# Children already in Singapore



## jworrall73 (Jan 5, 2015)

Hi,

In 2011, my Singaporean wife took our three kids from our home in Canada to Singapore on "vacation". On a previous visit, without my knowing, she had filed paperwork to make the children Singaporean citizens (they were all born in the United States) and even enrolled them in school in Singapore.

While on "vacation" in May of 2011, she filed for divorce in a Singaporean court, and simply absconded with the kids. I was not represented in the divorce proceedings, and my (now ex) wife was granted custody of the children. 

Since then, I've been trying to find a way to relocate to Singapore to be closer to my children. 

The only avenue I've really tried (other than talking fruitlessly to the US, Canadian and Singaporean state departments about child abduction) is to apply for jobs in Singapore (I'm a game producer/project manager), but thus far have had no luck finding work there.

Does anyone know if I'm somehow able to acquire entry status to the country on account of my children living there? I'm not sure where to look to figure this out. 

Side note - I've had a lot of mental health/depression problems since losing my children, and am now financially broke. It has not been a good few years for me - I don't have the money to afford to live in Singapore, but want to figure out what my options are. I hate the idea of giving up on my kids.


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## simonsays (Feb 11, 2009)

if you hold a Canadian Passport, you will be allowed to stay upto 89 days per entry

beyond that, unless you have been communicating with your children, extension is not likely unless you do a visa run

and .. I am not sure how old you are, but there are a few mobile app/game development centers here always looking for talent !

for your case, Singapore has no Department, it is the ministry of x or y or z

You case would have been routed by the Ministry of Social and Family Development

Unlikely you would have been uncontacted, if you had not done your proper process, in the family court

Singapore is not pro-divorce, it is the opposite, and govt pulls all stops to keep families intact

I wonder what went wrong on your side, though I don't want to hear


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## BBCWatcher (Dec 28, 2012)

Being broke makes things difficult all around. Fix that first if at all possible.

Malaysia's "My Second Home" visa program might make sense after fixing problem #1. In principle you could live in Johor Bahru across the causeway and take a $2 bus ride to see your kids (or vice versa).


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## beppi (Jun 10, 2013)

If you lost legal custody for your kids, they cannot help you at all in getting a visa for Singapore.
With legal custody, you could get a guardian visa, although that does not allow work during the first twelve months.


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