PR application procedure

Step 1: Decide when to apply for PR

The first question that typically comes to the mind of majority of the work pass holders: when can I apply for my Singapore PR? Theoretically, you can apply for Singapore permanent residence the day you start working in the country as an EP holder. However, one of the requirements is to provide salary slips that go back six months from your Singapore employer which means should wait at least six months.

In practical terms, how soon you can apply for PR status also depends on the type of work pass you are holding and the unofficial annual quota set by the government. If you are holding a P1 pass, your chances of approval are high if you apply after 1 year. If you are holding a P2 pass, you are likely to have a good chance if you apply after 2 years. If on the other hand, you are holding a Q or S pass, it’s recommended that you apply after 3 years to have a decent chance of approval. Also, make sure you are in good terms with your employer at the time of filing your PR application. One of the sections in the application form is to be completed by the employer.
Step 2: Think about your chances of approval

Besides the type of work pass you hold and how soon you apply for PR, there are few other factors that are taken into consideration by authorities when deciding on your PR application. They include:

    Your education background. Singapore authorities give a lot of weight to your degree and the institute where you graduated from.
    Your physical stay in Singapore. The lesser your physical stay in Singapore, the lesser the authorities will be convinced that you plan to reside in Singapore permanently.
    Your employment background and the stability of your job
    Credentials of your employer (the more established the company, the better)
    Your salary and financial well-being
    Your character (such as whether or not you are a law abiding citizen)
    Your family ties in Singapore. If you have family ties, it’s considered a positive factor.
    Your charitable contributions to society such as volunteering, donations, etc.

Bottom line: the government wants to ensure that you are a law abiding resident and that you will not become a burden on Singapore if you are granted a permanent residence status. They want you to be an asset to the country and not a liability.
Step 3: Decide on PR filing for your children

If you are married and have children, one of the important decisions you have to make is whether you want to apply for PR for your male children.

As per Singapore laws, the main applicant (i.e. you) who is granted Singapore PR under the first generation PTS scheme is exempted from national service. However, all healthy male children that are granted PR status through their parents, must register for national military service when they reach the age of 16 and a half. They will be required to serve 2 years of full-time National Service followed by 40 days of Operationally Ready National Service per year until the age of 50 (for officers) or 40 years (for other ranks).

Different parents look at the National Service requirement differently. Some of them don’t mind it with the thinking that the child will be stronger and more mature after the two year service. Others are horrified at the thought of having their child go through any kind of military service. You will need to think where you stand on this issue and decide the PR application filing for your male children accordingly.
Step 4: Download documents and review filing requirements

Once your eligibility is established and you have decided to proceed with PR application filing, the next step is to obtain the PR application forms and review submission requirements.

The good news is that you can download the necessary forms online by clicking here.  Specifically, download the two forms titled Form 4A and Form EP4 listed under PTS scheme.

Form 4A document consists of two parts: PR Application Form and Annex A. The first part (PR Application Form) is to be completed by you. It asks for you and your family’s details, covering basic information as well as educational and professional history. The second part (Annex A) is for your employer, who must explain the nature of their business, though your employer is not considered to be sponsoring your application. Later sections of this report will provide guidelines on completing the form 4A.

The second document titled Form EP4 contains explanatory notes on Form 4A and this is the document you need to pay attention to first. Read this document and get ready to prepare the supporting documents as explained in the next section.
Step 5: Prepare supporting documents

The first order of business after you have downloaded and read the necessary documents is to get the supporting documents ready. The list of supporting documents required is provided in the Form EP4. Here are some additional helpful guidelines that you should take into account:

    For each supporting document, make a copy and keep the original handy as well. At the time of submitting the PR application at ICA office, you will be required to show the original for verification. The originals will be returned to you immediately after sighting and the copies will be retained by the ICA officer.
    If you have any document that’s not in English, you must produce an official English translation of the document. The safest approach is to get it translated and stamped through your embassy. Make sure to take originals and copies of both non-English and English translated versions of the document for your visit to ICA office.
    Previous employment appointment letters, performance evaluation reports, recommendation letters are also useful. Contact your previous employer(s) if necessary.
    If you have purchased a property in Singapore, include the documents provide the necessary proof. This will be considered a positive factor both in terms of your financial position as well as your longer-term intention of staying in Singapore.
    Make sure you also attach a most recent copy of your CV/Resume.
    It’s also a good idea to prepare a cover letter articulating your love for Singapore, your financial and family stability, your decision to become Singapore PR, and the list of supporting documents you are attaching with the application.

Bottom line: Singapore is big on paperwork and the accuracy of it. The more you produce the better. Once you have prepared copies and originals of all the required documents as per Form EP4 and you have taken into consideration the additional guidelines as listed above, you are ready for the next step i.e. filling-in the PR application form.
Step 6: Completing the PR application form

The PR application form is not a complicated application to complete and with the helpful guidelines listed below, it should be even easier:

    List your education and employment history in a chronological order.
    In the education listing section, list your high-school diploma and above. You do not need to list educational details below high school diploma.
    If you cannot produce an appropriate certificate for a degree or diploma education that you have completed, don’t list it. Otherwise, it might create unnecessary delays where authorities might send you a letter saying that you need to produce the necessary document for verification purpose in order to further process your application.
    The details of your spouse and children would also be listed in the same PR application form. Even if you are not applying for PR for any of your family members (spouse or children), you still need to provide their details in the application. For each of the family members, there if a field where you will indicate whether or not you are applying for the PR for this family member.
    Ask your employer to complete the Annex A (i.e. the last page of the PR application form titled “Annex A to Form 4A (Application for Permanent Residence)”). Completion of this form is just to serve as confirmation that the information provided is accurate and valid and it DOES NOT imply Company’s Sponsorship.

Although the form states that it will take you approximately 30 minutes to complete, in realty, you will probably end up spending few hours in completing the PR application form. Part II of this report will describe the actual filing procedure for the PR application as well as what to do once your PR application is approved or rejected.