Profiling
Filling out a visa application form for Singapore. The first section asks for my name, DOB, gender, and marital status.
The following fields appear in the second section:
- Country of Birth
- Race (e.g., Malay, Indian, Chinese, Caucasian, etc.)
- Nationality
The third section asks for my passport details, including Country of Issue.
The fourth section then wants to know my address in my Country of Origin. There are separate fields for:
- Country of Origin
- Division / State / Province of Origin
- Prefecture of Origin
- County / District of Origin, and
- Address.
A subsequent section wants to know if I have resided in countries other than my Country of Origin during the last five years, and if so, to provide all addresses.
I called the consulate to ask what exactly they meant by Country of Origin -- nationality, country of birth, or country of current residence (i.e., original location of application for Singapore visa). Any guesses?
****
Updates:
1. The nice lady at the counter took a look at the passport details section which said "Country of Issue: INDIA", "Place of Issue: CHICAGO". She crossed out the INDIA and wrote USA.
2. There was a section that asked me to check a box if I had ever entered Singapore using a different passport or name. Since I was applying to transfer my valid visa from an expired passport to a new one, I checked YES. She took exception to this as well, and told me that "different passport" meant "passport issued by a different country".
3. The entire transaction took just a minute or two. I was asked to return at 4 the same afternoon. I asked if I could enter the waiting area before 4, since I expected that I'd have finished my other errands early. They said yes, and indeed let me in at 3:15. I sat there reading a nice book of old Singapore photos, when someone saw me waiting and so processed my visa early.
4. Singapore claims to not do visas as passport stickers any more. They gave me a one-page computer printout that looked like an e-ticket with a bar code, folded in four, and said that this was my "e-visa" and I better not lose it between now and the time the visa expires. I think this is most inconvenient -- another random piece of paper to carry around.
The following fields appear in the second section:
- Country of Birth
- Race (e.g., Malay, Indian, Chinese, Caucasian, etc.)
- Nationality
The third section asks for my passport details, including Country of Issue.
The fourth section then wants to know my address in my Country of Origin. There are separate fields for:
- Country of Origin
- Division / State / Province of Origin
- Prefecture of Origin
- County / District of Origin, and
- Address.
A subsequent section wants to know if I have resided in countries other than my Country of Origin during the last five years, and if so, to provide all addresses.
I called the consulate to ask what exactly they meant by Country of Origin -- nationality, country of birth, or country of current residence (i.e., original location of application for Singapore visa). Any guesses?
****
Updates:
1. The nice lady at the counter took a look at the passport details section which said "Country of Issue: INDIA", "Place of Issue: CHICAGO". She crossed out the INDIA and wrote USA.
2. There was a section that asked me to check a box if I had ever entered Singapore using a different passport or name. Since I was applying to transfer my valid visa from an expired passport to a new one, I checked YES. She took exception to this as well, and told me that "different passport" meant "passport issued by a different country".
3. The entire transaction took just a minute or two. I was asked to return at 4 the same afternoon. I asked if I could enter the waiting area before 4, since I expected that I'd have finished my other errands early. They said yes, and indeed let me in at 3:15. I sat there reading a nice book of old Singapore photos, when someone saw me waiting and so processed my visa early.
4. Singapore claims to not do visas as passport stickers any more. They gave me a one-page computer printout that looked like an e-ticket with a bar code, folded in four, and said that this was my "e-visa" and I better not lose it between now and the time the visa expires. I think this is most inconvenient -- another random piece of paper to carry around.
posted by Tabula Rasa | 1/06/2010 12:36:00 PM
9 Comments:
What does "Person of Indian Origin" mean? My guess is "country of origin" means the same thing.
(According to our government, your great-grandfather could have left India a hundred years ago and you, your father and your grandfather may never have set foot in the country since, but you still qualify as a PIO.)
I didn't know that "Indian" is a race let alone a homogeneous, uniquely identifiable one :)
I wonder if there are there visitor visa quotas based on these "races" ?
Lekhni: "Indian" is not a race. It's a motorbike.
All this just to see me! Muhahahahaha!
Aside: My latest passport was issued in Singapore by the Indian High Commission. Immigration officers in the UK/Europe were very confused - 'Singapore is in India?'
rahul:
on the other hand, if you are born an indian and take the citizenship of another country, you are disqualified from being a "person of indian origin".
lekhni:
hence the title of the post.
scout:
aren't you glad it wasn't issued in delhi, michigan?
If an Indian gives up his citizenship, he/she can apply for the OCI card (overseas citizenship of India).
If he/she is married to a non-Indian, the spouse can apply for the POI card (Person of Indian Origin).
Some bureaucratic screwed up the names of the two cards.
heh! this is almost as good as baseball, where it's called a strike if you miss and a ball if it isn't a valid ball.
Hi everyone! Have you ever used a passport with different name to enter Singapore? YES or NO? In my case, I've already visited Singapore twice with my single name on it. Now, I'm married and renewed passport with my married name on it. Thanks in advance.
How about the last time you enter Singapore the knowing you that you using 2 different passport and. Name and there not allowed you to enter that time, and now you plan to visit Singapore again but you use the real and your own passport, there any chance you can enter or what I can do to enter and travel again there any advice and Suggestion ?
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