What Does It Mean to Be Stateless in Singapore?

Last updated on February 7, 2025

Statelessness is a complex issue which affects a sizable number of people living in Singapore. As of 31 December 2023, it is estimated that there are around 853 stateless persons living in Singapore.

This article aims to provide a clearer understanding of what it means to be stateless, the legal implications and economic hurdles of being stateless in Singapore, and the avenues available for stateless individuals seeking permanent residency or citizenship. It will cover:

What is a ‘Stateless’ Person?

The international legal definition of a stateless person is “an individual who is not considered a national by any state under operation of its law.”

Under Singapore law, a stateless person is defined as someone who is not considered a national by, or citizen of, any country under the operation of its law. This means they do not have a recognised nationality or citizenship from any country.

How Might a Person Be Rendered ‘Stateless’?

The circumstances giving rise to stateless individuals vary – some people are born stateless, and others become stateless. Many stateless people also pass on statelessness to their children, who then pass it on to the next generation.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), globally, one significant cause of statelessness is discrimination based on race, ethnicity, religion, language or gender. Some states have legislation which excludes certain racial or ethnic groups from the right to obtain nationality.

Gender discrimination in nationality laws is also a major cause of childhood statelessness. For example, the laws in 25 countries, such as Brunei, Iran and Qatar, do not allow a birth mother to confer her nationality on her child on an equal basis with fathers. This restriction increases the risk of statelessness in children if these children cannot also acquire nationality from their fathers. A child may not be able to acquire nationality from his or her father due to several reasons, such as when the father is also stateless, when the father’s identity is unknown or when he is not married to the mother at the time of birth.

In Singapore, the common situations under which a person can become stateless can be classified into five broad categories as explained below.

1. Singapore permanent residents who have lost their foreign citizenship

The largest group of stateless individuals comprise Singapore permanent residents (PRs) who have lost their foreign citizenship after living away from their home country for an extended period of time. As a result, they are left with no nationality but continue to remain in Singapore as a PR.

Among the stateless in Singapore, 76% are PRs who are eligible for healthcare, education and housing benefits.

2. Children born to foreign nationals who are not recognised in their home countries

As is the case in many other countries, Singapore does not automatically grant citizenship to a child just by virtue of the child being born here (i.e. citizenship by birth).

If a child is born to married parents where at least one parent is a Singapore citizen, then the child is automatically conferred a Singapore citizenship by descent under the Constitution.

If a child is born to stateless parents, they also become stateless.

If a child is born to foreign parents, it is the responsibility of the foreign parents to obtain citizenship of their country for their child. This also applies if a child is born to one stateless parent and the other parent holds foreign citizenship. Failure by the parent to apply for such foreign citizenship through his or her home country is one common way a child is rendered stateless.

A child born to parents of different nationalities might also fall through the cracks if neither country’s laws allow them to be granted citizenship. This means that the foreign parents are unable to apply for citizenship for their child in either of their home countries due to complexities in their national laws. For example, a child born in a foreign country may become stateless if that country does not permit nationality to be conferred to the child based on place of birth alone, and if the country of origin does not allow a parent to pass on nationality to a child born abroad.

One such case involved a child who was born in Singapore but rendered stateless, as her mother was an Indonesian on a long-term visit pass and her father was stateless. Her Indonesian mother attempted to register the child for Indonesian citizenship at the Indonesian embassy but was rejected for reasons undisclosed to her. Her father, originally a Malaysian who was brought to Singapore from Selangor as a baby, became stateless after renouncing his Malaysian citizenship while refusing to serve the National Service here when he got the enlistment call. National service is a mandatory conscription system for all male Singaporean citizens and PRs once they turn 18. Defaulting on full-time national service is an offence under the Enlistment Act, which may adversely affect any immediate or future applications for Singapore citizenship or Permanent Residency. As a result, the father was unable to obtain Singapore citizenship and remained stateless, passing on his statelessness to the child.

3. People born in pre-independence Singapore who are unable to prove their country of birth

After the Straits Settlements broke up in 1946 and before the Singapore Citizenship Ordinance came into effect in 1957, early settlers who were living in Singapore were considered British subjects and had their citizenship status primarily tied to the United Kingdom, not Singapore. During this period, there was no distinct Singapore citizen status, which essentially meant that Singapore itself was stateless.

When the Second World War began, many settlers also fled their home countries such as from Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand to Singapore to escape the atrocities, but did not bring the necessary documents to prove their place of birth. Many individuals who were born during the war also did not have their births registered.

Post-war, these stateless early settlers and war survivors became displaced as they were unable to prove their citizenship without the bureaucracy or the necessary identification documents.

