Getting married to a PRC....

[Thrael]

Okay here's my situation. My fiance (PRC) and I (SC) are planning to ROM this April 21st on our 7th yr anniverary - ROM first as the wedding banquet is hella expensive and we'd like to 'catch the date' first, 7th year and all that.

I'm 22, degree holder, studying ACCA, earning $2650 a month, been working for 2 years, going to be promoted but have yet to sign confirmation letter.

He's 25, in the middle of ACCA, but went back to China for about 10 months recently to help his family out.

We're planning to have him come in on a short term visit pass around 10th April, ROM on the 21st, then begin applying for his student pass for a 6 month course with an ACCA prep program.

After he finishes the last 4 exams for ACCA, we're hoping to get him on an LTVP so he can look for jobs and get a work permit (foreign spouses get some mild benefits hurrhurr).

1) Any glaring problems with this plan that I can't see? I've communicated with ICA and MOM, so far it doesn't seem like there's anything we're doing wrong per se...but...

2) Has any one had success/failures with a similar situation before?

I'm quite terrified that after we ROM, he'll be unable to get a student pass OR a LTVP, as immigration has been quite stringent lately.

[sundaymorningstaple]

The biggest hurdle you are going to face it the fact that when you ROM he will have to sign a document stating that by marrying a Singaporean, it will not automatically make him eligible for PR. (I know that is not what we are talking about at the moment, but you should be made aware of this well in advance).

You will need to be able to act as your spouses' guarantor/sponsor. For this you will be required to produce your last three years tax assessments showing an income estimated currently to be in the neighbourhood of $3K~3.5K /month. If below 3K it is highly doubtful whether you will be able to sponsor him for an LTVP. I don't want to be a wet mop but at the moment your stats don't look positive for obtaining the LTVP.

Also, while not any of my business, you should think about a wedding that is affordable and not what is fashionable. Your salary levels are not high and there is no sense in saddling yourself with a couple of years of misery trying to pay off wedding costs.

[JR8]

I'm quite terrified that after we ROM, he'll be unable to get a student pass OR a LTVP, as immigration has been quite stringent lately.

So move to China for a few years: Demonstrate the depth of your marriage.

As SMS alludes, when you register at ROM they point out very bluntly that doing so will give you absolutely nil advantage in the visa stakes (LTVP etc [I recall finding this suggestion personally highly offensive, the idea of me marrying no less, to improve my visa stakes in a country I have no interest in settling in, but there we go]).

A PRC going straight from ROMing to SG-PR? I expect they're going to make any such applicant hold off for a few years to demonstrate that it's more than just a marriage of convenience.

Forget the cost of a wedding. The joy of the occasion comes from those you invite, and how you personalise it for you and your guests. If you can only afford $250, don't get suckered into trying to lay on a $10k affair, based upon how you perceive 'other's expectations'. Some of the best and most memorable weddings I've been to have been the simplest - ironic eh? - Just a dozen friends/family down at the beach, with a licensed solemniser, some flowers, and a BBQ to follow... that kind of thing...

[Thrael]

So move to China for a few years: Demonstrate the depth of your marriage.
A PRC going straight from ROMing to SG-PR? I expect they're going to make any such applicant hold off for a few years to demonstrate that it's more than just a marriage of convenience.
Forget the cost of a wedding. The joy of the occasion comes from those you invite, and how you personalise it for you and your guests. If you can only afford $250, don't get suckered into trying to lay on a $10k affair, based upon how you perceive 'other's expectations'. Some of the best and most memorable weddings I've been to have been the simplest - ironic eh? - Just a dozen friends/family down at the beach, with a licensed solemniser, some flowers, and a BBQ to follow... that kind of thing...

I did seriously consider the moving to China bit, much to my parents’ chagrin.. but I’m an only child and unless I can export both my parents with me, they’d be quite…distressed (putting it mildly). Also, financially it makes more sense to be here, in China, he would be working in his family's business (not a successful one) and I would not be able to work or at least not earn as much as I can here. Also I don’t like him doing business in China, with all the drinking/’connection’ building it requires. ?


