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Dual citizenship acceptable in Singapore ?
- Thread starter Queen Seok Duk
- Start date
Not sure what you mean by "gotten away scot free". I don't think Singapore actually has any laws against holding a foreign passport. The SG govt may take away your SG citizenship if they find out (but it is not automatic). The problem is when your SG passport comes up for renewal - you have to declare whether you have another citizenship or not. Until then there is generally no way the SG govt can find out about your foreign citizenship (unless you are unlucky enough to be searched at Changi, which I doubt happens very much).
Assuming one has an Aussie, Canadian, US, NZ, EEC citizenship
It puzzles me why anyone would want to keep their Sporean citizenship once they've got some other one
I know some must like doing their reservist but I'm sure many prefer to their CPF out
If you don't live in Singapore, reservist is not an issue anyway.
Not everyone has a lot of money in CPF, especially if one has worked very little in Singapore (eg those who went abroad to study and got jobs overseas rightaway).
Singapore passport is a more useful travel document in some parts of the world (eg China).
Also some may have HDB or landed property in Singapore (or expect to inherit such property).
If you live overseas why would you want to buy an HDB flat
You could probably get a freehold property cheaper than a HDB flat outside of Spore
I don't think you even need to be a Sporean to get a HDB unit. Lots of PR seem to have no problems
I don't know about traveling in China but from my observation. if you get into problems you are more likely to get help from the gov't if you are an Aust, Canadian, etc citizen rather than if you are a Sporean without any connections :(
Maybe you should be asking people if it is worth keeping your Spore passport, if you already have another passport
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If you live overseas why would you want to buy an HDB flat
Not so much to buy, but to keep or inherit. (Obviously the group of people in this category is unlikely to overlap with the group of people who have hardly worked in Singapore, but they would each have their reasons for keeping SG citizenship). I know people who have HDB flats, did not live in it long enough to be allowed to sell on the open market, and so are hanging on to their SG passports so they don't have to sell back to HDB - although this was several years ago and maybe the rules have changed since.
I don't think you even need to be a Sporean to get a HDB unit. Lots of PR seem to have no problems
True, but you have to be at least a PR. If you renounce SG citizenship you are neither a citizen or PR.
Depends. The British government's position is they will only help their citizens in foreign countries if a British passport was used to enter that foreign country. But I doubt if countries like the US will deny consular assistance to their citizens based on what passport they used to enter the foreign country. I do agree with you that SG consular protection is not worth much though.
Maybe you should be asking people if it is worth keeping your Spore passport, if you already have another passport
I'm definitely curious to hear what others think.
"Yup, that's right. Canada do not need their new citizens to renounce their old citizenship I not sure about others."
USA, Britain, Australia and many other countries allow dual citizenship. This is a good idea. Singapore should also follow suit. At the prime of his life, to ask a person to choose between his country of birth and his country of adoption, in almost all cases, he will choose his country of adoption. This is asking him to burn his boat and impede his return. By so doing, we have actually lost a local talent.
USA, Britain, Australia and many other countries allow dual citizenship. This is a good idea. Singapore should also follow suit. At the prime of his life, to ask a person to choose between his country of birth and his country of adoption, in almost all cases, he will choose his country of adoption. This is asking him to burn his boat and impede his return. By so doing, we have actually lost a local talent.
Interesting point.
I've never considered the inheritance angle
I know a lot of people "returned" or "stayed" in Singapore because of the inheritance angle. Especially the "rich" or family business people.
Government not interested in local talents, any local talents are already in PAP working for them, look at TPL. 
They have many Foreign Talent to fill the local talents that leave.
They have many Foreign Talent to fill the local talents that leave.Many girls wanted to return compared to guys & it had nothing to do with inheritance
The guys that I mixed around with had done their NS & over 90+% wanted out of Spore
. As for the inheritance angle, many parents were still in their working ages & fully supported the son's decision of staying on in Canada. Some parents had plans to join their children in Canada at a future date
If you look at the children of our elites, many of them are living & working overseas. The position of CEO of ST was rumoured to have been given to LHY as a bribe to entice him to stay on in Spore
I'm no lawyer but I'm sure there are ways to arrange for the sale of properties of a deceased & to have the proceeds passed to an ex-Sporean.
Inheritance is not just property, or cash asset. There are people that returned because the family wants them to inherit their business. Its just
a matter of convenience, life expectation. Why would you want to stay in a foreign country, working for somebody else when you can comfortably take over a well established business from your family. Again, that is just some of the cases for people wanting to return. If you have nothing to lose, or the environment is adverse at home, of course you may want to stay another country.
a matter of convenience, life expectation. Why would you want to stay in a foreign country, working for somebody else when you can comfortably take over a well established business from your family. Again, that is just some of the cases for people wanting to return. If you have nothing to lose, or the environment is adverse at home, of course you may want to stay another country.
