Woman overstayed in Singapore for 28 years before surrendering; case prompts ICA review

A 60-year-old Chinese national, Yu Zefang, overstayed in Singapore for more than 28 years before surrendering herself to authorities in December 2024.

Her case, described as one of the longest known instances of overstaying in Singapore, has led to questions in Parliament about how such a prolonged violation could occur without detection.

On 1 September 2025, Yu was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment and fined S$2,000 under the Immigration Act.

During a Parliamentary session on 22 September, Workers’ Party Member of Parliament Gerald Giam (Aljunied GRC) questioned the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs about systemic lapses that might have enabled the overstay.

He also sought clarification on how Yu’s daughter later secured permanent residency (PR) and what reforms have since been implemented to prevent a recurrence of similar incidents.

In a written reply, Minister K Shanmugam said the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) treats overstaying and the harbouring of offenders with utmost seriousness.

He explained that ICA regularly conducts enforcement operations, but some individuals deliberately evade detection for extended periods.

Referring specifically to Yu’s case, Shanmugam said she had intentionally kept a low profile to avoid discovery. She did not maintain a fixed address, avoided formal employment, and refrained from using government services such as public healthcare, which could have triggered identity checks.

According to a report by Lianhe Zaobao, Yu overstayed for 10,268 days — from 20 November 1996 to 30 December 2024 — after first entering Singapore on a student pass in April 1995.

Her immigration status changed after she was arrested for drug use in October 1996, leading to her passport being confiscated. She was issued a special pass that temporarily allowed her to remain in Singapore pending investigations, but she failed to report back to the authorities and absconded after the pass expired in November that year.

In January 1997, her then eight-year-old daughter obtained a student pass to continue her education in Singapore. Yu decided to remain illegally in the country to care for her child, despite knowing her stay was unauthorised.

The Minister confirmed that ICA is investigating the circumstances surrounding the daughter’s eventual PR status, which was granted in May 2008. While court proceedings did not reveal details of the PR application, Shanmugam said authorities would act if any evidence of fraud or immigration offences emerged.

Yu remained undetected for nearly three decades before voluntarily surrendering to ICA on 30 December 2024, expressing her wish to return to China.

During court proceedings on 1 September 2025, Yu was accompanied by family and friends and pleaded guilty. Her defence lawyer requested leniency, citing her remorse and the fact that she had turned herself in voluntarily.

The presiding judge acknowledged her cooperation and decision to surrender but stressed the gravity of the offence, noting that Yu had knowingly overstayed for more than 28 years.

Under Singapore’s Immigration Act, overstayers can face imprisonment of up to six months and fines of up to S$6,000. In aggravated cases, male offenders may also face caning.

Shanmugam told Parliament that ICA is conducting a comprehensive review of its enforcement and detection frameworks to address potential vulnerabilities.

He said the review will assess how individuals like Yu could avoid detection for prolonged periods and examine possible improvements to inter-agency data sharing, verification systems, and the monitoring of PR and immigration applications.

“ICA continues to refine its operational capabilities to identify overstayers, particularly those who deliberately conceal their presence,” Shanmugam said.

He added that while Yu’s case was exceptional, it underscores the challenges faced by enforcement agencies in detecting individuals who take deliberate steps to remain invisible.

The Minister did not detail specific new measures but emphasised that improvements to digital identity tracking, data analytics, and inter-agency collaboration remain a priority for ICA.

Observers have noted that Yu’s case raises wider questions about the balance between enforcement and compassion in immigration policy. While her voluntary surrender and lack of criminal activity apart from overstaying weighed in her favour during sentencing, the duration of her unlawful stay has sparked debate about system oversight.

Legal experts have said that such cases are rare but illustrate the complexity of immigration enforcement in an urban environment where overstayers can blend into the population if they avoid official systems.

Parliamentary discussions are expected to continue in coming months as the Home Affairs Ministry reviews ICA’s findings and considers potential policy adjustments.