To migrate or not?

[phtthp]

never give up SG citizenship. You never know what happens in future …

[happy to be mum]

ya, that is what I will advise sons when they are older, not to give up their SG citizenship and hope by then SG will allow dual citizenship. Anyway, I have given my sons a choice and hope the choices will not give them headache because they need to make a decision when they are 21 years old

[shine]

Hi everyone, thanks very much for all your views. As of now, we're still deciding! :frustrated:


But with the announcement of the population white paper, sentiments seem to have changed, and it might just trigger us to really go over.

[Attolia]

I was going to start a new topic, but maybe I’ll just ask my question here instead and maybe someone can help. I’m actually asking this on behalf of a workmate here in NZ. Her family migrated to NZ from Singapore when she was 9 years old, and they’re all PRs here. She’s now 26 and still holds Singapore citizenship. Recently she’s been thinking of going on her OE to the UK for a few years and can’t decide if she should give up her Singapore passport and apply for NZ citizenship, as I think it’s easier to travel and stay in the UK with a NZ passport? (not sure about that, actually). Are there any benefits to keeping her SG citizenship? It is highly doubtful that she’ll ever return to Singapore to work or anything (although never say never), but she’s just not sure if there are any significant benefits to retaining her SG citizenship. Thoughts?

[Mawar]

Attolia:

I was going to start a new topic, but maybe I'll just ask my question here instead and maybe someone can help. I'm actually asking this on behalf of a workmate here in NZ. Her family migrated to NZ from Singapore when she was 9 years old, and they're all PRs here. She's now 26 and still holds Singapore citizenship. Recently she's been thinking of going on her OE to the UK for a few years and can't decide if she should give up her Singapore passport and apply for NZ citizenship, as I think it's easier to travel and stay in the UK with a NZ passport? (not sure about that, actually). Are there any benefits to keeping her SG citizenship? It is highly doubtful that she'll ever return to Singapore to work or anything (although never say never), but she's just not sure if there are any significant benefits to retaining her SG citizenship. Thoughts?

If she has lived most of her life outside of Singapore, and has no family ties to hang on to, then the decision is straightforward.

There is no benefit to consider. If there is no emotional connection, she should just tidy up her paperwork and sink roots where she feels she belong.

[Attolia]

Mawar:

Attolia:

I was going to start a new topic, but maybe I'll just ask my question here instead and maybe someone can help. I'm actually asking this on behalf of a workmate here in NZ. Her family migrated to NZ from Singapore when she was 9 years old, and they're all PRs here. She's now 26 and still holds Singapore citizenship. Recently she's been thinking of going on her OE to the UK for a few years and can't decide if she should give up her Singapore passport and apply for NZ citizenship, as I think it's easier to travel and stay in the UK with a NZ passport? (not sure about that, actually). Are there any benefits to keeping her SG citizenship? It is highly doubtful that she'll ever return to Singapore to work or anything (although never say never), but she's just not sure if there are any significant benefits to retaining her SG citizenship. Thoughts?

If she has lived most of her life outside of Singapore, and has no family ties to hang on to, then the decision is straightforward.

There is no benefit to consider. If there is no emotional connection, she should just tidy up her paperwork and sink roots where she feels she belong.

Thanks. To me, the answer is straightforward too. I don't see why she's hanging on to her SG passport or why there even is a dilemma here, but she said that someone told her that if she ever wanted to work in Singapore and buy an apartment to live in, her citizenship would come in handy? Emotional ties to Singapore - I'm not sure. I mean, she was a kid when she left. She's got extended family there and she goes back for holidays almost every year, but is that reason enough to keep her passport? I think she's mainly holding on to it *just in case*, but in the same vein, she's wondering if NZ may tighten citizenship rules in the future or that the increasingly vocal call to restrict the sale of land and properties to non-residents may even extend to PRs one day, and then without a Kiwi passport, she wouldn't be able to buy a house.

[Coolkidsrock2]

Singapore passport not difficult to stay as PR in UK.


One of the consideration not mentioned here is the high tax rate. It is not difficult to hit their highest tax bracket. On a net basis, the take home pay may be lower. Will also need to take into consideration the cost of education there. The PRs I know in Australia send their kids to private schools.

Someone I know sponsored the maid there. Salary is 2000 per month, 44 hours week. There are part-time cleaners but not exactly cheap either. So got to do everything personally.

The grass may or may not be greener. Different expectations, experience for different people. Keep your house and Singapore passport.

[Irrelevant]

On one hand, we castigate foreigners for being opportunistic (in using Singapore as a stepping stone). On the other hand, we encourage Singaporeans to be opportunistic too?

[sinoboy]

Irrelevant:

On one hand, we castigate foreigners for being opportunistic (in using Singapore as a stepping stone). On the other hand, we encourage Singaporeans to be opportunistic too?

These are people who have the ability and means to migrate. They are discussing options. Options open to the people who used Singapore as stepping stone. Most in Singapore have no choice. Yes I am encouraged by talks of migration despite the horror stories of those \"who were there and back\". But in reality many locals like me who received a local education as opposed to those who studied in UK, Auz, NZ, US, with kids in normal schools and not top schools with overseas uni potential and with little resources with HDB and not D10,11,12 don't have the options open to us. So right now I can only feel depressed at my inability to be opportunistic. :sad:

[sinoboy]

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