Panic After Leaving Changi: No Exit Stamp
Thanks to Changi automated departure immigration
Have you ever gone to Singapore and wondered why you didn’t get an exit stamp? Why didn’t the officer ask you the immigration card portion? You’re not the only one. It’s perfectly fine.
Last month (30 Jul — 1 Aug), I went to Singapore for vacation and apartment viewings. I had previously gone to Singapore 3 years ago, entering at Changi checkpoint and leaving at Woodlands checkpoint (Johor Bahru). Everyone who has gone to Singapore is definitely familiar with this immigration form given at arrival. You need to fill it and present it to the immigration office together with your passport. Here’s what will happen.
- You’ll scan your fingerprints
- Officer takes some time, including scanning passport
- Passport gets arrival stamp
- Page 1/6 of your immigration form (in the below picture, the rightmost part), also has arrival stamp
And as stated on the form itself, you CANNOT lose the immigration form portion.
Please DO NOT remove this portion from your passport/travel document. You are required to surrender this portion to the Immigration Officer at the checkpoint at the time at your departure.
This is also the case 3 years ago where my officer took the portion and gave an exit stamp on my passport.
Back to my Singapore trip last month, I entered and left via Changi. Upon leaving, after getting my boarding pass, I went to the departure immigration checkpoint. There were automated and non-automated (with officers’ presence) immigration lines, but the officer ordered us to go through the automated ones. I was confused since I hold Indonesian passport. I thought it’s only for Singapore residents?
There were only two things I need to do: scan my passport and my fingerprints. Just like in this Changi tips video. That’s it, I went through the immigration without any officer mingling. I wondered why the card portion was not given to anyone, and not even an exit stamp. I asked my friend if we need to ask the officers, but my friend insisted that everything was fine. Maybe we’d get exit stamps on the airline gate (which is irrational). I proceeded to the gate and took off with Lion Air, arrived in Indonesia, got Indonesia arrival stamp, and done.
The Singapore card portion was still with me. No exit stamp. Did I do something wrong? Did I pass something unlawfully? Will I be arrested if I go back to Singapore later? …
Apparently, this has been the case since two years ago. Thank god I found this forum and a lot of people experience the same thing. They can enter Singapore without any problem later. I think the officer at least should take the immigration card portion, just like what the card says. I’m not sure whether this case will apply or not if you’re leaving at Woodlands checkpoint.
For your information, while auto departure immigration works for many nationalities, auto arrival immigration only works for Singapore citizens, PR, and foreign workers.
Well, that’s all. Hope this story helps anyone who are freaking out like I was.
