Singapore PR Application Tips: 13 Things You Must Know

The 5 Types Of Singapore PR Schemes You Should Know

If you are eligible, there are five ways to becoming a Singapore PR. They are:

• Professional, Technical Personnel and Skilled Workers Scheme (PTS scheme)
• Foreign Students Scheme
• Sponsored Scheme
• Global Investor Program Scheme (GIP Scheme)
• Foreign Artistic Talent Scheme

1. Professional, Technical Personnel and Skilled Workers Scheme (PTS scheme)

If you hold a Singapore Employment Pass (EP), Entrepreneur Pass (EntrePass) or Personalised Employment Pass (PEP), you may apply for this scheme. It’s for foreigners employed in Singapore at the time of their application. Even if your work requires you to travel abroad, you may still do so as your application is ongoing.

Please note that Work Permit (WP) holders cannot apply for a Singapore PR unless they’re married to a Singapore Citizen or PR.

2. Foreign Students Scheme

The eligibility of international students studying in Singapore will depend on their merits. If they meet the requirements below, they can apply for a PR.

• Has lived in Singapore for more than two years at the time of the application
• Has passed a national exam (i.e. PSLE, GCE, ‘N’/’O’/’A’ levels, or is part of an Integrated Programme (IP)

3. Sponsored Scheme

The Sponsored Scheme is applicable for:

• Spouses of Singapore citizens or Singapore PR
• Children, stepchildren, or legally adopted children below 21 years

The ICA will assess the applicant based on the Sponsor’s merits and financial capabilities to support the applicant(s).

Applicants with good moral character and an impeccable background (i.e. no criminal record, high employability, excellent educational standing) will have a higher chance of a successful sponsored application.

4. Global Investor Program Scheme (GIP Scheme)

Singapore’s Economic Development Board (EDB) initiated the GIP scheme in 2004. The scheme includes business owners and founders of FMCG (Fast-Moving Consumer Goods) companies.

Investors and seasoned entrepreneurs interested in residing in Singapore can apply under the GIP scheme. This scheme allows them and their families to be Singapore PRs.

5. Foreign Artistic Talent Scheme

Under the Foreign Artistic Talent Scheme, you could also become a Singapore PR if you have a talent and affinity for the arts. To apply under this, you must have made extraordinary contributions to the arts, sports, or music field in Singapore.

The ICA will assess if your talents can improve your standing and bring more renown to these communities.

Athletes and artists fall under this scheme. A Singapore PR recognises the cultural significance they’ve brought the state, so long as they satisfy the eligibility requirements.

Now that we have covered the essential part, we will touch more on the tips to get Singapore PR and the various factors that can affect your application process!

3 Factors That Can Affect Your Singapore PR Application

Submitting your application is only half the battle done. The ICA will not automatically approve your application, as they will have to consider several factors. Here’s a rundown of each:

1. Age

One of the Government’s solutions to improve Singapore’s low fertility rate is encouraging foreigners to start a family here.

Another matter that the Government must tackle is Singapore’s ageing population. The older age groups make up a considerable chunk of the current population. Those in the 40 to 64 age brackets comprise about 43% of Singapore’s demographic.

Singapore’s growing ageing population throughout the yearsKnowing this, the ICA may be more inclined to accept younger applicants. If you’re 40 or younger, you may stand a better chance of obtaining a PR status than the older generations. It may be best to get a head start on a permanent residency by applying while you are young.

Despite saying that, we have seen applicants above 40 years old who are successful in getting their Singapore PR! ICA considers more factors other than age.

2. Qualifications

A significant factor of consideration lies in the applicant’s merit and qualifications. If you can prove in your application that you can make worthwhile contributions, this can help boost your chances.

Additionally, it is best to exclude anything in your application which could categorically disqualify you. In the later part of the article, we’ll discuss how you can organise your Singapore PR application to avoid any mistakes!

