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Moving to Singapore with my GF
Moving to Singapore with my GF
Hello,
My GF and I are currently preparing our move to Singapore at the end of January 2017.
I have few questions and would appreciate any advice. Thank you in advance.
We are both European citizen living in London.
My monthly salary will be ~s$8000.
She won't be working at the beginning.
My company pays for the move.
1) GF LTVP/Visa
My company will apply EP for me and LTVP for her only if we are married and here comes the first issue.
Is there anyway other way around this?
A friend of a friend managed to get his GF a LTVP only with a common law certificate from the French embassy in Singapore, he reckon that he got lucky. That was 4 years ago...
As European citizen, are we allowed to stay 30 or 90 days without visa as a tourist?
2) Accommodation
My company will pay up to 2 months of temporary accommodation.
My workplace is at Portsdown Road (not far from Queensway shopping center).
I was told Holland and Orchard are good options but I don't really know much.
I would like to have a 1Br condo around s$2000-s$2500/mo.
Any suggestions or recommendations are welcome.
Thank you.
My GF and I are currently preparing our move to Singapore at the end of January 2017.
I have few questions and would appreciate any advice. Thank you in advance.
We are both European citizen living in London.
My monthly salary will be ~s$8000.
She won't be working at the beginning.
My company pays for the move.
1) GF LTVP/Visa
My company will apply EP for me and LTVP for her only if we are married and here comes the first issue.
Is there anyway other way around this?
A friend of a friend managed to get his GF a LTVP only with a common law certificate from the French embassy in Singapore, he reckon that he got lucky. That was 4 years ago...
As European citizen, are we allowed to stay 30 or 90 days without visa as a tourist?
2) Accommodation
My company will pay up to 2 months of temporary accommodation.
My workplace is at Portsdown Road (not far from Queensway shopping center).
I was told Holland and Orchard are good options but I don't really know much.
I would like to have a 1Br condo around s$2000-s$2500/mo.
Any suggestions or recommendations are welcome.
Thank you.
- Strong Eagle
- Moderator
- Posts: 11504
- Joined: Sat, 10 Jul 2004 12:13 am
- Location: Off The Red Dot
- Contact:
Re: Moving to Singapore with my GF
No. If not formally married, then Singapore requires a letter stating that the couple is married by common law, coming from the high commission or similar source. Since the UK doesn't formally recognize common law marriage, no letter gets issued and therefore, no spousal pass from SingaporeSethide wrote:Hello,
My GF and I are currently preparing our move to Singapore at the end of January 2017.
I have few questions and would appreciate any advice. Thank you in advance.
We are both European citizen living in London.
My monthly salary will be ~s$8000.
She won't be working at the beginning.
My company pays for the move.
1) GF LTVP/Visa
My company will apply EP for me and LTVP for her only if we are married and here comes the first issue.
Is there anyway other way around this?
In countries where common law marriage is recognized, the embassy will issue a letter or certificate. But, not the UK.A friend of a friend managed to get his GF a LTVP only with a common law certificate from the French embassy in Singapore, he reckon that he got lucky. That was 4 years ago...
What's a "European" citizen? Whether one is granted 30 or 90 or some other time period is dependent upon the passport you are carrying.As European citizen, are we allowed to stay 30 or 90 days without visa as a tourist?
2) Accommodation
My company will pay up to 2 months of temporary accommodation.
My workplace is at Portsdown Road (not far from Queensway shopping center).
I was told Holland and Orchard are good options but I don't really know much.
I would like to have a 1Br condo around s$2000-s$2500/mo.
Any suggestions or recommendations are welcome.
Thank you.
Re: Moving to Singapore with my GF
OP, for your GF it all depends on:
1) your embassy/high commission
2) your employer
The UK HC used to provided letters certifying common law marriage but they stopped doing it some time ago. In other words, if you are Brits (I guess not) or expected to get it from there, you are pretty much *beep*. Other countries - check the relevant embassies. Even if the country formally doesn't recognise the common law marriage (as of the registration), they may provide a certifying letter based on some proofs of cohabitation etc.
For the 2nd point, your employer will be a sponsor of your GF's application so regardless of the p.1. they still have to agree and as you wrote: "My company will apply EP for me and LTVP for her only if we are married" you better check with them what this means. It happens relatively frequently the companies refuse to sponsor if you are not legally married. It's a cultural thing.
