"No Vacancy": How to Handle Unwanted Guests Who Assume They're Welcome

Average Sinkie

16 Mar 2025 — 3 min read

Most of us have that one relative—the one who overstays their welcome, disrupts the household, and yet somehow always assumes they have an open invitation. A recent thread on r/askSingapore highlights a tricky situation where a Redditor’s unwanted family member booked a one-way ticket to Singapore, expecting to be hosted without prior agreement.

The Unwelcome Surprise

Redditor lycheenutt shared their predicament:

“I have a family member who lives in another country and is not a SG citizen or PR. She always stayed with me when she visited Singapore. The last time she stayed, she caused a lot of drama and I would rather not host her again.

Today, other family members asked me if I invited her after noticing that she was packing her bags, saying she was going to SG. I checked my messages and saw that she informed (!) me of her intent to stay and bought a one-way ticket to SG. Like wtf, I never even agreed to host her.”

To make matters worse, this relative had a history of difficult behavior and wasn’t taking “no” for an answer.

Avoiding the Awkward Confrontation

Some users suggested creative ways to make her rethink her decision:

“Ask her to lend you money because you are in financial difficulties. Proven way to keep away any visitor.” – One_Ad964

“If she lends you the money, you will never hear the end of it though.” – Mewiee

“People who leech on others will never allow themselves to be leeched on. She wouldn’t lend the money even if she had it.” – stealth0128

Others recommended a more direct approach—just refuse to open the door:

“Don't open the door. If she refuses to leave, call the police. It is your house and you have the right to choose who you allow to come into your home.” – hydrangeapurple

Can Immigration Help?

Given that the relative had only a one-way ticket, several users pointed out that she might not even make it past Singapore’s immigration checkpoint.

“One-way ticket? I wonder what are the chances she will get rejected at immigration if you tell them you don’t plan to let her stay at your address and she has no return ticket.” – lormeeorbust

“If she isn’t a citizen, PR, or has a valid long-term residence pass, she might not even be allowed to check in without a return date/ticket.” – ugly_male

“More importantly, tell her you will be doing this BEFORE you do it.” – tintinfailok

Taking a Legal Approach

Some Redditors recommended informing the authorities preemptively.

“Are you considering the legal route? ICA states foreigners must:
– Have confirmed onward or return tickets
– Sufficient funds to maintain themselves during their stay in Singapore

Give the police and ICA a tip-off if she shows up at your doorstep and refuses to leave.” – bunny-danger

“Since she is coming on a visit pass, she has to inform ICA where she is planning to stay. Inform immigration that you are not hosting her, and if she gave your address, then she is breaching the criteria for approval and can be refused entry.” – Still_the_mind

A Last Resort: Drastic Measures

If all else fails, some users humorously suggested extreme (but effective) ways to deter the unwanted guest.

“Tell her you will be cooking the smelliest food you can think of and have a lot of durian in stock.” – josemartinlopez

“Act like a mentally unsound person—mention hauntings, need her to sacrifice a finger, eat a toad, etc. You will also need her to pay the deposit for blessing your home and appease the spirit who is angered by unwanted visitors.” – Tastytwo_toes

Conclusion

Unwanted houseguests can be tricky to deal with, especially when they assume they’re welcome. Whether through immigration authorities, legal action, or just plain ignoring the doorbell, Singaporeans have plenty of ways to protect their personal space.

As chrimminimalistic put it: