Question:
Mr Sharael Taha: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) what is the current number of stateless residents who have lived in Singapore for more than 20 years; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider granting citizenship to stateless seniors who have resided in Singapore for over 20 years.
Answer:
Mr K Shanmugam, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law:
1. As at 31 December 2023, we know of 853 stateless persons
living in Singapore. But this number could vary for the reasons given below. The data on
their length of residency, however, is unavailable because of the different circumstances
under which they may became stateless.
2. For example, some have chosen to give up, or had lost their foreign citizenship, at
some point during their stay in Singapore. Others were born in Singapore to foreign
parents who did not obtain citizenship for them. We may come to know of their stateless
status only when they surrender to or are referred to Immigration and Checkpoints
Authority. Given that there are such cases, we won’t have precise data on how many
stateless persons there are; and the precise period for which they have been stateless.
3. Applications for Singapore citizenship, including those submitted by stateless
individuals, are evaluated on a range of criteria. This includes the conduct and
contributions of the applicant, links to Singapore including if they have family members
who are Singaporeans, and how long they have been in Singapore. The circumstances
under which the person became stateless would also be taken into consideration.
4. As one of the world’s smallest and most densely populated countries, we must be
highly discerning as to whom we grant citizenship. Hence, we carefully consider all
applications for citizenship, on a case by case basis.
