Child sex offender Amos Yee was granted bail of $10,000 on March 26, after being accused of remaining outside Singapore without a valid exit permit for over nine years. The 27-year-old, who appeared in court via video link, had been deported from the United States on March 19 and was brought before a Singapore district court the following day, where he faced three charges under the Enlistment Act.
Court documents state that Yee failed to attend his mandatory pre-enlistment medical screening for national service and stayed overseas without the required permit after leaving for the US in December 2016 to seek asylum. Authorities allege that he was outside Singapore without a valid exit permit during two periods—between December 13, 2015, and April 19, 2016, and again from December 15, 2016, to March 19, 2026. During this time, he also allegedly did not report for his medical screening from April 26, 2016, to March 19, 2026.
Yee was arrested by enlistment inspectors at Changi Airport on March 20 upon his return following deportation. He was formally charged the same day for failing to fulfill his national service obligations, including not reporting for medical screening for more than nine years.
Amos Yee out on S$10,000 bail after being charged with NS enlistment offences https://t.co/G3HU4yaxkI
— Eric Cheng (@yperic) March 26, 2026
He had originally left Singapore for the US in 2016 after multiple legal issues stemming from remarks deemed offensive to Christians and Muslims. In 2015, at the age of 16, he was jailed for hurting religious sentiments, and about a year later, he was again imprisoned and fined for similar offences.
Yee was granted asylum in the United States in 2017, but later ran into further legal trouble. In October 2020, he was charged with possession of child pornography and grooming a minor. He pleaded guilty in December 2021 and was sentenced to six years in prison. Although he was released on parole midway through his sentence, he was re-arrested for breaching parole conditions.
Reports indicate that in November last year, Yee was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement after his parole release from the Danville Correctional Center in Illinois, before eventually being deported to Singapore. Under Singapore’s Enlistment Act, individuals who default on national service obligations can face up to three years in jail, a fine of up to $10,000, or both upon conviction.
Olivia Sarkar is a Senior Content Producer on the Entertainment and Lifestyle desk with 6 years of experience. In 6 years, she worked with ANI, IANS, Zee News. Known for covering trends and engaging storytelling, she covers a wide spectrum of topics including entertainment news, fashion, fitness, health, food, travel, astrology. From major film announcements to industry controversies. Throughout her career, she has interviewed several notable personalities such as Femina Miss India World 2022 Sini Shetty, Miss World 2024 USA contestant Victoria DiSorbo, Miss France 2020 Clémence Botino.Her interview portfolio also includes celebrities like Milind Soman, Tiger Shroff, and Vikrant Massey, along with acclaimed singers Shubha Mudgal and Padma Shri awardee Dr. Jaspinder Narula. Beyond work, Olivia enjoys exploring new food joints, being wanderlust, and writing poetry. You can reach her out on X: @OliviaSarkar11