My PR Has Been Approved!

[saint]

Well that was the easy bit over with and I must give high praise to the Singapore Oversea's Mission in London for helping/dealing with my application. My application for PR was probably quite rare in it's circumstances as Mrs S and I aren't currently living let alone working in Singapore and I've never had anything more than a 30 day Visitors Visa!

And now the questions for the fountain of knowledge this forum has or you can just make something up!

1) The approval letter says I have to complete the PR process within 2 months of the date of the letter which was 11th April (Bloody snail post!). Are we able to extend this time limit? It's a bit difficult just to pop down to the ICA!

2) How long does the process take including medical etc etc, how long a trip to Singapore should I plan for?

3) How long can one remain outside of Singapore and still maintain their PR status? Is it for the lenght of you re-entry permit, 5/10 years?

Thanks in advance blah blah blah etc

[baloo]

Well that was the easy bit over with and I must give high praise to the Singapore Oversea's Mission in London for helping/dealing with my application. My application for PR was probably quite rare in it's circumstances as Mrs S and I aren't currently living let alone working in Singapore and I've never had anything more than a 30 day Visitors Visa!

Rare indeed. well done.

1) The approval letter says I have to complete the PR process within 2 months of the date of the letter which was 11th April (Bloody snail post!). Are we able to extend this time limit? It's a bit difficult just to pop down to the ICA!

Dunno

2) How long does the process take including medical etc etc, how long a trip to Singapore should I plan for?

couple of weeks

3) How long can one remain outside of Singapore and still maintain their PR status? Is it for the lenght of you re-entry permit, 5/10 years?

My understanding is that it's the length of the re-entry permit. You need to be employed and/or financial independant to have it renewed again. If you are in the country when it expires, you can remain here until you leave the country.

[Fat Bob]

1) I think if you email ICA and explain your circumstances you may be granted an extension, or maybe you won't. You may be able to find other ways to get the ICA to do it, like the Singapore Oversea's Mission in London perhaps?

2) You can get te medical outside of Singapore, as long as it contains a HIV test and chest x-ray report. However, Singapore docs know what to write so might be better at giving this report. It is possible to get the medical report within a week, just make sure the doctor you go to has access to a nearby X-ray unit. The reason for this is the number of trips you make to the various facilities:

Go to docs for HIV test and X-ray referal
Go to X-ray, get the x-ray slide
Go back to docs and give them the x-ray slide
Go back to docs to pick up report and completed form a few days later.

If the docs and xray aren't close, then it's several cab rides. Raffles Medical at Clementi has an X-ray place close, and so do some of the hospitals,

The application for entry permit at ICA is 2-4 hours, including taking of fingerprints for IC, stamping of passport with re-entry permit etc

You pick up our IC between 1 week and 3 months later.

3) Under what reasons was the PR given? If it's due to employment, then you are given 5 years initially, and if you can get a company to say you are working for them when that is up, you can apply for another one, not sure if you can get 10 years at this point. Not sure about other methds of PR (marriage, investment)

Best of luck, and congratulations!

[saint]

1) I think if you email ICA and explain your circumstances you may be granted an extension, or maybe you won't. You may be able to find other ways to get the ICA to do it, like the Singapore Oversea's Mission in London perhaps?

We emailed the Oversea's Mission in London on Friday and they said just write a letter addressed to the ICA stating reason and when we wont it extending to, forward to to them and they will deal with it on our behalf. By the sounds of it, there shouldn't be a problem. We still plan to make a trip back late June anyway

2) You can get te medical outside of Singapore, as long as it contains a HIV test and chest x-ray report. However, Singapore docs know what to write so might be better at giving this report. It is possible to get the medical report within a week, just make sure the doctor you go to has access to a nearby X-ray unit. The reason for this is the number of trips you make to the various facilities:

Go to docs for HIV test and X-ray referal
Go to X-ray, get the x-ray slide
Go back to docs and give them the x-ray slide
Go back to docs to pick up report and completed form a few days later.

If the docs and xray aren't close, then it's several cab rides. Raffles Medical at Clementi has an X-ray place close, and so do some of the hospitals,

The application for entry permit at ICA is 2-4 hours, including taking of fingerprints for IC, stamping of passport with re-entry permit etc

You pick up our IC between 1 week and 3 months later.

We thought about getting done in UK first, but as you say it's too big a risk if it's not done correctly. So I'm going to get it done in Singapore the day we arrive (booked in advance I hope) and at somewhere which has everything that's needed, someone else has also mentioned Raffles Medical.

3) Under what reasons was the PR given? If it's due to employment, then you are given 5 years initially, and if you can get a company to say you are working for them when that is up, you can apply for another one, not sure if you can get 10 years at this point. Not sure about other methds of PR (marriage, investment)

Best of luck, and congratulations!

I got the PR under the Spouse's Sponsorship scheme so I guess I'd get a 5 year re-entry permit straight away.

Thanks Baloo and FB for your advise, it's definitely going to be a busy time for Mrs S and I over next few months!

[Fat Bob]

Cool, thought the Overseas Mission might be of more help, glad they could be useful.

Raffles Medical have a hospital in Bugis where there is everything, and then several doctors around the island. I think the form is pretty simple, so it's a case of "you pays your money". You'd probably pay a lot less in Singapore than in UK.....

And I would think for your re-entry permit, yes, you'd get a 5 year one and then, as long as you're still married (and of course, all marriages last forever) and your wife is willing to continue to sponsor you then they'd just go ahead and get another permit.

Now, will she sponsor you to sit around and do nothing?

