Visa confusion. Please help.

[suewilliamson]

Hi,

Due to work commitments my boyfriend has relocated to Singapore, I would like to go out and stay with him whilst he is working. Please advise me on what type of visa i should apply for. I understand that a UK citizen can stay in the country for up to 30 days but I wish to stay for five months whilst he carries out his work. Is this possible and if so which visa should i be applying for and should i apply before i travel to Singapore?

I'm in real need of advice

thanks

[Zeenit]

You will get 90 days with a UK passport. Someone else can advise what happens next.

Good luck

[littlegreenman]

You will get 90 days with a UK passport. Someone else can advise what happens next.

Good luck

Pretty much spot on although one should note that this is at the discression of the immigrations officer.

Unfortunately as you are not married there aren't any options for you to get a Long Term Social Visit Pass. You might apply for an EPEC (Employment Pass Eligibility Certificate) and pretend you are looking for a job yourself, then you can get up to one year LTSVP "while looking for a job".

The easiest solution though might be to just go to Singapore with a return ticket and then after your 90/30 days (whatever you got when you entered) you go for a weekend trip to Malaysia or Thailand for a weekend and then come back in and get another 30/90 days (whatever the immigration officer punches in your passport).

[LondonLady]

Hi,

I am residing in Singapore on a LTSVP with my boyfriend. We had to get a legal document signed confirming our common law relationship and then his company submitted the documents to MOM and it was approved the next day. The length of my visa is determined on his EP so they will be renewed as such at the same time.

I can't say for sure whether it works like this all the time, this is just my experience.

Hope that helps

[littlegreenman]

Hi,

I am residing in Singapore on a LTSVP with my boyfriend. We had to get a legal document signed confirming our common law relationship and then his company submitted the documents to MOM and it was approved the next day. The length of my visa is determined on his EP so they will be renewed as such at the same time.

I can't say for sure whether it works like this all the time, this is just my experience.

Hope that helps

Hi LondonLady,

thanks for sharing that with us. I hadn't heard of this before but this is definitely great news that Singapore is now considering common law relationships.

[sundaymorningstaple]

This practice has been ongoing for several years now. The only problem is one of proving a common law relationship. e.g., proof of co-habitation and not just shacking up on the weekends or the odd night at his place or your place. But yeah, it's gotten pretty easy as Singapore has relaxed they somewhat tight-arsed position in the past couple of years.

[laura_fearn]

Hi, can anyone help, I'm looking to apply for a LTVP with my fiance who is moving to singapore with work. Can you let me know how you get the legal document confirming the relationship? Can it come from a lawyer in the UK? or should it come from the embassy in Singapore? What sort of supporting information do you need?

It's soooo difficult trying to find out these bits!!

[sundaymorningstaple]

Go to the search function in the upper right corner of this page just under the Profile link and type { common law OR defacto } into the search frame and click "search for all terms" and clik display results as posts.

search engines are wonderful tools.

[JBragg]

Quick question seems in a similar vain, my wife studies here she is holding a student pass, i just came by for a visit and am currently looking for a job and have applied for the EPEC as well, but if all that fails, and i might i want to know if there is any pass i can obtain simply because she is a student here? i doubt it but figured I'd ask.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Nope. Nothing at all other than the bog standard social visit pass..

Unless you qualify for the PEP (earning over 7K/mo basic salary, provable with pay voucher within the 6 months previous to application.

[newjob]

First post so firstly hello everyone.

Having been lucky enough to secure a job offer for a large company in Singapore, I have now found mysel trawling through all the forums over the internet trying to find answers for so many questions. This brings me to posting now, I hope someone can help.

I have been living with my partner and her 2 children for over a year now and have found that this is regarded as common law marriage so she can apply for a 'LTVP' once I have gained documented proof from a registered notary in the UK stating this. Having spoken to a few notaries earlier today, they don't seem to know if there is a standard form or text that needs to be followed before the offical stamp is applied. Does anyone have a basic outline what they had written as this is obviously a costly process and I wouldn't like to get it wrong.

Also, Does anyone have any information in regards to how the Visa /LTVP would work with the children. They don't have my surname so would they too need LTVP's.

Any assistance is greatfully received.

