Please advice: LTVP or DP? Where to marry?

[gamba123]

Hello everybody,

I have been reading quite a lot in internet and here but despite all the information in this amazing community it seems like I can't find the right answer suitable to my case. Some details to complete the picture:

I am Spanish, holding an S-Pass (over $6K a month). I have been living in SG for 3 years already. My girlfriend is Thai, I met her 4 years ago has been living with me almost all these 3 years under a student pass. Before I traveled several times to visit her and travel together on holidays (prior relathionshio). She has studies in accountancy (BKK university) and currently finishing a higher diploma in Hospitality and tourism management (SG academy).
She is currently holding a Training Work Pass, and just started her 6 months industrial attachment or her studies in SG.

In 6 months her training and studies will end (low chances of getting hired) and we would like to find a job for her to stay in SG and we dont really know what is the best way to go. We are not married, but of course open to it, despite we were originally planning to marry later on. Please correct me if I am wrong on the following assumptions.

LTVP requires a "Common law marriage". I have read that even living together in SG for this long we can't get this done in SG (as they don't reconize any premarital relationship). Correct?

If that case we would need need to do this in Spain. We could prove we have been living together this 3 years and our relationship before that. What do you think are the chances of getting an LTVP approval if we follow this way?

DP would require that we are in fact married, in this case, what would be the easiest way to get this done?
Can we just marry in SG while she is here so the ICA could easily check our marriage and shorten the process?
Do we need to do this in Spain and then prove our marriage status to ICA in SG? (This would be much more steps to go...)
Anything that could be possibly done in Bangkok?

Finally, considering our specific case, any recommendation of any alternative to get this done without getting married? this would simplify the bureaucracy, as well as make everything easier culturally (her family might not understand we get marry in a rush like this, and we would prefer to do it later on in the "right way")

As you see quite a lot of questions! thanks so much all in advance for your guidance!

[sundaymorningstaple]

Hello everybody,

I have been reading quite a lot in internet and here but despite all the information in this amazing community it seems like I can't find the right answer suitable to my case. Some details to complete the picture:

I am Spanish, holding an S-Pass (over $6K a month). I have been living in SG for 3 years already. My girlfriend is Thai, I met her 4 years ago has been living with me almost all these 3 years under a student pass. Before I traveled several times to visit her and travel together on holidays (prior relathionshio). She has studies in accountancy (BKK university) and currently finishing a higher diploma in Hospitality and tourism management (SG academy).
She is currently holding a Training Work Pass, and just started her 6 months industrial attachment or her studies in SG.

In 6 months her training and studies will end (low chances of getting hired) and we would like to find a job for her to stay in SG and we dont really know what is the best way to go. We are not married, but of course open to it, despite we were originally planning to marry later on. Please correct me if I am wrong on the following assumptions.

LTVP requires a "Common law marriage". I have read that even living together in SG for this long we can't get this done in SG (as they don't reconize any premarital relationship). Correct? Correct.

If that case we would need need to do this in Spain. We could prove we have been living together this 3 years and our relationship before that. What do you think are the chances of getting an LTVP approval if we follow this way? Zero. You would have to be able to prove you have been living together as man and wife IN SPAIN for the past three years. No Spanish Civil Servant would jeopardize their employment by certifying something that has never taken place in Spain. The arrangement must have existed "in Spain" before you arrived in Singapore. So you can forget that.

DP would require that we are in fact married, in this case, what would be the easiest way to get this done?
Can we just marry in SG while she is here so the ICA could easily check our marriage and shorten the process?

As neither one of you are Citizens you can marry anywhere you chose. Getting an LTVP would be a different story. Being married, regardless of where it takes place, could possibly be viewed by ICA as a ruse to allow a regional girl to stay here without the need to be employed, e.g., they may well view it as a marriage of convenience as this has happened 1,000's of times and more. ICA often views these types of marriages with distaste. However, the fact that you are on an employment visa, they don't really have any reason to worry about her staying here if you should lose your S pass and have to leave Singapore (this is their worry and marriage to a local would almost guarantee the girl would not get an LTVP so easily). It's getting rough out there. You might be lucky, but you would need to ensure that you have a Plan B as well.

Do we need to do this in Spain and then prove our marriage status to ICA in SG? (This would be much more steps to go...)
Anything that could be possibly done in Bangkok?

Finally, considering our specific case, any recommendation of any alternative to get this done without getting married? this would simplify the bureaucracy, as well as make everything easier culturally (her family might not understand we get marry in a rush like this, and we would prefer to do it later on in the "right way")

Nope. You buys your ticket and takes your chances.

