Many people believe that once they obtain a 'green card', they are citizens of that country, but this is not the case.Nationality, permanent residency, green cardWhat are the concepts of these three? What are the differences between them?

About Singapore's green card and permanent residency

The Singapore green card is a permanent residency permit for foreign citizens. Holding a green card means that the holder has the right to reside permanently in Singapore. These individuals are referred to as Singapore Permanent Residents, abbreviated as SPR.ImmigrationIn the past, the first step was to obtain SPR status. Additionally, holding a green card can exempt one from entry visa requirements for a certain period.

Permanent residents sometimes need to meet certain conditions to obtain citizenship, the most common being the duration of residence in the country while holding permanent residency. Other factors may include the industry they work in or the business they operate. Some countries require permanent residents to serve in the military. Singapore mandates that all male residents who reach the age of 18, including permanent residents and citizens, must serve 2 years of military service. After that, they must participate in annual training and be on standby until the age of 40. Permanent residents can apply for naturalization as citizens after a certain period, but they must meet specific conditions.

Singapore citizens, abbreviated as SC,SC holders possess a Singapore passport and are locals born and raised in Singapore. Of course, immigrants who hold Singapore permanent residency and later become citizens also hold a Singapore passport.

The differences between Singapore citizens and Singapore permanent residents

1,Singapore citizens hold a Singapore passport, while Singapore permanent residents hold their home country's passport. In terms of political rights, permanent residents cannot enjoy any rights exclusive to citizens in Singapore, such as the right to vote, and jobs that are designated for citizens only, such as government positions.

2,For holders of Singapore passports, there are no identity issues for their children, whereas for permanent residents, their children can only hold SPR status.

3,Citizens enjoy permanent rights as Singapore citizens, while the status of Singapore permanent residents needs to be renewed. Typically, the first application for SPR is for 5 years, and subsequent renewals can be for either 5 or 10 years.

4,Additionally, the identity card of Singapore citizens is pink, while that of permanent residents is blue. SPR holders need to obtain permission for multiple entries and exits from Singapore.

5,Singapore citizens enjoy government bonuses, dividends, subsidies, etc., while permanent residents do not.

6,First-generation male SPR holders do not need to serve in the military, while SC holders are required to serve.

7,Permanent residents can enjoy (and must accept) benefits such as the same CPF contribution regulations as citizens. When canceling SPR status, they can retrieve part of their CPF; the income tax rate is also the same as that of Singapore citizens; those who are 21 years old and have been SPR for 2-6 years can apply for SC; and it is easier to find a job because each company has a quota limit for hiring various work permit holders, but there is no limit for hiring SPR.

8,Singapore citizens receive government subsidies when purchasing HDB flats, while permanent residents do not. Before the new policy, they were not allowed to buy new flats and had to purchase from the resale market, which allowed the first Singapore citizen homeowners to earn about 100,000 in profit. Recently, a new policy was introduced allowing some new flats to be purchased by Singapore permanent residents, but due to many restrictions and only in certain designated areas, the beneficiaries of this new policy among permanent residents are currently not many.