DP (Dependent Pass) for my girlfriend

[singapore86]

I hope you can help me as I can't seem to find concrete answers anywhere on the Singapore MOM or IRA site.

I potentially will have an offer from an employer in Singapore who can provide me with an employer pass - I currently live in the UK and am a British Citizen.

Now my girlfriend is Ukranian, she lives in Kiev. We're not married. It's a serious long distance relationship at the moment, been over a year, but we haven't lived together on a long term basis yet. We have visited and stayed with each other for holidays throughout the year and have plans for marrying in the nearby future.

1) I've asked my employer if they would be able to sponsor her as my dependent? (DP - dependent pass) if I was to get an EP - Employer Pass.
2) The above would, however, require a statutory declaration about our relationship via a solicitor - is this impossible to be accepted by Singapore authorities based on our circumstances, i.e, not living together?

Hope someone who has had similar issues can help. As if I go to Singapore I really would like to take her with me.

Thanks in advance.

[x9200]

This subject was covered on this board many times also recently. Use the search function.

In short: not a chance for any pass for her for a long distance relationship. For a regular one, she can get LTVP at best.

[JR8]

I hope you can help me as I can't seem to find concrete answers anywhere on the Singapore MOM or IRA site.

I potentially will have an offer from an employer in Singapore who can provide me with an employer pass - I currently live in the UK and am a British Citizen.

Now my girlfriend is Ukranian, she lives in Kiev. We're not married. It's a serious long distance relationship at the moment, been over a year, but we haven't lived together on a long term basis yet. We have visited and stayed with each other for holidays throughout the year and have plans for marrying in the nearby future.

1) I've asked my employer if they would be able to sponsor her as my dependent? (DP - dependent pass) if I was to get an EP - Employer Pass.
2) The above would, however, require a statutory declaration about our relationship via a solicitor - is this impossible to be accepted by Singapore authorities based on our circumstances, i.e, not living together?

Hope someone who has had similar issues can help. As if I go to Singapore I really would like to take her with me.

Thanks in advance.

Search on "Common law marriage" to find previous discussions.

But I'll be forth-right.

She doesn't and hasn't ever even lived with you. She's just some 'occasional' in the eyes of the authorities. That's not going to get her status in Singapore.

Either put a ring on it (and pray), or kiss it good-bye.

[sundaymorningstaple]

If "common law" doesn't produce enough, also can try 'de facto'

[AngMoG]

I agree, it won't fly here, unless she can find a job and visa on her own. Which would probably be your best alternative, if she has the right qualifications.

A 1-year LDR with a Ukrainian girl (well known for marriages of convenience) wouldn't count as a "serious" (common law/de-facto) relationship in most countries. Even if you marry, chances are high that it will be viewed as a marriage of convenience.

I assume you are very young (26 if that is your birth year in your nick), so take it from the slightly older with more experience - before you put a ring on it, let some more time pass, and live together for a while. After 1 year long-distance you know almost nothing about your partner, when it comes to day-to-day living, and whether you can trust her. At this point, I would not risk making her your dependant, one way or another.

[JR8]

A 1-year LDR with a Ukrainian girl (well known for marriages of convenience) wouldn't count as a "serious" (common law/de-facto) relationship in most countries. Even if you marry, chances are high that it will be viewed as a marriage of convenience.

It wouldn't count as any relationship, never mind a de facto marriage. The latter requires effective marriage.

It sounds like he's hardly even met her (Dudley and Ting-Tong style). He's not going to swing her residency on that...

Ere, here's a bird I met in a catalogue. Can I buy her and bring her in the country?

p.s. You know some of the crap some of us go (i.e. me!) through, getting here with serious 5+ year spouses [yah, now 10+ year, and I love ya darling honey-buns!] .... you need to start out with a viable de facto relationship.
= Fail

[singapore86]

Thank you for the responses guys. I expected so, but I just needed it confirmed.

So the only option for her would be to come on a tourist visa and have it extended to 90 days? And then leave the country, and re-enter after a month I guess?

[JR8]

If you want a straight answer:

Who are you, and she, nationalities ?

What are you trying to do?

Where do you want to work, and where do you want to live?

p.s. If your heart if is in the right place, there is always a way...

