Trouble in Immigration

I know posing near a rubbish bin is not the nicest spot to take pictures but .. hey I wanted to point out the flag above me .. showing that I am in Malaysia

Merling bus stop
(waiting for 950 SMRT to go the border)

Merling bus stop

Johor Bahru, Malaysia

My plan today was to renew my visa in Singapore so I could stay a bit longer at least for another one month. To do so I went to Singapore-Malaysia border somewhere in Kranji-Merling area. I did not forget to bring my passport with me of course. I took a MRT from Boon Lay to Merling and then a SMRT (a bus) from Merling to the border. I was quite nervous somehow as it was my first time ever to cross a border just to renew my visa which is unlikely to do that. Let's talk about that a bit later.

Well I queued to pass the Malaysia immigration entering desk (or Singapore exit desk). I had my passport ready in my hand. When I got to the desk, the immigration lady found something missing in my passport. Apparently I accidentally left my entering small paper that I got when entering Singapore in my back pack which was in my room. The paper is needed every time you leave a country. So they called a security to bring me to the office. I was really nervous but I tried to stay calm. Well fortunately I only needed to make another same paper claiming that I had entered the country and had left also. So once they made the paper for me, they took it away directly. The problem was solved.

After that, I went out of the Malaysia arrival hall building to go crossing over to the Singapore departure hall building. I did that because I thought I only needed to renew my visa without having had to enter Malaysia. So I crossed over the bridge. I queued again at Singapore immigration entering desk (or Malaysia exit desk). I thought what I did was fine. At the desk I was brought to the office again. The problem this time was because my passport looked suspicious as there was no stamp for having entered Malaysia (which is very strange and unlikely). They got suspicious because I passed the border but not entered Malaysia. So they asked me why I did that. Well I went all honest to the officers that I only wanted to renew my visa due to an English test that I have to attend in a week in Singapore and my visit visa in Singapore was going to run out before the test. They were surprised by what I had done. But then they suggested me to never do that again because that kind of broke the law. They then suggested me to break my fast in Malaysia as it was nearly breakfast time and then go back to Singapore after that. The point was that I had to get a stamp for entering Malaysia a bit further from the border building.

So I had my first breakfast in Malaysia. First day of Ramadhan, first time in Malaysia. It was such an experience and really a big lesson for me. I should be more careful next time when dealing with crossing a border of 2 countries.

I went home safe and glad and here I am writing this post in my room in Singapore. :)