Singapore Expats

Hi,

I am an Indian and an Entrepreneur am 51 years old. My annual fixed Salary is 240K + 100K in Variable Pay. My Wife works for a bank and her salary is 180K+ 50K in Variable Pay. We have an adult undergrad daughter who is a PR and is employed in SG ( 5K a month) and a Son who is doing his NS. We moved to SG in 2010 with an MNC and i got my PR in 2012. I started my business in 2014/15 and though we are SG Headquartered we have a pan ASEAN outlook. We have raised tens of millions of dollars in Venture capital have a legitimate business and are on the right track.

I applied for Citizenship twice- once in 2016 that was rejected fairly quickly and once is 2018 that was pending for over two years and then it got rejected. We are well off financially with no debt, condo, cars and so on.

My request from the learned folks in this group is to advise me whether to:

Option 1

-Apply for SC again and if yes what are the chances

Option 2

-Just let it be because chances are very low.
Look at other options in other countries. Options to consider are Golden Visa Programs in Europe and Australia, Australia Golden Talent Visa Program and so on. i know quite a few successful older Indian PRs who have been here for many years who could not get their SC applications approved despite being relatively well settled and well to do.

I really do not want to reapply SC for the sake of it because it is an emotionally taxing experience and the last rejection was exceptionally painful for my family and for me. I am seriously looking at Australia as an option because there is a clearcut investment visa program.
The other thing that is weighing on my mind is insecurity driven by the events fuelled by the pandemic. While SG is my home and I absolutely love it here, for some reason a feeling of insecurity has crept in. May be its just me...

Any advice especially from senior folks who have been here long enough to connect the various dots would be very much appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Populism has been made popular since 2015/Brexit.

Fueled further by Trump, and going places now with the emergence of Covid.

Take heed, and follow the heart. Good luck

did you apply as a family unit or just for yourself?

Since you last applied in 2018, I’m assuming your son had yet to begin serving NS. I believe his current status would be favorable in increasing your chances, although perhaps not by too much. Have there been any other significant changes in your profile since your last rejection?

lot286 wrote: ↑

Fri, 17 Dec 2021 8:56 pm

did you apply as a family unit or just for yourself?

Assuming that it was a family application, since he brought up the profile of his family members as well.

We applied for the full family and there have been some changes in our circumstances for the better but these are incremental in nature. Nothing significant has changed.

Thank you for your replies.

saber13 wrote: ↑

Fri, 17 Dec 2021 4:59 pm

I really do not want to reapply SC for the sake of it because it is an emotionally taxing experience and the last rejection was exceptionally painful for my family and for me. I am seriously looking at Australia as an option because there is a clearcut investment visa program.

The other thing that is weighing on my mind is insecurity driven by the events fuelled by the pandemic. While SG is my home and I absolutely love it here, for some reason a feeling of insecurity has crept in. May be its just me...

To be honest, I think you've already answered your own question.

Addadude wrote: ↑

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 10:40 am

saber13 wrote: ↑

Fri, 17 Dec 2021 4:59 pm

I really do not want to reapply SC for the sake of it because it is an emotionally taxing experience and the last rejection was exceptionally painful for my family and for me. I am seriously looking at Australia as an option because there is a clearcut investment visa program.

The other thing that is weighing on my mind is insecurity driven by the events fuelled by the pandemic. While SG is my home and I absolutely love it here, for some reason a feeling of insecurity has crept in. May be its just me...

To be honest, I think you've already answered your own question.

You’re right, upon second read if one is not entirely enthusiastic about applying there is really no point.

saber13 wrote: ↑

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 7:24 am

We applied for the full family and there have been some changes in our circumstances for the better but these are incremental in nature. Nothing significant has changed.

Thank you for your replies.

In that case, I don’t see why your chances would be any different. Perhaps slightly better, but like you said, not significantly so.

Good to just let it rest for now and try again later. Outcome may be the same if you re-apply too soon.

abbby wrote: ↑

Thu, 23 Dec 2021 4:55 pm

Good to just let it rest for now and try again later. Outcome may be the same if you re-apply too soon.

Exactly. No point reapplying if nothing substantial has changed, the only thing that can change is time.

Thank you all for taking the time and effort to weigh in on my situation

Out of curiosity, how many Singaporeans do you have on your payrolls on an average.

Hi Folks, Just wanted to close the loop on this thread. We have decided to leave Singapore early next year and relocate to Australia. Few reasons - COVID has taught us that we can build our company remotely, especially where there is a pan SE Asia angle. And there is nothing more I can do to be fully accepted here from an immigration status standpoint. And perhaps it's just me being overly sensitive but overall I feel less welcome.

Australia has offered me and dependent family a PR (Global Talent International visa) which technically is a visa for ''highly qualified and talented persons with streamlined & priority visa to relocate to Australia" Somehow they feel I qualify for it.

I would like to thank all forum members whose advice and comments have been extremely helpful.

saber13 wrote: ↑

Wed, 24 Aug 2022 11:51 am

Hi Folks, Just wanted to close the loop on this thread. We have decided to leave Singapore early next year and relocate to Australia. Few reasons - COVID has taught us that we can build our company remotely, especially where there is a pan SE Asia angle. And there is nothing more I can do to be fully accepted here from an immigration status standpoint. And perhaps it's just me being overly sensitive but overall I feel less welcome.

Australia has offered me and dependent family a PR (Global Talent International visa) which technically is a visa for ''highly qualified and talented persons with streamlined & priority visa to relocate to Australia" Somehow they feel I qualify for it.

I would like to thank all forum members whose advice and comments have been extremely helpful.

Congrats and good luck, both with the new home and continuing to build out your business. The skilled and risk taking will always find a way. Regards.