Becoming a Permanent Resident (PR) of Singapore is an exciting prospect. After all, there are many amazing benefits to being a PR. The submission process, however, can be complex in parts, tedious at times; and frankly, rather time-consuming. And for you to significantly increase the chances of approval when you go through the application, it is important that you practice enough due diligence and do your research thoroughly.
Here is a handy and useful checklist to help you get started. Read on!
1. Confirm Your Eligibility
As a foreigner, how do you apply for this status? First, you will have to satisfy one of the following criteria. You will need to be:
- The spouse of a Singapore citizen or PR
- The child (unmarried) below the age of 21, who is born to or legally adopted by a Singapore citizen or PR
- An aged parent of a Singapore citizen
- An S Pass or Employment Pass holder
- A foreign investor in the country
- A student studying in the country
Do you fulfil one or more of the criteria above? Great! Let’s proceed to the next item on the checklist.
2. Where and How to Apply
Since December 2017, all PR applications are submitted online through the Electronic-Permanent Residence (e-PR) System. For that, you will require a valid SingPass account. Foreign students may use their Foreign Identification Number or FIN along with the date of issue of your immigration pass. Foreign investors may apply via the Global Investor Programme at the Economic Development Board (EDB).
Before you file your documentation with the e-Service, you will need to first get all important forms in order.
3. Compile Your Important Documents
Once you have confirmed your eligibility, the next step is to prepare all the required documents. The ICA website provides detailed explanatory notes and lists, which you may download based on your individual eligibility requirements.
Getting the right paperwork in order on your own can be an intimidating and exhausting experience, especially when you are already spending long hours at work and are short on quality time with the family. Unfortunately, this is the part where many make mistakes, such as compiling the wrong documents or getting them mixed up. And should you have non-English papers that need to be translated for submission, that is another thing people have been known to overlook. These are some possible reasons that result in your submission to be rejected.
Are you feeling overwhelmed with work and family commitments or struggling to carve out time to apply for permanent residency? Choosing a consultancy company like Immigration Solutions to help you handle your process from start to finish, could be the ultimate answer.
4. Know What Makes You Stand Out
When you are competing against tens of thousands of other applicants, it is important for your submission to pop out among a sea of other applicants. It is the reason why the cover letter is such a crucial part of the entire procedures. When preparing your cover letter, it’s important to have some insight into what the ICA officers are looking for in the documentations. If you need assistance with crafting a professional and comprehensive immigration cover letter, we can help you.
5. Allow Time For Processing
Once you have all your paperwork in order, congratulations, it is time to submit your paperwork. Do know that it takes the ICA about 4 to 6 months to process your submission, and in some instances, it may take even longer. So make sure you have built in ample time for this entire journey so that it fits well with your plans.