(Urgent Advice Needed) Can a PR + NR apply for PMLA

[ecureilx]

I think the ethnicity may be assumed with a good chance of correct guess. BTW, how is it with the REP renewals for the 2nd gen adults? Any usual factors in play or much more relaxed criteria?

99.9% - my bet is India. That wasn't hard to guess

[meghal1990]

Hey Friends,

I am from India and both me and my fiance did our Masters in India from Mumbai University.
Yes, I have to agree, I started with a low salary not really researching on the industry standard
What i am positive about is, that, i am doing well in my job and I'll grow for sure. But again, reaching and crossing the SGD 4000 per month is a long shot; especially in 1 years' time.

I really hope something clicks and this works out because I love Singapore and do not wish to leave. And having said that, can't stay without fiance too.

Thanks again for all the information. Any more leads and advice is welcome

[BBCWatcher]

Yes I meant Feb 2017 with Friends and Family.

OK, so here's what I'd suggest:

1. You've suggested that, if you must choose, you would choose your fiancé over Singapore. That's perfectly fine and lovely, so that decision is easy and done. Just try to have a realistic "Plan B" (i.e. another country highly likely to welcome you both) in the event Singapore doesn't want your husband to stay. (I'm one half of an international couple also, and of course I'd make the same choice if forced. We have backup plans, fortunately. Fortunately we haven't been forced into that sort of decision yet.)

2. OK, with that decision out of the way, you've got a couple possible options:

(a) If your fiancé can qualify on his own merits to relocate to Singapore -- his own Employment Pass, for example -- great! Now would be a good time for him to explore that option, if possible. If Singapore lets him in before you're married, on his own merits, then it's somewhat more likely he would be approved for an LTVP if/when he'd like to try to switch his status after marriage.

(b) You can get legally married before the wedding celebration in February, 2017. ICA isn't concerned about the wonderful family/friends wedding event, just the legal civil marriage status. Legal marriage would allow him to apply for an LTVP sometime before February, 2017, so that (i) you can both relax and thoroughly enjoy your big wedding day, secure in the knowledge he has an approved LTVP and can stay in Singapore with you; (ii) he knows he has to work harder to get into Singapore on his own merits; or (iii) you have more time to execute "Plan B" together with more lifetime spent together.

All that make sense?

Congratulations on finding the right guy.

[ecureilx]

What i am positive about is, that, i am doing well in my job and I'll grow for sure. But again, reaching and crossing the SGD 4000 per month is a long shot; especially in 1 years' time.

the 4,000 $ I mentioned is 'unofficial'

If you are able to convince ICA, you may still stand a good chance.

Good luck anyway.

PS, Plan B: make a baby

[BBCWatcher]

Another point worth mentioning is that Singapore PR status is not instantly lost as your airplane leaves the runway at Changi Airport, at least not usually. As long as you're willing to continue paying the MediShield Life premiums (taxes), typically from your Medisave account balance, you hold onto Singapore PR status even while you're outside the country with a valid re-entry permit (REP).

In other words, even if Singapore doesn't let your fiancé/husband into the country, and even if you settle with your husband in another country, you can hang onto your Singapore PR status up until the expiration date of your REP if you wish. The current MediShield Life premium for a PR in her 20s is S$195 per year, for reference. If you want to hang onto Singapore PR status beyond that, you have to scoot back into Singapore before your REP expires, become actually resident and economically active in Singapore again, for some period of time, and then apply for a new REP. It's possible at that point in time you might be in a better financial position to support your husband for yet another LTVP application.

[meghal1990]

Thanks for the sharing your expertise, friends. This is very informative.

@BBCWatcher - Makes a lot of sense to me. Since the foreign hire in Singapore has become stringent now, I feel comfortable with the idea of registering our marriage with the ROM and then applying for LTVP (fingers crossed ICA accepts the request) In the meanwhile, we'll keep looking at employment opportunities for my Fiance.

