Applying for a Singapore passport overseas

[john_nyc_71]

Does anyone know why if you apply online (with overseas collection), you don't have to answer all the nosy questions (names of siblings, whether you are planning on returning to Singapore, what visa do you have to stay in the foreign country, etc) that are asked when you apply in person at the consulate? Or will they still ask you those questions when you collect the passport if you apply online?

 

[NissanViP]

Does anyone know why if you apply online (with overseas collection), you don't have to answer all the nosy questions (names of siblings, whether you are planning on returning to Singapore, what visa do you have to stay in the foreign country, etc) that are asked when you apply in person at the consulate? Or will they still ask you those questions when you collect the passport if you apply online?

Dont bother to apply SG passport, keep your situation as it is.

There are so many who wants to let go their SG passport, perhaps you can exchange with them.

Unless you are not originally a singaporean by birth and thats is different story altogether.

 

[chewed]

Dont bother to apply SG passport, keep your situation as it is.

There are so many who wants to let go their SG passport, perhaps you can exchange with them.

Unless you are not originally a singaporean by birth and thats is different story altogether.

yep, exactly. Many of us can't wait to dump the SG passport. Obviously haven't wake up his idea yet.

I find it amusing that they always quote" want to keep their options open by retaining SG passport"

The bset option is to acquire another passport liao! If SG passport is that great, then why bother to migrate in the 1st place?

 

[john_nyc_71]

Well, for one, I don't have another passport (at least not yet).

Besides, the Singapore passport allows visa free access to some countries that even Western passports don't. PRC is one notable example. Also there are many developing countries (eg in South America) that impose visa requirements on Western passports in retaliation for their citizens needing visas to those Western countries. This rarely applies to Singapore because most nationalities are allowed visa-free access to Singapore.

 

[chewed]

SG passport - so-called convenience to travel, a life time of liabilities

other passport - apply visa when required, no more liabilities, CPF $$$ in my pocket, no more " we know what is good for you, just give us your $$$", no more " you should be glad we only lose US$6 billion..."

hmmm, choices, choices, choices...

 

[axe168]

SG passport - so-called convenience to travel, a life time of liabilities

other passport - apply visa when required, no more liabilities, CPF $$$ in my pocket, no more " we know what is good for you, just give us your $$$", no more " you should be glad we only lose US$6 billion..."

hmmm, choices, choices, choices...

Well, this does not apply to people who have 'zero' cpf and 'zero' offspring ~ liable for NS.. they may choose to hv SG passport and convenience in travelling, coz they have nothing in SG for the ruling party to hold as ransom..

 

[chewed]

axe,

i think it will hard to find some one who have no CPF plus off-spring/ NS liabilities.

Those who fit the bill are not S'poreans liao....

 

[scroobal]

There are actually many.

Usually self-employed who have little CPF. There are also those whose CPF amount is negligible to their assets and let it sit. Many business people fall in this category.

Businessmen by nature learn to keep their options open. They also don't assume too much such as correlating NS liabilities of their sons with holding onto their own Singapore passport.

axe,

i think it will hard to find some one who have no CPF plus off-spring/ NS liabilities.

Those who fit the bill are not S'poreans liao....

 

[chewed]

if you talk about self-employed with not much CPF, yes.

but which "business" people don't have CPF? Even if it's sole proprietors, as long as you registered a company, you will have to pay CPF. Many private limited companies bosses today also must pay CPF. If you fudge you're pay to avoid paying CPF, not only CPF board is coming after you, IRAS will too, for tax evation

Those who "can", already send their kids away from NS liabilities. Those who are stuck with it, are those who "can't".

 

[axe168]

if you talk about self-employed with not much CPF, yes.

but which "business" people don't have CPF? Even if it's sole proprietors, as long as you registered a company, you will have to pay CPF. Many private limited companies bosses today also must pay CPF. If you fudge you're pay to avoid paying CPF, not only CPF board is coming after you, IRAS will too, for tax evation

Those who "can", already send their kids away from NS liabilities. Those who are stuck with it, are those who "can't".

I do know a chap.. who went back to sg to claim his prize $$$ for his baby gal.. his 2nd one is baby boy and he decides to keep him in Oz.. He refuse to give up his HDB collecting rental.. accordingly to his statement, he has limited CPF coz he is into hard cash commission and exporting and importing..

 

[scroobal]

I never ever heard of someone calling himself a businessman who is not self employed. Suggest you look at the CPF Act/site in regard to the self employed.

In essence, if you don't need to withdraw your or have very little CPF, no need to renouce your citizenship.

if you talk about self-employed with not much CPF, yes.

but which "business" people don't have CPF? Even if it's sole proprietors, as long as you registered a company, you will have to pay CPF. Many private limited companies bosses today also must pay CPF. If you fudge you're pay to avoid paying CPF, not only CPF board is coming after you, IRAS will too, for tax evation

Those who "can", already send their kids away from NS liabilities. Those who are stuck with it, are those who "can't".