When Singapore became independent in 1965, some of them continued to remain stateless when they failed to register themselves as citizens or residents when the time came for them to do so. There are several reasons why these individuals failed to register their identities after the war – some did not realise the importance or necessity for doing so, while others wanted to retain their original identity from their home country in case they wanted to return.

For example, in one case, a child had fled to Singapore from Indonesia in a sampan with his mother and three brothers to escape racial violence in 1959. After Singapore gained independence, his mother went to the authorities with his three younger brothers to register their identities. However, he did not go with them, as his family wanted to “keep” an Indonesian in the family to facilitate their return to Indonesia if the need arose. While his mother and brothers eventually became naturalised Singapore citizens, he remained an unregistered immigrant and was classified as stateless.

4. Insufficient identification or marriage documents

As highlighted in the previous section, a child is automatically conferred a Singapore citizenship only if the child is born to married parents, where at least one parent is a Singapore citizen. This means that even if a child was born to a Singaporean parent, he or she may still be rendered stateless if the parents are not shown to be legally married.

In one such case, a child born in a Singapore hospital was not registered as a Singaporean at birth even though the father was a Singapore citizen. This was because the child’s parents, whose marriage had soured, did not produce their marriage certificate to register her birth. When the child had to register for her identity card at 12, she could not produce a photocopy of her Malaysian mother’s identity card because she had never met her mother. Her Singaporean father ran away that year, and she was later raised by his ex-girlfriend. As a result, she was unable to obtain Singapore citizenship at birth and was rendered stateless.

5. Renunciation or Loss of Nationality

Some individuals may have been stripped or deprived of their citizenship for reasons such as having a criminal record. In one such case, a 69-year-old man, Mr Chong On Long, is the only one in his family of nine who is stateless. The family came to pre-independent Singapore from Malaysia some 60 years ago and chose to stay behind, but Mr Chong did not bring along the necessary identity documents and became stateless. Since then, Mr Chong has been jailed several times for using drugs and illegal gambling and has been jobless for long spells. While his family members have since become Singapore citizens, Mr Chong remains stateless after his appeal to the ICA for a citizenship bid was unsuccessful. Although the ICA will not disclose the exact reasons for rejection, those who have been rejected typically have exceedingly low income or a criminal record.

Individuals who renounce or lose their nationality without securing another can also become stateless. Certain individuals, such as those with dual citizenship and those born overseas to Singaporean parents, have to take the Oath of Renunciation, Allegiance and Loyalty within a year of turning 21 years old. If they fail to do so, they will automatically lose their Singapore citizenship.

Those with dual citizenship may lose their other foreign citizenship as well if they renounce it or fail to adhere to the requirements required to maintain their foreign citizenship. For example, a common requirement in some countries is that citizens have to enter or live in the home country for a period of time in order to keep their citizenship. In Singapore, a Singapore citizen may lose their citizenship if they live overseas for more than 10 years without entering Singapore with a Singapore travel document, unless he or she has worked in the government service or an international organisation of which Singapore is a member.

Do Stateless Persons in Singapore Have Any Form of Identification?

In Singapore, stateless individuals who are not PRs may be issued a Special Pass, which serves as an identification document. The pass allows them to legally reside in the country temporarily during its validity but does not confer any other legal rights such as the right to vote, own public housing or have access to free primary school education.

The validity of the Special Pass issued to stateless persons varies on a case-by-case basis and is determined by ICA. Stateless individuals will also have to apply for a Certificate of Identity if they need to leave the country.

What are the Legal Implications of Being Stateless in Singapore?

Stateless individuals face several legal challenges such as in the areas of housing, employment, medical care, education, banking, and travel. Stateless people who are PRs have similar access to healthcare, education, and housing as other residents. However, stateless individuals who are non-PRs face more limitations which will be explained in more detail below.

1. Housing

Stateless persons oftentimes encounter restrictions when buying or renting public housing (i.e. Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats).

On the other hand, stateless persons who are PRs have the same access to HDB flats as other PRs. For example, if they can form an eligible family nucleus with an adult Singaporean, they can buy a new or resale HDB flat (with housing grants if applicable), or rent a flat from HDB, provided that the Singaporean is listed as one of the flat applicants and the family meets the prevailing eligibility conditions. PR families without a Singaporean member can only buy a resale flat on the open market, if they have been PRs for at least three years and meet the other eligibility conditions.

Stateless persons who are not PRs are generally not eligible to purchase or rent HDB flats. However, they may live in an HDB flat as an occupier if they are part of a Singaporean or PR family that is eligible to buy or rent a flat.

Private property purchase may also be possible, but this is typically out of reach due to financial constraints.

