s 24 Examination of persons arriving by sea
24. —(1) Every person arriving by sea in Singapore, whether or not he or she enters Singapore, must appear before an immigration officer at such time and place as that officer may direct. [18/2012] (1A) A person who appears before an immigration officer under subsection (1) must furnish such particulars about the person, in such form or manner, as that officer may require. [Act 31 of 2023 wef 31/12/2024] (2) The immigration officer, after such examination as he or she may consider necessary, must inform any person whom the immigration officer considers to be prohibited from entering Singapore under the provisions of this Act or any regulations or orders made under this Act of his or her finding. [Act 31 of 2023 wef 31/12/2024] (2A) The person mentioned in subsection (2) — ( a ) if still on board the vessel that conveyed the person to Singapore — must not disembark in Singapore; or ( b ) if the person has disembarked for the purposes of the examination mentioned in that subsection — must immediately comply with any direction given by an immigration officer under subsection (2B). [Act 31 of 2023 wef 31/12/2024] (2B) An immigration officer may direct the person mentioned in subsection (2A)( b ) to — ( a ) re‑embark, and remain on, the vessel that the person disembarked from; ( b ) embark, and remain on, another vessel specified by the immigration officer; or ( c ) proceed to, and remain in, an immigration depot or a place designated by the Controller, until arrangements are made for the person to leave Singapore, and leave Singapore in accordance with those arrangements. [Act 31 of 2023 wef 31/12/2024] (3) The master, operator, owner, agent or charterer of the vessel must likewise immediately be informed in writing by the immigration officer of his or her finding and the master, operator, owner, agent or charterer must not permit the person to disembark in Singapore, or, if the person has disembarked, whether for the purpose of examination or otherwise, is bound to re‑embark the person and remove the person from Singapore by the same or such other vessel, to the person’s place of embarkation, the country of the person’s birth or citizenship or such other destination, as that immigration officer may direct. [18/2012] [Act 31 of 2023 wef 31/12/2024] (4) Any person who — ( a ) refuses or neglects to appear before an immigration officer as required by subsection (1) or who leaves the place of examination without or otherwise than in accordance with the authorisation of that officer; ( b ) contravenes subsection (1A) or (2A)( a ) or ( b ); or [Act 31 of 2023 wef 31/12/2024] ( c ) being the master, operator, owner, agent or charterer of a vessel, permits any person to disembark in Singapore or refuses to re‑embark any person, or refuses or neglects to remove the person from Singapore in accordance with subsection (3), after being informed by an immigration officer that the person is prohibited from entering Singapore or that the person has refused or neglected to appear before an immigration officer as required by subsection (1) or that the person had left the place of examination without or otherwise than in accordance with the authorisation of that officer, [Act 31 of 2023 wef 31/12/2024] shall each be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $4,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both. [18/2012] (5) If any person contravenes subsection (2A)( a ) or ( b ), an immigration officer, a police officer or an auxiliary police officer acting under the directions of an immigration officer or a police officer, may take such steps, including the use of force, as may be reasonably necessary to compel that person to comply with that provision, and the master, operator, owner, agent or charterer of the relevant vessel is bound to re‑embark or embark (as the case may be) that person and to remove that person from Singapore. [18/2012] [Act 31 of 2023 wef 31/12/2024] (6) [ Deleted by Act 31 of 2023 wef 31/12/2024 ] —(1) Every person arriving by sea in Singapore, whether or not he or she enters Singapore, must appear before an immigration officer at such time and place as that officer may direct. [18/2012] (1A) A person who appears before an immigration officer under subsection (1) must furnish such particulars about the person, in such form or manner, as that officer may require. [Act 31 of 2023 wef 31/12/2024] (2) The immigration officer, after such examination as he or she may consider necessary, must inform any person whom the immigration officer considers to be prohibited from entering Singapore under the provisions of this Act or any regulations or orders made under this Act of his or her finding. [Act 31 of 2023 wef 31/12/2024] (2A) The person mentioned in subsection (2) — ( a ) if still on board the vessel that conveyed the person to Singapore — must not disembark in Singapore; or ( b ) if the person has disembarked for the purposes of the examination mentioned in that subsection — must immediately comply with any direction given by an immigration officer under subsection (2B). [Act 31 of 2023 wef 31/12/2024] (2B) An immigration officer may direct the person mentioned in subsection (2A)( b ) to — ( a ) re‑embark, and remain on, the vessel that the person disembarked from; ( b ) embark, and remain on, another vessel specified by the immigration officer; or ( c ) proceed to, and remain in, an immigration depot or a place designated by the Controller, until arrangements are made for the person to leave Singapore, and leave Singapore in accordance with those arrangements. [Act 31 of 2023 wef 31/12/2024] (3) The master, operator, owner, agent or charterer of the vessel must likewise immediately be informed in writing by the immigration officer of his or her finding and the master, operator, owner, agent or charterer must not permit the person to disembark in Singapore, or, if the person has disembarked, whether for the purpose of examination or otherwise, is bound to re‑embark the person and remove the person from Singapore by the same or such other vessel, to the person’s place of embarkation, the country of the person’s birth or citizenship or such other destination, as that immigration officer may direct. [18/2012] [Act 31 of 2023 wef 31/12/2024] (4) Any person who — ( a ) refuses or neglects to appear before an immigration officer as required by subsection (1) or who leaves the place of examination without or otherwise than in accordance with the authorisation of that officer; ( b ) contravenes subsection (1A) or (2A)( a ) or ( b ); or [Act 31 of 2023 wef 31/12/2024] ( c ) being the master, operator, owner, agent or charterer of a vessel, permits any person to disembark in Singapore or refuses to re‑embark any person, or refuses or neglects to remove the person from Singapore in accordance with subsection (3), after being informed by an immigration officer that the person is prohibited from entering Singapore or that the person has refused or neglected to appear before an immigration officer as required by subsection (1) or that the person had left the place of examination without or otherwise than in accordance with the authorisation of that officer, [Act 31 of 2023 wef 31/12/2024] shall each be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $4,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to both. [18/2012] (5) If any person contravenes subsection (2A)( a ) or ( b ), an immigration officer, a police officer or an auxiliary police officer acting under the directions of an immigration officer or a police officer, may take such steps, including the use of force, as may be reasonably necessary to compel that person to comply with that provision, and the master, operator, owner, agent or charterer of the relevant vessel is bound to re‑embark or embark (as the case may be) that person and to remove that person from Singapore. [18/2012] [Act 31 of 2023 wef 31/12/2024] (6) [ Deleted by Act 31 of 2023 wef 31/12/2024 ]