PR it is

This morning, I went over the the Immigrations and Customs Authority (ICA) to apply for being a Permanent Resident (PR) of Singapore.

The rationale for doing is straightforward enough for you to wonder why I did not apply sooner. The only thing I can say to that is: I was testing the waters.

Currently I am here on an Employment Pass (EP) which is tied to my employer. If my employer decides to let me go (as it happens so often these days) or if I choose to leave for another opportunity, my EP stands cancelled and I have to leave the country, even if it is to come back in to get another EP stamped on my passport. Also, I don't get the Central Provident Fund (CPF) benefits that are enjoyed by Singapore citizens and PRs.

Now, as a PR, I am no longer dependant on my employment and can stay in Singapore even if I get fired or if I leave. I get CPF benefits and a few more privileges that I am yet to figure out. I know for a fact that part of my CPF contribution goes towards medical benefits.

A big advantage is that, as a PR, I can play at the local Marina Bay course for less than $100. As someone on an EP (and therefore a foriegner), I would have to pay $197 to play a round there. Since that would be way higher than if I play in Batam or in Malaysia, I continue to do so. But if and when I become a PR (subject to my application being accepted), I don't have to waste an entire day going out of the country to play golf. I can now get done in less than half a day and still be back at home to spend the rest of the time doing what should be done on weekends. Chill out.

We were sent on a wild goose chase by a friend who mentioned that we had to get birth certificates made from the Indian High Commission in order to submit the application. Rubbish. There is no such requirement. I used my original birth certificate and there's no problem with it.

When I landed up on the 5th floor of the ICA building (right outside the Laveder MRT) where the PR Services division is, the number of people waiting in the queue to collect the token number was more than the number of people who were waiting for an ICA agent to attend to them. After around 10 minutes of standing next to an extremely annoying Chinese lady (who for some reason could not stand still and kept bumping into me), I got my token number and was told that someone from counters 14 to 28 would help me. So many counters for this is a good sign...I won't have to wait long.

And I didn't have to wait long at all. A few minutes later, I was sitting at counter 20 showing my application form. I had carried multiple copies of all my certs and had the entire system quite well organized. So after a few checks, a few signatures and a few questions later, I had the acknowledgement from ICA and the assurance that my PR application would be processed in latest 3 months. That's fabulous.

So that's that. Now all I have to do is wait for the PR application to be accepted, processed and for me to get the letter asking me to get my passport stamped.

Then I am a permanent resident of Singapore.