2. Employment

Stateless individuals who have a valid Special Pass can apply for jobs and be gainfully employed in Singapore. However, their employer must first obtain a Letter of Consent (LOC) from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). If approved, the stateless person can only begin working after receiving the LOC. The LOC remains valid as long as the stateless person’s Special Pass is valid.

More information on the process for applying for an LOC is stated on the MOM website here.

There are no restrictions on stateless individuals who are PRs and can seek employment without a work pass, similar to other PRs.

3. Medical Care

In terms of access to healthcare, stateless persons who are PRs are treated no differently from other PRs.

Stateless persons who are not PRs can receive medical care in Singapore, but they do not enjoy the same subsidies as citizens and PRs. They are generally treated as foreigners in the healthcare system, which means that they will have to pay higher fees under private or foreigner rates.

If the stateless person has Singapore citizen or PR family members, the MediSave accounts of their Singapore citizen or PR family members can be used. Stateless children and young persons under the state’s care can also benefit from healthcare subsidies through the Medical Fee Exemption Card. The Medical Fee Exemption Card is a card that offers health coverage exemption for medical fees for standard hospitalisation treatment in government/restructured hospitals and polyclinics Singapore. This card is available for all residents in Singapore (including stateless persons) with a monthly per capita family income of S$800 or less.

4. Schools

Stateless children can attend school in Singapore, but they are not eligible for financial assistance or education subsidies. They are required to apply for a Student Pass and are subject to the same admissions processes as foreign students, including higher fees. The Ministry of Education has said that stateless school-going children are considered “non-Asean international students”.

For these children, international school fees can cost up to S$550 a month in primary school and S$800 a month in secondary school. Currently, Singapore citizens in primary schools do not have to pay school fees.

Some of these stateless individuals are unable to afford the high school fees and therefore unable to obtain an education as a result. In a notable case, a 25-year-old stateless man shared his struggles with reading, writing and getting a job, as he had never received a formal education. His caregivers were unable to enroll him in school as they did not have his identity documents.

5. Banking

Opening a bank account as a stateless person can be challenging but is not impossible. As with all account opening applications, banks will conduct their own assessment on each case to decide whether to open bank accounts for stateless persons holding Special Passes and some banks have opened accounts for these persons.

Banks typically require proof of identity and residence, which can be difficult for stateless individuals to provide as they are usually in rented accommodation. Oftentimes, if a stateless person is employed, his or her salary would have to be deposited into a friend’s or family member’s bank account.

6. Travel

Stateless persons also face significant difficulties in international travel. Stateless persons who are not PRs will not be able to travel. Stateless individuals who are PRs need to obtain a special travel document, such as a Certificate of Identity (COI) issued by Singapore, to leave and return to the country. They will need to submit an application for a COI in person at the ICA Building in Singapore, or if they are overseas, they will have to apply through the nearest Singapore Embassy or Consulate.

When they are overseas, they will not be able to enlist the help of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) via the MFA eRegister system in the event of an emergency, such as the occurrence of a natural disaster, civil unrest or pandemic. This is because the MFA eRegister system is only provided to Singapore citizens who travel or reside overseas. The MFA eRegister system allows the MFA to contact the person travelling in order to make sure that they are safe and to provide necessary assistance in the event of emergencies.

The COI can be used to travel to certain countries that recognise it as a valid travel document, including Vietnam. However, COI holders must apply for a valid visa from the Embassy of the country they are travelling to before they are allowed to enter the country. If in doubt, COI holders should check with the immigration department of the Embassy of the country they are travelling to when planning their travels.

Can a Stateless Person Be a Permanent Resident or Apply for Singapore Citizenship?

Stateless individuals may apply for permanent residency or citizenship, but the process is rigorous and requires meeting specific criteria set by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA).

Applications are evaluated on a range of factors such as age, qualifications, duration of stay in Singapore, links to society, economic contributions and their ability to integrate into Singapore society.

Detailed information on the process for applying for a Singapore citizenship can be found in our previously published article.

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Being stateless in Singapore carries significant legal implications, from administrative hurdles to social and economic challenges. As highlighted above, some of the main challenges include not having access to subsidised education, healthcare, travel and housing, and difficulties finding employment and opening a bank account.

It is crucial for affected individuals to get the appropriate help and support in navigating these legal implications. As some of these issues may be complex, stateless persons may wish to use our Call a Lawyer or Find a Lawyer service to obtain legal advice relevant to their unique circumstances.

It should be noted that lawyers in Singapore are unable to help with the citizenship process. Individuals should instead reach out to the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) for citizenship-related issues and the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) or a social service agency for social support. If necessary, individuals may also consider engaging employment lawyers to assist in job-related matters.