Migrating and Son not doing NS: What You Should Know

Hi Nix,

There is another thing which I like to share with you. Not sure if it will be helpful for the other Singaporeans who are also looking for answers.


I have a son, now 10 years of age. To be very honest, he is the part of the reason why we want to migrate out of Singapore - because he does not want to do NS.  

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asingaporeanson's comment:  er.....ok...
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So, I called up the CMPB (Tel#: +65-6373-3132) and this is what they told me:
  1. If your son is below 13 years old, then you need not do anything until he reaches 13 years of age.
  2. Upon reaching 13 years old, you are to write to CMPB at this email address "cmpb@defence.gov.sg" to indicate request to defer your son's NS responsibilities. Basically to inform them that you have migrated and wish to remain in Australia, and also your son's intention to renounce the SG citizenship at 21 years old.
  3. So, they will assess on a case by case basis, and if your son is successful, he will be granted a defer for his NS from 13 until 21. CMPB will send you a deferment package with forms to fill and submit.
  4. But if your son is not successful, then you will have to apply Exit Permit at the different stages i.e. 13-18 years old, and then at 18 years old ask to defer until 21 years old.

I've talked to the lady. Even though she is not explicit about it, she seems to indicate that the earlier we migrate, the better chance we have for our son's deferment to be successful.

Below is my 7-steps plan:
1) Our whole family should get out of Singapore before my son turns 11 
2) We should also document the departure date and new foreign address and inform ICA of the change of address here: http://www.ica.gov.sg/page.aspx?pageid=142
3) On my son's 13th birthday, we should write a "Letter on Intention" to both the ICA and MINDEF, basically to inform them of our intention to migrate out of Singapore for good, and my son's intention to renounce his Singapore citizenship by the age of 21. Include a photocopy of his B.C., proof of foreign school enrolment\attendance, proof of departure date from Singapore, and send it to the ICA and CMPB at the following address:
ICA Renunciation Unit
10 Kallang Road, #06-00
Singapore 208718
Central Manpower Base
3 Depot Road, #02-07
Singapore 109680
4) Between now to the renouncement of his Singapore citizenship, we should NOT accept a pink IC or renew his Singapore passport. His Singapore passport has about 5 years to expiry, so, we should try to get his Australian passport within this period and thereafter stop using his Singapore passport for travel.

5) If my son is successful in getting the deferment from age 13 to 21, then all is well, but if not, and he need to go back to Singapore, then we should apply Exit Permits for him between age 13 to 18.

6) At the age of 18, he should apply for deferment again from the CMPB (say we were not successful on the first round). However, in order to prove our intention to migrate out of Singapore for good, we as parents should also renounce our Singapore citizenship BEFORE he reach 18 years old.

7) Then at the age of 21, he can renounce his Singapore citizenship.
Policies may change, and we could end up being screwed if we are not careful.
Regards,
M

39 comments:

  1. You got to be kidding......
    NS is so different from what it was 20 years ago.
    This is so wrong but I suppose they have the right to try

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    1. You don't get it do you? Maybe an 'extreme' quote might get you thinking: "NS for singaporean sons, jobs for foreigners." It has very little to do with NS being different in the 70's, 80's, whatever. Imagine your typical Singaporean poly grad serving NS - he has to give 2 years of his youth and thereafter another 10 years of 'reservist' liability which affects his job prospects. Meanwhile foreigners are welcome in open arms to compete with him for jobs at suppressed wages.
      With so many foreigners and the widening income gap, what exactly is this NS foot-soldier protecting?

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    1. How do they make you pay the $75k .... didn't know that was the going rate for a singaporean son ;>

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    2. How do they make you pay the $75k .... didn't know that was the going rate for a singaporean son ;>

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    3. You go one big round, scaremongering and telling us things we already know just to hao lian that you were a CO in NS (in an army that has never seen active conflict)? The internet is not the right place, particularly not to people who view your "achievements" and status as a basic requirement anyway.

      Tell you what, go and volunteer to do NS again, then go and find some unsuspecting NSFs who have no choice but to listen to you. They might lend you a listening ear...

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    6. Just curious if the defaulters were caught if they are flying through in transit in Changi or through immigrations entering SG

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    7. How can they think SG will forget anyone.

      In uncle time, oredi using computer system in 1980s to keep record of your answers to application form for anything government related (like what your mother education status or your auntie employment history) so uncle LKY (now LHL) will not be able to forget you

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    9. @A Blessed Singaporean

      Typically, when you have nothing left to say, you try to correct my English. Go look up "scare mongering" in a dictionary Mr. CO (NS) - or do you need your NSF to do it for you? Or perhaps this is in itself, a reflection of your narrow mindedness that there can only be one way to express something, and that's your way - no wonder you enjoyed the army so much!

      I don't even know what you were trying to say, or what you just said so I'm not going to bother reading the rest of it again because that would be a waste of my time. Maybe you should take up those extra classes and education they now offer people in National Service - I'm sure they do classes on clear writing and comprehension.

      Like Nix always says, good advice doesn't come free. Your "advice" isn't really advice per se, but your "opinion" on how your way is the best, and all I did was to expose you for thinking everything you say is correct simply because you did some volunteering in NS (because everyone else had better things to do).

      Just FYI (for your information - again look it up in a dictionary if you don't know what that is or google it), I do my fair bit of volunteering, even though I have to put up with people like you who do it for the power trip (google, again, if you don't know what that is).

      Okay, enough writing. Anymore, and I'll have to start charging you, Mr. CO, for my time :)

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    11. After NS = Minister or Security Guard, nothing in between. Sad.

