Enquiry on Long Term Visit Pass (LTVP) Requirements

[hahnhahnhahn]

Hi to all

I found myself in the situation as some of the people here - that is to settle down in Singapore in August 2013 with my fiancee (2yrs+ relationship). We are planning to have ROM and then apply for LTVP. After reading through some of the threads here I hope to seek your advice and your thoughts on my case. I have 2 main concerns here - marriage of convenience and my financial capability.

My background: I am a Singaporean Male, aged 27. Monthly income SG$2750. Degree holder. Have been working in my company since 1st June 2012 until now.

Fiancee background: She is a PRC Female, aged 35. Monthly income 3500RMB. Master in Divinity. Have been working as a teacher in China since June 2011 until now.


1) Marriage of convenience: In Aug 2012 and Dec 2012, we attended pre-marital counselling in SG and will be receiving a certificate of participating in the counselling. In addition, there were 4 occasions where I visited her in China with photographs taken. I am keeping these documents as standby just in case I need to appeal to ICA to prove them that our marriage is not of convenience.

2) My financial capability: I understand that SG$2800 is the minimum income to be a local sponsor. Annually at 31 July, my company will be issuing letter of annual increment at about 3% with effect on 1st July. Secondly by August 2013, I would already have more than 12months of CPF contribution.

However, I have great concern for this requirement in ICA website: "Local sponsor's Income Tax Notice of Assessment for the last 3 years". I have checked with an IRAS officer and I have zero records for Income Tax Notice of Assessment. Therefore, I would like to hear from you guys if we still have chances in applying for LTVP this August 2013? I have also emailed ICA feedback on this, waiting for their reply as well.

Thank you very much.

mos

[taxico]

if you file on time this year, i think you'll get a notice of tax assessment a month or so later. maybe you could consider waiting til the middle of the year/july when you have all the paperwork ready to submit to ICA?

otherwise, maybe you can ask if you can forward the details of your CPF contributions to ICA (a la credit card application).

remember to apply for a rebate from the government for your marriage prep course. $75 i think.

if your relationship is a genuine one, and she has not done anything wrong in singapore (eg, overstay), and never been on a WP, i wouldn't worry too much.

what you should worry about is how she can secure a job and pass/visa in singapore after you two get married, and other future plans (housing, and everything else brought up in your prep course).

good luck with your marriage and new life as a married man...










DON'T DO IT!

[sundaymorningstaple]

I'd still be worried about the convenience thing. This especially so, in view of the fact that she is 8 years your senior, and while a 62 & 70 years of age it would matter that much, but at 27 & 35, is she going to be willing to have a bun in the oven? Food for though only. Trying to think like a overly suspicious ICA officer, that's all.

[ecureilx]

However, I have great concern for this requirement in ICA website: "Local sponsor's Income Tax Notice of Assessment for the last 3 years". I have checked with an IRAS officer and I have zero records for Income Tax Notice of Assessment. Therefore, I would like to hear from you guys if we still have chances in applying for LTVP this August 2013? I have also emailed ICA feedback on this, waiting for their reply as well.

Thank you very much.

mos

You need to submit IR8C if you are NOT liable for tax, or exempt from Tax.

Look up the IRAS site for same or call and ask IRAS

[hahnhahnhahn]

if you file on time this year, i think you'll get a notice of tax assessment a month or so later. maybe you could consider waiting til the middle of the year/july when you have all the paperwork ready to submit to ICA?

otherwise, maybe you can ask if you can forward the details of your CPF contributions to ICA (a la credit card application).

remember to apply for a rebate from the government for your marriage prep course. $75 i think.

if your relationship is a genuine one, and she has not done anything wrong in singapore (eg, overstay), and never been on a WP, i wouldn't worry too much.

what you should worry about is how she can secure a job and pass/visa in singapore after you two get married, and other future plans (housing, and everything else brought up in your prep course).

good luck with your marriage and new life as a married man...

DON'T DO IT!

Hi taxico, thanks for your inputs...

I will definitely file my first income tax this coming 1st March in the e-filing Tax Portal. Most probably will get my first NOA in around May. Yes, we do have alot of concerns but the most critical is the LTVP. Without LTVP, many things just cannot come to past.

[hahnhahnhahn]

I'd still be worried about the convenience thing. This especially so, in view of the fact that she is 8 years your senior, and while a 62 & 70 years of age it would matter that much, but at 27 & 35, is she going to be willing to have a bun in the oven? Food for though only. Trying to think like a overly suspicious ICA officer, that's all.

Hi sundaymorningstaple, yes you have valid reasons here. That is why I will prepare the certificate to show that we attend marriage counselling, our passport chops (in and out of SG and China since 2010 until now), our photographs from all these trips and lastly, our photographs when we were students in a private tertiary school from 2008 to 2010. If this is not enough, I will top it up with a group photo showing her parents and my parents from our recent China trip in Jan 2013.

