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Army HIVE Christmas and New Year Closures

The majority of Army HIVEs will be closed after duties on Fri 19 Dec 25 and will reopen on Mon 5 Jan 26. There may be localised variations to these dates for individual HIVEs.

Army HIVE HQ is also closed during the festive fortnight, so any enquiries submitted via the ‘If you need further information’ MS Forms function on our UK, Cyprus or Overseas blogs will be answered when we return in the New Year.

We will periodically cover private messages on our Army HIVE Facebook platform (and X/Instagram where possible) whilst we are closed. However, this will not be 24/7 and should not be relied upon for anything that requires an urgent response.

To support our customers with more immediate requirements however, the Army HIVE HQ email will provide a comprehensive out of office autoreply, detailing points of contact that are either 24/7, emergency providers, or open over the festive leave fortnight. To receive this autoreply, please email:
RC-Pers-HIVEComms-0Mailbox@mod.gov.uk

Individual HIVEs will also provide localised contact details for Christmas and New Year cover wherever possible in their automated replies. Therefore, if you email your closest HIVE, which you can find on HIVE’s page on the Army website, their autoreply may be of additional assistance.

Army HIVE wishes all of its Service community customers, and our internal and external stakeholders, a very happy Christmas and New Year. We look forward to continuing our support and engagement in 2026.


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Monday, September 15, 2025

BRUNEI: Employment and Unauthorised Occupancy of Amah in Service Family Accommodation (SFA)





Employment and Unauthorised Occupancy of Amah in Service Family Accommodation (SFA)
References:

A. JSP 464 Tri - Service Accommodation Regulations.

B. License to Occupy (SFA).

C. SO8021 - Employment of Amah

1. Law. Everyone is once again reminded that employing an Amah without valid visa and work permit is against the Bruneian Law. Anyone who contravenes this law and is found guilty could be fined up to B$10,000 and imprisoned for a term of not less than six months and not more than 3 years.

2. Illegal. The question has been asked about Amah being employed and sponsored by one Head of Household and working with other households and the cost of employment being shared between two or three households. The advice from the Immigration Department is that this is illegal. Any Amah found doing this is liable to be deported and the sponsor/employer could be liable to a B$10,000 fine and/or a two-month custodial sentence.

3. Amah’s visitor and children. There have been recent cases of Amah's having visitors staying overnight and some have also been with their children in the Service Family Accommodation. Whilst there is no issue with Amah's having visitors during the day, they are not to stay overnight and they are not to co-habit. Please be warned that as the head of house if you allow this to happen you are contravening your License to Occupy and is liable to disciplinary action taken against you. There are numbers of other issues including security, insurance and Health and Safety just to name a few.

4. Amah’s Husband. If you wish to allow your Amah’s husband to live in your quarter, you must ensure that he is her legal husband, and that the Amah formally sponsors him as her spouse with the Bruneian Authorities. Or the husband has relevant visas that entitle him to reside in Brunei in his own right. When applying through the SSO’s office to have an Amah you are to declare the fact that her husband will reside in your quarter and submit all the required documents for the GSO review and approval.

5. Amah’s Brunei Green ID and Employment Pass Renewal. It is the responsibility of HoH to renew their Amah’s ID and employment pass in good time and submit the evidence to SSO department as per BFB SO 8021. Failure to renew Amah’s ID and Employment Pass in time will automatically lose their permission/authority for their Amah to reside in SFA. Please be warned that as the head of house if you fail to renew your Amah’s ID and employment pass, you are contravening your License to Occupy and is liable to disciplinary action taken against you.

6. Other. It is illegal in Brunei for a single (unmarried) female to cohabit with a man. It is also illegal for a married female to cohabit with a man who is not her husband. Both are not to occur in SFA and are against BFB Standing Orders.

Information provided by BRUNEI HIVE.