S
samster005
Guest
About a month ago I wrote about the long time it was taking the Singapore embassy in Beijing to produce our son's Singaporean passport. Reflecting my frustrations about various aspects of Singaporean citizenship policy, and what I see as the conflict between Singapore's reluctance to accept dual citizenship and desire to have more citizens, I wrote the following:
[If] I may flatter myself, you'd think [the government of Singapore would] be going overboard to ensure that the child of an educated, long-time permanent resident who works in China (a country Singapore prioritizes) and an educated, professional, Singaporean woman becomes a Singapore citizen. You'd think they'd have sent salesmen around while we were still pregnant, with brochures explaining why Singaporean citizenship is the best choice for our child. You'd think the embassy would have called to remind us of the top notch medical care and excellent schools that await my child in the motherland. You'd think they'd have had a passport tucked into an immense fruit basket waiting for us outside the delivery room with a letter from the Minister of Babies (or whomever) thanking us for doing our bit for the country's future prosperity.
Well, it did indeed take three months, but last Monday the Singaporean embassy finally came up with Zachary's passport. Not only did they come up with it, but they sent two Singaporean embassy staff (as oppose to local couriers) around to our apartment to hand deliver it along with congratulations and a personal apology for it taking so long and, yes, a fruit basket.
Technically it was more of a biscuit basket (for giggles, say that out loud) than a fruit basket, but the idea was the same. I have no idea if this is Singapore embassy SOP, they just felt they needed to make restitution for the delay or they are (gulp) reading this blog. The latter possibility is a little worrying considering some of the less than worshipful things I have written about Singapore's government over the years. Any Singaporean readers who've registered the births of their children in Beijing are invited to let me know if they received the same treatment.
The apology and fruit biscuit basket didn't change how I feel about Singapore's reluctance to allow dual citizenship for adults. But they did go a long ways toward defusing my annoyance at the delay in delivering Zach's passport. Nothing like a touch of personal service and attention to mollify a disgruntled customer. Especially a blogging customer.
http://news.imagethief.com/blogs/ch...e-singapore-embassy-sends-a-fruit-basket.aspx
[If] I may flatter myself, you'd think [the government of Singapore would] be going overboard to ensure that the child of an educated, long-time permanent resident who works in China (a country Singapore prioritizes) and an educated, professional, Singaporean woman becomes a Singapore citizen. You'd think they'd have sent salesmen around while we were still pregnant, with brochures explaining why Singaporean citizenship is the best choice for our child. You'd think the embassy would have called to remind us of the top notch medical care and excellent schools that await my child in the motherland. You'd think they'd have had a passport tucked into an immense fruit basket waiting for us outside the delivery room with a letter from the Minister of Babies (or whomever) thanking us for doing our bit for the country's future prosperity.
Well, it did indeed take three months, but last Monday the Singaporean embassy finally came up with Zachary's passport. Not only did they come up with it, but they sent two Singaporean embassy staff (as oppose to local couriers) around to our apartment to hand deliver it along with congratulations and a personal apology for it taking so long and, yes, a fruit basket.
Technically it was more of a biscuit basket (for giggles, say that out loud) than a fruit basket, but the idea was the same. I have no idea if this is Singapore embassy SOP, they just felt they needed to make restitution for the delay or they are (gulp) reading this blog. The latter possibility is a little worrying considering some of the less than worshipful things I have written about Singapore's government over the years. Any Singaporean readers who've registered the births of their children in Beijing are invited to let me know if they received the same treatment.
The apology and fruit biscuit basket didn't change how I feel about Singapore's reluctance to allow dual citizenship for adults. But they did go a long ways toward defusing my annoyance at the delay in delivering Zach's passport. Nothing like a touch of personal service and attention to mollify a disgruntled customer. Especially a blogging customer.
http://news.imagethief.com/blogs/ch...e-singapore-embassy-sends-a-fruit-basket.aspx
