Search the Community

Old article but do you agree? https://www.quora.com/Which-citizenship-is-the-hardest-to-obtain/answer/Ravindra-357 Here are eight countries where it's most difficult to become citizen : 1- Vatican City You can become a citizen if you are a cardinal living in the Vatican City or Rome, or if you live in Vatican City because you are an official worker of the Catholic Church. 2- Bhutan You can apply for the citizenship after living in the country for 20 years & you have to meet a list of requirements which includes no record of speaking or acting against the king or country. 3- Qatar If you have been a legal resident of Qatar for 25 years without leaving the country for more than two consecutive months, you can apply for the citizenship. Qatar only naturalizes about 50 foreigners a year. 4- Kuwait After living in Kuwait for 20 years or 15 years for citizens of other Arab countries, you can apply for the citizenship. But you have to be muslim by birth or converted. If you are converted, you must have been practicing for five years & have to speak Arabic fluently. 5- Liechtenstein If you want to become a citizen, you have to live in Liechtenstein for at least 30 years or if you are married to a Liechtenstein citizen & already lived in the country, then the time period is shortened to five years of marriage. 6- United Arab Emirates If you want a citizenship of UAE, you must have legally resided in the country for 30 years. Arab citizens from Oman, Qatar & Bahrain can apply for citizenship after three years of residency. Arabs from other countries are eligible for citizenship after seven years of residency. 7- Switzerland According to the new law of Switzerland, you must have to lived in the country for 10 years & have a working permit called a C permit. The C permit allows you to live & work in the country. 8- China The law of China allows the foreigners to become citizen of the country if they have relatives who are Chinese national, have settled in China. If you don’t have Chinese relatives in a country, your chances of becoming a Chinese citizen are less. https://www.quora.com/Which-country-gives-permanent-residency-the-fastest/answer/Ravindra-357 Here are five countries in which establishing permanent residency is easy : 1 - Belgium If you live in Belgium for five continuous years, you can apply for permanent residency. Becoming a citizen adds to that the ability to leave the country for more than two years at a time 2 - France You can get permanent residency or apply for citizenship after living in the country for five continuous years. A permanent residency is renewed after ten years that allows you the right to education, healthcare, and worker's rights at jobs, but doesn't allow you to vote. Obtaining France’s citizenship also makes you a citizen of the EU. 3 - Panama Panama is also very welcoming to those who are wealthy and those who want to invest in deforestation programs. Citizenship can only be obtained after five continuous years of residency or three years for foreign spouses of Panamanian citizens. 4 - Singapore Singapore is one of the easiest countries in which a permanent residency has been estabilished. All you have to do is to apply for an employment pass, be the spouse or child of a Singapore citizen, plan to make an investment in the country, or you just have to be a permanent resident of the country for two or more years. 5 - Brazil If you plan to invest at least $50,000 in a business or real estate of the country, you can apply for an Investor’s Visa. Or you must have resided in the country continuously for 10 to 15 years for getting the permanent residency.

http://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/think-singapore-citizenship-sacred-guess-160000979.html Wow, our passport is worth $2.5 million............ i assume its in US dollars 1. Singapore – Price: $2,500,000What else could I tell you about Singapore that you don’t already know? It’s a global technology and banking hub that’s already being called the “new” Switzerland by investors from around the world. It’s also seen as a prime location for many companies looking to establish a presence in Southeast Asia. The fast track to Singapore citizenship lies through the Economic Development Board’s Global Investor Program. Through the program, you get instant PR status. And within 2 years you can apply for citizenship. Benefits of Citizenship: Tax Haven: There are no wealth taxes (capital gains, inheritance tax, etc.). Visa-Free Travel: Travel to 167 countries worldwide. Easier to Buy Property: Citizens notably have fewer restrictions to buying multiple properties in Singapore’s hot property market than PRs and foreigners do. VERY Business Friendly Nation: Unlike other nations, you can start a business in only a few days in Singapore, leading many to call it the most business friendly nation in the world. Lower Taxes: Taxes for high wealth individuals (20% flat tax) and companies (17% flat tax) are lower than most industrialized nations. Waiting Time for Citizenship: After waiting up to 3 months for approval to join the Global Investor Program (and $2.5 million dollars), you’ll be awarded PR status. After two years of residency, you can then apply for citizenship. Residency Requirement: Yes. Upon granting of your PR, you’ll be given a Re-Entry Permit that’s valid for 5 years so you can retain your PR. But you must either set up a business in Singapore with 5 Singaporean employees or you must reside in Singapore at least 6 months out of the year. Military Service Requirement: No. PRs under the Global Investor Program are exempt from serving NS (what’s up with that?!).

