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Singaporean passport or Dual passports?

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Singaporean2012
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Singaporean passport or Dual passports?

Post by Singaporean2012 » Fri, 27 Jan 2012 2:29 pm

Apologies if this question has been asked before.

I'm Singaporean and my husband is British, also holding Singapore PR. We registered our marriage in Singapore. We just welcomed a baby girl months ago and registered her as Singaporean. Currently, I am planning to apply for a Singaporean passport for her as we are going to the UK soon to visit her grandmother.

I understand that children from same background as us could have dual passports and only need to choose between the two when they are older. My question is whether it is better to only apply for a Singaporean passport now or apply for dual passports, under the assumption that we will probably move back to the UK when she's of schooling age (primary) in the future. My worry is that she will be regarded as a foreigner in terms of admission when we enrol her in a school in the UK then. If by then she applies for British passport/citizenship (based on parentage), must she give up her Singaporean passport/citizenship?

And if she has only a Singaporean passport/registered as Singaporean now, would she have trouble being enrolled in the International School here for nursery and K1/2?

I am still reading up more on this but would appreciate any comments from people in a similar situation as us. Thanks in advance.

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Post by beppi » Fri, 27 Jan 2012 6:04 pm

Be careful:
The double citizenship rule applies only for those who got the citizenship BY BIRTH.
If you have to apply for the UK citizenship later, this does NOT apply and the Singapore citizenship will be removed as soon as the UK one is given.

Note: Applying for citizenship and applying for passport (while already being citizen) is not the same. Having or not having a foreign passport does not matter for the rules, having citizenship does!

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Post by sundaymorningstaple » Sat, 28 Jan 2012 4:05 am

It would seem the UK law & US law differ here. US law says if you register the birth of the child here in Singapore with the US embassy, the child will be g.iven a US birth certificate for "Birth of a US Citizen born abroad" if the US parent is a citizen by birth and has spent a portion of his life in the US prior to coming to Singapore. This means the child is in a unique position of being a citizen by birth of both Singapore AND the US with neither country holding sway over the other. Because of this little quirk, US dual passport citizens are in a slightly different position which I won't go into.
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

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Post by carteki » Sat, 28 Jan 2012 9:31 am

I don't know the full particulars to your question, but children born in SG to a foreign parent and Sg'r are allowed dual nationality until age 21. Then they have to decide (easier for girls than boys as NS exit rules still apply even if they decide to take the foreign ppt). You will need to speak to the British High Commission about how to get your daughter a British ppt, but with a parent born in the UK it shouldn't be a problem.

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Post by Mad Scientist » Sat, 28 Jan 2012 3:10 pm

I think I understand what you are trying to achieve

BUT........

I would be inclined to go this way.
1. Give birth overseas
2. Register your child for SG citizenship under child of SGer descent
3. Do not apply for SG PP
4. Use UK PP to get Right Of Entry Stamp which the child is entitled to
5. This allows her to be educated locally if you wish to on equal footing with locals with all the subsidies intact
The positive thinker sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible.Yahoo !!!

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Post by Singaporean2012 » Sat, 28 Jan 2012 3:56 pm

Hi all

Thanks for all your comments.

The plan is to return to the UK in a few years' time and educating our children in Britain.

My worry is that my children might face difficulties trying to obtain British citizenship later if I delay getting them one now, and be left out of whatever schooling subsidies available in the UK (if there are any at all).

But it appears that it's quite easy to get our children British citizenship when we get back to Britain (apparently children born to a British father are automatically considered British and can apply for a British passport directly without interviews & screening - Could anyone pls correct me if I'm wrong? - it seems like children born to British mothers have to follow a different set of procedures altogether) In that case, I guess it's better not to apply for a British passport until we eventually go back to the UK???? and it means that our children have to give up their Singaporean citizenship then.

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Post by Singaporean2012 » Sat, 28 Jan 2012 3:59 pm

To Mad Scientist,

If my child is born overseas, is it a must to apply for SG citizenship for him under SGer descent? (even though we are going to come back to Singapore to live) I'm thinking if it's possible to get him a British passport (without being a SG citizen). If we decide to get him SG citizenship in the future, will it be denied?

I would also assume that registering the child for SG citizenship ( the way you recommended) will entitle us to the full maternity/childcare benefits as well?

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Post by Mad Scientist » Sat, 28 Jan 2012 6:03 pm

Singaporean2012 wrote:To Mad Scientist,

If my child is born overseas, is it a must to apply for SG citizenship for him under SGer descent? (even though we are going to come back to Singapore to live) I'm thinking if it's possible to get him a British passport (without being a SG citizen). If we decide to get him SG citizenship in the future, will it be denied?

I would also assume that registering the child for SG citizenship ( the way you recommended) will entitle us to the full maternity/childcare benefits as well?
Much Easier to get UK PP and Citizenship compare to SG since DAD is an English. Apply SG Citizenship by the age of 1 is easier after that a string of requirement has to be provided.
Otherwise you do not have to get SG Citizenship if you wish not to but it will be till 21 as SGer can only hold UNO Citizenship after 21
The positive thinker sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible.Yahoo !!!

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Post by carteki » Sun, 29 Jan 2012 1:39 pm

You seem confused...

From your first post the kid is already born in SG to an SG parent. Therefore by law she is an SG citizen (and she already holds an SG passport).

She CAN have 2 nationalities
At age 21 when she will have to choose - SG regulation, not british

Once again if this was a boy the kid would HAVE TO DO NS regardless of the choice (unless the requisite hoops had been jumped through from age 7 - which I suggest you familiarise yourself with if you plan on having another kid)

(There is no issue around age limits when applying for a British Passport but it seems from MS that there is for the SG ppt).

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Post by sundaymorningstaple » Sun, 29 Jan 2012 4:51 pm

From the first post, it is pretty obvious that the child is a Singaporean by birth having been born to a Singapore mother in Singapore. You would be well advised to register the birth with the British High Commission as soon as possible to afford all the protections of having British Citizenship. As the child is a girl, it is not a problem to have dual citizenship until the age of 21 and there is not any NS obligation - YET. (With the WHINY boys here, they might realize the girls are a lot tougher than Singapore males)

At the age of 21 the girl would then have to make a decision as to which citizenship she would like to retain. After 21 years, she should have some idea by then which way to go. That way, she retained the benefits of both citizenships with no penalties. I'm not sure what your problems is as only good can come of holding two passports with regard to schooling in either country.
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

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