Live like undivided Indian family in Singapore
Ramesh Sobti has been living happily in Singapore for the last ten years with his wife, two children, his mother and both his in-laws. “A country can become a complete home only if you have your near and dear around you. Singapore made it possible for us to have them around.” The rules and norms for securing visas for near and dear ones are comparatively easy and less cumbersome. The Ministry of Manpower (MoM) has also enabled these visas to be granted online.
Wife and kids
The government of Singapore recognizes that immediate family is important for those who enter the country on an Employment Pass or EP. An EP holder can apply for Dependent Pass or DP for a spouse and children who are under 21 years old and unmarried. Legally adopted children can also enter the country via a DP as long as they have the necessary documentation in place. However, to able to support dependents, the EP holder should have a monthly income of over SGD 5,000.
Dependent Passes are applied by the employer or the employment agency. Those who come with a DP can also apply for a work permit if they meet the eligibility criteria. They can also secure an Employment Pass themselves but have to cancel the Dependent Pass. The validity of the work permit granted will be tied to the validity of the Employment Pass of the person whom they secured an entry.
Parents & others
Parents, brothers and sisters are not eligible for a Dependent Pass. However, Employment Pass holders can apply for long-term Visit Pass. The eligibility and validity period of such a Visit Pass secured can be extended to some years. Officials ensure that an EP holder has enough means to support parents who will remain unemployed in their country.
“My mother’s VP pass is valid for the next three years. She has settled in the country and has an active social life. We too are content to have her among us rather than in India where she would live alone,” says Sobti who lost his father a few years back. Singapore is much safer than many Indian metros.
Those who want short-term Visit Passes for their friends and other family members to visit also find it very easy. “I can apply for a Visa online and can send it to my friends. Recently, my best friend visited me for a week here in Singapore and I did not have to go through any pains for it,” says J Sriram, a journalist who works in the country.
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