1) your embassy/high commission
2) your employer
The UK HC used to provided letters certifying common law marriage but they stopped doing it some time ago. In other words, if you are Brits (I guess not) or expected to get it from there, you are pretty much *beep*. Other countries - check the relevant embassies. Even if the country formally doesn't recognise the common law marriage (as of the registration), they may provide a certifying letter based on some proofs of cohabitation etc.
For the 2nd point, your employer will be a sponsor of your GF's application so regardless of the p.1. they still have to agree and as you wrote: "My company will apply EP for me and LTVP for her only if we are married" you better check with them what this means. It happens relatively frequently the companies refuse to sponsor if you are not legally married. It's a cultural thing.
Re: Moving to Singapore with my GF
Thank you Strong Eagle.
Thank you x9200.
They are insistant on the fact we must be married. This could explained it.
I am French citizen but we live in London, do you think that the French Embassy in Singapore could still issue this certificate?
Thanks.
Thank you x9200.
This is a very interesting point I have not considered.x9200 wrote:OP, for your GF it all depends on:
It happens relatively frequently the companies refuse to sponsor if you are not legally married. It's a cultural thing.
They are insistant on the fact we must be married. This could explained it.
I am French citizen but we live in London, do you think that the French Embassy in Singapore could still issue this certificate?
Thanks.
- Strong Eagle
- Moderator
- Posts: 11504
- Joined: Sat, 10 Jul 2004 12:13 am
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Re: Moving to Singapore with my GF
You are asking them to certify that you are common law married when they don't know the first thing about you. Further, unless you can demonstrate that you are common law married in France I don't think they will issue a letter for you when you're living in London where common law marriage isn't recognized.Sethide wrote:I am French citizen but we live in London, do you think that the French Embassy in Singapore could still issue this certificate?
Thanks.
Re: Moving to Singapore with my GF
OP, nobody can answer this question but your embassy. It will depend on the law of your country, internal procedures and the judgement of your case by the person in charge.
MoM doesn't emphasise on the registration certificates of such marriages. They only seem to require to have such legal construct recognised within the law of the country. For example, if your c.l.m. would be seen by French authorities under the French law as sufficient for you to legally inherit from your spouse similar way as it is for the standard marriage, this is IMHO already such recognition. Again, just an example, there could be other aspects.
MoM doesn't emphasise on the registration certificates of such marriages. They only seem to require to have such legal construct recognised within the law of the country. For example, if your c.l.m. would be seen by French authorities under the French law as sufficient for you to legally inherit from your spouse similar way as it is for the standard marriage, this is IMHO already such recognition. Again, just an example, there could be other aspects.
Re: Moving to Singapore with my GF
They have asked us to come with our passport.
Will keep this forum posted when I get there.
Again Thank you for the answers.
Will keep this forum posted when I get there.
Again Thank you for the answers.
Re: Moving to Singapore with my GF
Hello Guys,
I thought I would give a quick update.
I got my EP approved by MOM. Yay!
My 2 months temporary accommodation will be in Bishan near the MRT station. Is it a good neighborhood?
My plan was to search once we are actually in Singapore, is it reasonable for me to think that I would find a 1BR apartment in 2 months?
Thank you.
I thought I would give a quick update.
I got my EP approved by MOM. Yay!
My 2 months temporary accommodation will be in Bishan near the MRT station. Is it a good neighborhood?
My plan was to search once we are actually in Singapore, is it reasonable for me to think that I would find a 1BR apartment in 2 months?
Thank you.
Re: RE: Re: Moving to Singapore with my GF
Congrats.Sethide wrote:Hello Guys,
I thought I would give a quick update.
I got my EP approved by MOM. Yay!
My 2 months temporary accommodation will be in Bishan near the MRT station. Is it a good neighborhood?
My plan was to search once we are actually in Singapore, is it reasonable for me to think that I would find a 1BR apartment in 2 months?
Thank you.
Bishan is a nice place. Get to know the busses so you will know how central the place is

two months is enough but 1 bedroom apartments are rare, unless you are looking for 1 bedroom condo.
In buyer's market, take your time, don't get pressured into committing.
