PRs/Citizen families

[Wind30]

I just had a talk with some of my colleagues.

 

Currently it seems that all you need is one spouse to convert to citizen to enjoy all the benefits while the other spouse can remain as citizen of their home country.

 

I think singapore should differentiate such "mixed" families to encourage BOTH spouses to convert to citizenship so that we can ensure such families are here in the long run.

 

If one spouse is singaporean, the other is PRC, I think they all will just leave when the going gets tough or they will not stay in singapore with a long term mindset. All they are concerned with will be short term gain, quickly reap as much benefits and then return to their home country.

 

Am I right?

[SimonTan]

No choice lah.......

When you go overseas...you also want your family to enjoy the same benefits bestow onto you right?

 

 

[Donut]

This is complicated because we have alot of MY PRs here who lived in SG for a very long time. It's a legacy

[A5SB]

Even convert them all, they are still New Citizens. To me New Citizens are not the same as real Citizens.

[Tonyng]

This is complicated because we have alot of MY PRs here who lived in SG for a very long time. It's a legacy

 

Yep. Legacy over time becomes a huge big loophole.

 

And we all know who messed up.

 

 

[Davidklt]

no..that is not true.If you spouse is Singaporean, it does not mean you automatically you can be a singapore citizen.

 

I know many cases where even PR are not granted when spouse is Singaporean.

[Jman888]

no..that is not true.If you spouse is Singaporean, it does not mean you automatically you can be a singapore citizen.

 

I know many cases where even PR are not granted when spouse is Singaporean.

 

 

no lah, he mean that both are foreigner, as long as one gets citizenship, both can enjoy the benefit and the other one keep the overseas passport in case they need to 'runaway'

[Agalvilaku]

I just had a talk with some of my colleagues.

 

Currently it seems that all you need is one spouse to convert to citizen to enjoy all the benefits while the other spouse can remain as citizen of their home country.

 

I think singapore should differentiate such "mixed" families to encourage BOTH spouses to convert to citizenship so that we can ensure such families are here in the long run.

 

If one spouse is singaporean, the other is PRC, I think they all will just leave when the going gets tough or they will not stay in singapore with a long term mindset. All they are concerned with will be short term gain, quickly reap as much benefits and then return to their home country.

 

Am I right?

Even if you convert the whole family to citizen, they will still have some privileges in their home (once) country like they can buy property, go, stay, work, without visa etc,. So, it won't be a real deterrent.

[Agalvilaku]

no..that is not true.If you spouse is Singaporean, it does not mean you automatically you can be a singapore citizen.

 

I know many cases where even PR are not granted when spouse is Singaporean.

This is absolutely true,one of my friend who is a singaporean got married to a bride in overseas. Since 2 yrs, his wife is in long term visit pass, thrice they rejected the PR for his wife and he went through MP recommendation, but nothing worked out. He took Singapore citizenship 12 yrs back when he came here as a student. For records, he did NS. Imagine, you are married and you don't know how long your wife will be with you in this country and living with uncertainty.

[Kangadrool]

This is absolutely true,one of my friend who is a singaporean got married to a bride in overseas. Since 2 yrs, his wife is in long term visit pass, thrice they rejected the PR for his wife and he went through MP recommendation, but nothing worked out. He took Singapore citizenship 12 yrs back when he came here as a student. For records, he did NS. Imagine, you are married and you don't know how long your wife will be with you in this country and living with uncertainty.

 

Husband income and education is quite important criteria when they grant PR for foreign brides. As with everything, $$$ matters alot here.

 

If bride works in Singapore before, make sure MOM is informed before marriage. Otherwise, fat hope to get PR ever.

Edited May 26, 2011 by Kangadrool

[Windwaver]

I just had a talk with some of my colleagues.

 

Currently it seems that all you need is one spouse to convert to citizen to enjoy all the benefits while the other spouse can remain as citizen of their home country.

 

Am I right?

 

Yes, you're right; as long as one is citizen, the other can remain as PR or I'll consider non-citizen (PR is considered "citizen" from our government). One of my friend has a Malaysian wife that doesn't want to convert to Singaporean even after more than a decade. The reason is that she intends to retire back in Malaysia where obviously our exchange rate favors them with the family.

