APPLICATIONS FOR LONG-TERM VISIT PASSES

APPLICATIONS FOR LONG-TERM VISIT PASSES: 14.

Ms Ellen Lee asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs in the last 12 months ending March 2010 (a) how many applications for long-term visit passes, both new and for renewal, were received and what were the respective success rates; (b) what was the number of applications for permanent residence and how many were successful; (c) what was the number of applications for Singapore citizenship and how many were successful; and (d) whether the rejections in each category were in response to the strong sentiments expressed by Singaporeans that there are too many foreigners in Singapore.

15.

Mr Lim Biow Chuan asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs whether the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority will grant long-term visit passes to foreign relatives of Singaporeans if the objective for the long-term stay is to help look after Singaporeans.

16.

Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs (a) in the last five years, what is the number of foreign spouses of Singapore citizens whose marriages were registered in Singapore and whose applications for long-term visas and permanent residence (PR) were rejected; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider measures to increase the public's awareness that marriage registration in Singapore does not entitle foreign spouses of Singaporeans to long-term stay or PR and the reasons behind this policy.

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The Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs (Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee) (for the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs): Sir, may I take Question Nos. 14, 15 and 16 together?

Mr Speaker: Yes. You have five minutes left.

Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: Sir, from 1st April last year to 31st March this year, we received about 70,300 applications for long-term visit passes (LTVP), of which about 56,300 or 80% were successful.

Over the same period, about 124,600 applications for PR and 24,000 applications for Singapore Citizenship (SC) were received whilst 112,000 PR applications and 23,300 SC applications were processed. Of the applications processed, approximately 46,300 PR applications and 19,300 SC applications were approved.

Ms Ellen Lee asked if the rejections for PR and SC were in response to the strong sentiments expressed by Singaporeans that there were too many foreigners in Singapore.

Sir, as mentioned at the Committee of Supply debate on the issue of population taken under the Prime Minister's Office this year in March, we had taken in larger numbers of foreigners over the last few years so as to catch the wind of growth to propel our economy forward. The growth in the number of new immigrants in recent years was because we wanted to take advantage of the strong economy to attract and retain suitable foreigners to sink roots here and to augment our population.

The Government recognises and understands Singaporeans' concerns and sentiments over the rapid increase in numbers. We have reviewed our immigration framework to better manage the pace and overall numbers. The PR and

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citizenship framework was tightened in the last quarter of last year and the eligibility requirements have generally been made more stringent. Hence, there could be applicants who may not meet our new criteria and who, for example, will no longer qualify for PR or citizenship. Others, even though they meet the new criteria, may take a longer time before they are granted PR or citizenship, as the residency requirements have been stretched out in the new framework. For Singaporeans or PRs whose foreign dependants do not yet qualify for PR or citizenship, they can apply for long-term visit passes to remain in Singapore.

Sir, Ms Denise Phua asked for the number of foreign spouses of Singaporeans whose marriages were registered in Singapore and whose applications for long-term passes and PR were rejected in the last five years. ICA does not make a distinction between marriages registered in Singapore and those registered overseas. From 2005 to 2009, ICA processed an average of 15,400 long-term visit passes and 9,900 PR applications from foreign spouses of Singaporeans per year. Of these, about 2,200 LTVP and 4,500 PR applications were unsuccessful. So the success rate for LTVP is a high of 86%.

Ms Denise Phua asked if MHA will consider measures to increase the public's awareness that marriage registration in Singapore does not entitle foreign spouses of Singaporeans to long-term stay or PR. Over the years, Sir, we have reiterated in Parliament, for example, in July 2007 and again in January 2008, I think, in exchanges with both Ms Denise Phua and Ms Ellen Lee, that when a Singaporean marries a foreigner, the foreign spouse is not entitled to or automatically granted a long-term visit pass, PR or citizenship. The key consideration is whether the Singaporean can support his or her foreign spouse financially. And I believe most

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Singaporeans are aware of this. In any case, I thank Ms Phua for giving me the opportunity to reiterate this policy again.

Sir, Mr Lim Biow Chuan asked whether ICA will grant long-term visit passes to foreign relatives of Singaporeans to help look after Singaporeans.

Sir, Singaporeans can sponsor their immediate family members such as foreign parents, spouses and minor children for long-term stay but not other relatives. Each application for long-term stay is assessed on its own merits. Where a Singaporean family has critical needs and has no other immediate options available locally to provide care to a family member such as when there is a new-born baby, ICA may, on a case-by-case basis, allow a foreign relative such as a foreign spouse’s mother to extend her stay here. Sir, this is to help the family with interim care-giving for a limited duration while they look for alternative arrangements for long-term care.

3.00 pm

Mr Speaker: Order. End of Question time.

[ Pursuant to Standing Order No. 22(3), Written Answers to Question Nos. 20, 22, 26, 30-31, 35-37, 40-42 and 44 on the Order Paper are reproduced in the Appendix*. Question Nos. 17-19, 21, 23-25, 27-29, 32-34, 38-39 and 43 have been postponed to the sitting of Parliament on 19th May 2010 .]

*Cols. 465-480.