Following media reports of new citizens and permanent residents obtaining fake degrees to work in Singapore, then-Second Minister of Home Affairs Masagos Zulkifli said back in May 2015, that individuals who provide false information in their Singapore citizenship or permanent residency applications will be “dealt with firmly”.
Offenders who have already been granted citizenship or permanent residency may also get them revoked.
Mr. Masagos also added that the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority of Singapore (ICA) has “multiple levels of checks” when processing such applications. These include:
- Requiring the applicant to produce original documents
- Verifying the documents with the issuing authorities
- Face-to-face interviews.
Providing False Academic Credentials
The authorities have taken tough action against offenders in previous cases, even those such as the one involving a Filipino woman who was jailed seven weeks after authorities determined that she had submitted false academic credentials when applying for her PR nearly a decade ago.
According to a statement released by ICA, she claimed that she graduated from Manila’s Centro Escolar University but verifications conducted with the university by ICA revealed that she had no records of enrollment in the institution. Both her diploma and transcripts cited in her residency applications, as well as her daughter’s, were found to be fake.
The ICA also states that “for those who have been convicted of an offence, the statutes of their family members will also be reviewed by the ICA.”
Getting a Criminal Lawyer in Singapore
Mr Amarjit Singh Sidhu of Amarjit Sidhu Law Practice has represented numerous clients in a wide variety of matters over the years from traffic offences, family disputes to high-profile criminal cases. With a vast knowledge of Singapore’s laws and a wealth of experience, Mr Amarjit Singh Sidhu will be able to provide valuable and timely advice for your situation. For more information, feel free to contact us for a consultation.