Many girls wanted to return compared to guys & it had nothing to do with inheritance
The guys that I mixed around with had done their NS & over 90+% wanted out of Spore
As for the inheritance angle, many parents were still in their working ages & fully supported the son's decision of staying on in Canada. Some parents had plans to join their children in Canada at a future date
If you look at the children of our elites, many of them are living & working overseas. The position of CEO of ST was rumoured to have been given to LHY as a bribe to entice him to stay on in Spore
I'm no lawyer but I'm sure there are ways to arrange for the sale of properties of a deceased & to have the proceeds passed to an ex-Sporean.
So after 72 posts, what is the conclusion ? Dual citizenship is acceptable ? For those who say it's not acceptable, any reference to existing legislation?
And if it's acceptable, what will happen to your HDB flat if they found out you have dual citizenship ?
And if it's acceptable, what will happen to your HDB flat if they found out you have dual citizenship ?
HDB has one condition before you sell off your flat. You got to reside in it for 2 years. Those who migrated and bought a HDB flat before leaving or retained a HDB flat got stuck. Some however declared falsely that they were residing in their flat for the 2 years. Other have come back for the 2 years realising that they are caught in a bind.
HDB does not appear to go all out to verify your residence and your citizenship, they will ask you to sell your flat. You can appeal to sell it a little later and not immediately. I understand that they are not picking except for the 2 year reesidency part.
If however you are still retaining your singapore citizenship and have acquired a new country citizenship. You can hold on to your flat but the 2 years residency requirement is applies. This is still a very little known requirement.
HDB does not appear to go all out to verify your residence and your citizenship, they will ask you to sell your flat. You can appeal to sell it a little later and not immediately. I understand that they are not picking except for the 2 year reesidency part.
If however you are still retaining your singapore citizenship and have acquired a new country citizenship. You can hold on to your flat but the 2 years residency requirement is applies. This is still a very little known requirement.
I don't think you have to be a Sporean to own a bizness in Spore
If you look at the Hongkies, many have established their homes in Aust, Canada, etc but work in HK. I think the rich of Spore are equally astute as the Hongkies
Tax planning is another angle.:o
Interesting point.
I've never considered the inheritance angle
I wonder if Spore really hs lower taxes
CPF, COE, ERP, GST high water & electricity costs, monthly conservancy cost, reservists commitments, no free parking, etc on top of income taxes. If you need medical care it's expensive.
Senior citizens are also treated better. They can attend University for free, get concessions for public transport, shows, etc without all the limitations imposed in Spore. They have alot more living options than expensive old folks homes.
Paying taxes is an investment in the system unlike in Spore where it's paid to a bunch of millionaire civil servants:(
While I was a student in Canada I got very good healthcare insurance at a reasonable price, owned a car & rented my own place.
When I started full-time work I enjoyed life, little stress, lots of time to go out with friends for meals, fishing, etc. Got alot of fresh air going to to the national parks, mountains,....
Now whenever my ex-Sporean friends visit Spore , I'm struck by how much healthier they look. Fewer grey hairs, worry lines, smiling instead of frowning
I want to retain my Singapore citizenship and have no intention to sell my existing HDB flat. My concern is if the Government found out that I had obtained citizenship in another country would they force me to sell my HDB flat ? I want to keep the flat for rental
I want to retain my Singapore citizenship and have no intention to sell my existing HDB flat. My concern is if the Government found out that I had obtained citizenship in another country would they force me to sell my HDB flat ? I want to keep the flat for rental
There is no need to go by law everytime you wanna do things. It is up to you to make it happen.
No problem. You can keep your flat, rent it out as you are citizen as long you follow renting rules. You taking up another citizenship has no bearing.
As I far as I know only Malaysia and Singapore have a mutual agreement for obvious security reasons that both sides will not grant citizenship until the party making the application has renounced their current citizenship. The security consideration is why newspaper from both the countries are not allowed by mutual agreement. All previous reciprocal arrangements that used to apply say for instance with Australia/Canada/UK for surrendering passports when obtaining that country's citizenship have been withdrawn or superseded.
Welcome to the global world.
As I far as I know only Malaysia and Singapore have a mutual agreement for obvious security reasons that both sides will not grant citizenship until the party making the application has renounced their current citizenship. The security consideration is why newspaper from both the countries are not allowed by mutual agreement. All previous reciprocal arrangements that used to apply say for instance with Australia/Canada/UK for surrendering passports when obtaining that country's citizenship have been withdrawn or superseded.
Welcome to the global world.
I want to retain my Singapore citizenship and have no intention to sell my existing HDB flat. My concern is if the Government found out that I had obtained citizenship in another country would they force me to sell my HDB flat ? I want to keep the flat for rental
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