[AngMoG]

Thank you for the responses guys. I expected so, but I just needed it confirmed.

So the only option for her would be to come on a tourist visa and have it extended to 90 days? And then leave the country, and re-enter after a month I guess?

The visa run thing has been abused too much, and presumes she can enter Singapore visa-free, which I doubt. If she needs to get tourist visa by applying through embassy, that will be problematic. In any case, she can stay in Singapore max 180 days like that per year, but may be refused entry earlier, if she is seen as visa runner.

In any case, that is not a long term solution. Your best bet would be for her to find a job in Singapore, so she can work here; Singapore is expensive, and most likely, two incomes would be better for you than just one.

[singapore86]

If you want a straight answer:

Who are you, and she, nationalities ?

What are you trying to do?

Where do you want to work, and where do you want to live?

p.s. If your heart if is in the right place, there is always a way...

I'm from UK, British. And she is Ukranian from Kiev.

My ex boss who works with my ex company has a potential ticket to hire me and I can work out there. But I want to take her with me too.

We were originally planning for her to come to London on a tier 4 student visa to study, and that way we would live together, and then get married. But this singapore job offer could be too good to turn down for me. And I don't think I'd get such a chance again.

[singapore86]

Thank you for the responses guys. I expected so, but I just needed it confirmed.

So the only option for her would be to come on a tourist visa and have it extended to 90 days? And then leave the country, and re-enter after a month I guess?

The visa run thing has been abused too much, and presumes she can enter Singapore visa-free, which I doubt. If she needs to get tourist visa by applying through embassy, that will be problematic. In any case, she can stay in Singapore max 180 days like that per year, but may be refused entry earlier, if she is seen as visa runner.

In any case, that is not a long term solution. Your best bet would be for her to find a job in Singapore, so she can work here; Singapore is expensive, and most likely, two incomes would be better for you than just one.

Could she search for a job whilst on a tourist visa there?

[x9200]

Could she search for a job whilst on a tourist visa there?

Yes she could but be aware that finding a job for fresh grads is the easiest part. The difficult one is to get the workpass. What's her education/background/professional experience?

[JR8]

I'm from UK, British. And she is Ukranian from Kiev.

My ex boss who works with my ex company has a potential ticket to hire me and I can work out there. But I want to take her with me too.

We were originally planning for her to come to London on a tier 4 student visa to study, and that way we would live together, and then get married. But this singapore job offer could be too good to turn down for me. And I don't think I'd get such a chance again.

OIC.
One thing I'd check is if he is confident ( i.e. he knows, not he thinks) he can get you the work visa, as if not this discussion is moot.

If you're happy about that then might it be a possibility your GF doing her studies in Singapore?

Good luck to you (Love overcomes all (man )


p.s. And don't consider 'visa runs' etc; you want to do this the right way, and you can and will find such a way. Your GF getting refused entry back into Singapore, at JB... really, is not going to add to your happiness.

[singapore86]

x9200 - her background is HR management and general admin stuff. She studies English as a Bsc in Ukraine and speaks very fluent English.

JR8 - I have been looking at the study thing - it's an option. But it's so expensive. We're looking at S$20k for a year.

In London, we found a language school that could do it for a year - £2k which is about S$4k

[AngMoG]

x9200 - her background is HR management and general admin stuff. She studies English as a Bsc in Ukraine and speaks very fluent English.

JR8 - I have been looking at the study thing - it's an option. But it's so expensive. We're looking at S$20k for a year.

In London, we found a language school that could do it for a year - £2k which is about S$4k

IMO, forget about the admin stuff - lousy pay and a lot of competition, including locals and Malays. That would make it difficult for her to get a visa. Even for HR, I'd say tricky, but she could land a job with an MNC, especially if she has some experience and/or certs for HR management. BSc in English is frankly not worth much, but having a completed degree may be just enough to give her an edge in HR. Marriage in Singapore is quick & easy, but I am not sure what the restrictions are if she is on student pass.

The conservative, less-risky option would be staying in the UK, and have her move there. It would be a lot more secure in terms of visa - she can maybe come in on student visa to do an MSc in something more business valuable than English. (Attending language school kind of belies your assertion that her English is very fluent.) Then, once you live together for a year or more, and well before her student visa runs out, is the time to marry.