3. Years of Residency in Singapore

During application, ensure that you satisfy the minimum stay of 6 months in Singapore. Some PR schemes require at least two years. If you’re unsure, it’s best to discuss with an immigration consultant to help you out.

Other factors that can affect your PR application include salary, work pass type, and career industry.

5 Mistakes When Submitting Singapore PR Documents and How to Avoid Them

The most crucial part of the entire application process, be it for Singapore PR or Citizenship, is the compilation and submission of all relevant documents. Since the submission is now online, the quality of the scanned documents must be up to the ICA’s review standards.

Many applicants make mistakes when preparing the documents, especially when applying for the family, because the total number of documents increases proportionally based on the number of co-applicants.

Although the documents required for a PR application are already comprehensive, the Singapore Citizenship application is even more extensive!

The five common mistakes when submitting Singapore PR Documents are:

1. Failure to notarise and translate the documents
2. Improperly Filling Out the Declaration Forms
3. Missing Academic Qualifications and Transcripts
4. Poorly Scanned or Damaged Documents
5. Poorly taken photograph

Let’s understand each factor in detail.

1. Failure To Notarise And Translate The Documents

Singapore’s official business language is English. All documents submitted must be in English. If they are not, they must be translated by a professional translator.

These translated documents are also required to be authenticated by a member of the Singapore Academy of Law. The red stamp is the proof for notarization. Please see the example below.

Example of notorised document

2. Improperly Filling Out The Declaration Forms

In some documents, it is observed that the name of the applicant may vary and might not be an exact match to the way it is written in the passport. In such circumstances, the declaration form should be filled and submitted using the exact name as it appears in the passport.

3. Missing Academic Qualifications And Transcripts

Some applicants fail to submit a complete set of documents to prove their academic qualifications. There are times that the applicants misplace their transcript and only have a certificate. ICA considers it a case of insufficient proof of qualification.

Avoid missing documents by securing all the paperwork you need, prior to submission.

4. Poorly-Scanned Or Damaged Documents

Another common issue is submitting unclear documents, documents that have not been scanned correctly, or poor resolution. Sometimes the documents could be damaged/ torn, or tattered. In such a situation, the applicants must obtain a copy of these certificates from either the relevant authorities or their embassy.

Example of poorly scanned document

5. Poorly Taken Photograph

In the past, all applications were submitted at the ICA counter. The ICA officer at the counter would help highlight if the passport photo were not up to standard. Since everything is online now, the applicant must ensure that all required photographs satisfy the guidelines stated in the ICA.

Nowadays, some applicants end up taking passport photos using their mobile devices. Because of which, the quality of the photograph might not be close to the guidelines of the ICA.

Here are some pointers on how to take a good photo for PR application submission:

• The person’s sitting posture is straight, looking straight into the camera.
• Face can be seen with hair combed neatly.
• The background of the photo must be plain.
• The lighting of the room must be bright.
• Background shadows should be removed.

Here are some examples:

Example of a good headshot photo | Image source: ThisPix

Conclusion

A client who had applied himself about five times and got rejected each time almost gave up.

The worst was not knowing why his colleague, who has a similar profile, was successful in his PR application.

He realised that a professional immigration firm helped process his colleague’s application. The whole issue was the way and the type of documents he submitted and some that he had missed submitting.

So, what was the difference between the two applications? The one who got approved consulted with us.

As professional immigration consultants, we assist clients in their Singapore PR or Citizenship applications or appeals to ICA. After reviewing their profiles, we noticed that most of the issues were because of the quality of the Singapore PR application documents they submitted, even though they had strong profiles.

Are you thinking of appealing your PR status? You may want to learn more about drafting an appeal letter to the ICA.

The Immigration People teamLet us help you with your application.

Contact our experienced immigration consultants to arrange a complimentary one-on-one consultation either in person or online.

We are also the first Singapore immigration agency that has a YouTube channel dedicated to sharing extensive Singapore immigration knowledge, tips, and know-hows. You can check out our official YouTube channel here: Kay & Elena, The Immigration People – YouTube.