Will dependent PR status affected if sponsor convert?

[NonAm3]

Hi All,

To those who has experience before or know someone who experienced it before, I have a very big question which as title. I am a dependent PR sponsored by my wife. Recently my wife made a decision to convert PR to citizen. However, i'm worry about something which is my dependent PR status once my wife successfully convert. Will i become citizen as well or would i still stay as PR? Thanks in advance for any information.

Also, long ago i heard from someone that someone as SPR with malaysia passport less than 6 months to expire can still travel in and out of singapore? Can anyone verify if this still apply? Thanks.

[BBCWatcher]

You're not a "dependent" PR as such. You simply acquired PR status via a family-based route (I presume), but once the status was acquired it's yours (and the government's), not your spouse's.

So no, your wife's acquisition of citizenship has no impact on your PR status. Indeed, a hypothetical divorce wouldn't affect your PR status either.

[sundaymorningstaple]

So no, your wife's acquisition of citizenship has no impact on your PR status. Indeed, a hypothetical divorce wouldn't affect your PR status either.

Indeed, hypothetically it shouldn't, but it has in the past. I personally know of one case where the father (PR) had to sell his share of the flat and lost his PR (and he had three young kids) after the divorce (he was also the sole breadwinner). The situation was rather sad as the father was extremely devoted to his kids, the wife was running around but she was a SC and he just happened to be a sea-going ship captain in the Merchant Marines. Therefore, they determined he was no longer resident. I doubt that this would happen today, but it did, in fact, happen back in the either late '80's or early '90's - can't quite remember exactly when, but it bothered the hell out of this new PR back then, who had a young family and worked in the offshore seismic survey industry at the time.

[BBCWatcher]

No direct impact would be a better way to phrase it, agreed. Yes, of course, various life events can and do impact PR status. If the hypothetical divorce (for example) results in financial problems, and the financial problems make it difficult or impossible to continue living in Singapore, then leaving Singapore might be necessary. Leaving Singapore certainly can affect PR status eventually.

OK, so we've agreed that a spouse's acquisition of citizenship has no direct impact on the other spouse's PR status. There's no direct problem. Could there be an indirect problem in the future?

"Maybe. It depends." Here's one example I can imagine. Acquisition of Singaporean citizenship, as we know, requires renouncing any/all other citizenships. Renunciation in turn usually means that the new citizen can no longer return to his/her previous home country to live and work. Hypothetically a dual PR household (husband and wife both PRs) may have a bit more flexibility in alternating return trips to their home country -- to spend long periods of time caring for an elderly family member, for example -- without jeopardizing their qualification for a re-entry permit (REP) in Singapore. There are two spouses to take "shifts," basically. But now, with citizenship, it's possible that one of those two spouses can no longer take a long "shift" to care for that elderly family member (due to new country stay limits with the loss of citizenship), putting more of the burden on the PR spouse to take "shifts" in the home country. In turn, longer periods of time spent outside Singapore might make it harder to qualify for the next REP. That said, this might be less of a problem with India (for example) if the new citizen can qualify for POI status, and if POI status provides sufficient ability to stay in India for these purposes. In fact, Singaporean citizenship combined with POI status can be downright terrific in these terms because it means the newly Singaporean spouse can take even longer "shifts" in India, allowing the PR spouse to remain living and working in Singapore for much longer shifts to have no problem renewing his/her REPs. But India is at least a bit unusual in this way, as I understand it. Most countries' former citizens lose their own rights to residence and employment when they renounce, although they may preserve some limited rights if they return together with their citizen spouse. (Citizenship diversification within a household is probably a good thing, in general.)

[NonAm3]

Thanks for all the reply. It was certainly very helpful. How about the passport thing? Anyone has any idea?

[ecureilx]

That said, this might be less of a problem with India (for example) if the new citizen can qualify for POI status, and if POI status provides sufficient ability to stay in India for these purposes. In fact, Singaporean citizenship combined with POI status can be downright terrific in these terms because it means the newly Singaporean spouse can take even longer "shifts" in India, allowing the PR spouse to remain living and working in Singapore for much longer shifts to have no problem renewing his/her REPs. But India is at least a bit unusual in this way, as I understand it. Most countries' former citizens lose their own rights to residence and employment when they renounce, although they may preserve some limited rights if they return together with their citizen spouse. (Citizenship diversification within a household is probably a good thing, in general.)

I hope ICA and SG inc don't start going after you for your ideas which are against what SG has been preaching for the last 10 years or so - come and stay here, or leave. No one leg here and another here.

As for PIO (not POI), it has been stopped and is merged with OCI.

Though the original intent of PIO - to let the diaspora maintain connections with mother land - has sort of morphed into pushing for NRIs to invest in India.

Additionally, you didn't hear this from me, but taking up OCI after you become a SG Citizen is not a walk in the park - but SG is watching those who are SCs with pseudo dual citizens. It's being tightened on various fronts as well.

And quite a few Asian countries have been going after their richer overseas cousins- like the MM2H, Balikbayan programs etc.

[Barnsley]

So no, your wife's acquisition of citizenship has no impact on your PR status. Indeed, a hypothetical divorce wouldn't affect your PR status either.

Indeed, hypothetically it shouldn't, but it has in the past. I personally know of one case where the father (PR) had to sell his share of the flat and lost his PR (and he had three young kids) after the divorce (he was also the sole breadwinner). The situation was rather sad as the father was extremely devoted to his kids, the wife was running around but she was a SC and he just happened to be a sea-going ship captain in the Merchant Marines. Therefore, they determined he was no longer resident. I doubt that this would happen today, but it did, in fact, happen back in the either late '80's or early '90's - can't quite remember exactly when, but it bothered the hell out of this new PR back then, who had a young family and worked in the offshore seismic survey industry at the time.

One of my US friends here lost his PR status when he got divorced from his SC wife.....

A bit of a pain as his kid is here.

[PNGMK]

Thanks for all the reply. It was certainly very helpful. How about the passport thing? Anyone has any idea?

Your wife will have a Singapore passport; you will have yours.

Now this question is quite interesting - the one that is about Divorce. I say this because my REP was renewed just after my divorce from my SC wife but I didn't disclose it at the time. I wonder what will happen when I got to renew it in 2017?