Singapore Expats

Hi all, I would be most grateful for anybody who could help answer my question. Am in a bit of a dilemma.

Will I be barred from obtaining an employment pass?

I was born in Singapore & because my mum is Singaporean, I automatically became one. However, my dad is from Brunei & I have lived in Brunei since I was was 1 month old. Apart from annual 2 week trips to Singapore to visit family for social reasons, I have never lived in Singapore. I travelled on a Singapore passport until 11 but from 12 onwards, have used a Brunei passport. I have never held a Singapore IC.

I was allowed by MINDEF to defer my National service commitments until 21 years old as I was deemed not to have derived any substancial socio-economic benefits. At 21, I then renounced my Singaporean citizenship.

Now, I am 29 & have a job offer to work in Singapore. Would my application for an employment pass be rejected?

I am asking because former PR's who have given up their residency status have been rejected before.

I would be most grateful if anybody had any idea or was a aware of a similar case to mine. In short, I was technically Singaporean, but never lived there for more than a month or held an IC.

Once again, thank you everybody.

Sounds like you and your parents have done things by the book, so no, legally speaking there should be no obstacle. However, the rules for EPs aren't published, so whether your resignation of citizenship will be held against you in practice is unknown.

But if you already have a good job offer, than I'd say that you should go for it. What do you have to lose?

jpatokal wrote:Sounds like you and your parents have done things by the book, so no, legally speaking there should be no obstacle. However, the rules for EPs aren't published, so whether your resignation of citizenship will be held against you in practice is unknown.

But if you already have a good job offer, than I'd say that you should go for it. What do you have to lose?

Thanks jpatokal,

I guess no one really knows.

I'm going for it. I'll keep you updated on how things go.

I hope somebody at Ministry of Manpower will realise, that I am really a Bruneian & not see me as a Singaporean trying to escape from my duties.

My mum chose to give birth in Singapore cause she was worried about Brunei's hospitals then!