And yes, Singapore PR is something I would not let go off so soon. Will make ends meet to stay here
And like you said, slowly & steadily, we'll both be in a stable position to fulfill all the required criteria and if luck favors, might get PR for fiance-turned-husband too


@ecureilx - that sure is an option Thanks for sharing your response

[meghal1990]

Hi Friends,

Coming back here with another question regarding this:

My Fiance and I have decided to register our marriage at ROM by April. If we apply for LTVP in May, will that come across Marriage of convenience to ICA? I do not want to screw the chances. Because, we are taking this step only so that he can come here and look for employment. Once he has that, his employer will apply for his EP.

Just want to gain some perspective on this as we really need to figure out what works best for us. Basically, the 'wedding with family & friends' is only happening in Feb 2017. And i do not wish to stay away from him after that.

Thanks in advance!

[BBCWatcher]

My Fiance and I have decided to register our marriage at ROM by April. If we apply for LTVP in May, will that come across Marriage of convenience to ICA?

Well, genuinely married couples normally want to live with each other, the sooner the better. I submitted the paperwork to try to get my wife into Singapore even before the ink was dry on our wedding certificate. The government let her in, rightly so.

But if the government hadn't let her in, then that would have been disappointing, sure. For a couple days perhaps. Then we'd be living together somewhere else right now. I like Singapore, but if I must choose then it's an easy choice for me: I love being with her infinitely more than being in Singapore without her. If you feel the same way about your fiancé, that's your answer.

The most important issue -- the only issue, probably -- is whether this guy is the right guy, the one you want to be with forever, wherever. If you have any doubt about marrying him, then don't marry (at least not now). In other words, if you're finding it difficult to choose between Singapore and this guy, then maybe this isn't the right guy. (Hypothetically you could marry a Singaporean or PR if this isn't the right guy.)

OK, if you are ready to marry, you've described the process Singapore requires you to follow to bring your foreign spouse into Singapore. In that event, you'll follow the process, and you'll get a decision one way or the other. Somebody else makes that decision, unfortunately, so there's no use fretting over it. Focus on the only decision you can make: marriage, or no marriage.

Please let us know how it goes, OK?

[svnebh]

LTVP holders can work under LOC. Don't need EP.

[meghal1990]

Hi BBCWatcher - The difficulty is not choosing either Singapore or him;It will always be him. I love my guy, we've been together for almost a decade now. And I am sure that I want to marry him. It is just that the uncertainty of this whole process (if LTVP is accepted or rejected) is stressing me out. We need to make an informed decision. And honestly,your post somewhere gives me the confidence to go ahead and do what is required and leave everything to destiny.

I will surely let you know how it goes. Wish me luck

[BBCWatcher]

And honestly,your post somewhere gives me the confidence to go ahead and do what is required and leave everything to destiny.

That's good to hear.

It's very easy to get stressed about many things. I do, too. But then I try to step back and focus only on the things I can personally control. Unfortunately you don't control ICA's LTVP decision. You can control whether and when to get married. You can also control whether you follow ICA's LTVP instructions: filling out the right form, providing the requested documentation, spelling your husband's name right, etc. But that's about it. There's no use worrying about the stuff you don't control. You can't control whether it will rain tomorrow, but you can control whether you'll carry an umbrella.

Most marriages have a few surprises. Maybe one of your spouse's parents gets sick and needs your spouse's love and attention for some period of time. Or maybe you surprise your spouse and want to change professions, or go back to university, or get a tempting offer. Or maybe you want to have children but you can't, so you look into adoption. Or you discover your spouse is allergic to chocolate, and you love chocolate. There will be some surprises, and (for the most part) it'll be fun and wonderful, at least if you approach them with a sense of adventure. Whatever ICA decides, it probably won't be the biggest surprise in your hopefully long and happy marriage.

[meghal1990]

Thanks for your words of encouragement I shall keep you posted.

[BBCWatcher]

Doris Day might have a few musical words of wisdom for us.