Singapore Expats

Hello, I'm a Canadian EP holder and I've been with my gf for more than a year. We have a great relationship and I'm thinking about marrying her so that we can eventually move back to Canada (with spouse sponsorship program), so I'm curious about the process I should take. She is an Indonesian domestic worker who has been in Singapore for a few years.

We can't marry in Canada as she don't have much travel history and it is difficult to get her a visitor visa for the moment and we can't marry in Indonesia as we are of different religion (and not interested in converting). So Singapore seems the obvious choice and she agrees. As I understand it, we could do a ROM wedding over here and she could then have a LTVP and eventually a letter of consent if she wants to work? I have a 7.5k salary, so that would be enough for me to have a dependant right? Anything else I should know or any more advice on how to proceed? Can she just quit her job to come live with me once we marry?

Thanks!

The marriage between a EP holder and a WP holder has no barriers as far as I know. You should be able to marry her and then apply a dependent pass (LTVP is for other types of dependents) for her . But , for the actual marriage requirements, you will need to ask ROM.

Matman wrote:Hello, I'm a Canadian EP holder and I've been with my gf for more than a year. We have a great relationship and I'm thinking about marrying her so that we can eventually move back to Canada (with spouse sponsorship program), so I'm curious about the process I should take. She is an Indonesian domestic worker who has been in Singapore for a few years.

We can't marry in Canada as she don't have much travel history and it is difficult to get her a visitor visa for the moment and we can't marry in Indonesia as we are of different religion (and not interested in converting). So Singapore seems the obvious choice and she agrees. As I understand it, we could do a ROM wedding over here and she could then have a LTVP and eventually a letter of consent if she wants to work? I have a 7.5k salary, so that would be enough for me to have a dependant right? Anything else I should know or any more advice on how to proceed? Can she just quit her job to come live with me once we marry?

Thanks!

Does she not live with you now ?

If she's planning on Marriage, followed by LTVP, LOC, take a step back. Take a deep breath and be ready to be disappointed.

Even if get lucky with LTVP, LOC is next to impossible.

Most likely, post marriage, she and you may have to move to Canada, for good !

bro75 wrote:The marriage between a EP holder and a WP holder has no barriers as far as I know. You should be able to marry her and then apply a dependent pass (LTVP is for other types of dependents) for her . But , for the actual marriage requirements, you will need to ask ROM.

From past knowledge, though not cast in stone, WP marrying "Anybody" gets nothing.

A guy I know on EP P1 married a DH, and all his LTVP applications were rejected. And on her second visa run she was banned for 3 years from Singapore.

Though there is no note anywhere in MOM site about asking permission ... that was the case.

And so were few more of his friends.

Any amount of clarification from ICA returned deafening silence !

Ouch thanks for the info! We don't live together no, I'm not the employer. Although moving back to Canada is the plan, it takes like up to a year after application to get the visa. I'm in no hurry of leaving Singapore either as I enjoy the place.

So even though there is no requirement for her to ask permission to MOM for marrying an EP, you're telling me we should or else might get banned for 3 years?

Matman wrote:Ouch thanks for the info! We don't live together no, I'm not the employer. Although moving back to Canada is the plan, it takes like up to a year after application to get the visa. I'm in no hurry of leaving Singapore either as I enjoy the place.

So even though there is no requirement for her to ask permission to MOM for marrying an EP, you're telling me we should or else might get banned for 3 years?

No, though there is nothing in black and white and MOM will say no permission needed, past history says ICA seem to take a dim view of maids getting married to any body here, as long as the intention is to stay in Singapore.

If there isn't any intention to stay on, no worries.

The 3 year ban came in when the girl did visa runs

You may be luckier than that guy and the others I know

And prove the trend wrong

PS in the past there was a couple of famous cases of expat wives being kicked out by Maids taking over the house..

ecureilx wrote:

Matman wrote:Ouch thanks for the info! We don't live together no, I'm not the employer. Although moving back to Canada is the plan, it takes like up to a year after application to get the visa. I'm in no hurry of leaving Singapore either as I enjoy the place.

So even though there is no requirement for her to ask permission to MOM for marrying an EP, you're telling me we should or else might get banned for 3 years?

No, though there is nothing in black and white and MOM will say no permission needed, past history says ICA seem to take a dim view of maids getting married to any body here, as long as the intention is to stay in Singapore.

If there isn't any intention to stay on, no worries.

The 3 year ban came in when the girl did visa runs

You may be luckier than that guy and the others I know

And prove the trend wrong

PS in the past there was a couple of famous cases of expat wives being kicked out by Maids taking over the house..

Its all swings and roundabouts , one of my friends married an ex-maid , she had dependent pass inside a couple of weeks and working under LOC inside a month , this was last year

Barnsley wrote: Its all swings and roundabouts , one of my friends married an ex-maid , she had dependent pass inside a couple of weeks and working under LOC inside a month , this was last year

There you go OP.

Take your plunge.

PS, this ex Maid, was she a degree holder? Just curious ..

ecureilx wrote:

Barnsley wrote: Its all swings and roundabouts , one of my friends married an ex-maid , she had dependent pass inside a couple of weeks and working under LOC inside a month , this was last year

There you go OP.

Take your plunge.

PS, this ex Maid, was she a degree holder? Just curious ..

Nope , I think the Govt is a lot more flexible on EP/WP combinations as they are not really a drain on resources and getting any benefits as such.