Singapore immigration

Singapore immigration

I am an Indonesian citizen, married to a Singaporean. On Feb. 28, 1996 I left Jakarta for Singapore by Garuda, after having spent a holiday in West Java.

At Changi airport, an immigration officer examined my passport, later he passed it to his colleague. The latter asked me whether my husband was a Singaporean, to which I said "yes". He then asked me to present our marriage certificate. I told him that I had left it in Indonesia. Then he said that I could not enter Singapore and that I should return to Indonesia immediately. Obviously I got emotional. I asked why I was prohibited from meeting my husband in Singapore. "My husband is waiting outside the airport," I said

The immigration officer kept silent. As I was speaking Indonesian, I asked the staff to find someone who could interpret for me whether I had done something wrong so that I was barred from entering Singapore to meet my husband.

A female staff from Garuda Indonesian Airways was summoned to help explain what I said. She explained to me that I could not enter Singapore because there was an immigration stamp on my passport. I said that I did not understand about it. Instead of helping me to get into the country this Garuda staff member urged me to return to Jakarta by the next flight.

Later she accompanied me to meet my husband in the airport lobby. Knowing the case, he was furious. He spoke to the immigration officer on the phone. Finally, I was allowed to enter the country after passing through immigration.

Apparently, I was suspected of being pregnant. In fact, I was pregnant when I left Singapore last November. I gave birth to my first child in Cirebon, West Java, in January 1996. I went to Singapore leaving my child at home as its passport was still being processed.

MRS. HUSEIN

Jakarta