With the help of the Global Investor Program (GIP), more and more investors are successfully obtaining Permanent Resident (PR) status in Singapore. However, unforeseen circumstances may arise during the PR renewal process, resulting in the lapsing of the status.
The success story shared today is a true story of a client who successfully resumed PR with the assistance of a professional team, demonstrating the reliability of the GIP program and the importance of professional services.
1、Industry Background: High Net Worth Immigration Threshold Upgrade
In March 2023, the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) made significant changes to the Global Investor Program (GIP), among other things:
The investment threshold forOption 1jumps from S$2.5 million to S$10 million (which must be invested in a newly established business entity or an existing operation).
Options 2 and 3require a S$25 million investment in a select fund or the establishment of a single family office with an AUM of S$200 million respectively.
According to Singapore’s Minister of State for Trade and Industry, Ms. Lau Yin Ling, only about 200 people have obtained permanent residency (PR) through the program between 2000 and 2022, highlighting its “elite screening” attribute.
2. Typical case: “Rush” PR application under the control of time limitation
In early 2025, Mr. W. urgently turned to our team of professionals to find a solution.
Mr. W and his family were approved for PR under GIP Option 1 (the original S$2.5 million investment criterion) 10 years ago, but inadvertently failed to submit a renewal application before the expiry of the PR in August 2024, resulting in the lapsing of their status.
At this point, only one year after the policy upgrade, the USCIS has converged with new applicants in its review criteria for renewal documents.
3、Breakthrough strategy: three-dimensional precision reconstruction application logic
Proof of Continuity of Investment:A 10-year review of the company’s tax records, employment data, and most recent audit report confirms that the initial investment has continued to create jobs and generate economic benefits, meeting the GIP’s core requirement of “long term contribution”.
Proof of incremental value:Supplementary submission of proof of new R&D investment of S$5 million in the last 3 years, as well as cooperation agreements for participation in government smart city pilot projects, reflecting a strategic layout that keeps pace with the times.
Social Integration Enhancement:Integrate family members’ volunteer records, Nanyang Technological University endowment certificates and Singapore Business Federation employment certificates to build a complete picture of localized life.
4. Efficient implementation: 7-day reversal line crisis
Submitted a full set of updated materials on February 5, with a special note on the special treatment clause for policy transition (Rule 8.2 of the 2023 version of the GIP rules). Focused verification by the Immigration Bureau:
The investment entity’s last six months of bank flow and EP employees’ social security payment records;
Updated version of the main applicant’s Certificate of No Criminal Conviction;
Confirmation of the child’s enrollment in a local educational institution;
After real-time tracking and replenishment by the professional team, the approval-in-principle (IPA) was granted on February 12, 2025, successfully avoiding the risk of status breakage.
5. Case Insights: Compliance Management in the Post-GIP Era
This case confirms two major trends:
Dynamization of the review mechanism:AI system enabled by USCIS to cross-check corporate ACRA data with IRAS tax filing records, requiring investment entities to be continuously active
Convergence of renewal criteria:even for those who were approved under the old policy, they still need to prove that their current strengths are in line with the spirit of the new policy when renewingtheir visas.
It is recommended that HNW families establish a PR lifecycle management system, especially by initiating a compliance diagnostic three months before the policy window (usually March and September each year).
Case Timeline:
Submitted on 2025-02-05 → approved on 2025-02-12, the whole process took 7 working days, the fastest record of GIP renewal in this year.
What else do you want to know about Global Investor Program GIP and Singapore PR?
Note:The data in the article are quoted from the Singapore Parliamentary Minutes 2023-02 and the official website of the Economic Development Board, and all operations are in compliance with the requirements of the amendments to Chapter 12 of the Immigration Ordinance.
References from Singapore ICA, EDB, IRAS, etc., synthesized customer oral collation, reproduced with attribution.
