Grant of Permanent Residency or Singapore Citizenship to Those Who Previously Renounced Singapore Citizenship

Ms Sylvia Lim asked the Prime Minister in the last 10 years, how many persons who previously renounced their Singapore Citizenship are subsequently granted Permanent Residency or Singapore Citizenship and what are the general considerations taken into account in these cases.

Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien (for the Prime Minister): From 2004 to 2013, an average of 14 persons who previously renounced their Singapore Citizenship (that is, ex-SCs) were granted Permanent Residency (PR) each year. Over the same period, an annual average of about one ex-SC was granted Singapore Citizenship (SC). More than half of these persons are female. As the renunciation of SC is a serious matter, PR and SC applications from ex-SCs are subject to careful scrutiny. Our considerations for granting PR and SC to ex-SCs include their commitment to re-establishing roots here, the individual's family ties to Singaporeans, length of stay in Singapore and whether the family is rooted in Singapore.

Ex-SCs who had withdrawn their CPF savings will have to first refund the full CPF amount withdrawn, before they can obtain PR and SC. They will also have to fulfil their individual responsibilities and obligations of being a PR or an SC.