CITIZENSHIP STATUS OF FOREIGN SPOUSES

CITIZENSHIP STATUS OF FOREIGN SPOUSES: 8.

Ms Ellen Lee asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs (a) why newly married foreign spouses of Singapore citizens or permanent residents are only granted Social Visit Passes initially and not Long Term Social Visit Passes or permanent residence to remain in Singapore indefinitely; (b) how many extensions of the Social Visit Pass will be granted in a year and what is the duration of each extension; (c) if there is a quota on such passes issued in a year; and (d) in the past two years, how many foreign spouses have successfully obtained Long Term Social Visit Passes and on what considerations.

9.

Dr Lam Pin Min asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs (a) over the last five years, how many foreign spouses have (i) converted to Singapore citizenship; (ii) converted to permanent residence; (iii) remained on Long Term or Short Term Social Visit Passes; and (b) what are the reasons for not converting to Singapore citizenship.

The Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs (Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee) (for the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for:

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Home Affairs): Sir, may I take Question Nos. 8 and 9 together as they are related?

Mr Speaker: Yes.

Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: Sir, first, let me say that it is not true that newly married foreign spouses are only granted Short Term Social Visit Passes and are unable to obtain long-term immigration facilities to remain in Singapore. A foreign spouse may apply for a Long Term Social Visit Pass (LTSVP) or permanent residence (PR) status and each application will be considered on its own merits.

Over the last two years, on average, about 13,000 applications for Long Term Social Visit Passes for foreign spouses of Singaporeans and permanent residents were approved each year. There is no quota on such passes issued each year.

Our immigration policies take into account the preservation of family unity, while striking a balance in ensuring that foreigners do not become a burden to the State. Generally, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) will try to provide applicants with the reasons for rejection, to help them understand what they can do to improve their eligibility when they reapply.

For the small percentage of foreign spouses who do not qualify for Long Term Social Visit Passes, ICA will consider granting a one-time extension of stay to allow them to seek legal employment so that they may remain in Singapore.

Sir, in short, ICA's guidelines governing the grant of long-term immigration facilities to foreign spouses are sufficiently flexible and compassionate to allow deserving spouses to stay in Singapore.

On Dr Lam Pin Min's question, over the last five years, on average, about 2,700 foreign spouses of Singapore

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citizens have been granted Singapore citizenship each year. For the same period, about 5,400 and 12,000 foreign spouses of Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents were granted permanent residence status and Long Term Social Visit Passes respectively annually.

We do not know exactly why some foreign spouses do not apply to become Singapore citizens. Some of them may hail from countries more developed than Singapore, or still have roots in their native country. Some may also be retaining their foreign citizenship to enjoy certain privileges such as medical benefits or the eligibility to own property or businesses in their native country.

Hence, the Government, through the formation of the National Population Committee, chaired by DPM Wong Kan Seng, has been examining these issues and exploring how to attract and encourage foreigners who are suitable to take up PR status and Singapore citizenship.

With these efforts, we hope that more foreigners, including foreign spouses, will become emotionally attached to Singapore, grow to appreciate the stable and safe environment that Singapore provides for raising a family, and eventually choose to take up Singapore citizenship.

Ms Ellen Lee (Sembawang): Sir, the Senior Minister of State mentioned about family preservation and not being a burden to the State. For many of these applicants requiring their foreign spouses to leave the jurisdiction without giving them any short-term visit passes, it is already a breaking up of the family, so to speak, because they are forced to separate for a period of time, which is uncertain.

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The other thing is that there are also many local spouses who feel that they can sponsor their foreign spouses in Singapore and therefore have not been in any way a burden to the State. Can the Senior Minister of State please elaborate on these two points that he has mentioned?

Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: Sir, first, let me say that the success rate of applicants for Long Term Social Visit Passes for foreign spouses is actually quite high - 85%, over the past five years, from 2002 to 2006. So it is the 15% who may not qualify at the outset, but they will be informed why they do not qualify. For some, it is because their income is not stable enough or they are unable to furnish proof of employment. But, in any case, when that happens, they will not be asked to leave immediately. We will give them extensions, normally with a Short Term Social Visit Pass, maybe over two-three months, so that the husband will have an opportunity to improve the situation. If still that does not come to pass, then it is a matter of separation until the husband meets the requirements.

