Dropping Citizenship, then getting a job

[kylelaing]

Hello,
I am currently a citizen of Both Singapore and Canada, and i hold both passports. I would like to know if i drop my singaporean citizenship, after i serve NS and move away for college, would i be able to come back and get a job and work visa/residentship in singapore?

Thank you

[littlegreenman]

That is a very good question indeed you are asking. It is commonly known that the government in Singapore does not forget. What would speak in your favour going forward would certainly be that you did serve your NS before renouncing your Singapore Citizenship. Nobody will be able to tell you for sure and I think it is on a case by case basis. It would depend on how much money you would earn (and thus how much you contribute to Singapore) in a possible future job and which sector that will be in, whether that sector will be in a big need of foreign talent then. But as mentioned, nobody can tell you for sure.

One additional thought: if one of your parents is Canadian and PR and your mum is Singaporean I am not sure whether you can transfer to PR afterwards, maybe one of the other lads (SMS or KSL) know of such a case.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Interesting question, but it's come up before. Yes, one can come here and get a job if they have renounced. However, as noted, you would have had to complete your NS AND you have not withdrawn down your CPF (and this would probably include your Parents CPF as well (knowing the gov't). The sticky point here would be the balance of your NS (you are elgible for reservist duties till 40 so while you have done your 2 years (21mon?) stint, it's possible that they could reject any applications for EP's until such time as you have fulfilled your reservist duties (e.g., after the age of 40). This is a grey area so most of this is pure speculation based on what we see so far. As far as LGM's suggestion on PR. Yeah, but only after all moneies withdrawn from CPF are reimbursed along with any sums of interest that would have accrued has it been left untouched.

[jdaniel]

Hello,
I am currently a citizen of Both Singapore and Canada, and i hold both passports. I would like to know if i drop my singaporean citizenship, after i serve NS and move away for college, would i be able to come back and get a job and work visa/residentship in singapore?

Thank you

No one here knows you have your Canadian passport, they are not gonna ask you either. So until someone asks you to renounce there is not much point in doing so.


And when you return, just use you Singapore passport... simple no fuss no mess...

If for some reason you find it neccessary to renounce your citizenship, I assume they will process your VISA application based on its merits.

And as long as you serve your 2 years and you dont live here you are done they will not ask you to come back. I got myself a exemption to apply for exit permit, it is a green lil paper thingy..

if you have any questions feel free to msg me

[jdaniel]

And all that CPF stuff only applies if you return as a PR, if you come back on a work visa you dont have to do all that. plus you are in NS you wont have substantial CPF anyways.

http://mycpf.cpf.gov.sg/CPF/my-cpf/Overseas/LivO9.htm scroll right to the bottom.

[littlegreenman]

Ok take it from a person who has the exact same situation. No one here knows you have your Canadian passport, they are not gonna ask you either. So until someone asks you to renounce there is not much point in doing so.

Getting an exit permit to leave and study and all that is very simple, just tell them you are a permanent resident in Canada, change your NRIC address to overseas, they will not ask you back. I repeat PR.. I did not say go tell them you are a citizen haha

And when you return, just use you Singapore passport... simple no fuss no mess...

If for some reason you find it neccessary to renounce your citizenship, I assume they will process your VISA application based on its merits.

And as long as you serve your 2 years and you dont live here you are done they will not ask you to come back. I got myself a exemption to apply for exit permit, it is a green lil paper thingy..

if you have any questions feel free to msg me

All very nice in theory but from what I know MINDEF usually requests a proof of residence when issuing an exit permit if somebody is living overseas. As there is no PR stuck in your passport you might get into trouble and also, when you apply for your next Singapore Passport you are still making a false statement. Of course you could say how are they going to find out...

When my wife went back to Singapore last year they wanted to see her UK residence permit before letting her back in because they saw she had been out of the country for a year (that is why they scan your passport). As it was in an expired passport which was in her checked baggage (clever cookie) they then took her down the escalator so she could get her bag and then guided her back up to the immigration desk where she had to dig through the luggage and when she found her passport and showed them her UK residence permit. Only then was she let back in.

[sundaymorningstaple]

And all that CPF stuff only applies if you return as a PR, if you come back on a work visa you dont have to do all that. plus you are in NS you wont have substantial CPF anyways.

http://mycpf.cpf.gov.sg/CPF/my-cpf/Overseas/LivO9.htm scroll right to the bottom.

Two things. One is, while that is published, with regards to getting a EP, as they don't have to give you the reasons for an EP rejection, you'll just get rejected. Full Stop.

sms

The other is please do not advise people to break the laws of Singapore. At least not on this forum.

Please see the penalties for deliberately giving false evidence to obtain a Singapore Passport or renewal of one.

http://forum.singaporeexpats.com/ftopic62712.html

moderator

[jdaniel]

whatever people I left singapore for a good 5 years and when I came back they did not even look at my passport twice...

ANYTHING is possible, if you want to work on that assumption then one can just sit there and rot

Btw I am just sharing my own experience The SAF is not going to bother with your exemption unless you are like a major asset...so dont let all this people hype you up for no reason.

[FaeLLe]

Ok take it from a person who has the exact same situation. No one here knows you have your Canadian passport, they are not gonna ask you either. So until someone asks you to renounce there is not much point in doing so.

Getting an exit permit to leave and study and all that is very simple, just tell them you are a permanent resident in Canada, change your NRIC address to overseas, they will not ask you back. I repeat PR.. I did not say go tell them you are a citizen haha

And when you return, just use you Singapore passport... simple no fuss no mess...

If for some reason you find it neccessary to renounce your citizenship, I assume they will process your VISA application based on its merits.

And as long as you serve your 2 years and you dont live here you are done they will not ask you to come back. I got myself a exemption to apply for exit permit, it is a green lil paper thingy..

if you have any questions feel free to msg me

All very nice in theory but from what I know MINDEF usually requests a proof of residence when issuing an exit permit if somebody is living overseas. As there is no PR stuck in your passport you might get into trouble and also, when you apply for your next Singapore Passport you are still making a false statement. Of course you could say how are they going to find out...

When my wife went back to Singapore last year they wanted to see her UK residence permit before letting her back in because they saw she had been out of the country for a year (that is why they scan your passport). As it was in an expired passport which was in her checked baggage (clever cookie) they then took her down the escalator so she could get her bag and then guided her back up to the immigration desk where she had to dig through the luggage and when she found her passport and showed them her UK residence permit. Only then was she let back in.

Nice... that was one vigilant immigration officer.

[morenangpinay]

all immigration officers are not the same and you cant predict what they are going to do. What you are advising will get the op in big trouble if gets caught. and might i add the times change, whatever applied to you during the time might not be the same now.