REP Expired - Do you need to exit country?

[FaeLLe]

Hi everyone,

Do you know if you are forced or required to leave the country if your REP expires?

Can you continue working locally (without leaving the country) for the next few years pay your income tax and once you have statements apply for REP?

Is this possible eh?

[nakatago]

IIRC, SMS went for several years without renewing his REP. Caveat: he didn't leave Singapore during that time.

methinks

[sundaymorningstaple]

That is correct (it was 15 months though). Theoretically, because your PR does not expire and only the REP does, you could spend the rest of your life here as a PR without the REP. But you could never leave Singapore, not even for an hour to go to Batam or JB. As soon as you leave the country without a valid REP, you are considered as having given up your PR. But you don't need it to stay in Singapore.