Singapore permanent resident

Over the years, Singapore has become of the most important business and financial centers in Asia, but also worldwide as well. The robust economy, combined with major advancements and a vast array of growth-focused ideas is what managed to help Singapore surpass a lot of expectations. Plus, constant investment in infrastructure and creating new businesses/jobs encourages people to become a Singapore permanent resident. But what does this entail, what are the requirements and what things do you have to consider in order to become a Singapore permanent resident? Here’s what you need to keep in mind.

What does it mean if you become a Singapore permanent resident?

It’s important to note that becoming a Singapore permanent resident means you can easily go in and out of the country without a problem. You can also access all the benefits that a person born and living in Singapore would, which is great. All in all, being a Singapore permanent resident allows foreigners to live in the country and access all of its benefits.

In fact, if you become a Singapore permanent resident, you can access the following:

• It’s possible for you to change jobs at any time, without having to cancel or need to re-apply for the Employment pass.
• Once your PR application gets approved, you get a Blue Card. As we mentioned earlier, this allows you to enter and then leave the country without having to apply for a visa or anything like that. In fact, the blue card is seen as your ID, and it can be incredibly helpful.
• It becomes much easier for you to apply for citizenship in Singapore, should you want to do that.
• It’s also possible to apply for family members to get permanent residency as well.
• There are increased chances for you to acquire a loan, if you become a Singapore permanent resident.
• You will have access to various tax and financial benefits offered by the Singapore Central Provident Fund.

It’s clear that if you pass the Singapore permanent resident eligibility, you will have access to a vast range of benefits. If you want to live in Singapore, becoming a Singapore permanent resident is extremely important for any foreigner. And while the process can take a little while to complete, it’s always worth it.

What we need to note before you send the Singapore permanent resident application is that from 5.6 million people living in the country, 500000 of them are a permanent resident. 1.6 million from that number are students and foreign workers. So yes, there are a lot of Singapore permanent residents, but not every foreigner can become a permanent resident. There are eligibility requirements and many other factors to keep in mind.

What’s the Singapore permanent resident eligibility?

As we mentioned earlier, not everyone will be able to become a Singapore permanent resident. There are specific requirements when it comes to becoming a resident. These include:

• You either have to be the spouse for a Singapore citizen or permanent resident.
• An unmarried child under 21 born within a legal marriage or who was adopted by a PR or citizen in Singapore.
• Aged parent of a Singapore citizen
• You need to be the holder of either an S pass or Employment pass
• You need to be a student that studies in the country and who already passed a national exam
• You must be a foreign investor in Singapore

What documents do you need for your Singapore permanent resident application?

If you want to become a Singapore permanent resident, you will need to share certain documents along with your application. Of course, some of the documents are required only when applicable, like adoption papers for example. That’s a crucial aspect to take into account and keep in mind.

• You will need a passport-sized photo and the background must be in white
• A passport or travel document, birth certificate, and in some cases separation deed, adoption papers or marriage certificate.
• Education-wise, you need to showcase educational transcripts and certificates. Any membership certificates or skill certificate/professional license should also be included, as needed.
• A letter of employment from the current employer, pay slips for the last 6 months, the latest 3 years of income tax should also be included here as well.
• In the case of agent parent applications, a birth certificate or household register, income tax assessment and the latest pay slip for the month should be included.

It’s always important to check the eligibility based on your own situation. Having as much information as possible and knowing what documents need to be attached can be extremely helpful. That’s why you need to ensure you have a very good understanding of the requirements and what’s expected from your side. In the end, that will help save time, and it will lead to a much better experience.

Are there any Singapore PR points?

A lot of people might be looking for a Singapore PR points calculator right now. But the thing you have to keep in mind is that Singapore does not come with a PR points system. Other countries like Australia or Canada have their own PR points system, but Singapore does not. Instead, in order to get those Singapore permanent resident benefits, you will need to follow the requirements and stick with them.

Getting assistance from legal professionals can also help. They can guide you through the process and ensure that you don’t have to worry with any delays or downsides. At the end of the day, applying for the Singapore permanent residency can be quite the process. But if you receive support and help, you will have a much better result every step of the way, so keep that in mind.

Is there a difference between being a Singapore citizen and a Singapore permanent resident?

