A 72-year-old Filipino former domestic helper has been sentenced to six months' imprisonment and a S$3,000 fine after voluntarily surrendering to authorities for overstaying her visa by more than 34 years, one of the longest such cases recorded in the city-state.
Flordeliza M. Cordeta arrived in Singapore on October 27, 1989, on a valid work permit to work as a domestic helper. Her permit was cancelled on July 30, 1991, due to her employer's failure to pay the mandatory foreign worker levy to the Ministry of Manpower. Required to leave the country, she instead remained illegally until December 5, 2025, when she turned herself in to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA), amounting to 34 years, four months, and five days of overstay.
On December 23, 2025, Cordeta pleaded guilty in court to one charge under Singapore's Immigration Act. The prosecution sought the maximum six-month jail term, with caning — a possible penalty for such offences — substituted by the fine due to her age and gender. Unrepresented by a lawyer, she expressed remorse and requested leniency.
The case was heard alongside another involving 49-year-old Filipino Jo Ann Querabu Balbin, who overstayed more than 16 years after her work permit, issued in April 2009, was cancelled the following month for the same levy issue. Balbin surrendered on December 4, 2025, and received six months' jail plus a S$2,000 fine.
An ICA spokesperson emphasised the gravity of the offence. "Overstaying is a serious offence and carries severe penalties," the authority stated, according to reports from Shin Min Daily News cited in multiple outlets.
Singapore enforces strict immigration rules, with overstays beyond 90 days punishable by up to six months' jail, fines up to S$6,000, and caning for eligible offenders (substituted for women and the elderly). The ICA encourages voluntary surrender, which may mitigate but does not eliminate penalties. Offenders are typically deported after serving sentences and barred from re-entry.
Singapore's ICA conducts regular enforcement operations with other agencies to detect overstayers, reminding the public that harbouring them can lead to up to 24 months' jail and fines.
