Applying for Singapore PR for me and my elderly parents

[Mummy3574]

Can I ask about people's experiences of applying for PR and citizenship? Is it possible to expedite the process? What kind of applications are accepted? Can you apply for elderly parents PR at the same time as applying for yours?

I ask because I am newly arrived in Singapore and my parents are asking to apply for myself and them. I think they have an unrealistic view of how quick it can be - when I add it all up on the government website - pr and citizenship application for me, pr application for them, it looks like it will be over 4 years.

Also have the regulations changed in the last 10-20 years? Seems like the quota system is relatively new.

Have you seen the ICA webpage? www.ica.gov.sg/apply/PR/apply_PR_who

You have, understandably, not given enough details for me to help on this forum but the ICA info should be enough to get you started. The time frame and success would depend on your eligibility. DH had both an employment pass and was married to a citizen and obtained his PR quite painlessly but that was 20 years ago. It's more difficult now.

The process is quite opaque and it's not just a matter of meeting requirements to get it. There seem to be a lot more applicants being rejected in recent years. The timing from application to getting an answer varies too - from a few months to over a year.

In general, it seems that under 40 and from an Asian country will go in your favour. But even then, a former colleague (30s, Filipino) whose wife has PR has applied several times over the past few years and been rejected, so he and his wife are moving to Australia where they have just been granted PR.

If you have sons or are planning on having children, make sure you understand and accept the requirement for them to do national service. Some people think it's easy to relinquish your PR to avoid this, but it can impact your children's future options to return to Singapore as adults if you do this.

Unless you or your parents are loaded, I think the chances of your parents being given PR are pretty low.

If you're on Facebook, try asking on one of the SG expat groups - you'll probably get some well-informed answers there.