Yes, even if there are many similarities when it comes to privileges and rights, there are also differences. Citizens can vote during elections, they can also access many more subsidies and housing grants. On top of that, as a citizen, you will be able to have more public sector jobs, and you can also get a Singapore passport that allows you to go visa-free to many countries.

Also, a citizen can’t have dual nationality, but a Singapore permanent resident can. The PR must renew the entry permits from time to time when traveling overseas. A citizen can’t have their status revoked, but a Singapore permanent resident can, if they are convicted of a crime and they will get deported.

Obviously, there are pros and cons to being a permanent resident, so it’s always up to you to understand the upsides and downsides. But in general, if you don’t want to become a Singapore citizen, yet you want to live and work in Singapore, then permanent residency is usually the best option.

Does the criminal activity matter when applying for Singapore permanent residency?

The short answer is yes. If you want to become a Singapore permanent resident, you will need to demonstrate good character. You will be looked into when it comes to previous convictions, criminal offenses and other things similar to that. That’s the reason why it can be difficult to become a Singapore permanent resident for some, due to their previous track record. Again, working closely with legal professionals can help you narrow down everything and see if you qualify.

How much time does it take to become a Singapore permanent resident?

Once you share your Singapore permanent resident application, you will have to wait for a reply from the Singapore government. Since they are taking quite an extensive look into your information and track record, that can take quite a while. There are also a lot of applicants too, something to keep in mind. But in general, once you share the application, it can take up to 6 months until you receive a reply.

The good thing about becoming a Singapore permanent resident is that once you do get the permanent residency, it won’t expire. There is a thing to consider here, since your re-entry dopes expire every 5 years, and in some cases it’s even sooner. You will need to renew that. Yet as we said, if you do get the permanent residency, that won’t expire, so it’s great to apply for it, even if it does take a while to receive it.

What if you’re married and you want to become a Singapore permanent resident?

In this case, you will have to present the official marriage certificate. If you have kids from previous marriages, you need to show custody documents for your children. Additionally, the professional and educational qualifications of your spouse will also be required here as well. In case you were married before, you want to show a death or a divorce certificate. Of course, it always comes down only to the stuff applicable to this particular situation.

Where can you apply for the Singapore permanent residency?

If you want to become a Singapore permanent resident, then you need to apply for that via the ICA website in Singapore. They have their own e-PR application system on the website. You will be guided through the process and everything, something that helps streamline the process and it also makes it easier to save quite a bit of time on your side.

After you fill the application form, you will be able to upload all the scanned copies of the supporting documents. As we said, every application is different, sometimes you also want to apply for your family as well, among others. So, it helps to have the necessary assistance from a team of experts you can rely on, as it will help quite a lot here.

Are there any fees?

Yes, if you want to apply for becoming a Singapore permanent resident, you must pay a fee for that. The fee is S$100 for the application. There are also fees when you complete formalities, S$20 for the entry permit, S$50 for the 5-year re-entry permit and the same amount for the Singapore identity card. With that in mind, if you are eligible to apply multiple products in the single application, you can pay a fee of S$130, which will help you save quite a bit of money.

It’s also important to keep in mind that the Singapore permanent resident how many years question comes often. And as mentioned, once you become a permanent resident, you are one for life, but there are renewals and other things to keep in mind. When it comes to payments and fees, for the most part these will not be refundable. They do support different payment options like internet direct debit, AMEX, MasterCard, Visa or PayNow. If there are any subsequent fees to be paid, you will be notified in private.

It’s a good idea to not rush the process, and instead focus on making sure you follow all the necessary requirements. It can be a prolonged timeline for the application, and in some cases they might ask for more documents. Thankfully, since the process does involve many digital elements, it becomes easy to receive a notification and share any extra proof or documents. That alone can streamline the experience and it will lead to a better outcome down the line. That’s why it makes a lot of sense to try and become a Singapore permanent resident, since you can track the progress and receive all the info.

Conclusion

While the Singapore permanent resident requirements can be stringent, becoming a resident can have excellent benefits. The fact that the permanent residency does not expire also comes in handy, and you will be able to travel with ease. Not only that, but you also get many local benefits too, something that’s extremely useful. All in all, it’s safe to say that applying for Singapore permanent residency is a great idea, but it also helps if you work closely with a legal expert. Doing that will streamline and sometimes even expedite the process, which is extremely helpful for any foreigner!