Now that most civilized countries have opened their borders, travel is fast picking up steam. That’s especially true this month, as the June school holidays means it’s a prime time for families to jet, after being cooped up in Singapore for the past few years. That of course means passports…and the dreaded passport entry stamps.
Entry stamps are essential. They prove that you’ve entered whatever foreign country you’re in via legit methods…and not through the trunk of a car for example. That’s why you always should check your passport immediately after clearing immigrations to make sure you get yours.
If not, you’re in for a world of trouble…as one Redditor found out via his friends.
See?
His friends are stuck in Malaysia, suffering unduly just because they screwed up and didn’t check their entry stamps. It’s a tried and tested method Malaysian Immigration agents pull to get some extra ‘kopi money’, especially if you’re driving through (since they’re in individual booths).
In fact, a similar incident was reported just a couple of weeks ago!
The fact that these two incidents happened so close together means it’s the same customs officer (plausible) or that the issue is widespread.
Even if you heard and watched the immigrations officers stamp your passport, always verify after you get them back! They could’ve just been acting like they did it to get throw you off.
If you’re at immigrations, you can easily rectify the issue with very little fuss. If you’re not, you should definitely hit up the Singaporean Consulate in Malaysia for help on your next steps.
They’ll definitely be able to assist you with your situation and at the very least, even if you’re detained by Malaysian Immigration on your way back to Singapore, they know of your status beforehand and are ready for it.