As you see quite a lot of questions! thanks so much all in advance for your guidance!

[PNGMK]

Good luck. I think you'll make it on a DP and Marriage.

[bro75]

Marry her and get a DP for her after that. With your salary above 6K, getting a DP is not impossible.

[gamba123]

Thanks so much for your advices, looks like as I was thinking DP is the way to go.

In regards of getting married: Do you know if I can just do that in Singapore without involving Spain for the moment? Would this be the less troublesome and more straight way to get it done? (Doing it through Spain may require trips there, proving our preexisting relationship, official translations of documents and long waiting times).

In a longer term I would need our marriage to get recognized in Spain too but for the moment we want to keep it fast and simple as much as we can

[JWNYsg]

Thanks so much for your advices, looks like as I was thinking DP is the way to go.

In regards of getting married: Do you know if I can just do that in Singapore without involving Spain for the moment? Would this be the less troublesome and more straight way to get it done? (Doing it through Spain may require trips there, proving our preexisting relationship, official translations of documents and long waiting times).

In a longer term I would need our marriage to get recognized in Spain too but for the moment we want to keep it fast and simple as much as we can

If it is easier for you, I would get married in Singapore. The paperwork is not much and all you need to do is more or less prepare the date. Good luck to you

[zalex]

Hi All,

I have a similar question and already a plan in my head but I need your assistance. I am Greek with EP more than 8500 SGD and I want bring and marry my girlfriend here in Singapore in order to give her a DP. We are 2 years together and she is Serbian. We have lived together in Greece for 6 months the year before I came in Singapore. is there any chance that MOM will not give her a DP?

[PNGMK]

Hi All,

I have a similar question and already a plan in my head but I need your assistance. I am Greek with EP more than 8500 SGD and I want bring and marry my girlfriend here in Singapore in order to give her a DP. We are 2 years together and she is Serbian. We have lived together in Greece for 6 months the year before I came in Singapore. is there any chance that MOM will not give her a DP?

If you're married she'll get a DP. If not you'll need to provide statutory evidence of being in a defacto marriage.

[zalex]

Thanks this is a relief. We are not married yet but we will do so early July. I was just afraid that MOM might reject my DP application because we will get married after I had my EP and not before but truth is I came down here so suddenly that I didn't have the time to do it back home.

[zalex]

I just got my EP and I will plan the wedding for the end of next month but Singaporeans are telling me that both DP and LTVP are difficult to be obtained.

Is this true?

My only concern is that since we will only get married after my EP there is a chance that MOM considers the marriage ''fixed'' only for my girlfriend to take the visa.

My plan is to apply for DP first and if declined to go for the LTVP but I hope she can get a DP so she can work and not be bored at home.

I can't get any solid info whether there is a big chance for the government to decline both DP and LTVP.

[PNGMK]

I just got my EP and I will plan the wedding for the end of next month but Singaporeans are telling me that both DP and LTVP are difficult to be obtained.

Is this true?

My only concern is that since we will only get married after my EP there is a chance that MOM considers the marriage ''fixed'' only for my girlfriend to take the visa.

My plan is to apply for DP first and if declined to go for the LTVP but I hope she can get a DP so she can work and not be bored at home.

I can't get any solid info whether there is a big chance for the government to decline both DP and LTVP.

For a legitimate marriage with the income above the limits for a DP it would be very unlikely you would not get a DP.

[zalex]

Many thanks L. In the worst case scenario that we don't get it is LTVP easier to get?

I need a backup plan for a piece of mind.

[Barnsley]

Thanks this is a relief. We are not married yet but we will do so early July. I was just afraid that MOM might reject my DP application because we will get married after I had my EP and not before but truth is I came down here so suddenly that I didn't have the time to do it back home.

If you are on EP I think the restrictions are not so onerous as for PR/Citizen.

Therefore as said , as long as you meet the threshold you should be OK.

I think you need to be married before you apply and also DP is done through your work and not by yourself as the DP is tied to your EP.

[zalex]

I will get married after I get my EP as everything happened too fast and didn't have the time to do it in Europe.

Does this make things for the DP more difficult?

My company already confirmed they will apply for the DP.

Like I said I would be more relaxed if in the case that the DP is declined the LTVP will be a sure thing to receive as this back up plan will give me a peace of mind although Best would be for my girlfriend to be able to work and not be all day at home.

[PNGMK]

Mom will not give a positive answer until you actually apply. That's their way. They will never pre commit.