There are many reasons why people choose to live in another country and not stay in their motherland. Some want to take the opportunity to work overseas, while others desire to stay for good and start a family of their own.

Well, whatever reasons they have, migrating to Singapore is a good idea. This small country in Southeast Asia is known for its safe and secure environment. According to Bloomberg, Singapore ranked as one of the safest places to be. Of course, not only at this time of the pandemic, it is safer even before this health crisis happens and would be a lot safer once this situation ends.

That is why many people are submitting an SG citizenship application right after they have been a permanent resident (PR) for at least two years and met other requirements.

Just think about it, and observe the situation right now. You will see that moving to Singapore is worth it.

Currently, the Singapore Government has already flattened the curb of COVID-19, and cases here are a lot better than the rest of the world. If you think about that, living in this country is indeed safer for you and your family.

Therefore, if you are interested in taking this opportunity, then keep on reading. Take a lot at what you need to do so you can submit a Singapore citizenship application. Doing so would help make your journey a lot easier.

Who Can Apply and Submit Singapore Citizenship Application?

To know if you are eligible to apply and become a Singaporean citizen (SC), you need to satisfy at least one of these eligibility options. Once you know which one you are in, you may go to Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) and process your application.

  • A PR FOR TWO YEARS AND 21 YEARS OLD OR ABOVE.

If you are in this category, you need to use your SingPass to log in to MyICA and submit an SG citizenship application, whether for you or your family.

  • A PR FOR TWO YEARS AND MARRIED TO A SC.

Meanwhile, in this category, your spouse needs to use their SingPass and log in to MyICA. That is the only way so you can submit your application. That means your spouse would act as your sponsor so you can apply.

  • UNMARRIED CHILD AND AGED BELOW 21 OR BEEN LEGALLY ADOPTED BY A SC.

In this case, one of your SC parents needs to use their SingPass and log in to MyICA so you can be allowed to submit an SG citizenship application.

  • A PR STUDENT AND LIVING IN SINGAPORE FOR MORE THAN THREE YEARS.

If you are 15 years of age or older, you can apply for an SG citizenship application by logging in to MyICA using your SingPass. But if you are younger than that, you need to look for an SC to sponsor your application through their MyICA account.

  • A PR AND A PARENT OF AN ADULT SC.

Since your child is already an SC, they can use their SingPass to sponsor your application and log in to MyICA.

Once you find which category you are eligible for, you should know that Singapore citizenship application takes a while since ICA considers several factors. Here are just a few of them.

  • Your family ties to Singapore citizens.
  • Your contribution to the economy.
  • Your level of education.

Note that ICA is thorough with its work. That means they will check your roots before they can approve your application and let you become a Singapore citizen.

What Are the Procedures of SG Citizenship Application?

Now you know that you are eligible to apply, you must get ready since you have to do many things. Besides completing the Singapore citizenship application, you have to gather documents before you submit those to ICA.

And once done, you have two options on how you would submit your application. Make sure to take a look at the steps on the option you want to pursue.

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IN-PERSON.

  • Make sure to attach your Singapore citizenship application form and all the documents in one folder so nothing will get misplaced.
  • After that, you have to book an appointment to ICA since walk-in is no longer allowed to do so since June 1st of 2016. If you come in without a schedule, no one will entertain your request. As such, you only waste your time walking in.
  • Once you know which date to visit, arrive early on that day and bring all the documents you have gathered, including the application form.

THROUGH THE INTERNET.

Meanwhile, if you do not have time to submit your Singapore citizen application in person, you can do it online. Listed below are the things you need to do if you go through this process.

  • Similar to the first option, you need to fill out the SG citizenship application form and create a digital copy of the documents you have to submit. Make sure you use a recent coloured passport photo and paste it on the form.
  • While preparing for those, you would also need to answer questionnaires provided by ICA. Make sure you write the correct answers so nothing will go wrong with your application.
  • Once you finish that, you need to pay for the application before you are allowed to check out your personal data.

REMINDER: The ICA does not accept other formats than PDF and JPG. Therefore, change all of your documents into either one of those formats. If you don’t, you would not be able to upload your files.

Whatever option you choose, make sure all the files you are about to submit should contain correct information and do not have misspelt words. Otherwise, the ICA might find that as a fault to reject your application. That is why you should double-check everything before submitting it.

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What Are the Documents Should an Applicant Submit?

As mentioned above, filling out the Singapore citizenship application is not the only thing you should do. You also need to prepare all the supporting documents so your request would not get rejected because of an incomplete submission.

Therefore, be sure to gather the following documents, and their file size should not exceed 2MB. Otherwise, you would not be able to upload them.

