If you’re a foreigner in Singapore processing your PR requirements alone, you may find the entire process complicated and extra challenging. Before you acquire your permanent resident visa or permanent residency, you will go through various challenges first. After all, no achievement is free from hurdles. Processing your PR can get frustrating, given that the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) website only provides a little information regarding the visa process. Because of this reason, you may find this daunting and seem like a red light to live in the country.

People in Singapore are considering permanent resident application because of their massive advantages. It provides more job opportunities for you and your spouse, creates more business chances, widens your career growth, opens the door to citizenship, offers you a pension system, and many more. These are just some benefits and perks the government and country give their residents.

If you’re considering applying and sending the documents required for Singapore PR, allow this list of FAQs or common questions about the entire permanent residency visa application process to guide you and work your way to becoming a permanent resident.

1. WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO APPLY FOR SINGAPORE PR?

There is no better time to send your Singapore permanent resident application than now. Recently, the ICA passed new immigration laws that only made the entire visa application process harder to accomplish more than ever. Foreigners applying for permanent residency had a tough time attaining a secured path toward the Lion City. In 2009, the ICA constricted their foreign immigration policies to keep the country safe. They handed in some regulations to reduce the chances of foreigners applying for permanent residency visas with the express and sole purpose of taking advantage of the many benefits of being a permanent resident.

If you have your documents required for Singapore PR ready and on hand, send them to ICA now and start processing your visa application. Apply for your permanent resident eligibility at the earliest time possible. Generally, a PR application in the country takes at least six months to get processed and approved. However, some visa applications may take more than a year or more to process due to some factors. It may depend on the completion of requirements or the complexity of the visa application. Whether granted or denied, expect to get the result via post or email.

2. WHERE CAN I SUBMIT MY SINGAPORE PR DOCUMENTS?

As someone who is processing their Singapore PR requirements, you are probably curious about where you hand in your documents. You may also wonder if your official documentation from your homeland or country of origin would suffice. The crucial thing you must do is to check if all your requirements are complete. Second, ensure that all your papers and files are written in English or translated into English. The ICA would only accept visa application papers written in English unless they have another document or are accompanied by a translated copy with an official stamp by the government in your country of origin.

Kindly have your papers translated into English and notarised, especially the most crucial ones, such as birth certificate, passport, marriage contract, certificate of employment, bank statements certificate, police records, etc. The third thing you must do is to submit individual copies of each of the original and translated versions on ICA. As of to date, there are four ways how you can obtain an official translation of your documentation:

The Embassy of your country of origin
Local Notary Public
Private translation companies certified by the Embassy of your document-issuing country
Private translation companies notarised by a local Notary Public

3. WHAT ARE THE COMMON REASONS TO GET REJECTED?

Unfortunately, some PR visa applications get denied. In the unfortunate event that you receive a rejection letter in your mailbox or email, don’t fret. The ICA does not disclose reasons for rejections, which may shake your belief, dishearten you, and put you off from making the Lion City your home. Some common reasons why a Singapore permanent resident application gets rejected are the following:

UNAWARE OF NEW POLICIES IMPLEMENTED IN SINGAPORE

The immigration policies set by the ICA can change from time to time. If you do not comply, the chances of rejection can increase. So, before preparing the documents required for Singapore PR, check for the most recent and updated regulations by the ICA.

PROOF OF INTEGRATION INTO SINGAPORE

Another common factor that affects your Singapore permanent resident eligibility is the lack of social integration efforts to fit into the Lion City. Consider participating in activities and volunteering opportunities organised by the country for its local communities.

COMPULSORY SUBMISSION OF DOCUMENTS

Some applicants get denied due to a lack of documents or failure to submit the documents required for Singapore PR. Apart from the mandatory documents, there are additional papers you may need to hand in, such as a professionally written cover letter and the like. Ensure to comply and send these files to increase your chances of getting approved.

HIGH REVIEWING STANDARD BY ICA

Lastly, the ICA has high standards when reviewing Singapore permanent resident eligibility applications. Ensure to grab a copy of the mandatory documents and send all of them. Avoid missing the required papers, such as the birth certificate, educational certificate, passport, and others. Also, avoid sending unclear scanned copies and not completing the forms at the website. These pointers can contribute to your application rejection chances.

4. WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO RESUBMIT MY SINGAPORE PR DOCUMENTS?

Getting rejected can be disheartening and discouraging. It could make you feel unwelcome and affect your hopes to reside in the Lion City.

Don’t fret. There is another chance. Instead of filing a resubmission right away, take some time to improve your submission. Work on the documents required for Singapore PR. Enhance your written cover letter and make it sound more professional. The ideal time to resubmit your documents is about six months or one year after receiving the mail from the ICA.

Ideally, there should be a significant change in your life situation between the first visa application and the current submission. These life changes could increase your visa application grant rates. You could consider completing an educational certification, joining a helping organisation, landing a promotion in your workplace, or volunteering. The ICA could see the merit in these activities and positively affect your visa grant.

The Bottom Line

The prime reason why most people and foreigners in Singapore process their PR requirements is primarily because of the perks of being a resident, including subsidised housing, a pension system, better work opportunities, reduced medical costs, and citizenship, which has more advantages. Being a permanent resident in the country ranks top on the priority list of many foreigners across the globe.

The number of PR visa applications the ICA receives increases each month and continuously grows in demand. However, realistically speaking, not everyone has the green light to stay in the Lion City. But don’t lose hope. You got this!

If you want easy processing of your Singapore permanent resident application, team up with Singapore Immigration Partners. To enquire today, call them at +65 6980 0668 or contact their team directly on their website.