Singapore Expats

Hello everyone,

I have a question regarding NS liabilities. I beg your pardon if this question has been asked before.

I am a SC. My newborn son has Australian citizenship. He doesn't automatically get SC because he was born overseas.

I understand that to apply for SC by descent, it has to be done before the child turns 1. However, I don't want to force my child into a situation (NS liabilities) or to force him to renounce SC or AC when he turns 21 years old. I also don't want to be a parent that make stupid decisions for my son and then he suffers for it because he doesn't want to serve a country that he (likely) has no ties with.

Would it be advisable if I let him be an AC and not apply for SC by descent? We have no plans to return to Singapore, except perhaps for holidays.

I reckon if he wants to live and work in Singapore when he is an adult, he can try to do so on his own merits, just like any other expat.

Thanks a million.

Yeah, you can always do that. And it's probably preferable that way. However, he might be up against a bit of government bias if he should ever want to work in Singapore as the government has a mighty long memory. If he's found out to have a Singaporean citizen parent (who's still holding on to their SGC) then they will know what has happened and why. Odds are he's be denied a work pass and PR or SGC will be out of the question anyway as they will assume the parent denied registering the child specifically to avoid NS. We seen this happen several times. But at the same time there was the case of the SG/Thai son who was let off last year. So, you buy your ticket and take your chances. There is no issue with coming and going as a visitor on a bog standard tourist visa.

sundaymorningstaple wrote: ↑

Wed, 17 Jul 2019 2:02 pm

Yeah, you can always do that. And it's probably preferable that way. However, he might be up against a bit of government bias if he should ever want to work in Singapore as the government has a mighty long memory. If he's found out to have a Singaporean citizen parent (who's still holding on to their SGC) then they will know what has happened and why. Odds are he's be denied a work pass and PR or SGC will be out of the question anyway as they will assume the parent denied registering the child specifically to avoid NS. We seen this happen several times. But at the same time there was the case of the SG/Thai son who was let off last year. So, you buy your ticket and take your chances. There is no issue with coming and going as a visitor on a bog standard tourist visa.

Thank you for your reply. What you said did cross my mind, although my conclusion is that being denied a work pass/PR is far better than being a NS defaulter. So many parents (from what I had read in this forum) had applied for SC for their sons and then live to regret that decision when CMPB sends the enlistment letter. At least my son won't fear landing in Changi Airport.

Not taking SC by descent for my son is not to avoid NS. I have a life and stable career in OZ and there are no thoughts of moving back to Singapore. Chances are, my son will never study or live in Singapore. So registering SC by descent and to take the steps to renunciation later on seemed like a pure waste of time and heartache. We rather not receive any SC benefits, e.g., baby bonus etc or SG passport.

I suppose that in the unlikely situation that we - as a family - has to move back to Singapore, we will consider the NS question again. But by then, my son is not likely to be able to register SC by descent (if more than a year old) and only eligible for Singapore PR (through me). Am i right to say this?

I have no problems with my children serving NS. I just don't think that it is right for them to be forced to serve a country in which they have no ties in. If he has a life in Singapore, then great to serve NS. Otherwise, if they want a military life, they can serve in the OZ army / navy.

Your summary is correct and I concur with your judgement.

I also concur.

I asked this very same question a year ago and my boy is now 3 1/2 months old. The conclusion I got from here is don't do it.

MS said this and it is the best advice on our situation.
"Let him stay as UK citizenship / PP and apply on his own merit when the time comes. Then he has a chance to work and lives here in the future on this own like any other applicant on visa"