 

[Charlie9]

There are actually many.

Usually self-employed who have little CPF. There are also those whose CPF amount is negligible to their assets and let it sit. Many business people fall in this category.

Businessmen by nature learn to keep their options open. They also don't assume too much such as correlating NS liabilities of their sons with holding onto their own Singapore passport.

I am one of those who left Singapore for an exchange (or rather employment) programme, shortly after I started working. At that time, I had almost nothing in my CPF account.

I have lived outside of SG for more than 25 years. I have continuously applied for Exit Permit, until recently, when I was released from my NSf obligations. I have also renewed my SG passport.

 

[scroobal]

From what I gathered over the years, the main categories seem to be
1) those leave young at the start of their working life
2) retirees or those nearing the end of their working life
3) those in midlife who sell their HDB / private property at market peak and finance their journey in order to educate their children.

Then there is a businessperson group who do not fall into any age group but look for opportunity much driven by entreprenuership/adventure and prepared to think out of the box. This I sense are the most interesting lot. Though they take up migration to facilitate their entry into business in the new country, they also travel in and out of singapore. This is the lot that seem to have an understanding of the laws, the practices etc.

In the mid 90s, cat 3 group sold their HDB flat with maisonettes hitting 700K, private apartements fetching record high an making the move. There has been speculation that Govt policy has been tweaked to hold on to appreciating prices for low and medium properties to stop migration. Those in high end properties already have one foot in other countries but main business in Singapore.

I am one of those who left Singapore for an exchange (or rather employment) programme, shortly after I started working. At that time, I had almost nothing in my CPF account.

I have lived outside of SG for more than 25 years. I have continuously applied for Exit Permit, until recently, when I was released from my NSf obligations. I have also renewed my SG passport.

 

[axe168]

Then there is a businessperson group who do not fall into any age group but look for opportunity much driven by entreprenuership/adventure and prepared to think out of the box.

Hmmm.. I have a feeling that you are refering to yourself.. Your skin are rather thick leh ? haha.

 

[chewed]

i dunno what sort of businessman scroobal is referring to, unless to him it means sole-proprietor.

sole proprietor you can do anything you want as you can fudge the numbers.

if it's a pte ltd, then even though the businessman owns it,he is still an employee of the company. Even if you're the MD, director or whatso ever, as long as drawing a salary from it, you're still a employee of a company, , which means you have to pay CPF.
many business man have been taking money out of their own pte ltd compay in the 90s, thinking they can get away with it.

IRAS came down hard on them, most of them paid back taxes, some end up in jail.

I'm running my own business, . If i can pay less, trust me, i will be the 1st one.

 

[scroobal]

You can give yourself a salary of $1 per year and collect the rest via dividends/profits.

i dunno what sort of businessman scroobal is referring to, unless to him it means sole-proprietor.

sole proprietor you can do anything you want as you can fudge the numbers.

if it's a pte ltd, then even though the businessman owns it,he is still an employee of the company. Even if you're the MD, director or whatso ever, as long as drawing a salary from it, you're still a employee of a company, , which means you have to pay CPF.
many business man have been taking money out of their own pte ltd compay in the 90s, thinking they can get away with it.

IRAS came down hard on them, most of them paid back taxes, some end up in jail.

I'm running my own business, . If i can pay less, trust me, i will be the 1st one.

 

[chewed]

You can give yourself a salary of $1 per year and collect the rest via dividends/profits.

then you have a problem

if you declare dividends, your company have to pay tax. of course there are ways not to pay CPF. But you know what, they are paying 2.5% interest. What are the banks paying? plus witht e liberalisation of CPF policies for housing, investment etc, they are many ways to get your $$$ out of CPF before Ho CHing blows it all away.

For me it will be giving up my SG passport. Renew passport? what for?

 

[scroobal]

Obviously you pay tax. Thats common sense.

The issue at hand is those that have little CPF. Nothing to do with taxes. Contrary to what you have stated, there are indeed people that have little CPF. As there is little in the CPF, you migrate, get a citizenship of a 1st world country and keep the Singapore option open. Thats what business people do.

Instead you talk about pte lt, company, tax evasion etc. What has all these got to do with holding on to more than one citizenship.

It very much up to you what you want to do. There are people who are want more open options. You should not get upset.

then you have a problem

if you declare dividends, your company have to pay tax. of course there are ways not to pay CPF. But you know what, they are paying 2.5% interest. What are the banks paying? plus witht e liberalisation of CPF policies for housing, investment etc, they are many ways to get your $$$ out of CPF before Ho CHing blows it all away.

For me it will be giving up my SG passport. Renew passport? what for?