Interesting proposition. What do you all think?

Any bros here read this in Shinmin today? A quick summary: A survey by the Malaysian press revealed that 87% of the Malaysian respondents who have worked or currently working in Singapore do not have plans to get SGP citizenship. Their objective of working in Singapore is to earn Sing dollar. Some respondents cited their love for Malaysia, the cost of living in Singapore, and strict Housing policies as some of the reasons for not getting SGP citizenship. While some expressed interest to get SPR to remain in Singapore for further development. I'm unsure what are your thoughts on this. I am also sure some bros here are M'sians with SPR. But I am just sharing my personal observations. I know M'sian colleagues holding SPR for at least a decade but they are not converting, thanks to PAP gahment policies of not having clear distinctive benefits between SGP citizens and SPR holders. It was probably only after GE, and the 2 By-Elections, the gahment finally recognises this ground unhappiness and began drawing up the divide between SGP citizens and non-citizens. There's also a sore point of the first gen SPR who were not required to serve NS.. What puzzles me is that some of these Malaysian colleagues are actively volunteering in local grassroots (I'm avoiding the word politics as it is a strong word) and their town councils but I always wondered to myself why? (clue: not whites) They can't even vote. I'm not going to say more otherwise I'm sure RadX is going to hantam me. Are there time-limits for conversion of SPR holders - let's say - if you did not convert to SGP citizenship within X number of years, your SPR gets revoked? I wonder how will the survey results be, if it was conducted in Singapore by the Singapore press. (P.S, I heard that the morally-corrupted former district judge Tey Shun Hang & NUS law lecturer is a Malaysian, holding SPR. Do we need a Malaysian to be our judge? Singapore Legal Service better re-think. ) Source of image: Shinmin Daily News, print edition (5 January 2014):

Personally I do not agree because of the nagging feeling that those with dual citizenships (DC) may probably hightail to his or her country of origin when the sh!t hits the fan in Singapore. Call me cynical but folks generally will avoid crisis for self-preservation so if given an alternative to siam I am pretty sure some will just do that. Dire if you consider in terms of male's NS obligations in Singapore and for those with DCs they may just pack up and leave when our national security is on the line. Some agree with me but there are those who advocates this controversial DC system: From ST Forum: http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/forum-...enship-20130206 A firm 'no' to dual citizenship Published on Feb 06, 2013 THERE are many government policies I disagree with, but I passionately support its firm stand on prohibiting dual citizenship ("Home in Singapore, heart in homeland"; Monday). This is despite the fact that a policy reversal would make my own life more convenient. I am living overseas in a country where I have long qualified to apply for citizenship. As tempting as it is to serve two masters, I strongly believe the right thing to do is to refrain from it. I disagree with migration expert Leong Chan Hoong, who says highly skilled and mobile Singaporeans could easily leave Singapore during a crisis even without dual citizenship. If Singapore were at war, anyone liable for any form of national service would most likely be prevented by the authorities from leaving, regardless of how skilled they are in their chosen professions. What do we do with Singaporeans who are also citizens of a country with which we have a conflict? It is foreseeable that some Singaporeans who are citizens of friendly countries would want to leave. Such Singaporeans, like any other, have the patriotic duty of defending Singapore. However, the governments of those friendly countries could still pressure Singapore to release these dual citizens. Why should we put our Government in such a potentially awkward situation at a time when its efforts and resources should be fully focused on how best to maintain our survival? I also doubt the objectivity of sociologist Paulin Straughan's views. She has two sons with dual citizenship who must decide which citizenship to give up when they turn 21. She says it makes no sense "to lose a Singaporean child who has grown up here, while giving citizenship to newcomers". What is senseless is to give Singapore citizenship to those who are willing to give it up for another. Our national policy on dual citizenship should not kowtow to the wishes of those who simply want more convenience for themselves. It should place the best interest of our country above all else, always. If there is a national policy that must be dogmatic and rigid, this is it, even if it is viewed by some as being overly so. It could mean the very survival of our precious little island in future. Michael Ang York Poon ***** From ST Forum: http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/forum-...stance-20130206 Govt should review stance Published on Feb 06, 2013 THERE are even more people whose homes are overseas but whose hearts are in Singapore ("Home in Singapore, heart in homeland"; Monday). I know many Singaporeans who emigrated for various reasons. Some of their grown-up, highly qualified children would like to live and work in Singapore if they could have dual citizenship. This would add talented people, who are of Singapore origin and who consider themselves to be Singaporeans, to our workforce. There are also retirees who would like to spend their last years with their children overseas, but wish to keep their Singapore citizenship. If they live overseas, it would reduce the strain on our country in caring for the elderly. Those who want dual citizenship would be too few in number to warrant concerns over a mass exodus of people in times of war or strife. The Government should review its stance on dual citizenship, which is allowed in many countries. Roshni Asha (Mrs)

