Advice regarding NS and dual Citizenship

[Throwaway 12345]

Hi all,

I have seen a lot of threads on this topic and I am not optimistic but figured it would be best to discuss and get your thoughts on the matter.

Background: born in Singapore but migrated to Australia when I was 9, and have not been back since. I am now in my mid 20s. I received my Australian citizenship when I was 12/13. I was not aware of my NS obligation at the time and my parents did not tell me believing that the obligation was extinguished when I received my Australian Citizenship.I became aware of my obligations not long ago and commenced the process of renunciation. I received a letter of rejection stating that I need to extinguish my requirement to do NS before I can give up SG citizenship. I shot an email to CMPD but never received a response. I did not follow up as it was not a priority for me at the time (understand that this is a mistake on my end) due to work and the fact that I have no plans to go back to Singapore, but as I am now considering for the future, it would be a shame to never be able to pass through the country. Singapore is a central hub for business and a lot of flights are through Singapore.

I do not believe that I have received significant socio-economic benefit of being a Singaporean - did not renew passport subsequently to it expiring when I was 11, no IC was ever obtained and I have not returned. My immediate family migrated together and there is nothing really linking me back to the country.

I am wondering based on the above, do I have a leg to stand on, and is there any way I can argue this further with MINDEF or CMPD?

Would it be worthwhile to get in touch with a lawyer in Singapore to assist in the matter? Is there any firm that specialises in this?

Any assistance would be much appreciated.

Kind regards.

[sundaymorningstaple]

You did 3 or 4 years of schooling here didn't you? So you did enjoy some of the socio-economics of Singapore. Have both of your parents given up their Singapore Citizenship AND divested themselves of all links to Singapore? e.g., no property here & CPF withdrawn? If not, there is no way CMPB is going to let you slide. A a lawyer isn't going to be able to help you too much if either of your parents is still holding on to SG citizenship. You might get by with a fine at the moment, but otherwise, all bets are off the table.

[PNGMK]

I am not a lawer and mostly what I say is horseshit.

I think you have a chance of getting this one cleared if what SMS asks you can confirm - that your parents truly cut their ties (CPF / Housing and Passports). It's a shame they didn't follow the exact procedure.

I do believe the only way you can clear the matter up 100% however is to take the risk of coming back to Singapore and reporting to CMPB. The gahmen makes it damn near impossible to resolve these things remotely and CMPB (unlike a court) does not need to respond or correspond to lawyers and of course by the time your into the court system you're here and on bail.

The 'other' way of clearing it up is to change your name, make sure Singapore is not shown as your birthplace on any docs and get a new PP. This is not exactly fraud but will not be taken lightly should the Singapore government work it out. You escaped prior to biometrics being rolled out and and I don't believe the Singapore gahmen has an elite unit tracking down NS absconders who left Singapore as children, they usually wait for them to show up at the border or in routine arrests.