The Straits Times
19 May 2018

Passport application forms not misplaced

We refer to Ms Clara Ng Wai Soon's letter (Passport renewal forms mysteriously vanished; May 14).

The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) received all the passport application forms Ms Ng sent by mail.

None of them was misplaced.

Her application was processed separately as she was also eligible to re-register for a National Registration Identity Card.

The other two hardcopy applications belonged to Ms Ng's sons and, shortly after, they also submitted online applications.

ICA went ahead and processed their online applications instead.

ICA has contacted Ms Ng to clarify the matter and all three passports have since been collected.

 

Brenda Tham (Ms)
Deputy Head, Public & Internal Communications Branch
Corporate Communications Division
Immigration & Checkpoints Authority

 

<Original Letter>

 

The Straits Times
14 May 2018

Passport renewal forms mysteriously vanished

My recent encounter with the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) via the postal delivery system for the renewal of passports has raised questions about the reliability of the service - and I am not referring only to the postal service.

I posted an envelope containing three separate passport renewal application forms to the ICA, but received only one collection slip within a week.

The other two application forms were in the same envelope, but were not registered by the ICA.

This means that they were either lost in the delivery process or after arriving at the destination.

I inquired with the ICA through the online feedback system and a phone call, but drew a blank.

It is very strange that only one application was processed when all three documents were in the same envelope, which clearly arrived at the ICA.

I am also concerned about whether the two affected applicants' personal information has been mishandled.

This incident should not be taken lightly as there have been incidents of fake Singapore passports being discovered in some other parts of the world.

The ICA, a public agency handling applicants' confidential information, is responsible in ensuring that information passing through its doors is kept secure.

In the light of this incident, I urge the authority to carry out checks to beef up its reliability and accountability in handling applicants' documents.

 

 Clara Ng Wai Soon (Ms)