A 60-year-old woman from China has been sentenced to six months’ jail and fined S$2,000 after it was revealed that she had overstayed in Singapore for more than 28 years — possibly the longest such case recorded in the country.
The woman, identified as Yu Zefang, first entered Singapore in April 1995 on a student’s pass, which she renewed regularly in the early years. However, her legal stay ended in September 1996 when the pass expired. Shortly after, Yu was arrested for drug use in October that year and her passport was confiscated, reported Lianhe Zaobao.
Although she was issued a special pass by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) while investigations were ongoing, she failed to comply with reporting requirements and disappeared when the pass expired in November 1996. From that point, she remained in Singapore illegally.
Stayed to Care for Daughter
Court proceedings revealed that Yu’s decision to overstay was motivated by her desire to take care of her young daughter. In January 1997, the daughter — then just eight years old — obtained her own student’s pass to study in Singapore. Yu stayed on to care for her, despite no longer having a valid permit.
Her daughter eventually secured permanent residency in May 2008, though the court did not disclose details of the application. Yu, however, continued to live in the country unlawfully, avoiding immigration checks for decades.
According to charge sheets, Yu overstayed from 20 November 1996 until she voluntarily surrendered to ICA on 30 December 2024. This amounted to 10,268 days in total — more than 28 years of illegal stay.
Court Sentencing and Legal Implications
Yu appeared in court on 1 September 2025 with the support of family and friends. Her lawyer appealed for leniency, noting that she regretted her actions and chose to plead guilty.
Nevertheless, the judge stressed that her prolonged overstay was deliberate and in clear violation of Singapore’s immigration laws. She was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment and a fine of S$2,000.
Singapore has some of the strictest immigration controls in the region. Overstaying without a valid permit can result in hefty fines, caning (in certain cases for male offenders), and imprisonment. Authorities also emphasise that enforcement ensures fairness to lawful residents and maintains order within the country’s immigration system.
This rare case serves as a reminder of the serious consequences for long-term immigration violations in Singapore, where overstayers risk not only criminal penalties but also the possibility of permanent bans from re-entering the country.