Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on \rGranting Permanent Residency or Singapore Citizenship to Foreign Wives on Long-Term Visit Passes After Their Divorce or the Demise of their Singaporean Spouse

Question:

Ms Ng Ling Ling: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs for foreign wives on Long-Term Visit Passes and whose spouse and children are Singapore citizens, what are the considerations to grant them permanent residency or Singapore citizenship after the demise of their spouse or upon divorce, to ensure long-term stability in the upbringing of their Singapore citizen children.

Answer:

Mr K Shanmugam, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law:

1. Our policy is to generally allow divorced or widowed foreign spouses with custody of Singaporean children to remain in Singapore to care for and raise their children here. The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority generally renews their Long-Term Visit Pass, and they are generally considered more favourably for Permanent Residency, compared to those without family ties to Singaporeans.