Marriage and settlement in Singapore

[Rani's]

I'm hoping for some pointers with regard to where to start please. I'm a British citizen in my early 40s and I'm engaged to be married to a Singaporean lady. We're contemplating a future together in which I intend to relocate from Thailand and to live in Singapore.

I'm still quite new to the procedures in Singapore and not sure what sort of property I'm allowed to buy, or what I'm entitled to do. My passport entry stamp allows me to stay for 90 days, but of course I need to plan a formal residency of some kind.

I'd like to know if there is a form of marriage visa, as there is in Thailand, which permits us to marry and settle down together.

I'm committed to moving away from Thailand because I can't bear it here any longer, and more so now that I am in a relationship with someone in Singapore. I also have a business in England that generates income for me and wonder if it would help to form a Singapore company to facilitate living and managing in Singapore.

I would really appreciate some help that anyone can offer, in order to tell me what my options could be. Thanks.

[zzm9980]

Search the forums for "LTVP" and "LTVP+" for information on what would be your "Marriage visa". Also go to ica.gov.sg and read about the same. You don't qualify for a LTVP+ yet, but reading about it will give you a good idea as to what is expected. A key factor will be how much money your future wife makes. I'm not quite sure how your money made outside of Singapore will factor in.

Search the forums and google for "Entrepass" to see the details on getting a pass related to your own business.

For property, you can buy a private condo. With your wife, you may be able to buy a resale HDB. Google for HDB requirements to see the details on which you qualify for. Landed property is more complicated, but they're also extremely expensive so probably not worth your effort to research.

Once you've read up a bit, come on back with more specific questions.

[Rani's]

Search the forums for "LTVP" and "LTVP+" for information on what would be your "Marriage visa"...

Thanks very much indeed zzm9980 - I appreciate your help.

[Rani's]

I have some further questions please. Am I correct that in order to obtain the Long Term Visitor Pass, I would first need to be married to my future Singaporean wife?

Therefore, in the future when we are ready to marry, do I need to obtain any form of pass to enable us to register our marriage?

[JR8]

I have some further questions please. Am I correct that in order to obtain the Long Term Visitor Pass, I would first need to be married to my future Singaporean wife?

Yes

Therefore, in the future when we are ready to marry, do I need to obtain any form of pass to enable us to register our marriage?

No you can go ahead and get married, it's just that being married won't automatically entitle you to residency (the LTVP). To be clear, you may then qualify, but you cannot presume one will be forthcoming (this is more of an issue re: marriages of convenience with locals hooking up with nationals of poorer regional countries, but best be aware of it).

[Saint]

Search the forums for "LTVP" and "LTVP+" for information on what would be your "Marriage visa"...

Thanks very much indeed zzm9980 - I appreciate your help.

To get a LTVP+ the ICA are looking a couples that have already been married for around 3 years

http://www.ica.gov.sg/news_details.aspx?nid=12665

Another option, you say you have a business in UK that generates an income for yourself. You could pay yourself the equivalent of SGD8k as your last drawn salary and apply for a PEP. Sneaky but I guess it's possible and that would give you 6 month to sort out a job/business that pays you an annual salary of at least SGD34k

http://www.mom.gov.sg/foreign-manpower/ ... fault.aspx