Dang Nguyen Sinh Nhat pleaded guilty to remaining in Singapore unlawfully for 10 years, seven months and 22 days.

He was issued with a Student Pass to study at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (Nafa) but was unable to pay his school fees.

Instead of leaving Singapore after his Visit Pass expired in July 2008, Dang Nguyen Sinh Nhat remained unlawfully in the country for more than 10 years.

The 38-year-old Vietnamese surrendered himself to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) only on 23 February this year.

At the State Courts on Tuesday (2 April), Dang was sentenced to five months’ jail and four strokes of the cane.

Dang came to Singapore to study dance at Nafa in mid-2006 and was issued with a Student Pass, which was valid till April 2009. He was also granted a Visit Pass with the same valid period as the Student Pass.

On 14 April 2008, Dang’s Student Pass was cancelled by ICA at Nafa’s request, as he was unable to pay his school fees.

ICA then granted Dang a Visit Pass valid till 14 May 2008, at the school’s request, so that he could raise funds to pay his school fees. It also extended the Visit Pass on a few occasions, but Dang was still unable to pay his school fees.

When his Visit Pass expired on 1 July 2008, Dang neither applied to extend his stay in Singapore nor left the country.

The total period that he stayed in Singapore illegally was 10 years, seven months and 22 days. It is not known what he did during that period.

The maximum punishment for remaining in Singapore unlawfully for more than 90 days is up to six months’ jail, along with at least three strokes of the cane.

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