[hahnhahnhahn]

You need to submit IR8C if you are NOT liable for tax, or exempt from Tax.

Look up the IRAS site for same or call and ask IRAS

Hi ecureilx, thanks for your advice. Mine will be IR8A as I am in the private sector. IR8C is for gov sector. Both are the same thing. On this area, I will surely dig more from IRAS.

[fliperz]

With regards to the TS, I applied for the LTVP in November 2012 and only received the approval 2 months later. It would be best if you get all her certifications but you do not need to submit your income tax stuff. When you fill up the LTVP form, ICA will require you to sign a form and let them check whether if you paid for any income tax and all the other necessary documents needed. If possible, try to get her over to singapore and register your marriage here before applying for the LTVP. The approval chances are greater rather than both of you in two different countries. however, make sure when you ROM and submit the form for LTVP, she must be here with you.

Good luck.

[ecureilx]

With regards to the TS, I applied for the LTVP in November 2012 and only received the approval 2 months later. It would be best if you get all her certifications but you do not need to submit your income tax stuff. When you fill up the LTVP form, ICA will require you to sign a form and let them check whether if you paid for any income tax and all the other necessary documents needed. If possible, try to get her over to singapore and register your marriage here before applying for the LTVP. The approval chances are greater rather than both of you in two different countries. however, make sure when you ROM and submit the form for LTVP, she must be here with you.

Good luck.

No DE Card, no application of LTVP online

[hahnhahnhahn]

With regards to the TS, I applied for the LTVP in November 2012 and only received the approval 2 months later. It would be best if you get all her certifications but you do not need to submit your income tax stuff. When you fill up the LTVP form, ICA will require you to sign a form and let them check whether if you paid for any income tax and all the other necessary documents needed. If possible, try to get her over to singapore and register your marriage here before applying for the LTVP. The approval chances are greater rather than both of you in two different countries. however, make sure when you ROM and submit the form for LTVP, she must be here with you.

Good luck.

Hi fliperz, thank you for sharing your experience with me. Yes, I do have all her certs and documents ready and our plan is to have our ROM on 09 August 2013. Thereafter both of us go make our trip to ICA and apply for LTVP. I think you are referring to Appendix VP (from ICA website)? Which give consent for ICA to obtain and verify financial information with IRAS and CPF...

2 things to clarify with you:
1) You mentioned that you get your approval 2 months later (8 weeks), ICA website stated 6 weeks. During these 6-8 weeks of waiting, do you think it is advisable for us to go back to her home in China and conduct our customary marriage and come back again? Or should we stay and wait in SG throughout until the approval or result is out?
2) During our application for LTVP, does she need to have a return ticket to China? Cannot remember which one but I read from a thread here saying that ICA requires the applicant to have a return ticket ready, just in case the LTVP is not approve. Is this true? What if the LTVP is being approved, the air ticket go to waste? I don't mind wasting that few hundred bucks as long as she gets the LTVP.

Thanks for clearing my doubts.

[hahnhahnhahn]

With regards to the TS, I applied for the LTVP in November 2012 and only received the approval 2 months later. It would be best if you get all her certifications but you do not need to submit your income tax stuff. When you fill up the LTVP form, ICA will require you to sign a form and let them check whether if you paid for any income tax and all the other necessary documents needed. If possible, try to get her over to singapore and register your marriage here before applying for the LTVP. The approval chances are greater rather than both of you in two different countries. however, make sure when you ROM and submit the form for LTVP, she must be here with you.

Good luck.

No DE Card, no application of LTVP online

Hi ecureilx

From ICA website, it states that one of the documents required is "Applicant's Disembarkation/Embarkation (D/E) card with a valid Visit Pass granted on entry into Singapore"

And under the procedure portion, "All applications must be submitted via our e-Service, e-VP. "

http://www.ica.gov.sg/page.aspx?pageid= ... #procedure

[ecureilx]

No DE Card, no application of LTVP online

Hi ecureilx

From ICA website, it states that one of the documents required is "Applicant's Disembarkation/Embarkation (D/E) card with a valid Visit Pass granted on entry into Singapore"

And under the procedure portion, "All applications must be submitted via our e-Service, e-VP. "

http://www.ica.gov.sg/page.aspx?pageid= ... #procedure[/quote]

Exactly ..

[sundaymorningstaple]

hahnhahnhahn,

Which part did you not understand?

[beppi]

Master in Divinity.

Does this really exist?!?

[Mi Amigo]

Master in Divinity.

Does this really exist?!?

I was wondering the same thing. Obviously it doesn't mean what I'd assume it to mean, i.e. being blessed with omniscience, otherwise there'd be no need to ask questions here.