SINGAPORE – From Dec 1, Singapore permanent residents (PRs) who leave the country without a valid re-entry permit will get about six months to apply for one before losing their PR status.

Currently, PRs who are outside Singapore

without a valid re-entry permit

lose their residency status . They have a one-month grace period after their re-entry permits expire to apply for a new one to reinstate their PR status.

The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority has been allowing some PRs who miss the deadline to have their PR status reinstated if they have legitimate reasons, for example, if they were hospitalised overseas, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said on Sept 29.

But this means that PRs effectively lose their PR status between their re-entry permit expiring and getting their status reinstated, it added. 

MHA said: “This process presents some uncertainty about an individual’s PR status and corresponding benefits, from the time he loses his PR status till his application for a re-entry permit is approved.”

A PR is issued two permits: an entry permit when they first receive PR status, which allows a person to enter and remain in Singapore; and a re-entry permit with a fixed validity period, which allows them to re-enter Singapore after having left temporarily.

While the PR status does not expire, re-entry permits are valid for up to five years. 

From Dec 1, a PR who is outside of Singapore without a valid re-entry permit will be given 180 days to apply for one before losing PR status, MHA said. 

The 180 days starts from Dec 1 or the date on which the PR is first outside Singapore without a valid permit.

“This is a grace period during which PRs can regularise their status and confirm whether they wish to continue being a PR, by applying for a re-entry permit,” MHA said. 

They can retain their PR status if their application for a re-entry permit is submitted within the 180-day period and approved. 

If they apply for a re-entry permit during this period and this application is rejected, they will lose their PR status the day after the Controller of Immigration rejects the application. 

If they do not apply for a re-entry permit within the 180 days, they will lose their PR status the day after this period ends. 

This applies whether the person is still overseas or has since returned to Singapore, MHA said.

People will remain PRs during the 180 days or beyond when their re-entry permit application outcome is still pending, even if they are outside of Singapore without a valid permit, if the other conditions are satisfied. 

MHA said these amendments make clear that PRs must apply for a re-entry permit within 180 days of them being outside Singapore without a valid permit, failing which they will lose their PR status. 

“With this revised process, there will no longer be an avenue for PR reinstatement once a PR loses his PR status. The person who has lost his PR status may submit a fresh PR application, if he is eligible to do so,” it added.

During the 180-day period, people will remain PRs and will still be allowed to re-enter Singapore if they meet the ICA’s usual assessment even if they do not have a valid re-entry permit.

These individuals will be issued a PR’s single-entry pass, MHA said. 

The ministry added: “We encourage PRs to obtain a new re-entry permit or to renew their expiring re-entry permit in a timely manner before travelling out of Singapore, to minimise the risk of losing their PR status.”

This change is part of the i mplementation of the Immigration (Amendment) Act 2023, which was passed by Parliament on Sept 18, 2023, MHA added. 

The amendment makes several changes, including removing the rights of foreigners to make statutory appeals to the Minister of Home Affairs for decisions made by the Controller relating to PR status. 

It also simplifies the process for imposing or varying conditions on permits. 

More on this topic