<p>
</p>
<p>Found a source from the MFA website: [Ministry</a> of Foreign Affairs Singapore](<a href=“http://app.mfa.gov.sg/generator/asppages/canberra/cs-citizen-extendpassport.asp]Ministry”>http://app.mfa.gov.sg/generator/asppages/canberra/cs-citizen-extendpassport.asp)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>So what your aunt is proposing to do is to wire you S$75,000 or so for the monetary bond or something.</p>
<p>maybe.</p>
<p>oh maybe she was referring to an additional fine to be paid on top of that. though I thought she was referring to a different procedure. </p>
<p>so hard dealing with rich family members/friends (beyond the immediate family). they’re like strangers to me. so hard analysing their motives. are they being genuinely kind? do they have an ulterior motive? and when they randomly drop material wealth it’s so awkward. for me at least. then sometimes they start preaching to me, like as though I’d have to start going to church if I were to accept their graces. </p>
<p>and of top of that, I don’t know if NS is worth it. You can’t do any scientific research during those two years. That’s like two years of work experience or two years of grad school, gone. Make fun of me if you want, but I’ve been out of the propaganda loop for 5 years, k?</p>
<p>I guess I’ll get a local internship, somehow, get the stipend, fund citizenship procedures, then apply next year overseas. But I have a feeling that I’ll regret not doing NS years down the road when I’m finally free to do <em>something</em>.</p>
<p>Years later, when I have a US passport and maybe a change of legal name, will they really still recognise me? Michael Faye was one thing, but would they arrest a US citizen for draft-dodging? NS. So tyrannical. Don’t even know what enemies we have. And they don’t train girls in the use of arms!</p>
<p>I don’t think your problems in Singapore have anything to do with your legal residence in the US. Many years ago as a legal resident (green card holder with Alien Registration Number) you were entitled to what used to be called a “re-entry permit” in lieu of a passport. This is a document where visas, entry/exit stamps, etc. can be placed as you move from country to country. Maybe that’s what it is still called. What other countries need from you usually is that if they need to send you back, the country you are coming from will take you back. I don’t think legal residency has a time limit and you will lose it only if you stay out of the US for a certain amount of time (1 year?) and don’t renew it.</p>
<p>^^ interesting. prolly time to talk to legal aid or some sort of bona fide immigration lawyer. except it’s Saturday. <em>sigh</em></p>
<p>All you need to do is go to the Immigration Office and ask for one. You are a legal resident and you have rights under US law. If everything is in order, it shouldn’t take that long to get it (it used to be a week to 10 days if a rush was placed on it). In today’s climate it could take 6-8 weeks, maybe longer. The US was kind enough to provide legal residency to me even though I, like many others, was considered a despicable “worm” by our socialist paradise that would null and void my passport and don’t allow me back (still not back after 44 years). Once you solve this, look into your Singapore problem because it’s not good policy to close those kinds of doors behind you. Down the line you’ll be a lot happier, after all your government didn’t expel or persecute you and it might change in the future.</p>
<p>does the re-entry permit have to be country-specific? because I’m not sure if I’m going to Germany. It’s just one of the options. (and I’m not 100% sure that I’ve clinched it either – I just have a very good feeling about it compared to the others due to various reasons.)</p>
<p>I mean if this makes studying abroad in general easier, then wow. I would apply for it right now.</p>
<p>(although maybe I might as well apply for citizenship if it costs a lot to file … though after I get US citizenship I have to separately apply for a US passport, right?)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Nope. The Re-Entry Permit acts like a passport for United States residents. However, I am not sure whether German immigration control/embassy/consulate would accept that as a passport equivalent to get you a visa.</p>
<p>You need to file a INS Form I-131 with the USCIS and pay approximately US$300 to get the permit.</p>
<p><a href=“although%20maybe%20I%20might%20as%20well%20apply%20for%20citizenship%20if%20it%20costs%20a%20lot%20to%20file%20…%20though%20after%20I%20get%20US%20citizenship%20I%20have%20to%20separately%20apply%20for%20a%20US%20passport,%20right?”>quote</a>
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Applying for US citizenship usually involves quite a bit of waiting time so you should start as early as possible.</p>
<p>
Most in the UVa forum have known. There’s a signature style to his posts.</p>
<p>Good luck, Wu.</p>
<p>I found it interesting that I could actually understand what everyone was saying (with a little help from my wife). I asked her about returning and apparently she should return every five years to ensure that she doesn’t lose her citizenship. I don’t know if this was just a line from the embassy to get citizens to go back and visit or if they actually do cancel citizenship.</p>
<p>Dean J, it was not that hard to do - there are only so many of us obssessed with cooking and chemistry :)</p>
<p>Wu - I strongly recommend contacting legal aid. Your path to US citizenship may be shortened significantly if one of your parents is a citizen (I recall you said so).</p>
<p>On the Secretary of State’s website, it stated routine passport processing is taking 4-6 weeks and expedited is 2-3 weeks.</p>
<p>Where you gonna run to if the US government starts drafting people?</p>
<p>The US is a liberal democracy. If I get called up I get called up, and it’s prolly for good reason.</p>
<p>I mean, unless America suffers a coup d’etat or something – then I might start looking elsewhere.</p>
<p>A re entry permit allows you to return to the US (which you don’t need with your green card as you have not been out of the country for an extended time). It does not allow you to enter all other countries.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Boy, CC really gets advertising!</p>
<p>On the left of mty screen is an ad for US Immigration Services.</p>