Being involved in a long-distance relationship is not easy and can get exhausting. The ease of getting through the day is much easier with your partner by your side. Considering your eligibility for Singapore permanent residency, why not include your spouse as well? If you are a Singaporean Citizen or Permanent Resident (PR) and are about to embark on the exciting process of obtaining a PR status for your foreign spouse, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, we will explore how applying for Singapore PR for your spouse can benefit you both in the long run and how you can go about applying for Singapore PR for your spouse.
Why should your spouse apply for Singapore permanent residency?
1. Government-subsidised housing
As a Singaporean with a permanent resident spouse, you are eligible to apply for an HDB rental flat under the Family Scheme. Depending on your income and applicant type, you can rent a 1-room flat for as little as $26 per month.
2. Wider job scope
Taking up permanent residency in Singapore, a thriving metropolitan city, could open doors to a more promising career path. Many PRs value the flexibility of changing jobs without undergoing the necessary paperwork that comes with any job change. When an LTVP or Dependant’s Pass holder changes jobs, their employer is required to reapply for a new Letter of Consent (LOC) and deal with all the hassle and stress that goes along with it. However, this is not an issue for Singapore PRs since they can find jobs without a LOC. There are also a lot of job postings that only seek out Singaporeans and PRs due to the hiring restrictions. Getting a PR status for your spouse would allow you to bypass these hiring limitations.
3. Access to CPF
The Central Provident Fund (CPF) requires you and your employer to set aside and stash a monthly minimum amount to your retirement fund. With this store of money, you can then pay for various necessities in your life, such as medical care, your home, and retirement. In the case of workers with dependents, employment, S Passes or Work Permits, employers would not be required to contribute CPF. This means that in spite of working here, you will not be able to participate in this scheme or receive interest from your CPF account. CPF accounts can be opened only after your spouse achieves their PR status.
4. Ability to stay in Singapore for a long period of time
A long-term visit pass can be applied for by your spouse, but it only lasts for two years. The benefit of being a permanent resident of Singapore is that your spouse can remain here for a long time. However, if you wish for your spouse to maintain PR status, he or she might need to apply for a Re-Entry Permit if he or she travels outside the country.
Applying for permanent residency in Singapore for your spouse
Now that we’ve covered the benefits of applying for Singapore PR for your spouse, now comes the challenging part: obtaining Singapore permanent residency for your spouse.
Sponsorship is the most common way to help spouses become permanent residents. Besides considering your family ties, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) will also be taking into account their economic and educational contributions, as well as their ability to integrate into Singapore society.
You and your spouse will have to organise documents in accordance with ICA’s regulations as well.
Your spouse’s PR application may also be affected by their years of marriage, although these factors are not explicitly mentioned, since fake marriages are illegal in Singapore. Therefore, your spouse may need to enhance other parts of your application in order to improve your chances of getting a PR status if you just got married.
Given that these all sound like a lot of tedious work, it is easy to understand why you would feel overwhelmed. Fortunately, the process can be made much simpler with the help of a PR application agency like Singapore Immigration Partners.
All aspects of the PR application process will be handled by our consultants. We will review your profile carefully to ensure you are applying for Singapore PR under the correct scheme, assist you in preparing all required documents, advise you on any additional documents that may enhance your application, and ensure that you do not over-submit irrelevant documents in your PR application.
With us, you can be sure your Singapore PR application is flawless and error-free so you have a higher chance of being approved. Contact us today for information on how we can assist your spouse with their Singapore PR online application!