Singapore eases norms for international students to apply for Permanent Residency

Going forward, it will be easier for international students to become permanent residents of Singapore as the country has made the process easier.

To make Singapore, a more attractive destination for foreign students, the country has made the process of obtaining a Permanent Residency much easier. The most important change is that the students who are part of the Integrated Programme or have passed at least one national exam can now apply for Singapore Permanent Residency (PR).

This is a drastic change from the earlier process where the student needed to wait for a minimum of two years before they could apply for PR.

The national exam includes General Certificate of Education N/O/A level examinations or Primary School Leaving Examination. Also, there is a six-year integrated programme that eventually leads to the NUS High School Diploma, International Baccalaureate Diploma or General Certificate of Education A-Level examination.

Ease in Permanent Residency Policy: Details

Earlier, only a female guardian including mothers or grandmothers could apply for the Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP) and now even male guardians including the parent or grandparent of a student in Singapore can apply for LTVP. However, only one guardian is allowed to accompany a student pass holder, as reported by Financial Express.

Those international students who have been accepted by the universities in Singapore need to apply for a Students Pass unless they have a valid Short-Term Visit Pass, Long-Term Visit Pass, or Dependant’s Pass. To get a student pass, the students must have a full-time course offer, part-time and evening and weekend classes do not fulfil eligibility criteria for the student's pass.

Those who have a valid Dependant’s Pass Immigration Exemption Order and Long-Term Visit Pass are not required to obtain a Student’s Pass to pursue full-time studies.

If one is a spouse or parent of a Singapore citizen or Singapore Permanent Resident (PR), then they are eligible for a long-term visit pass. Also, the procedures and requirements of a student's pass differ slightly depending upon the type of university or institute which the student intends to study.

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