Arrangements in place for medical tourists, says ICA

The Straits Times

21 Nov 2009


WE REFER to Mr Chiam Teong Tee's letter, 'ICA, be more responsive to medical tourists' (Nov 10).

The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) is sensitive to the needs of visitors who seek medical treatment in Singapore, and has a scheme to facilitate them.

Under this scheme, a foreign patient can ask participating hospitals to apply for an extension of their visit pass via the e-XTEND Trusted Partner Programme without having to apply personally.

Foreign patients with critical illnesses can also apply for a long-term visit pass that is valid for up to six months.

As for emergency cases or patients requiring urgent medical attention, the ICA will accord the necessary priority and expedite the required approvals. Visitors seeking medical treatment here may access the ICA website (http://www.ica.gov.sg/) for details.

Our checkpoint officers handled Mr Chiam's clearance appropriately and professionally. Although he did not make prior arrangements to obtain immigration facilities through the hospital where he was being treated, the officers gave due consideration to his medical condition and granted him a short stay to allow him or his medical service provider time to apply for an extension properly.

We have since contacted and worked with his medical service provider to facilitate his stay in Singapore for his medical treatment. We wish Mr Chiam a speedy recovery.

Chia Hui Keng (Ms)
Head,
Public & Internal
Communications Branch
Corporate Communications Division
Immigration & Checkpoints Authority


ICA, be more responsive to medical tourists

The Straits Times

10 Nov 2009

LAST Friday evening, I arrived at Tuas checkpoint after taking a week's break from my medical treatment at the National University Hospital (NUH).

I have just had two major operations and will start chemotherapy treatment at NUH shortly. The NUH doctors and staff have provided me with excellent care which has impressed and comforted me.

However, I was shocked to be told by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officer at the checkpoint that I was ineligible for the 30-day social visit pass usually accorded to Asean citizens.

Despite my repeated explanations that I was coming to Singapore for continuing medical treatment, the officer offered me a one-day pass and told me to visit the ICA to apply for an extension of my visitor's pass.

The reason given by ICA was that I had used up my extended visitor's pass and under immigration rules, ICA could not grant me the usual visitor's pass for citizens of Asean nations. Subsequently, a senior ICA officer was kind enough to go out of his way to grant me a two-week visitor's pass to allow me time to apply for the extended visitor's pass, with the necessary supporting document from NUH.

So far, I have spent more than $100,000 on medical treatment at NUH over two months.

I was perturbed to find out that ICA rules do not allow visitors the normal visitor's pass if they had applied for an extended pass before, even if the reason was for medical treatment.

Even more alarming was the fact that my caregiver, who had been with me throughout my medical treatment in Singapore, was given a 30-day visitor's pass.

If the Singapore Government is serious about promoting medical treatment, ICA should make exceptions for foreign patients seeking medical treatment in Singapore so they are not put in an unnecessarily difficult situation.

Chiam Teong Tee