About 60 per cent of the 8,700 foreign spouses married to Singaporeans have been granted permanent residence (PR) here in the last five years.

The guidelines on granting of long-term immigration facilities to foreign spouses are "sufficiently compassionate" to allow deserving spouses to stay in Singapore, said Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng yesterday.

He gave this assurance in his response to a written question from MP Denise Phua Lay Peng in Parliament yesterday.

Said Mr Wong: "Our policies?on long term immigration facilities take into account the preservation of family unity.? However, marriage to a Singaporean does not automatically guarantee that the foreign spouse would be granted PR status.? Citizens and Permanent Residents sponsoring their foreign spouses or children for PR status will have to show that they are able to support them financially.?

"Also, to prevent foreigners from using marriage to Singapore citizens and Permanent Residents as a means to obtain PR status quickly, PR status will not be granted immediately upon marriage."
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Mr Wong said that when the foreign spouse is not eligible for PR status, the government would still consider granting him or her a Long Term Social Visit Pass (LTSVP) so that he or she can remain in Singapore.?

Over the last 5 years, the average approval rate of LTSVP applications by foreign spouses has been about 85%, he revealed.

"Generally, ICA will try to provide applicants with the reasons for rejection, to help them understand what they can do to improve their eligibility when they re-apply," said the minister.
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"In short, ICA's guidelines governing the grant of long-term immigration facilities to foreign spouses are sufficiently compassionate to allow deserving spouses to stay in Singapore.?"