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Unlocking Your Future in Singapore: How to Write an Impressive Appeal Letter to ICA for Your Rejected PR or Citizenship Application

April 05, 2023

Have you just received your Singapore PR application rejection letter? Or was your Singapore Citizenship application rejected? If you are, and you are considering appealing, you have come to the right place.

Upon rejection, applicants have two options:

Prepare an appeal letter to ICA or,
Wait for at least six months to apply for Singapore Citizenship or PR application again.

Crafting an appeal letter to Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) for rejected Singapore PR or Citizenship application is not easy. Knowing how to prepare an appeal letter effectively requires some time and effort.

Preparing a high-quality and convincing appeal letter for a PR application requires a good command of English. Additionally, it requires one to have a decent knowledge of the immigration landscape in Singapore.

Here are the things you must know before making an appeal for PR application. This article will also share useful tips and the don’ts of an appeal for rejected PR or Citizenship applications.

What Is An Appeal Letter?

When ICA rejects your PR or Citizenship application, you can file an appeal letter to ICA. If you feel your application’s rejection was unjust and have grounds to justify why you should be reconsidered, you might want to start preparing your appeal letter.

The objective of a good appeal letter should highlight significant changes since your initial application. It would be best if you convinced ICA that with these changes, your profile is a stronger candidate for Singapore Citizenship or Singapore PR approval.

For every rejected application, you can only appeal once.

Example of how a rejected application letter | NWGTR

When Do I Submit An Appeal Letter To ICA?

You can only submit an appeal letter to ICA within six months from the date stated in your rejected Citizenship or PR application.

Based on our experience, certain Singapore PR or Citizenship appeal processing time may take between 2 to 4 months, while some have waited for longer to receive an outcome.

Tips To Write Appeal For PR Or Citizenship Application

Is there an appeal letter template? No. There is no fixed way to write an appeal.

The objective of your appeal letter is to persuasively argue why YOU, as opposed to hundreds of other applicants, are a better prospect for Singapore PR or Citizenship and why ICA should reconsider their decision.

As a rule, a strong appeal letter to ICA would have a clear intent:

Why did you feel that your Singapore PR or Citizenship rejection was unjust?
How would your new significant changes make you a stronger candidate that Singapore needs?

As mentioned, appeal when you have significant changes since applying for your Singapore PR or Citizenship application.

Some significant changes you should include in your appeal letter to ICA:

Considerable increase in salary or recent promotion or achievement at work to relay your competent contribution.
Being newly married or welcoming a newborn baby shows you are well-rooted in Singapore.
More substantial Singapore societal contributions.

These factors are evidence of your economic contributions and determination to stay in Singapore for the long term. You must clearly explain these new changes in your appeal letter to ICA. It is essential to include these additional documents and information to support your appeal.

If none of these points applies to you, the better choice might be to submit a new PR or Citizenship application instead.

It is best to assess and evaluate your profile’s strength before preparing your new PR or Citizenship application. We have a free online Singapore PR points calculator that could do just that.

Other Key Points Of Preparing An Appeal For PR Or Citizenship Application

The ICA is known to have a high reviewing standard for any applications you submit to them, including an appeal letter for Singapore citizenship or PR rejection. Here are some things NOT to do when preparing an appeal letter to ICA:

Avoid using a template.
Ensure that all details and spellings are correct.
Avoid being generic.

1. Avoid Using A Template

Much like your cover letter, we do not advise using a template and simply changing it to your details. A templated appeal letter would probably fail to show your sincere intentions and highlight your profile strength effectively.

2. Ensure That All Details And Spellings Are Correct

One of the reasons for a rejection can be incorrect spelling and document details. It is easy to make such errors, especially when preparing many documents.

The same goes for an appeal letter.

3. Avoid Being Generic

Everyone knows why Singapore makes an excellent choice to migrate, including the ICA. Instead, you should focus on what makes YOU so special and how you can be an added asset to the country for the long term.

Final Thoughts On Appeal Letter To ICA

When you thought you had a good chance of Citizenship or PR approval, it is understandable to feel frustrated and take immediate action to appeal when your application got rejected.

However, your appeal letter could face another rejection from the ICA without significant changes from the first application. Secondly, you may not always know how to prepare an effective appeal letter.

Please read our related article: Singapore PR Application Tips: 13 Things To Know.

The objective of your appeal letter is to persuasively argue why YOU, as opposed to hundreds of other applicants, are a better prospect to be a Singapore Permanent Resident or Citizen and why ICA should reconsider their decision.

So, if an appeal letter is not your best choice, you can start preparing a new application!

When professional immigration consultants prepare your application, the chances of you submitting your best Singapore PR or Citizenship application are potentially much higher. We advise you to do your due diligence in choosing a good agency for Singapore immigration matters.

In The Immigration People’s consultation session, we will examine and assess your situation to determine whether it is worth your time and effort to file an appeal letter to ICA or if you should wait and submit a new application.

Watch what our client has to say about his experience with The Immigration People:

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Frequently asked questions on Appeal Letter to ICA for Rejected Singapore PR or Citizenship Application 2023

How to Submit Appeal Letter to ICA?

Submission of Citizenship or PR application appeals can be done via email or mail.

Unsuccessful applicants should be able to find the email address and mailing address in their rejection letter.

Can We Submit An Appeal Letter To ICA Online?

There is no online application for an appeal. Applicant will have to email their appeal letter directly to ICA.

When do I submit an appeal letter to ICA?

We recommend submitting an appeal to ICA within six months from the date of your application rejection letter.

How long should I wait for the outcome of my appeal?

ICA has complete discretion over the approval of your appeal. No one can control or assume how long the processing time will be.

Based on our experience, the Singapore PR or Citizenship appeal processing time may take between 2 to 4 months, while some have waited for longer to receive an outcome.

Why was My Citizenship or PR Application Getting Rejected?

Several factors may affect the outcome of your application. Sometimes it can be health issues, misrepresentation or criminal records. It can often be the case whereby there is a discrepancy within your application and documents, etc.