RichardUK wrote:Let me tell my (current) story as a warning. Any advice gratefully received.
I am a UK national, my wife Singaporean. My son, now aged 14.5 holds both nationalities. He was born in the UK, been to school in the UK, and only visited Singapore 4 times for short trips of about 2 weeks.
His application to defer NS pending renounciation of citizenship at age 21 has been turned down. I suspect this is because he used his Singapore passport to travel to Malaysia when aged 11. [Things you would do differently if you had your time again; no reason why he couldn't have used his British passport for this trip].
Further more, he currently has no exit permit. The rules changed since we were last in Singapore, and we have only recently become aware of them. MinDef have advised that he travels to Singapore as soon as possible to put right his NS offences.
I should say that in principle I have no objection to him serving NS in Singapore, it is just that it makes it very difficult here with schooling, univserity etc where people are just not geared up for young people taking a 2 year break.
So here is our dilema. Do we travel to Singapore to apply for an exit permit and hope that the Singapore authorities are fair and let him leave the country again, do we ignore everything and be resigned to the fact that he won't be able to visit Singapore again, or do we continue to try to get deferment from NS?
Any thoughts?
Here is my story, hope it helps:
3 kids with me here in the US, eldest son born in Singapore, left Singapore when he was 11 months old. So he never benefitted from any Singapore education or anything else, except using his SIngapore passport. His passport expired before he is 11, of course not knowing any details, since these poilicies are not well known, I like a dum dum, extended his passport. Got 2 year extension of which he never used his passport anyway. So in 2006, we all became US Citizens. I applied for him to renounce his Singapore citizenship, denied by Mindef as they say he benefitted from being a Singapore Citizen. Hence the saga starts.
After a few e-mails and letters, found out that the passport extension was the key. Consulted some school mate lawyers, wrote back to Mindef that the "fault of ther father should not bind the future of the son". Still no cigar. I wrote and wrote and this even included the Minister of Defence.
Wife and I divorced in 2006 and she renounced her Singapore Citizenship. Sent in more paperwork and asked for appeal again for deferment to renouce his citizenship. Again denied. Then talked to few families in California undergoing similar problems. Was told that precedents have been set that if both parents give up their Singapore Citizenship, thus showing that they are severing ties with Singapore, then MINDEF will grant deferment to renounce. CAVEAT IS son must be below 18 years old when this happens.
Did not want to give up my Singapore Citizenship, since no one would take it away. Talked to ICA and they told me many Singaporeans living overseas have dual citizenships. Officially you should not, but the govt does not want to lose talented Singaporeans. Anyway asked Mindef point blank if this was the case, they of course simply said that my appeal was denied.
Finally after 2 years of tussling with MINDEF, I walked a difficult path to give up my Singapore Citizenship for the sake of my son. FINALLY, sent in my de-registration of being a Singapore Citizen to MINDEF and then they finally agreed to let him go. Letter provided to say that they attached an updated exit permit for him for 2 years. When he turns 16.5 years, they will send up paperwork for him to register for NS, at that time they will then give him an exit permit until he is 21 and then he must renounce his citizenship. Hope this helps out to those reading this board.
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