Singapore is one of Asia’s finest countries and if you feel you deserve to be one of its citizens, then it’s a must that you apply for a permanent residence visa as soon as possible. Keep in mind that this is a lengthy process that could take months – possibly a year considering the current conditions brought by the pandemic.
A lot of people are considering moving to and residing in Singapore – one of the fastest rising countries in Asia. Due to its rapid growth and development, the common misconception is that becoming a S’porean is hard as much as it is costly. However, becoming a citizen of the budding nation is actually easier than what many would think.
Singapore has become both a tourist center and a business center in Asia. As it is one of the fastest rising countries, people are hoping to find greener pastures by moving there. The good news is that the process is easy. Of course, that doesn’t exactly mean that you can move on over to the country and become a citizen immediately. Here’s how you can move to Singapore.
Check if you are eligible
Applying for a permanent residence in Singapore is easy. However, their government will still want to check your background to ensure if you’ll be a law-abiding and industrious resident of the country as well. As such, before you apply, it’s important you take note of a few things first:
- Though not always required, your application can have a higher approval rate if you have a great educational background. This also means that you should have a decent and stable job. It will also be checked if you come from a well-established company.
- It’s better if you have a history of staying in Singapore. The longer your stay without any criminal offenses, the better your chances of getting approved as a permanent resident.
- If you have relatives already residing in Singapore and they have been good citizens, that would mean great news for you as well. Of course, you yourself must also have a clean record.
- Perhaps the most important thing you should consider first is your financial stability. In truth, no country would want to have you as a permanent resident if you don’t have the means to support yourself. As such, it’s best to have a good financial background and credit score
Documents you need to prepare
There are quite a few documents that you need to prepare first. Of course, you definitely need to secure your birth certificate, as well as your passport too. As you have most likely been to Singapore several times in the past, you should also have a Singaporean Visa which is also an important document you need to secure.
Image by Sasin Tipchai from Pixabay
There are many supporting documents that you need to bring so that you can increase your chances of approval. These include payslips, certificate of employment, business permits, and your transcript of records for your school Anything that can prove that you are a law-abiding and self-maintaining citizen will be good for your application.
Applying for a permanent residence
As per the Singaporean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, non-Singaporeans can become permanent residents by getting an entry permit. This permit also serves as your application to become a Singapore Permanent Resident. Not all foreigners are eligible to submit their applications through but the rules aren’t too strict.
- Spouse and unmarried children (below 21 years old) of a Singapore Citizen (SC)/Permanent Resident (SPR);
- Aged parents of a Singapore Citizen;
- P, Q, or S work pass holders working in Singapore;
- Investors/Entrepreneurs
The ICA suggests that if you know a Singaporean resident, you can have them sponsor your stay as a permanent resident. It’s a service to apply for a permanent residence pass. To be eligible, the resident sponsoring you should be one of the following: your spouse, your unmarried child under the age of 21, or your aged parent.
You can submit your application and documents through the Singapore Embassy. From here on, you will have to pay a few fees for the processing which are non-refundable. If all goes well and you get approved, you can move and live in Singapore as soon as possible.
The waiting period can last as long as a year but it rarely goes beyond that. As for your approval chances, it should be high enough if you have the proper supporting documents.
Before you move
Your transition into becoming a fully-fledged Singaporean doesn’t end with you getting approved. In fact, that’s only the start of the process to becoming a permanent resident. Of course, there are a few things that you need to do as you become a resident of the country.
For starters, if you haven’t acquainted yourself with the culture yet, it’s high time that you do. Singapore is a free country that’s populated by kind and accommodating people, some of which can even sponsor your residence here. It would be best to learn the proper etiquette and culture so as to not to offend anyone before you. Don’t worry too much about this though as you don’t have to learn anything that is out of this world.
It’s most likely that you already have a career secured if you are finally approved to become a Singapore citizen. It’s important that you make sure that the job is secure and stable and that it’s able to keep you afloat for years. Although your residence is already permanent, you shouldn’t be a burden to the country, as you wouldn’t have where you came from as well.
It’s also important to know the laws of the land. While Singapore doesn’t have any extraordinary laws, it would still be best to know the law inside and out.
Last but not the least; make sure that you adjust accordingly. From food to culture, there are a lot of new things that you’ll need to adjust yourself to. You moved to Singapore knowing well what to expect so adjusting shouldn’t be too hard. The country and the government have accepted you as their own so you should learn to accept it as well.
Singapore is one of Asia’s finest countries and if you feel you deserve to be one of its citizens, then it’s a must that you apply for a permanent residence visa as soon as possible. Keep in mind that this is a lengthy process that could take months – possibly a year considering the current conditions brought by the pandemic. Just a little patience and you’ll be a fully-fledged Singaporean soon.