YOUR PERSONAL

  • A copy of foreign identification card
  • A few coloured photographs with a size of 35mm width and 45mm height and taken within the last three months
  • A copy of passport and other travel documents (if there is any)
  • A copy of the birth certificate (only for those who not naturally born in Singapore)

YOUR FAMILY.

  • A copy of the official marriage certificate (only for those how got married overseas and not registered in Singapore)
  • If separated through divorce or annulment, provide a copy of the separation deed.
  • Travel documents and birth certificate/s of a child or children (only those who never got issued by the ICA)
  • If separated and has a child or children, submit a custody paper as proof.
  • Provide a death certificate of any children who passed away (only if not registered in Singapore)

YOUR EDUCATION.

  • A copy of graduation certification of any level
  • A copy of the skill certificate (if there is any)
  • A copy of professional license (often obtain after passing the board exam or any equivalent)
  • A copy of the membership certificate (only if part of any organisation)

YOUR EMPLOYMENT.

  • Get an employment letter from the current employer and must submit it within three months after submitting the SG citizenship application.
  • Present a copy of payslips from the past six months.
  • Provide an income tax receipt for the last three years (only for those who works abroad)
  • For self-employed, get a Business Registration Certificate from ACRA. Make sure to include the balance sheet and profit & loss statement.

REMINDER: Even though your spouse is not applying for SC, you also need to gather these documents when submitting your Singapore citizenship requirements to ICA.

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How Much Should an Applicant Pay for Their SG Citizenship Application?

When you submit your Singapore citizenship application online, along with the support documents, you need to get ready and pay S$100 upfront. Once you receive approval, you need to pay another S$70 for the SC certificate and S$10 for the SC card but only for new citizens aged 15 and above.

You should know that any payment you settle is not refundable, which means you can never get it back once paid. That is why before you pay for the fees on any of the options below, make sure your application and supporting documents do not have any mistakes and are complete.

  • PayNow
  • NETS
  • Internet Direct Debit (e.g., Standard Chartered Bank and Citibank Internet Banking)
  • American Express (AMEX) credit card
  • Visa or MasterCard credit or debit card

How-Long-Does-It-Take-to-Get-an-Approved-SG-Citizenship-Application

How Long Does It Take to Get an Approved SG Citizenship Application?

Waiting for your Singapore citizenship application to get approval takes time, which is why you should be patient. Keep in mind that there is a chance you may have to wait for six months or up to a year to know whether your application is successful or not.

Sometimes the waiting period is nothing more than the timeframe mentioned. That is why if you get tired of waiting, you may check the result at ICA. There are two ways to check the status of your application.

The first option you have is to call ICA at +65 6391 6100 and ask them directly on that line. More often than not, they will tell you that your SG citizenship application is still in progress, and you have to give them more time to review your request.

If that is not your cup of tea, you can check the status of your application by logging in to MyICA. Sometimes if your request is still in progress, the ICA will send an email to clarify things. That is why you should include a working email address so they could contact you from time to time.

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What Are the Things They Should Do After?

If your Singapore citizenship application got approved, then congratulations. Your hard work has paid off, but that is only the beginning. There are other things you need to do before enjoying your new status as an official Singapore citizen.

Here, take a look at the following so you would know what is next.

TAKE YOUR ORAL.

Take it easy since this oral has nothing to do with your teeth or gums. This abbreviation means Oath of Renunciation, Allegiance, and Loyalty. The purpose of this is to showcase your renouncing of your current citizenship, and you are honouring your newly gained status. This ceremony will serve as proof of your temporal approval of Singapore citizenship.

The reason you need to renounce your current citizenship is that Singapore does not allow dual citizenship. That is why if you are not sure about it, settle down for a PR status. But if you do, there is a minor setback. You would not be able to enjoy the benefits of a Singaporean passport.

ATTEND CITIZENSHIP CEREMONY.

After taking ORAL, there is one last thing you need to attend. It is a citizenship ceremony that officially recognises you as a Singapore citizen. All you need to do is to go to the nearest local community centre where you live and make sure to attend from the beginning until the end.

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Your Takeaway!

Before you submit a Singapore citizenship application online, make sure you would not change your decision. You should know that if you change your mind, you would only waste your time and effort. You would not be able to refund back the money you paid for your application.

That is why you should think things through and weigh the pros and cons of your decision. Once done, you are free to follow the instructions written above and double-check everything before submitting your SG citizenship application to ICA.

Do you think you need help with the Singapore citizenship requirements? If that is the case, look for a firm that you can trust, like Singapore Professional Immigration Consultancy. This firm can lend you a hand so your request would get approval in no time.