Welcome to Singapore
Re: Moving to Singapore with my GF
Hello guys,
Just want to give an update, we have been in SG almost a month.
I got my EP (the physical card). We are looking actively into a 1+1(study) condo, we didn't find HDB really advantageous in our case since we don't really need a 2BR apartment.
HDB with 1 + 1 locked room or HDB with 2 rooms are not really cheaper that 1+1 condo in our research. Maybe we are not looking correctly?
In the end the HR of my company will apply LTVP for my partner, initially I also thought it could be a cultural issue, that maybe they had an issue with non legally married couple.
I carefully explained to her that LTVP that just like the DP is related/linked to my EP with printout from MOM. I think she wasn't fully aware of the requirements of a LTVP in particular the EP's sponsor part.
She talked to MOM who confirm that in our case it should be LTVP.
So now fingers crossed, I hope MOM will approved my partner LTVP!
Thank you very much again for your advice guys.
I hope my experience could be useful to some new comers.
Cheers.
Just want to give an update, we have been in SG almost a month.
I got my EP (the physical card). We are looking actively into a 1+1(study) condo, we didn't find HDB really advantageous in our case since we don't really need a 2BR apartment.
HDB with 1 + 1 locked room or HDB with 2 rooms are not really cheaper that 1+1 condo in our research. Maybe we are not looking correctly?
In the end the HR of my company will apply LTVP for my partner, initially I also thought it could be a cultural issue, that maybe they had an issue with non legally married couple.
I carefully explained to her that LTVP that just like the DP is related/linked to my EP with printout from MOM. I think she wasn't fully aware of the requirements of a LTVP in particular the EP's sponsor part.
She talked to MOM who confirm that in our case it should be LTVP.
So now fingers crossed, I hope MOM will approved my partner LTVP!
Thank you very much again for your advice guys.
I hope my experience could be useful to some new comers.
Cheers.
Re: Moving to Singapore with my GF
Hi Sethide,
I wanted to ask what document did you presented in the end to prove your relationship and apply for the LTVP visa for your GF?
Me and my BF are in a similar situation. He is British and working in Singapore now for 5 months now. We know common law marriages are not accepted in the Uk and we have not intention to get married. But we have also heard of cases where this visa have been granted for British couples, but it haven’t been clear what other documents or letter have been used.
Thanks for your help
I wanted to ask what document did you presented in the end to prove your relationship and apply for the LTVP visa for your GF?
Me and my BF are in a similar situation. He is British and working in Singapore now for 5 months now. We know common law marriages are not accepted in the Uk and we have not intention to get married. But we have also heard of cases where this visa have been granted for British couples, but it haven’t been clear what other documents or letter have been used.
Thanks for your help
Re: Moving to Singapore with my GF
We presented the following:
-Our Passports
-Common law marriage certificate issued by My country of origin embassy in Singapore.
-Her officially translated university diploma
-Her embarkation card (given and filled when we landed)
-Her immigration stamp when we first enter Singapore
We were aware that common law marriages are not accepted in the UK but neither of us are UK citizen.Criss04 wrote: ↑Mon, 15 Jun 2020 12:13 pmWe know common law marriages are not accepted in the Uk and we have not intention to get married. But we have also heard of cases where this visa have been granted for British couples, but it haven’t been clear what other documents or letter have been used.
Thanks for your help
The fact that (only) my country of origin accepted seems to be enough.
Her country of origin did not recognised common law marriages neither.
https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permi ... isit-pass/- Copy of the common-law marriage certificate.
- An affidavit by the work pass holder and their spouse declaring that they are in a common-law relationship recognised under the laws of their home country. The affidavit must also be notarised in their home country.
- A letter from the home country's embassy of the work pass holder or spouse acknowledging that they are in a common-law relationship recognised under the laws of their country.
https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permi ... s-required
We did all this back in 2017, things may have changed.
Best of luck.
- sundaymorningstaple
- Moderator
- Posts: 39764
- Joined: Thu, 11 Nov 2004 1:26 pm
- Location: Retired on the Little Red Dot
Re: Moving to Singapore with my GF
Criss04,
I have deleted your other post as this thread has relevant information and responses to your query. This way all responses will end up in the same thread.
I have deleted your other post as this thread has relevant information and responses to your query. This way all responses will end up in the same thread.
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers
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