Marry to get DP for EU girlfriend - Before or after coming??

[JR8]

Hi Guys,
However, I also want to bring my girlfriend - We are not married and have not lived together.

I got the LTVP for my GF, have been living together and get some paper
but didn't really produced that to MOM, the only paper was the one from
my embassy (check the post quoted by Nakatago)

my opinion? all the guys here in the forum said good thing, btw
if your company is taking care of everything I assume you get a good package
and thus a well paid job, that will do the trick
[now they will revoke my pass for such a statement ]

The plan is to move (on 90 day visa), and then for her to

why u assume she will get a 90 days visa?
we were lucky, my GF got the 90 days tourist visa but u shouldn't take that
for granted, the normal tourist visa is 30 days only...

Some interesting points raised there. But I will leave it to those better qualified than me to make any observations.
A thought though. Problem with LTVP is you cannot work, which the OP suggested was the desired aim.
Another thought: the 'papers' that you got. Was that kind of certification/confirmation of your relationship from a Singapore Embassy? Not sure why MOM would be involved or concerned since she can't work anyway... surely only ICA.

p.s. Another observation made by the 'kitchen SGns' earlier this week, was that Australia (the SGn mission there) have just notarised a gay civil partnership for DP purposes (this was a first I believe)!

[adione]

A thought though. Problem with LTVP is you cannot work, which the OP suggested was the desired aim.

true, with LTVP you cannot get a job but you can apply for an EP once you find an employer and later on, in case you lost your job, you can re-aply for LTPV as many time as you need until the EP associated to that is valid
at least, that's what the girl at MoM counter told us.

Another thought: the 'papers' that you got. Was that kind of certification/confirmation of your relationship from a Singapore Embassy?

Nope, as I wrote, I got a simple declaration from my embassy stating that we were a de-facto couple and we have been living together and blah blah

[JR8]

OIC... thx

I'm kinda raking over this, as I know it is a much studied question, and clarity will hopefully help several other people in the future...

[BigSis]

We got married to come here - the difference was that we'd lived together for about 15 years and had 2 kids by that point, but I don't remember any questions being asked by the MOM about why we'd only just got married.


But you sound like you're not sure if you really want to get hitched so I would say that it's probably best if you don't. I have known quite a few people who've not been married and some have gone for the common-law partner option which someone told me you have to pay a fee for (not sure how correct that is) and some have gone for the LTSVP option.


If she wanted to work though, I would have thought that she could apply for jobs anyway - just as you'd be able to do if you were living abroad and hoping to come here. Assuming it was a fairly decent job, wouldn't the company sort her out an employment pass independently from the OP?

[Mad Scientist]

We got married to come here - the difference was that we'd lived together for about 15 years and had 2 kids by that point, but I don't remember any questions being asked by the MOM about why we'd only just got married.

BigSis, can't you tell the diff. between yourself and OP. The common law marriage or de facto partner is very contentious. If you have kids prior to getting married, is enough to show MOM that you have been living together.
OP has to proof that. The proof is in the pudding and eating yourself.
Read the thread

[BigSis]

of course I can see the difference, I even stated in my first sentence what the difference was

I also said that the OP didn't sound sure that they wanted to get hitched which is why I suggested that they didn't.

[x9200]

say that it's probably best if you don't. I have known quite a few people who've not been married and some have gone for the common-law partner option which someone told me you have to pay a fee for (not sure how correct that is) and some have gone for the LTSVP option.

The fee paid to whom and for what? We followed the common-law route and the main and only true challenge was to prove we were not an incidental couple. No extra fees.

If she wanted to work though, I would have thought that she could apply for jobs anyway - just as you'd be able to do if you were living abroad and hoping to come here. Assuming it was a fairly decent job, wouldn't the company sort her out an employment pass independently from the OP?

If you mean the company might hire her, then sometimes it happens (I know such cases) but the obvious problem is that typically she would not fit to any of the position to justify her as the foreign talent and with the current political situation MOM will likely turn her down.
Yet another thing, from a single case only, I got an impression that MOM may be less likely to grant an independent EP for her if he is paid reasonably well.

[sundaymorningstaple]

MOM would never used the main EP holder as a reason to reject the trailing spouse's EP application. Remember, it generates tax dollars and also add to the economy. However, the prospective employer would use that fact in order to try to eliminate some of the "perks" of hiring the expat spouse, e.g., no housing allowance, car, schooling fees, etc, etc.

[x9200]

My thinking: If the position gives low income (that was the case, ~ SGD2k) then generation of the tax dollars and contribution to the economy is negligible.
It will not generate more spending if the spouse is already well paid but it occupies the position a local person (if such appear in one point) could take.
It was a position requiring pretty specific education and there was no institution in Singapore at that time providing such education. This was a well known fact so I assume MOM should'ev been aware of this. The EP was approved after the appeal.

[Mulherengo]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all your comments!

Status
I have now finally gotten the "document" from the embassy stating that they recognize that we are in a long-term relationship, which in some legal aspects, can be compared to marriage.

Next steps

This is all very nice. Next step is then to apply for the proper visa. My HR department says they will apply for a dependant pass (DP), but based on the comments seems like this might not be the right one to apply for?

Secondly, I have also heard that there is a certain income threshold you need to meet in order to be able to apply for DP - around S$7500.

Is this right? If yes, would this only be the basic salary or also include housing / Transport allowance?

Cheers.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all your comments!

Status
I have now finally gotten the "document" from the embassy stating that they recognize that we are in a long-term relationship, which in some legal aspects, can be compared to marriage.

Next steps

This is all very nice. Next step is then to apply for the proper visa. My HR department says they will apply for a dependant pass (DP), but based on the comments seems like this might not be the right one to apply for?

That is correct. You need to apply for an LTVP (Long Term Visit Pass)

Secondly, I have also heard that there is a certain income threshold you need to meet in order to be able to apply for DP - around S$7500.

The figure is 3,500 not 7,500 and you will be applying for an LTVP not DP. However, you must hold at least a P2 or P1 visa
http://www.mom.gov.sg/foreign-manpower/ ... fault.aspx

Is this right? If yes, would this only be the basic salary or also include housing / Transport allowance?

Only the Basic Salary in considered.

Cheers.

sms

[Mulherengo]

Thanks,

However, when I talk to my local HR department they tell me that "Only for certain country is is possible to use the Common Law's spouse certification." i.e. for DP application.

Is she way off?

p.s. I am an EP holder, and make more than 3500.

Cheers

[singaporeflyer]

Thanks,

However, when I talk to my local HR department they tell me that "Only for certain country is is possible to use the Common Law's spouse certification." i.e. for DP application.

Is she way off?

p.s. I am an EP holder, and make more than 3500.

Cheers

You are making more than 3500 but are you on a P2 or P1 pass... Reason is sometimes even if salary is > 3500 MOM gives them Q1 pass. Just confirm your pass type

[sundaymorningstaple]

In fact, I know of some S pass holders who make in excess of 4K/mo.

[Mulherengo]

Confirm, it a P2 EP. Cheers