Singaporean citizenship
| Basic data | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Singapore citizenship regarding laws |
| Short title: | Citizenship concerning laws |
| Type: | Singaporean citizenship |
| Scope: | Singapore |
| Legal matter: | Derivation from constitutional law |
| Issued on: | August 9, 1965 |
| Entry into force on: | December 23, 1965 |
| Please note the note on the applicable legal version. | |
The Singaporean citizenship is based on the Singaporean nationality legislation, which is derived from the Singaporean constitution . The ius sanguinis , according to which the descent and not the place of birth is decisive for citizenship, is applied. The jus soli is also practiced in a modified form. So far, there are three possible ways to acquire citizenship: by birth, by descent or by registration. Acquisition through naturalization is no longer used; instead, registration is preferred as a form.
history
Citizenship was first introduced in 1959. At that time Singapore was a self-governing colony of the British Empire.
The 1957 ordinance gave citizenship to anyone born in Singapore or Malaysia. British citizens who lived there for at least two years also got citizenship. All other foreigners must have lived there for at least ten years.
When Singapore joined Malaysia , all Singaporean citizens automatically became citizens of the Federation of Malaysia. Malaysian nationality legislation gave citizens the right to live on a subsidiary basis. That is, the Singaporean citizens of Malaysia automatically had Malaysian citizenship. Renunciation of one of the two citizenships automatically led to the loss of the other citizenship, unless you only registered as a Malaysian citizen.
After separating from Malaysia on August 9, 1965, Malaysian citizenship was declared invalid. Singaporean nationality legislation has been incorporated into the Singaporean constitution. The constitution officially repealed the 1957 ordinance on September 16, 1963.
In 2004 the constitution also included the “ius sanguinis” for female citizens as an opportunity to earn a living. The place of residence is specified as a condition.
birth
The legitimate child of a Singaporean person acquires Singaporean citizenship by law when it is born in Singapore. Children of male diplomats acquire citizenship even if the mother is a foreign citizen.
ancestry
Since May 15, 2004, the legitimate child of a Singaporean person has acquired Singaporean citizenship by law when it is born abroad. If the parents themselves are acquirers by parentage, they must provide evidence that they have lived in Singapore for at least 4 years. Individuals born outside of Singapore prior to May 15, 2004 can only claim the purchase if the father acquired citizenship through birth or registration.
naturalization
Despite the constitutional guarantee of naturalization, there is no naturalization in the strict sense of the word; instead, registration is preferred as an alternative by the government.
Registration
Registration is the alternative form of naturalization. The person to be registered must have lived in Singapore for at least 2 years and have a steady income or is married to a Singaporean citizen.
Multiple citizenship
The government denies multiple citizenship. Foreign citizenship can only be retained if the natural person has obtained citizenship before turning 18. Upon acquiring foreign citizenship after reaching the age of 18, Singaporean citizenship will be canceled. The ban on multiple citizenship is highly controversial in society. Due to globalization, many Singaporeans acquire another citizenship, although the Singaporean one is lost. In contrast, the immigrants acquire i. d. R. the citizenship despite the loss of their own. The government takes a position that, due to Singapore's international position, no compromises can be made. She also fears that individual citizens would feel disadvantaged if a crisis overwhelmed Singapore. Nevertheless, the government may allow multiple citizenship if inevitable conditions exist.
Waiver
The waiver can only be made if the natural person acquires a foreign citizenship. When applying for a waiver, applicants must submit their Singapore ID and passport. Male Singaporeans can only renounce citizenship after completing their military service.
Commonwealth Citizenship
All Singaporean citizens are automatically Commonwealth citizens and have certain privileges in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries. As an example, Singaporeans in the UK are allowed to vote on all ballots. In contrast to other Commonwealth countries, the Singaporean government does not provide consular advice to Singaporeans in non-Commonwealth countries.
The following rights are available:
- the right to vote and stand for election (in the UK House of Commons).
- the right to vote for lower house or upper house elections in the United Kingdom.
- the right to hold public office.
Visa exemption
In 2018, the holders of citizenship were able to travel to a total of 180 countries or territories without a visa or with a visa on arrival. According to the Visa Restrictions Index , Singapore ranked second in the world.
Individual evidence
- ^ Message from the President of the Republic of Singapore (Assents to Bills Passed) . December 24, 1965. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved October 29, 2016.
- ^ Citizenship rules of Singapore . In: Government of Singapore . Retrieved February 20, 2015.
- ↑ RENUNCIATION OF SINGAPORE CITIZENSHIP ( Memento from May 2, 2010 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Barbara Leitch Lepoer: Singapore. A Country Study. GPO for the Library of Congress, Washington, DC 1989, (Chapter 10: Road to Independence. Countrystudies.us ).
- ^ History of Travel Documents & Passes . ICA. Archived from the original on December 25, 2013. Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved March 7, 2014.
- ↑ Consulate General of the Republic of Singapore . Retrieved February 20, 2015.
- ↑ a b Citizenship Introduction. wwlegal.com, accessed April 4, 2016 .
- ↑ 3ecpa . Retrieved February 20, 2015.
- ↑ Janice Heng: Dual-citizenship not right now govt will keep open mind . March 7, 2013. Retrieved March 7, 2014.
- ↑ Article 134 (1) (a) of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore.
- ↑ Siew Ying Wong: ??? , Channel NewsAsia . May 27, 2005 ( page no longer available , search in web archives )
- ↑ Derrick A. Paulo: ??? , Today. August 24, 2006 ( page no longer available , search in web archives )
- ↑ Archives | The Star Online . Thestar.com.my. February 29, 2012. Retrieved March 7, 2014.
- ↑ KC Vijayan: Hong Kong-Born Teen Trying to Give Up Singapore Citizenship . Thejakartaglobe.com. January 18, 2012. Retrieved January 24, 2016.
- ↑ Article 124 (1) & (2) of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore.
- ↑ Press Release No 70/06 (PDF) September 12, 2006. Accessed December 18, 2007.
