1. What is the annual quota for Singapore Investment Immigration?
There is no explicit quota limit for Singapore Investment Immigration. However, since 2010, Singapore has tightened its review process, and the processing time has gradually increased.
2. What is the approval rate for this program?
The approval rate for this program is very high, maintaining over 95%. Applications that are denied are generally due to either excessive fluff in application materials or a weak business background of the applicant.
3. Can one immigrate to Singapore solely by purchasing property?
No, it must be accompanied by investment in a fund or a business.
4. After obtaining permanent residency, can parents immediately apply for a family visa to live in Singapore long-term? How long can each visa holder stay?
Yes, they can apply immediately. The stay is for 6 months.
5. Is over 60% of Singapore's medical welfare out-of-pocket for individuals? If so, it seems to offer little advantage compared to domestic medical welfare?
Singapore implements the Medishield program, which was adjusted in 2005 to reduce personal out-of-pocket costs to only 30%.
The medical welfare in Singapore is similar to that of China; in fact, China's current system is modeled after Singapore's. Almost every Singaporean, in addition to paying CPF, also purchases medical insurance. Generally, individual costs are partially covered by personal payments, government subsidies, and insurance claims, making medical expenses affordable for most Singaporeans.
Note: For high-net-worth individuals applying for investment immigration to Singapore, medical welfare is not a primary concern, as they typically purchase insurance and can afford medical expenses. Conversely, high-welfare countries often impose heavier tax burdens, whereas Singapore is a low-tax country.
6. Will the children of new immigrants receive a good education in Singapore? Are tuition fees expensive?
Singapore has a well-established educational system that adheres to the Commonwealth education model and bilingual education. The diplomas are internationally recognized, and the National University of Singapore is noted for its similarity to Cambridge and Harvard in Asia. Tuition fees are low, with the government providing substantial support to the education sector, offering 80% subsidies for all public schools, and various scholarships at polytechnics. The unified examination “GCE” N/O/A levels taken in Singapore are also internationally recognized. Before obtaining citizenship, children of new immigrants have equal opportunities as local citizens, with tuition fees required to be paid at a rate of 1,000 Singapore dollars every two years on top of the local fees. Singapore's educational stages are divided into: Primary school: Six years, from Primary 1 to Primary 6; Secondary school: Six years, from Secondary 1 to Secondary 6; Pre-university: Two years; Bachelor’s degree: Four years (plus one additional year for medical studies).
7. Which countries are visa-free for Singapore passport holders?
8. Is it mandatory to have a record of paying personal income tax when applying for citizenship? What is the required amount?
Some records are necessary, but specific amounts are not mandated.
9. After signing a fund contract, can clients arrange for a meeting with the fund manager without traveling to Singapore?
They can meet prior to signing, depending on the client's needs, and can visit Singapore to meet with the fund manager as required. Yes, all issues regarding the fund can be discussed with the fund manager. Generally, visiting Singapore is recommended, which also allows for evaluating our company.
10. How is the education in Singapore? What benefits do children of immigrants receive?
The Chinese population in Singapore accounts for 77%, and from an international perspective, the standard of living is undeniably high quality. Singapore possesses a globally recognized outstanding education system. In addition to its well-known local universities and polytechnics, Singapore also has numerous international schools and various educational centers along with private training institutions. Some internationally renowned schools have branches in Singapore, such as the European Business School, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Dependent spouses, children, and even parents and in-laws of investors can also settle in Singapore.
11. After applying for immigration, can children immediately apply to study in Singapore? If so, what is the procedure?
Yes. Singaporean schools will assess the child’s English proficiency; if successful, they can continue at the same level. If the child does not pass, they will need to be placed one level lower, which can be applied for at the Ministry of Education.
12. Is there any residency requirement for investment immigration in Singapore?
There are no residency requirements in Singapore, unless one's nationality must be changed, in which case they need to live in Singapore for at least one year within those two years.
13. Can all processes be completed within China? How long will it take?
All procedures can be conducted within China except for the requirement for the client to attend one interview in Singapore. The client will need approximately one month to prepare the documents before submitting them to the Singapore Economic Development Board. Upon receipt of the materials, the Singapore government will inform the client of the interview as soon as possible. If the interview is successful, the client will receive a principle approval for permanent residency. Following the approval, the client has six months to fulfill the investment commitment, after which the entire family can obtain Singapore permanent residency.
14. Is there a distinction between Singapore citizens and permanent residents? What are the differences?
Yes, there is a distinction; each country has specific policies regarding citizens and permanent residents, but generally, the benefits for citizens and permanent residents are similar.
1. Permanent residents are not allowed to purchase new government-built public housing (HDB) and can only buy resale HDBs, where the price difference can exceed 100,000 Singapore dollars.
2. Permanent residents are not entitled to national subsidies and dividends from privatized state-owned enterprises. The maximum benefit realized from these is several thousand Singapore dollars over ten years, which is not significant.
3. Singapore citizens travel using a Singapore passport, while permanent residents travel with their home country's passport. Singaporean passport holders can receive visa-free access to many countries, including the United States, European countries, and neighboring countries to Japan; however, a visa is required for entry into China, while no visa is needed for entry into Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. Holders of Chinese passports require visas for travel. Applying for visas to other countries from Singapore is generally faster and easier.
4. It is easier for Singapore citizens to immigrate to other countries.
15. Must permanent residents reside in Singapore?
No, but they need to make at least one trip to Singapore after approval. Afterwards, they can apply for a Re-Entry Permit, which serves as proof of re-entry into Singapore. As long as they return to Singapore within the validity period of the Re-Entry Permit, they can avoid losing their permanent residency status. After returning, they can reapply.
