PUBLISHED ONFebruary 16, 2026 5:11 AMBYEsther LamA Chinese woman, who recently travelled to Singapore, claimed she was detained for two days in Changi Airport after she was stopped for further checks at immigration.
In two separate videos uploaded to Douyin on Feb 2 and Feb 4, Chen Xixi (transliteration), also identified as Chen Wenshi, claimed she was detained without reason.
Chen, who claims to be an influencer, said that it was her first time travelling to Singapore and that she was visiting her sister, who works as a teacher here.
When passing through immigration clearance, she said she was pulled aside by Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers who asked about her travel plans. She claimed an officer also looked through her mobile phone, social media applications and bank details.
She claimed she was then, without explanation, brought to a waiting room. She was later asked to go to another room where she took headshots and scanned her fingerprints.
She said she was then issued an order of detention in English for her "removal from Singapore".
Chen also noted that her travel bag and mobile phone were seized. Chen also alleged that she was made to sign an agreement, drafted again in English, surrendering her phone.
After being brought to the detention room, Chen was handed a pillow, blanket and pair of slippers. She said occupants were provided with three meals a day and specific time slots to use their phones, which were regulated and only allowed in the common areas.
Chen also claimed that officers communicated selectively as they mainly spoke in English, a language she could not really comprehend, and only used Chinese to reprimand her.
The detention room was filled with various travellers and at one point, there were five other Chinese nationals, Chen claimed, where one of whom took photos of the detention centre and shared them with her via Douyin.
As Chen prepared to leave for her departure flight, scheduled at 3pm on Feb 1, she claimed officers ignored her inquiries about her flight. She said it was only after she made a fuss that officers informed her the flight had been delayed and that she would depart at 2.30pm.
She said two officers escorted her to her flight, where she was allegedly asked to pay $500 for her stay in the detention centre and was not given a receipt.
ICA has since told AsiaOne that it does not impose any fees on travellers who have been refused entry.
She told them she had no money — a tactic she said she learned from Xiaohongshu — but claimed that officers warned she would not be able to return to Singapore if she did not pay.
After denying having any money, Chen then boarded the plane back to China where officers returned her travel bag and mobile phone, claimed Chen.
In response to AsiaOne's queries, ICA said that the authorities are aware of Chen's video and allegations.
Chen arrived in Singapore on Jan 31 and during immigration clearance, she was referred by ICA officers for further checks, including an interview and a search of her belongings.
ICA said that the checks are "typical for travellers subject to additional checks at our checkpoints" and that the interviews were conducted in Mandarin, a language Chen understood.
"Chen was unable to provide a clear itinerary for her visit to Singapore and did not have an onward air ticket. She was evasive when probed on her claims that she was visiting her sister in Singapore" the authority said.
AsiaOne has reached out to Chen for more information.
Officers who checked Chen’s phone found messages of her being coached to address questions that may be posed by immigration officers during checks and she was subsequently refused entry into Singapore.
She was then brought to a holding room pending her return flight the next day on Feb 1, where she was provided with meals and shower facilities, said ICA.
The meals provided, which had vegetarian and non-vegetarian options, were the same as those given to all the other travellers in the holding room.
ICA added that it does not impose any fees on travellers who have been refused entry.
"A foreigner’s entry into Singapore is neither a right nor automatic. Each visitor's entry is considered on its own merits," said ICA.
"Visitors must fulfil our entry requirements and may be subjected to interviews and additional checks before they are granted entry."
The police confirmed that reports were lodged regarding the unauthorised photo and video taken within ICA's premises. The offence is being investigated under the Infrastructure Protection Act 2017.
Members of the public are also reminded that photography and videography are not permitted at protected places.
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