By Rennie Whang The New Paper Friday, Dec 28, 2012 SINGAPORE - You know that pink identity card (IC) in your wallet? Mr Delvis Ng, 27, had one just like that five years ago. His two younger Singapore-born siblings and his parents have pink ICs. But, at 22, he was forced to give his up. Like his mother, Mr Ng was also born in Malaysia. But while she had given up her Malaysian citizenship, he couldn't because of a missing document. Now he shuttles between Sarawak and Singapore on temporary travel documents. Mr Ng grew up in Singapore and did national service here as a storeman in the navy. According to the law here, when he turned 21, he had to decide to be a Singapore citizen or a Malaysia citizen. He opted to renounce his Malaysian citizenship before taking the Oath of Renunciation, Allegiance and Loyalty before his 22th birthday. Then it all went wrong. He was told at the Malaysian embassy that he needed his mother's Malaysian IC to renounce his citizenship. But she no longer kept her Malaysian documents after becoming a Singapore citizen in 1991. When he turned 22, he had to turn in his pink Singapore IC because he was unable to renounce his Malaysian citizenship. "It sucks not belonging anywhere," said Mr Ng. "I've lost count of the number of times I've been to the ICA (Immigration and Checkpoints Authority) and the Malaysian embassy to explain the situation to them. It didn't work," said Mr Ng, who had no documents to prove that he is a Malaysian citizen. As instructed, he also surrendered his Singapore passport and identity card at the ICA. That meant that he had no documents to get out of the country. It was also difficult for him to find work because he did not have proper identification. His life, he said, came to a standstill for about four years. "I couldn't fly anywhere, I couldn't work. I wanted to work so badly." He had previously worked as a tattoo artist in a studio here for two years, but the owner told him he had to go as she did not want to get into trouble with the authorities. "I just bummed at home, came up with tattoo designs," he said. It was only in October last year that he managed to get an emergency passport from the Malaysian embassy here. This was after his mother, Madam Doris Ak Tambi, 53, went to Kuala Lumpur in the middle of last year to try to get a passport for him - one of the five or six times she has travelled there on his behalf. She said she was rejected and told to return to the Malaysian embassy here. "I would spend whole days at the KL office. They looked at me like I was nobody, there to fool around," she said. With the emergency passport, Mr Ng went to Kuala Lumpur to get his Malaysian passport and IC - a measure which, he said, was a last resort to get to work here. To and fro Then came the days of going to and fro, spending 30 days in each country. Mr Ng's father was an engineer with an oil company when he was sent to Sarawak in 1981 and fell in love with his mother, a Sarawakian Iban. They married in a traditional Iban ceremony and at a church in 1983. Mr Ng was born in Miri while his Singaporean father was still working there in 1985. He came to Singapore with his Malaysian mother a few years later, on a shared passport. He attended Elias Park Primary School and East View Secondary School, later graduating with an engineering diploma from Temasek Polytechnic. Now, during his 30-day stays here on a tourist visa, he lives out of a suitcase in the bedroom where he grew up. His family of five, all Singaporean save for him, have lived in a Pasir Ris five-room flat for the last 17 years. Both his 21-year-old brother, who is in NS, and 17-year-old sister, a private school student, were born here. When time's up for Mr Ng, he leaves for Miri, Sarawak, where he was born. He counts the days till he can return. Flying to Miri is $200, and lodging and transport come to another $900 every month. He works as a tattoo artist in Miri but his mother ends up sending money because he does not earn enough to cover his expenses. "I've spent all my savings. I'm supposed to spend it when I'm 55, not now," he said. "It's tough because my mother (a cancer survivor) is here, my father is here, my friends. "Over there, I know only a few colleagues. Time passes very slowly." There is hope for him though. About a year ago, Mr Ng approached his MP, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, at a Meet-the-People Session and obtained a letter which he took to the ICA, he said. He was later able to apply for permanent residency (PR), he said. While waiting to become a PR, Mr Ng has been trying to fly back for special occasions - including his brother's NS enlistment in October last year. "(My brother's) passing-out parade is in January, I hope to see him then," said Mr Ng. As Mr Ng's father, who is now with a gas company, travels frequently, Madam Tambi says she misses her eldest son. "I don't understand, he was a Singaporean from young. Even his father served NS. "When it gets to his second week, I start to cry. As the eldest, I hope he takes care of the family. What happens when his family falls sick?" Mr Ng is hoping he will get his PR status. Then maybe, a pink identity card again. This is just so wrong..................

