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4 Common Reasons for Your Singapore PR Application Rejection [2022]
December 13, 2023
There are many possible reasons for the rejection of the Singapore PR application. Despite faithfully following through with all required documentation and processes, it is normal to be frustrated when you receive a PR rejection letter.
Firstly, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) will not disclose the reasons for rejecting your PR application. Applicants lack insight into ICA’s decision-making process, often feeling lost and unsure how to seek proper PR rejection advice.
In this article, we list down the four most common reasons for Singapore PR rejection:
- Unaware of new policies implemented in Singapore
- Lack of social integration efforts in Singapore society
- Submitting only mandatory documents
- Missing or poor quality of PR application submission
Some of these reasons may sound like they could easily be avoided, or they may sound minor, but they can negatively impact your PR application’s success rate.
1. Unaware Of New Policies Implemented In Singapore
The Singapore immigration policies can change from time to time. Such changes in policies can affect your PR application process.
For example, documents not written in English must be translated and notarised in Singapore. The translated documents must have an authentication stamp by the Singapore Academy of Law.
Example of a notarised document authorised by the Singapore Academy of Law.
3. Submitting Only Mandatory Documents
Submitting only a set of mandatory documents makes you less likely to stand out from the rest of the applicants. It would be necessary to convince ICA of your motivation to be a Singapore PR.
Additional documents, such as a professionally written cover letter and recommendation letters for a Singapore PR application, can help increase your PR chances and reduce your chances of getting a PR rejection letter.
4. Missing Or Poor Quality Of PR Application Submission
With so many documents to prepare, it is easy to overlook or wrongly fill up the forms!
The ICA is known for their high reviewing standards, so there is no room for error, and the ICA officers will take your submission’s quality seriously. Submitting poor-quality documents or missing some would likely result in a Singapore PR rejection.
All mandatory documents such as birth certification, academic qualifications, and resumes should be scanned (not torn in any way) and produced in high quality.
An example of what ICA considers a case of insufficient proof of qualification: Submitting only the academic certificate because you misplaced your transcripts.
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Making An Appeal For PR Application
Upon a Singapore PR rejection, applicants can choose to prepare an appeal letter to ICA or wait for at least six months to apply for PR application again.
Preparing a convincing appeal letter is difficult because you must explain why ICA should consider your profile again.
Were there any significant changes since you submitted your application? If the answer is no, then you should wait till you can apply for Singapore PR application again.
When you engage professional immigration consultants, the chances of you submitting your best Singapore PR application are potentially much higher. It would help if you did your due diligence in choosing a good agency before engaging.
Final Thoughts On Singapore PR Rejection
Although we have listed out some of the common reasons which may lead to getting a PR rejection letter, it is not exhaustive. Many other reasons may have affected your Singapore PR approval chances.
Mr K Shanmugam, Singapore’s Minister For Home Affairs And Minister For Law, provided a general response on why even repeat applicants may receive a PR rejection letter.
1. Applications for Permanent Residency (PR) are evaluated on criteria covering a range of factors. The applicant’s length of residency is only one of the factors considered by the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA). The other factors include, but are not limited to, the applicant’s family ties to Singaporeans, economic contributions, educational qualifications, age and family profile, the applicant’s ability to integrate into our society, and commitment to sinking roots in Singapore.
2. We do not share the specific grounds for rejecting PR applications. First, information about detailed assessment criteria can be abused to inflate an undeserving applicant’s chances of success or to game the system. Second, the reasons for rejection may be used to arouse negative sentiments in other countries. This may create bilateral sensitives and is not in Singapore’s interest.
If you are still unsure of why you received a PR rejection letter, even with the reasons mentioned above, we are here to help.
At The Immigration People, you can expect a free one-on-one consultation with our experienced immigration consultants. We will analyse and assess your profile to advise your next decision after a Singapore PR application rejection – to file an appeal letter to ICA or submit a fresh new PR application.
Frequently Asked Questions for Singapore PR Rejection
Although it can be pretty discouraging, you should never give up! Receiving a PR rejection letter does not reduce your chances of obtaining the Singapore Permanent Residence status.
There are two ways to proceed after receiving a PR rejection letter:
- You can prepare an appeal letter to ICA or,
- Apply for another Singapore PR application.
Although there are no limits to how many times you can submit a fresh new PR application, they take considerable time and money.
We recommend you consult a professional immigration agency before making your next move. You can also schedule a free one-on-one consultation with us, so do not hesitate to drop us a call or message!
When Can I Apply for PR After Getting a Rejection Letter
If you intend to submit a new PR application form, there will be a cooldown period of 6 months. It would help if you also took time to note any further qualifications, achievements, higher salary, or any significant contributions to society and include them in your next application.
How to Appeal for PR Rejection?
You can either mail your appeal letter to ICA or pass a physical copy of it along with any other mandatory documents to the PR department in the ICA building.
For tips on how you should approach your appeal letter, you may refer to this article: How to prepare an appeal letter to ICA.
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