Singapore Permanent Residence – Part 2

Singapore Permanent Residence – PTS Scheme – Part II

This is Part II of the step-by-step guide of applying for Singapore permanent residence under the PTS Scheme. To refresh your mind, Singapore PR Application Filing – Part I covered the following aspects of filing the Singapore PR application:

· Step 1: Decide when to apply for PR

· Step 2: Think about your chances of approval

· Step 3: Decide on PR filing for your children

· Step 4: Download documents & review filing requirements

· Step 5: Prepare supporting documents

· Step 6: Completing the PR application form

We will now continue with the Part II.

STEP 7: SUBMIT PR APPLICATION

Once you have a) completed the PR application form; b) received the completed Annex A back from your employer; and c) prepared the supporting documents, it’s time to submit your PR application to Immigration and Checkpoint Authority (ICA) of Singapore.

As mentioned previously, make sure you take originals with you for verification purposes. The application has to be submitted in person. You cannot just mail it to ICA office. The purpose of asking you to submit documents in person is to a) verify copies of supporting documents against the originals; b) ensure the PR application is complete and that you have submitted all the necessary documents.

Don’t worry; it’s not some tough interview where you will be asked hard questions, rather, it’s just a simple procedure of submitting your PR application along with the necessary documents to ICA. The officer will check your application for completeness and double-check that you are submitting the necessary supporting documents. The officer will also verify the copies against the originals.

Before you leave, check to make sure you have all the originals back in your possession.

STEP 8: WAIT FOR RESULTS

Once you have submitted your PR application, the most anxious time starts i.e. waiting for the application outcome. The more you think about it, the more restless you will get and it will make no difference to the outcome. So sit back and relax.

It will take approximately 3-6 months before you receive a letter from ICA notifying you about the outcome of your PR application. If however, you did not receive the letter and would like to know the status, you can call ICA and they will inform you of the current status of your PR application. Most of the time, you will end up hearing “it’s under processing”, unless it has been approved or rejected. You will not be provided with any other explanations or reasons. In reality the operator answering your phone probably does not know the details anyway; all he/she (usually it’s a she!) can see on the computer is just the status of the application.

STEP 9: UPON APPROVAL

Once you receive your approval letter (congratulations!), you need to make one more visit to ICA office within 30 days of receiving your approval letter, to complete the Singapore Permanent Residence formalities. Typically, you will need to bring the following documents (the specific list of documents to be submitted will be mentioned in your approval letter) with you:

· The approval letter

· Results of medical check-up. Authorities will require a medical-check report for you and your spouse. The list of tests to be done will be listed in the approval letter.

· Passport-size photos for each of the applicants.

· Your EP and DP passes. They will be taken from you and replaced with PR cards.

· Travel documents for each of the applicants.

You will visit the same place (i.e. 5th floor) and follow the same queue procedure at the ICA office to complete your PR formalities. The officer will collect all your documents from you and finish the necessary formalities (signing, fingerprinting, etc.). At the end of this, you will be handed over the following items:

· PR identity card for you and your spouse. This is the card that you will often be required to produce (e.g. when applying for mobile phone, bank account, etc.) in Singapore as a proof that you are a Singapore PR holder. Children don’t get a PR card until they turn 15.

· Each PR applicant will get a PR certificate (mostly for safekeeping, you won’t really use it anywhere)

· Each PR applicant will get a re-entry permit stamp in the passport. The re-entry permit enables you to get in and out of Singapore visa free. The re-entry permit is typically issued for five years at a time and is renewable thereafter. If you plan to leave Singapore, make sure that your re-entry permit is valid until your return.

Once you have completed the above PR formalities, you are a full-fledged Singapore permanent resident. With your new status, you can enjoy many of the benefits given to full citizens, including the freedom to live and work in Singapore without visa restrictions, priority government schooling for your children and compulsory participation in the Central Provident Fund (CPF) Scheme, which grows your pension fund. Don’t forget to:

· Inform your employer of your new PR status. Your employer will require a copy of your PR card to update HR records and will also need to start making contributions to your CPF fund.

· Inform banks so they can update your bank account personal details.

STEP 10: HANDLING PR REJECTION

Although receiving a PR rejection letter can be a very disheartening experience at first, remember that it’s not end of the world or the end of your pursuit to obtain permanent residence in Singapore. There are no restrictions on how many times you can apply for Singapore PR. However, practically, you should wait at least 6 months before re-submitting your PR application.

PROFESSIONAL HELP

Should you engage a professional firm to assist you with your Singapore PR application filing? The answer is that it depends. If after reading this guide you feel that you know what you are doing, you probably don’t need professional help. If on the other hand, you feel that could use an experienced set of eyes to review your application and supporting documents and give you recommendations to maximize your chances of success, you can ask a professional services firm for help.