Like I have said, from 2004, in fact, we have opened up because, where appropriate, we now grant a six-month Long Term Social Visit Pass to enable the foreign spouse to look for a job. This is especially so when the family income is not sufficient. So, instead of just relying on the husband's income, in this case, we give the wife an opportunity to look for a job to strengthen the situation.

Dr Lam Pin Min (Ang Mo Kio): Sir, I would like to ask the Senior Minister of State whether ICA would consider publishing the eligibility criteria or come out with some points system, so that potential applicants are able to assess their eligibility when they wish to apply for permanent residence or Singapore citizenship.

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Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: Sir, this has been done, because there has been the call all these years for greater transparency on two fronts. The first front is with regard to the specific application. When we reply to them, we will let them know whether their income is not sufficient or their residential stay is not enough. So they will know the reason for their failure.

Secondly, on a wider plane, in fact, we have disclosed the general areas where applications will be considered. DPM Wong Kan Seng, for example, in 2004, gave a press interview when he stated that the general criteria included educational qualifications, their immediate economic contributions, ability to integrate into society, duration of stay in Singapore and so forth. To facilitate, in fact, not just foreign spouses but foreigners applying for either permanent residence, Singapore citizenship or other passes, we have also started a portal. I think the Member knows about this. It is the e-service Naturalisation Eligibility Tool launched earlier this year, so that those in Singapore who want to assess their eligibility can go into that portal. We will do what we can, because imparting information so that they know where they stand is important.

Ms Denise Phua Lay Peng (Jalan Besar): Sir, in my estate, there are many elderly Singaporean men who remarried, usually younger and maybe not-so-educated women, thinking that if they got married to a Singaporean, they would be able to reside long term in Singapore. Is there any way that the Ministry can work with other agencies, like the Registry of Marriages, to raise the awareness that marriage does not guarantee approval to reside in Singapore, so that these young women will reconsider marriage?

Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: I think it is a well-known fact because, every year, in the Committee of Supply, this topic

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comes up.

It is a well-known fact that marrying a Singaporean does not automatically entitle the foreign spouse to stay. But if the media can help publicise this, I think it will be a good thing.

Ms Ellen Lee: Can I just ask the Senior Minister of State whether the Ministry will consider expanding the six-month period to a year, because it is not easy for a foreign spouse to be in Singapore for the first time to be able to look for a job within six months?

The other question is: is it true that once they are married, the Government discourages them from getting pregnant because there is this fallacy that they are not supposed to get pregnant or deliver any baby before they get any long-term visit passes in Singapore?

Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: I take this opportunity, first, to affirm a fact - which is what we did just now with Ms Denise Phua - that just getting married does not mean that they can automatically stay; secondly, we will nail a fallacy, which is what Ms Ellen Lee has just said. What is the fallacy again?

Ms Ellen Lee: They cannot have a baby before they get PR.

Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: Of course, they can start a family. We encourage that. You do not need to have, for example, PR to start a family. In fact, that may strengthen their case.

The other point is we should not give one year at a time. It is six months basically to help the family improve its economic situation. After six months, if there is a need to renew, an application can be made and ICA will look at the case again. If they have tried very hard, they have shown effort on their part, and their situation has improved, they may very well be granted, in fact, a Long Term Social Visit Pass. And if they are just off

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the mark, perhaps another extension may be granted to help them improve their situation.

Mr Speaker: Just an observation, Prof. Ho. You cannot nail a fallacy without knowing what the fallacy is. Mr Chiam, last question.

Mr Chiam See Tong: Sir, following up on the question from Ms Denise Phua, is it important for a Singaporean who wishes to marry a foreigner to, first, get prior permission to marry from MOM, and, if having obtained permission, there is a better chance for the spouse to remain in Singapore after marriage?

Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: I do not think Singaporeans should seek permission from the Government for everything that they do, including getting married, unless, of course, the spouse with whom you want to marry has a prohibition operating against her, which is the case if she has worked here before under a Work Permit, where there is an express condition that a foreigner cannot marry a Singaporean, and so application is made to MOM. Except for this category, if Mr Chiam's constituent wants to marry a foreigner who has not worked here before and is not subject to this condition, by all means. But, like we have said, just because you are married does not automatically mean automatic stay thereafter.