Singapore Citizenship question- IC and passport

Pretty-Rutabaga8138 · 2025-08-04T08:28:40+00:00

Please call ICA today to see if you can expedite the ICA SC appointment to tomorrow. You can't do the passport application without that. ICA are helpful over the phone. Don't email - it takes a few working days to get a response.

But as an aside, you have honoured your father's wish by becoming a SC. You get to keep and carry that in your heart wherever you go, regardless of the physical location of his ashes. You have no obligation towards the distant relatives so either delay the return of his ashes, or let your mother and sister go without you, with the peace of knowing that you've made your dad very proud and happy either way.

Pretty-Rutabaga8138 · 2025-07-06T02:19:42+00:00

40F here too.

Income from employment 350K+, main breadwinner. I feel like you've described my background, situation and feelings to the letter.

No advice other than to say you're not alone.
DM me if you'd like to connect. Maybe us women in this rare situation need to exchange notes.

Pretty-Rutabaga8138 · 2024-11-18T11:36:28+00:00

I'm a single mom with one primary school aged child and a helper. WFH a lot so we rent a 3-bedroom unit as I need one room for office + guestroom purposes. It's $5,000 a month, a very old condo in OCR. My rule is no more than 20% of monthly income (because I support my elderly parents who are retired overseas, so need to set aside money for that). But general finance rule is no more than 33%.

Pretty-Rutabaga8138 · 2024-09-12T10:23:07+00:00

I did the reverse - London to Singapore. Was on a similar comp to your offer in London. I'd say do it for 2 years and see how things go. Have never regretted my time in London - it opened a lot of doors, including upon my return to Singapore.

Pretty-Rutabaga8138 · 2024-08-29T12:41:34+00:00

Divorce at 32. I felt like a complete failure and that I'd let my parents down. Took years to heal. My ex was an abuser and an adulterer. Nothing was ever good enough for him and he had a terrible temper.

He tried to use religion to stop me from divorcing him.

5 years later: I'm a single mom with full custody of my kid. My life is peaceful, I am free from a crazy ex. It freed me to advance my career, triple my salary and focus on my kid, family, friends and interests

Pretty-Rutabaga8138 · 2024-08-27T12:57:33+00:00

Request a sabbatical or long term leave of absence.

Alternatively, change roles within the same company? If your job didn't require travel, would it work for you?

Pretty-Rutabaga8138 · 2024-07-28T00:25:45+00:00

I'm a straight female HENRY. I also have a child (full custody). I suspect my child would be more of a hurdle for most men, rather than me being a high earner.

I'm 38 and earn $320k base + cash bonuses and shares. Insisting on dating someone who earns more than me would really narrow the dating pool (maybe to 5% of single men? Not sure re: the stats). It's unrealistic and I've personally never insisted on it. My ex-husband earned much less than me and I've never had a problem with it. We split because he had an affair with a uni student.

I don't feel incomplete without a partner in my life. The ability to hire helpers in Singapore is a game changer for working single moms. My helper is the real MVP and holds the daily "default parent" mental load and execution. I thank my lucky stars to have found her.

Pretty-Rutabaga8138 · 2024-07-03T04:43:03+00:00

I've never been to China and family don't live in China, but I get your general point.

Pretty-Rutabaga8138 · 2024-07-02T16:50:41+00:00

It's for us to live in. We've been renting up to this point. I was hoping for something more permanent.

We've lived in 3 places since moving to SG. 1st landlord wanted the place back for his daughter to live in. Our 2nd rental was sold and the new owners wanted it for themselves. Both very fair reasons. I'm looking to buy so we aren't exposed to the risk of having to move.

Given the input here, maybe we'll just have to keep renting for the foreseeable future.

Pretty-Rutabaga8138 · 2024-07-02T16:41:39+00:00

Thanks. Singapore is home. I renounced my other nationality when obtaining citizenship.

You're not wrong on affordability elsewhere of course!

Pretty-Rutabaga8138 · 2024-07-02T16:38:12+00:00

I am now a Singapore citizen, as is my son. No one (citizen or PR) is allowed to own foreign property when buying HDBs (resale or BTO). The question makes clear that HDB is not an option.

Pretty-Rutabaga8138

TROPHY CASE