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  3. Must be the only child in the family, the best story I have read so far.

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    1. The reason to migrate: "because my son do not want to do NS"

      And your son is 10 years old.....

      By same token your son can decide if he want to get a needle injection for immunisation (no vaccination because he does not want pain) or go to school (he does not want to study hard).

      I can accept many things but a family migrating with the sole reason of avoiding NS? Might as well migrate when the ultrasound for pregnancy show he is a boy, so you can let him be born outside SG?

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    2. The best advise to give now is to only have unprotected sex when you successfully migrated. Play safe.

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  4. I don't agree. But ok. To each his own.

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  5. If your son take up a citizenship of another land BEFORE THE AGE OF 11. He can renounce his SG citizenship. He do not need to serve NS and wait until 21 to renounce it. Anything after will be 21.

    Beside, what's the point SG serving NS when foreign talent can become SG citizenship without having to perform the NS. I have know of 18 years old foreign talent who is given privilege choice after completing JC as below :
    1) Serve NS and become a SG citizenship with free scholarship
    2) Enter university on free scholarship upon completion, a PR will be given.

    Hence, when the FT take up the option 2, subsequently they can convert to SG citizenship without the NS obligation.

    I question if NS is really that important after all. When SG men are not given any choices in the first place. Even Papies want to tie oversea SG kids down with this stupid obligation.

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    1. Eh, the white panties say NS is a privilege ok. And the majority of Singaporeans agree.

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    3. Australia may have stop conscription since the 1970s (for the Vietnam war) but there are many expectation local Aussies have expected the new arrivals would subscribe to. The idea of mateship, paying taxes into a very socialism system more communist than the USSR, showing patriotism on Australia Day, put up with their racist rant.

      As reflected by other post, some people cannot integrate or does not want to change so decide to pack up to balik kampong

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    4. @ Blessed Singaporean

      Well since XYZ has highlighted that Australia does not practice compulsory conscription so I don't think I need to worry about it. Beside, in Australia defence force, one can volunteer oneself to the service, one is pay $35k per year when one is a recruit http://www.defencejobs.gov.au/army/army-life/what-you-will-be-paid/. Perhaps that's will give us an idea, how Aussie honour this privilege. In SG, I was pay $300 for this NS privilege. If one is met with mishap during the service, one is pay $5k. So much so for this wonder privilege!

      Beside, Australia know how to ensure that its people have access to the education first over the foreigner. They have a HECS fee and Youth Allowance system, to ensure their youth undertake a proper full time academic study or apprenticeship. After which, every year a certain amount of funding is allocated for scholarship purposes which can be open to local and foreigner.

      May I know how about SG? Do you know Papies give free scholarship and interest free loan to foreigner whom they recruit through mass examination whereas SG parents need work hard to pay for the children's education. In fact, most of these foreigner students after milking the SG system. They take up PR in other land like OZ and USA. I happen run into a couple of them. You think that is fair!

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  6. @A Blessed Singaporean

    Apple to apple or to orange. There will be no end. It is for man to propose but heaven to dispose. To each is his place of destiny.

    One of your point, I afraid you are getting wrong infor, "Students under HECS/HELPS have to pay higher tax, when they graduated and earn an income level equal to and above the level regulated by ATO, compared to those students who are not under such schemes."

    Based on the Oz tax one do not pay higher tax due to HECS instead ATO will regulated HECS repayment scheme on top of the tax payable. After all HECS, is govt's loan to its people, one don't need a guarantor. Is a loan between the child and the govt. In the event of death, the govt could not go after the family for the outstanding amount. https://www.ato.gov.au/rates/help,-tsl-and-sfss-repayment-thresholds-and-rates/?page=2#HELP_and_TSL_repayment_thresholds_and_rates.

    Finally, Papies know Sinkies like to complaint, at the end they still trust the lighting brand. Very unique culture. Good luck with your journey to down under.

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    4. @ Blessed Singaporean

      HECS is a LOAN to the local. The borrower need to repay it when it hits the repayment threshold. ATO is one who doing the collection. This repayment is totally different from tax payable. Well, if you think I am on the wrong track. Wait till, you file your first tax, you will understand what is HECS all about.

      Otherwise is 纸上谈兵, you are trying to tell a Melbourne resident, what is HECS all about when you barely live here. :) Good on you mate!

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    5. Some Singaporeans experience racism in Australia while physically in Singapore. That's how bad racsim must be. Also, everyone in Australia pay 50% of their income in tax. Our houses are floating on water most of the time due to floods and roofs are often ablaze due to bushfires. But hey it looks pretty floating along lit up. It is our own Chingay procession.

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    8. When you pay your debt, do you consider that as tax?

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    9. I used to think anything through the ATO must be tax until I realised it is possible to steam food with a BBQ pit. I deserved to be called a dumbass but I'm glad I lived to see light of the day.

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    10. Just like NTUC is not just a union, it's a supermarket, funeral service, taxi company etc etc. Union so free hor

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    11. If "I didn't know Asian like ice cream" is consider a racist remark, you have yet to taste the real racism yet. Good luck!

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  7. I say take up the Oz citizenship to get your CPF out & to give the kid an option - let him decide at age 21 if he wants to serve. This is your migration, not his. If his aptitude is for a mil career - ie. pre-disposed towards organized violence & destruction, weapons, machoism & sadism, etc. or has the smarts to be a smooth talking general-politician, he will thank you for it. I don't see any non-white Oz generals. There are black & asian US generals though.

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