Any bro here renounced their Msian Citizenship and join the party here? If you had done so, what happened to your property in Msia? Do nothing about it or sell off/change name? Exhausted trying to google but can't find a definite answer

From CNA: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/sin...1185735/1/.html About 1,200 Singaporeans renounce citizenship annually in last 5 years Posted: 28 February 2012 1407 hrs

2% of PRs who served NS have citizenship applications rejected Monday, Jan 09, 2012 SINGAPORE - From 2006 to 2010, about two per cent - or 30 out of 3,000 - citizenship applications made by second-generation Permanent Residents who had gone through National Service had their applications rejected. This was Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean's written response to Worker's Party MP Sylvia Lim's question in parliament. DPM Teo wrote that this was due to the applicant

I will generally consider a dual citizen like her to be Singaporean enough but I always thought President's Scholarship is a very symbolic award and a role model for Singaporean students. What does this award mean? She is not even serving military service. I feel we Singaporeans are like that old 46 year old first wife of the government who stuck with them through the hard times when they were poor and now that they are rich and found fancy and young PRC mistresses and is starting to hiam how old and ugly we have become. http://forums.asiaone.com/showthread.php?t=41882

http://sg.yfittopostblog.com/2010/11/19/st...re-citizenship/

http://www.asiaone.com/News/the%2BStraits%...124-181826.html Please give some suggestions for questions.. 1) Which local politician said these famous words "It's an honest mistake. Let's move on."? 2) Is the Merlion real? 3) Who create the local dish "Mee Siam Mai Hum"?

My family is actually Malaysian PR and recently my mother has been in a dilemma as to whether she should apply for Singaporean citizenship.. My dad's name has been used for my uncle's stuffs in Malaysia so he thinks it is troublesome to transfer the name here and there. However I've tried the online eligibility assessment tool and it says that we are not eligible for Singaporean citizenship (applicants are my 2 sisters, one in p6 and one in sec 2, my mother, and me). I think it's because of her low salary of about 500 dollars per month. But yet there are some friends of my mother who encourage her to apply for citizenship since 3 children are applying at a go.. some claim that having more children to apply for citizenship at a time increases the chances of a successful application. So I'm just trying to seek some opinions and advices here, to see whether there has been cases like mine which have (hopefully) succeeded before. Thanks

Just to share on the above. Feedbacks given by a few frens FT's turned PR (some from PRC, some from Msia). They hold management and low level jobs. They are PR holders and after working here for short period of time, our govt invited them to be S'pore citizens which they flatly refused. Being curious, I asked why. They said it is very stupid to do so as their motherland is still much better. They are here just to tap on the heavily subsidised benefits like education, medical and after they go back to their country, they will command a higher pay. For those coming from PRC, they said that though the cost of living has increased. They are generally accompanied by a substantial pay increase. So much so that they are still able to save up. But, over here, they can't save much. Then they also added, their country currency has grown stronger against greenbacks. They will go back once their kids have finished their education here. For those coming from Msia, they shared almost the same things except that, they will continue to work here, enjoy the benefits yet remit their monies back to save for retirement. Does anyone feel that our citizenship has devalued rapidly? And is the welcoming of FT with open hands another of classic mistake of our govt?