Not straight to PR… in my original post it was… ROM (while on SVP)– Student pass (6 mths to 1 yr) – graduate – get LTVP – find employer to obtain WP/EP .. that’s the plan anyway. Do you think it’s anywhere near feasible?

Well we aren't planning to have a lavish wedding, but our parents will expect the traditional ceremony at least for all the relatives etc, which we're not eager to deal with right now. Not going to get pregnant either so it’s safe to ROM first. Heh. Maybe in 2-3 years we'll do the formal wedding. Planning to do a very quiet ROM mainly for our own benefit


The whole marriage of convenience bit is hilarious as I've been told by everyone and their cousin that I'd have an easier time of it if I married a local (HDB grants/CPF/etc)..if only ICA had the same system as America where they do an interview before giving you a green card. Sigh.

[Thrael]

The biggest hurdle you are going to face it the fact that when you ROM he will have to sign a document stating that by marrying a Singaporean, it will not automatically make him eligible for PR. (I know that is not what we are talking about at the moment, but you should be made aware of this well in advance).
You will need to be able to act as your spouses' guarantor/sponsor. For this you will be required to produce your last three years tax assessments showing an income estimated currently to be in the neighbourhood of $3K~3.5K /month. If below 3K it is highly doubtful whether you will be able to sponsor him for an LTVP. I don't want to be a wet mop but at the moment your stats don't look positive for obtaining the LTVP.
Also, while not any of my business, you should think about a wedding that is affordable and not what is fashionable. Your salary levels are not high and there is no sense in saddling yourself with a couple of years of misery trying to pay off wedding costs.

Yes we won’t be spending beyond our means even when we do have our formal wedding (in both countries omg). It’s so sweet of yall to worry about that! Thanks!

Hopefully by the time we apply for his LTVP (after he graduates) I’ll have a salary within that range… I’m mainly worried he might have a hard time getting a student pass right after getting married. What if ICA thinks we had a marriage of convenience for study purposes or something

[sundaymorningstaple]

This is always a very possible outcome, sad to say. Too many times that Singaporeans have been conned by others holding foreign passports. This is exactly why ICA is so stringent, as there is no real way of knowing if the marriage is a sham or not. What's really rough, is when both parties are actually in love and the government seams hellbent of destroying any happiness you could have. They mean well, but their methods of execution leave a lot to be desired.

As long as he is going to school in a Government approved institution, he should be okay. But if he's going to some private school, there could be ramifications. However, we have nothing concrete with which to base an answer, to be honest. It's a gamble you will have to take. Good Luck.

[JR8]

I did seriously consider the moving to China bit, much to my parents’ chagrin.. but I’m an only child and unless I can export both my parents with me, they’d be quite…distressed (putting it mildly).

Poor you, born with baggage for life.

Or worse still, born so you'd become the retirement plan.

[Thrael]

JR8: HAHA nah I love 'em.. it's not baggage. They can retire on their own financially, it's just they'll miss having me around.

[JR8]

Is 'missing me' enough to never make you want to leave home?

[Thrael]

Is 'missing me' enough to never make you want to leave home?

LOL! I'd like to have my own home thankyouverymuch, but well within reach of them.

[JR8]

Ah so you live with your parents?

Must be weird having your parents completely dependent on you. Where is the tipping point? They support you from 0-20 - you support them from 20- death?

[sundaymorningstaple]

That's the way it's looking in my case!

[Thrael]

This topic is.....devolving. But yeah I live with them.. In Singapore it makes more sense than living on your own. Ideally I'd move out when I get married.. BUT. hopefully not to a different country.

No tipping point.... It's not about what you 'owe', more about what you are willing to do.

[JR8]

It's not about what you 'owe', more about what you are willing to do.

Move to China then?

[Thrael]

If I do I'll probably find a way to bring them along... so they don't wither off and wilt without my sunshine presence