[BFG]

I'd agree with FB - we went to Raffles in Bugis and they have a PR "Package" - all the tests done in one day (took about 40 minutes - 1 hour) results ready within 5 days from memory.

Good luck and congratulations!

[saint]

I'd agree with FB - we went to Raffles in Bugis and they have a PR "Package" - all the tests done in one day (took about 40 minutes - 1 hour) results ready within 5 days from memory.

Good luck and congratulations!

Thanks BFG!

We were thinking of Raffles at Bugis but can find anything on their website?

[saint]

Cool, thought the Overseas Mission might be of more help, glad they could be useful.

They have been very helpful and are virtually human compared to those at the ICA!

Raffles Medical have a hospital in Bugis where there is everything, and then several doctors around the island. I think the form is pretty simple, so it's a case of "you pays your money". You'd probably pay a lot less in Singapore than in UK.....

On the case at the moment and it would be considerably cheaper than the UK. Someone else had theirs done at a Polyclinic but I would imagine that could be a nightmare?!

And I would think for your re-entry permit, yes, you'd get a 5 year one and then, as long as you're still married (and of course, all marriages last forever) and your wife is willing to continue to sponsor you then they'd just go ahead and get another permit.

I'm in for the life sentence without chance of parole!

Now, will she sponsor you to sit around and do nothing?

I think propping up the bar at my local for months wouldn't go down too well, especially as she'll be starting work as soon as we've settle down. Now the dilema is do I wait until I get a job before coming over for good or just go for it and look while over there?????

[Fat Bob]

The blood test and xray report were done by the doctor at Raffles Medical in Clementi. They didn't have an xray so I had my chest xray done at a polyclinic, was rather quick an efficient.

Cost I think was $40. In the UK, some places will make you pay for such a report, including the cost of HIV test and XRay. That ain't cheap unless you've got a company medical which covers it!

Have a look at the job market out here: sometimes people won't accept you for interview until you are here, but at least you'll get a feel what is out there. What sort of work you in? Maybe someone here has some ideas on what options for jobs there are.

As an example, for scientific research: there's a few MNCs doing research so check out New Scientist and other jounral websites for jobs. Otherwise, government has a lot of research institutes under the A*STAR banner, use google to fin them and look for jobs.

There's a whole load of other things out there too. Enjoy the job hunting!

[BFG]

There's also the Camden Medical Centre - where Whitebait and Kale is/was. They are pretty nifty too.

[saint]

Have a look at the job market out here: sometimes people won't accept you for interview until you are here, but at least you'll get a feel what is out there. What sort of work you in? Maybe someone here has some ideas on what options for jobs there are.

I've worked in the Lloyd's of London insurance market for 18 years in various roles but lately as a Business Analyst/MI Analyst. I'm also an experienced MS Access dba.

If anyone has any contacts I'd be very grateful

[BoD]

I spent many a 'happy' year as an employee of the Corporation of Lloyd's, developing systems that nobody wanted

[baloo]

I've worked in the Lloyd's of London insurance market for 18 years in various roles but lately as a Business Analyst/MI Analyst. I'm also an experienced MS Access dba.

If anyone has any contacts I'd be very grateful

Do you make good coffee ?

[BoD]

Does getting the coffees from Spinelli's require any skill?

[baloo]

make, not buy

[saint]

I spent many a 'happy' year as an employee of the Corporation of Lloyd's, developing systems that nobody wanted

I'm currently working for the "Corporation of Lloyd's" helping to create even more systems that nobody wants!

[saint]

I've worked in the Lloyd's of London insurance market for 18 years in various roles but lately as a Business Analyst/MI Analyst. I'm also an experienced MS Access dba.

If anyone has any contacts I'd be very grateful

Do you make good coffee ?

Great coffe Baloo!

Should I be placing that strategically in my CV??

[BoD]

They knocked down the '58 building right? Pity

Have they managed to computerise the placing process yet or are the syndictates still using paper slips?

[saint]

They knocked down the '58 building right? Pity

Have they managed to computerise the placing process yet or are the syndictates still using paper slips?

The 58 Building has gone and the new Willis Building is nearly ready to open there. I'm in One Lime Street.

Lloyds have outsourced the policy placing and transaction processing to another company, Xchanging, as it was a nightmare trying to get every syndicate to change to a computerized process!

[BoD]

It was a nightmare when I worked on Electronic Placing in the early 90s. Ridiculous that 15+ years later nothing has changed!

[saint]

Brokers are still going to the box to get the Underwriter to put a line down. It will never change!

Anyway, anyone got any contacts in the Insurance Industry or do I have to make coffee for Baloo all day!

[Lichtgestalt]

Anyway, anyone got any contacts in the Insurance Industry or do I have to make coffee for Baloo all day!

Be grateful if it stays with coffee making... have you tried the various software vendors (e.g. SAP, Microsoft, Oracle, etc)? If they do sell industry-specific software than people with IT and industry knowledge are usually in demand for sales, pre-sales, etc.

[BoD]

Lloyd's do have an office in Singapore. At least so the signs at Capital Sq lead met to believe

[saint]

Lloyd's do have an office in Singapore. At least so the signs at Capital Sq lead met to believe

I'd prefer to keep it quiet from my current suppler beer tokens that I'll most probably be leaving soon.

[baloo]

Anyway, anyone got any contacts in the Insurance Industry or do I have to make coffee for Baloo all day!

Oh, I need more than coffee. Powerpoint presentations, excel pivot tables, rememdy reporting, some business objects reporting, sla tracking, lunch, etc