the time that there was a second stamp placed on the opposite page with a different date.

One date is stapled to my form TM.6, which is in turn stapled to my ED visa. It's a small piece of paper that says at the top "NOTICE ALIEN WHOEVER STAYS IN THE KINGDOM LONGER THAN 90 DAYS SHALL MAKE NOTIFICATION" and finished saying "Date of next notification 20 AUG 2015", "Signature" Then the signature of the officer, then "Immigration officer 21 MAY 2015".

On the opposite page, is simply a stamp saying SUB-DIV.2, IMM-DIV.1 EXTENSION OF STAY PERMITTED UP TO" then it has a stamp of 23 AUG 2015 which is crossed out and initially, then it has a stamp of 25 JUL 2015. It continues "HOLDER MUST LEAVE THE KINGDOM WITHIN THE DATE SPECIFIED HEREIN, OFFENDERS WILL BE PROSECUTED SIGNED" then the immigration officers signature "DATE 21 MAY 2015".

I don't want to have to waste another whole day with immigration, or shorten my visa by a whole month, but what should I do? It sounds like they want me to leave the country too!

Maybe I am looking at the wrong thing. Where can I find guest houses?

+1 for Steve from Happy Days around Ratchadaphisek Soi 36. I just called him on a Saturday morning <Phone number removed> and they're open till midnight. They've got a huge stock by the sounds of it, so I'm going to head over there shortly.

If going by MRT go to Lat Phrao exit 4 and then take a taxi to "Happy Days".

There's also a nice list of motorbike rentals here. http://bangkok.angloinfo.com/af/269/bangkok-bike-hire-scooter-and-cycle-rental.html

Like if this was useful.

I wonder if we're talking Brisbane to Bangkok or Bangok to Brisbane?

The Brisbane to Bangkok flight is an excellent flight and at the right time of day.