REP Renewal While Abroad

[streetrat123]

Hi all,

I just got PR (PTS scheme) a few months back. Right now, I'm in a dilemma. I have a BTO that is being built and will be complete in 2028. I will marry a SC in 2025. I got a scholarship to study in Oxford next year to do a PhD there, which will take around 6 years. This means I will not be in Singapore for 3/5 years and during the year my REP expires.

Is it OK for me to not be in Singapore for 6 years continuously? I know many people will say if you don't intend to reside in Singapore, why get PR? But I am waiting for my BTO and I will eventually return anyway. And it's very difficult to gain acceptance into Oxford, much less getting a scholarship.

[NYY1]

I feel you will be OK, as long as you can show you are in the PhD programme there and intend to return upon finishing (note, this is just my reaction to the situation, no exact parallel examples I can cite). If not, a) just get another EP or b) LTVP and re-apply PR in due course. If you are married to an SC, you shouldn't have problems staying here.

Or, are you asking as it relates to the BTO eligibility (you are SC + PR couple, a single SC needs to be 35 yrs old and can only buy a 2-room flat)?

Edit: in this case, I would also make sure you get married well in advance of the REP renewal (2027?).

Edit #2: congrats on acceptance and scholarship to Oxford.

[streetrat123]

I feel you will be OK, as long as you can show you are in the PhD programme there and intend to return upon finishing (note, this is just my reaction to the situation, no exact parallel examples I can cite). If not, a) just get another EP or b) LTVP and re-apply PR in due course. If you are married to an SC, you shouldn't have problems staying here.

Or, are you asking as it relates to the BTO eligibility (you are SC + PR couple, a single SC needs to be 35 yrs old and can only buy a 2-room flat)?

Edit: in this case, I would also make sure you get married well in advance of the REP renewal (2027?).

Edit #2: congrats on acceptance and scholarship to Oxford.

Thank you for the advice. From my understanding, if you lose your PR and your HDB hasn't reached MOP, you need to give up your HDB at a compensation rate determined by HDB. So, I'm just worried that I'll lose my house if I fail to renew my PR. Neither of us will be 35 years old by the time of my renewal, so transfer of ownership is out of the question for now.

[Skidmarkz]

Hi all

My REP is up for renewal as early as 20 April 2023.
However I have been lacking physical presence since January 2020.
I have been employed under a Spore company since March 2022 but the company has stationed me at overseas until this moment (currently iam still at overseas).
I have been starting to contribute CPF since March 2022. So from Jan 2020 to Feb 2022 I didn't contribute CPF and wasn't in Spore.
I visited Spore but for few weeks in 2022.
Last time I renewed my REP in 2022 I managed to get only 1yr renewal.
My question is that am I eligible to get 5yr REP renewal when the day has come to renew?
Any advice or could you please share your experience about this?

Thank you so much!

[PNGMK]

Skid. Prepare a letter from your HR stating that you are stationed abroad for a Singapore entity.

Use it if appeal needed. I suspect you'll be ok.

[Skidmarkz]

Skid. Prepare a letter from your HR stating that you are stationed abroad for a Singapore entity.

Use it if appeal needed. I suspect you'll be ok.

Thanks and I will take a note on that.

[sliverchair13]

Hi all

My REP is up for renewal as early as 20 April 2023.
However I have been lacking physical presence since January 2020.
I have been employed under a Spore company since March 2022 but the company has stationed me at overseas until this moment (currently iam still at overseas).
I have been starting to contribute CPF since March 2022. So from Jan 2020 to Feb 2022 I didn't contribute CPF and wasn't in Spore.
I visited Spore but for few weeks in 2022.
Last time I renewed my REP in 2022 I managed to get only 1yr renewal.
My question is that am I eligible to get 5yr REP renewal when the day has come to renew?
Any advice or could you please share your experience about this?

Thank you so much!

You are contributing CPF yourself and not by your company?

[malcontent]

You are contributing CPF yourself and not by your company?

The only thing that might do is indicate your employer’s intention to repatriate you back to Singapore one day… but it’s very tenuous at best — not a deciding factor or even a major factor. A fully funded CPF does not equate to staying or even indicate propensity to stay.

In the one case I’m aware of, they needed the employer to write a statement explaining why the employee was send abroad, how long the assignment was for, and when they expected to repatriate them back to Singapore — that last one dictated how long the REP was extended. In that particular case it was only 2 years if my memory serves me right.

[Skidmarkz]

Hi all

My REP is up for renewal as early as 20 April 2023.
However I have been lacking physical presence since January 2020.
I have been employed under a Spore company since March 2022 but the company has stationed me at overseas until this moment (currently iam still at overseas).
I have been starting to contribute CPF since March 2022. So from Jan 2020 to Feb 2022 I didn't contribute CPF and wasn't in Spore.
I visited Spore but for few weeks in 2022.
Last time I renewed my REP in 2022 I managed to get only 1yr renewal.
My question is that am I eligible to get 5yr REP renewal when the day has come to renew?
Any advice or could you please share your experience about this?

Thank you so much!

You are contributing CPF yourself and not by your company?

Hi Silverchair
My SG company does contribute the CPF for me (not CPF volunteer)

[sundaymorningstaple]

I hope your affairs are in order.