[ksl]

First post so firstly hello everyone.

Having been lucky enough to secure a job offer for a large company in Singapore, I have now found mysel trawling through all the forums over the internet trying to find answers for so many questions. This brings me to posting now, I hope someone can help.

I have been living with my partner and her 2 children for over a year now and have found that this is regarded as common law marriage so she can apply for a 'LTVP' once I have gained documented proof from a registered notary in the UK stating this. Having spoken to a few notaries earlier today, they don't seem to know if there is a standard form or text that needs to be followed before the offical stamp is applied. Does anyone have a basic outline what they had written as this is obviously a costly process and I wouldn't like to get it wrong.

Also, Does anyone have any information in regards to how the Visa /LTVP would work with the children. They don't have my surname so would they too need LTVP's.

Any assistance is greatfully received.

There is no standard notary, you just have take what documents you have to a local solicitor and explain the situation that you are required to take oath on your relationship that you are cohibiting as man and wife. A declaration by you and your girlfriend that the facts are true, any witnesses to the facts will also help that you are living together, this oath is taken on the bible. There maybe a commissioner of oaths heading on the document, or the legal entity that is authorised by the Commision of Oaths, not all solicitors have that authority. Its not expensive if you shop around, get a quote first http://www.commissionerofoaths.co.uk/page4.htm solicitor is quite cheap. The childrens names on the passports will be used on the LTVSP

[newjob]

Thankyou for your prompt reply. I will continue investigations in reference to needing a commisioner of oaths to sign this rather then a notary as this will save a lot of money. The notories I spoke to yesterday were quoting in the region of £250 for this.... I will report back with updates to give something back to the forum.

Thanks for the advice on the children as well but maybe I should clarify further. Basic facts. My partner has 2 children, a 6 year old boy and a 13 year old girl. We are hoping to enter them into the local school system with additional home tutors if neccessary but haven't approached any schools yet as feel it's best to actually see them before applying with the fee associated. What is the best way to ensure they can move out to SG ??. I have investigated the 'student pass' but they need to have a school acceptance for this visa so I'm assuming each of them will also need to get a LTVP initially... can anyone clarify this please.. ??

Has anyone moved 'step children' to SG and have any advice / info.. ???

Again, many thanks for any advice.

[ksl]

An affidavit is all you need, that is a sworn statement with documentary evidence in the form of utility bills and other documents you can get your hands on, even witnesses that know you have been living together is enough if you have no documents.
You take the oath in front of the solicitor and witnesses.

" I solemnly declare that I Mr ---- and Mrs ----- have been cohabiting has husband and wife, and stepfather to the children ------ since date-----."is enough with witness signature and the solicitors authority is enough, it is a legally sworn statement. Cost maybe £25 to £50 each solicitor has is own rate for doing such things. Some UK embassies will also do it for a small fee of around £25 takes no longer than 10 to 15 minutes.

The kids will automatically get 30 to 90 day visas, request the 90 day one, explaining that they will have to locate a school in Singapore and apply for student passes, the LTVSP can take up to 1 month on application, but the entry visa will give you ample time to sort the kids out. If your company is doing it all, then apply for LTVSP for all the family, then you can sort the schools out when you arrive.

Local schools are difficult to get into. International Schools I don't know about. But again you can email for feedback on requirements....So LTVSP for everyone is first choice i would say for the Company to sort out. Ensure the children's names are also on the affidavit to avoid any conflicts

Don't worry about the children's names being a problem, they are in the custody of the wife. Though the biggest problem will be the ex husband, he must agree to let the kids leave UK... If she takes them without the fathers written permission, she will break the UK law, if he is allowed access to them. The solicitor should be aware of these problems so affidavit from father is needed to give his ex wife permission to take the children abroad.

Singapore authority may want to see the fathers permission for the children to leave UK before issuing the LTVSP to children, so maybe you should ask him to attend the affidavit, as this is your biggest problem to solve. Besides notifying Child benefits office of the date you are leaving, as the new system will link all this data electronically, when you take the kids out of the Country

[carteki]

Take a look through the forum for Dependants Pass - there seems to be a reasonable chance that your wife will get that (which is far better than a LTVP). Your "large" company HR should be able to advise you on this...