Renewal of PR

[Jedi]

How does this work... do they send you a letter some time before it expires, or is it self service? If self service, where do you go? So far only found stuff about renewing the REP.

[Scrummy Mummy]

PR is permanent.

You just renew REP.

You can do it online, no reminder sent. I just did mine - really easy.

Note: For those of you who drive, you don't get a reminder about your driving licence either. Luckily I was hiring a car in Perth and realised it expired 2 days after I got back.

[Jedi]

Was it here that you did it? http://erep.ica.gov.sg/erep/index.do

Also what happens if you get a new passport and need to renew REP at the same time?

[Scrummy Mummy]

I think so.

You print out REP, and I think when you get into the menus there's an option to tell them when you change your passport. (I didn't take much notice as I'll have given up my PR by the time my passport expires).

[Fat Bob]

I think via the online method you can (a) update your REP and (b) update your passport details. Your choice on which one happens first I believe.

Here's the FAQ though doesn't give the links in where to apply for eREP or transfer of exsisting REP

[Spike]

Your status as PR is permanent but your Permanent Resident's exit/re-entry visa in your passport is not. Your first one lasts for 5 years and you do not get a warning that it's going to expire. When you renew at the ICA you can choose 5 or 10 years.

[daffodil]

PR status is only permanent with a valid REP.

As my application for REP has just been declined, I guess I'm no longer a PR - wonder if this means I need to take out my CPF?

[sundaymorningstaple]

Spike, no more. 5 years only. They did away with the 10 year renewals I believe at the beginning of 2009. Even the manual form has removed the 10 year option as well.

daffodil, it depends on where you are. Are you in Singapore? If so, your PR is valid until you leave Singapore without a valid REP. I went without a valid REP for 15 months back in 2004-2005 as I was on holidays (unemployed) and thought I needed to have a job to get a new REP so didn't bother. Was told, when applying for the REP manually, that as I'm here on Family Ties and not the PTS AND I'm over 55 I do not need a job anymore! So they gave me a 10 year REP (but when that one goes, it's 5 year only now).

If you are outside the country when it expires, depending on why you are outside the country, it possible to pay a S$100 fine to immigration and then get your REP again. Usually only for short term holidays and/or schooling (like an MBA). However, if you have transferred to another country or gone home permanently, then yeah, you would have lost your PR but you still need to make application, etc to extract your CPF but if you do so, please be advised that it a strong probability that if you were to return to Singapore, you would not even be able to get an EP let along PR again.

[Jedi]

Daff have you been to ICA to discuss why it was declined?

[daffodil]

I went into ICA last month and was told it was unlikely to be approved as I no longer reside / work in Singapore. I went through with the application process anyway and just got a letter confirming same but with no information regarding CPF and so on.

[Jedi]

Oh not working here is a bit of a deal breaker.

[daffodil]

Indeed.

But as I have bank accounts, CPF, some goods and lots of friends still in Sing I thought it was worth a try

[Fat Bob]

PR is granted (in the majority of our cases) purely on the condition that you remain gainfully emplyed in Singapore. If you are not gainfully employed, then you don't get a REP. However, they keep hold of your CPF in the mean time, as you have not yet given up your PR status.

It's one of those rather wierd situations.

Anyhow, you have to give up your PR status in order to get your CPF. And you have to do tax clearance in order for you to give up your PR.

I think this is possible without actually being in Singapore via letters and the local Singapore Embassy/High Commission.

[Kooky]

You can leave your CPF there but you would get better interest elsewhere. We're just going through the (slow) process of removing ours as we want to use it; we were about to give up PR in order to do so when we were advised it had lapsed anyway.

If you take it out and subsequently move back and get PR again, I think you have to pay back your CPF with interest.

[Fat Bob]

You can get better rate of interest elsewhere?

Ordinary Account: 2.5%
Special, Medisave and Retirement Accounts: 4%

First $60k (of which upto $20k can be in the Ordinary Account) earns an extra 1%

All tax free.

Only reason I would take my money out of CPF at the mo is if the currency I was moving into was depressed (eg GBP or USD) or I needed it (e.g. buying a house).

If you're not planning to come back to Singapore but think about leaving the CPF in Singapore, then I'd throw the Ordinary Account monies into the special/medisave/retirement account and earn the extra 1.5%

[sundaymorningstaple]

FB, I'm in agreement there. I've always said, risk on risk, it's best to leave it there as you would be hard placed to find a better rate. Obviously you can find higher risk rates. But you gotta admit, it's pretty safe where it's at. And if you have given up your PR. You can still let it sit there drawing interest until you decide to take it out. 10 business days to any bank in world via wire transfer. (Tax liabilities at the other end are your problems).

[Scrummy Mummy]

I'll be taking mine out as the interest it'll take offf our Aussie mortgage is worth it.

Plus if we transfer it after we've been there a year there are tax implications.