 

And yes, our current high demand for housing and amenities partly comes from FTs and all these mixed PR families. Good for the short term but god knows when they decide to pull back to their country and enjoy their exchange fruits while the bunch of locals spend all their fortune on inflated food prices and housing (that include private ones).

 

I can understand the plight of my friend but I guess that works better for him. In short, a lot of families treat Singapore as a temporary home.

[Wt_know]

just to share that another reason why msian wife wants to remain as msian is because her parent is in msia. if things did not work out / divorce (being practical), she can return to msia with her parent. it's a safety net and i respect that. no one want to burn down the bridges if there is an option.

 

Yes, you're right; as long as one is citizen, the other can remain as PR or I'll consider non-citizen (PR is considered "citizen" from our government). One of my friend has a Malaysian wife that doesn't want to convert to Singaporean even after more than a decade. The reason is that she intends to retire back in Malaysia where obviously our exchange rate favors them with the family.

Edited May 26, 2011 by Wt_know

[Windwaver]

just to share that another reason why msian wife wants to remain as msian is because her parent is in msia. if things did not work out / divorce (being practical), she can return to msia with her parent. it's a safety net and i respect that. no one want to burn down the bridges if there is an option.

 

Yup, that's what I meant. This friend of mine is quite a nice chap and seriously I'm also happy for his family knowing that they do not have to worry about their old age. Come to think of it, marry Malaysian wife better

[F1f2]

i think PR in somehow is not as good as citizen/ new citizen in term of benefit. (i really don't know why have 'new citizen' word)

I know many (maybe more then 10), married couple (both is PR) they new baby is not granted for PR!

regardless the baby is boy/ girl.

the baby only get long visit pass for 1 year.

 

 

[Tjkbeluga]

As far as HDB is concern, if only 1 Singaporean is the applicant, you only get half the subsidy, not full. As far as baby bonus is concern, so long as the child becomes a Singaporean, he gets the full baby benefit from baby bonus.

 

Anyway, life is never fair. Everyone is born in different country, rich or poor. Do you get to choose? What is there to bicker? If you are given the same situation, wouldn't you want to make the best out of situation?

[Rainbowbiatch]

Husband income and education is quite important criteria when they grant PR for foreign brides. As with everything, $$$ matters alot here.

 

If bride works in Singapore before, make sure MOM is informed before marriage. Otherwise, fat hope to get PR ever.

 

yeah.. and also depending on which country they come from.... ..........

[Wadexu]

I just had a talk with some of my colleagues.

 

Currently it seems that all you need is one spouse to convert to citizen to enjoy all the benefits while the other spouse can remain as citizen of their home country.

 

I think singapore should differentiate such "mixed" families to encourage BOTH spouses to convert to citizenship so that we can ensure such families are here in the long run.

 

If one spouse is singaporean, the other is PRC, I think they all will just leave when the going gets tough or they will not stay in singapore with a long term mindset. All they are concerned with will be short term gain, quickly reap as much benefits and then return to their home country.

 

Am I right?

 

You are wrong. Here are list of benefits I canthinking of for discuss:

 

1. Travel convenience. Since the PR spouse still hold the PRC passport, he/she do not benefit from this.
2. Government packages, all the government blah blah packages do not benefit PR with or without Singaporean spouse. and he/she pay the same PR rate when deal with government agency, such as hospital, education...
3. HDB flat, benefit of $20 000 or eligibility to buy new flat for one citizen and one PR family. As far as I know, in the scenario you mentioned, most family already got resale when they were in PRs, once converted, need to sell and buy again to benefit from HDB, the agent fee/stamp duty is close to $20 000 if sale and buy a HDB flat (it's 18600 for 400K flat). Will people buy/sell just for this $20 000 grant? Your judgment.

Peopleretain their citizen may have various reason, such as the emotionalties with home country, easy to go back to visit parent, brothers,sister... the handling of the property of the home country. not just benefit. Edited May 26, 2011 by Wadexu

[Tjkbeluga]

Husband income and education is quite important criteria when they grant PR for foreign brides. As with everything, $$$ matters alot here.

 

If bride works in Singapore before, make sure MOM is informed before marriage. Otherwise, fat hope to get PR ever.

This is only applicable to those (the bride) who has WP. EP holders need not seek permission from the gahmen.