Can a foreigner apply for a BTO flat after marrying a Singaporean? Hong Kong woman addresses common myths

Getting a home together is a big milestone for many couples.

But the process to finally getting the keys to your new abode can be a complex one.

And if the married couple consists of a Singaporean and a foreign spouse, there may be even more factors to consider. 

Irene, a Hong Konger who moved to Singapore in January 2020, is facing that right now. 

During her time in Singapore, she and her husband were given advice by friends and even netizens on how to secure a home. 

"After I shared the good news of my engagement, some of my friends and audience told me that I can apply to be a permanent resident (PR) and buy a build-to-order (BTO) flat," she shared in a YouTube video uploaded last Sunday (Oct 1). 

But after doing her own research, she realised that things weren't so simple. So, she decided to address some of these notions surrounding buying a house in Singapore as a foreigner. 

Options for BTO flats

Though she was encouraged to apply for a HDB BTO flat, Irene realised that it wasn't as straightforward as filling up a few documents. 

For one, because she is a foreigner and isn't even a PR yet, she and her husband are not eligible to apply for three-, four- or five-room BTO flats. 

Their only option under the BTO flat scheme, according to HDB's policy, is the two-room flexi flats in non-mature estates. 

And to Irene, the size of these flats may not be ideal. A quick check on HDB's website shows that these range from 36 sq m to 46 sq m. 

In the video, Irene showed clips of her visit to an HDB flat showroom. 

Each two-room flexi flat unit contains one room, one living room and one bathroom. 

"If a couple stay inside, after giving birth to a baby, technically speaking, there won't be any space left," Irene argues.

Apart from the size of flats, Irene and her husband also had to consider the BTO flat balloting process and waiting time. 

"Even if we are lucky enough to get it, we have to wait for it to be built," she pointed out. 

So, what other alternatives does she and her husband have? 

"A couple like us can only buy private housing or a resale government flat if we don't want to wait for years," shared Irene. 

Becoming a PR

Another common notion that Irene has come across is that foreigners can immediately or automatically get PR status after marrying a Singaporean. 

"This is a really, really big myth," Irene said. 

She went on to explain that after a foreigner gets married, they still undergo the same process as other PR hopefuls: apply to be a PR, submit the relevant documents, fill in their personal data and wait for the Singapore government's response. 

A quick check on the Immigrations & Checkpoints Authority Singapore (ICA) website confirmed that foreign spouses of Singapore citizens and PRs undergo the same process as other applicants such as employment pass holders and others. 

And after all that, you may still not be eligible to be a PR. 

"So this is not automatic. Just that after you marry a Singaporean, it might show that you would like to stay in Singapore to contribute to society or to have a long-term stay," she elaborated. 

Also, even if Irene tries to apply to be a PR after getting married, she claimed that she still may need to wait one to two years for approval.

The ICA website states that the general processing time is about six months, though some applications may take longer to process. 

This means that if she wants to buy public housing in Singapore with her husband, in order to get the citizen or PR couple benefits, she will have to wait a minimum of six months or longer.

Apart from that, Irene also compared the PR application of Singapore and Hong Kong. 

"If you are a foreigner in Hong Kong that has stayed there for seven consecutive years, you will get the Hong Kong PR," Irene said.

A quick check on Hong Kong's immigration department website showed that this is true, that any person not of Chinese nationality who "has ordinarily resided in Hong Kong for a continuous period of not less than 7 years" will be eligible for PR status.

ALSO READ: A guide to the new measures to help first-timer families buy an HDB flat

melissateo@asiaone.com