Constitution of the Republic of Singapore - Singapore Statutes Online

Citation

1. This Constitution may be cited as the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore.

Supremacy of Constitution

4. This Constitution is the supreme law of the Republic of Singapore and any law enacted by the Legislature after the commencement of this Constitution which is inconsistent with this Constitution shall, to the extent of the inconsistency, be void.

Status of citizen of Singapore

120.—(1) There shall be a status known as citizen of Singapore.

(2) The status of a citizen of Singapore may be acquired —

(a)	by birth;
(b)	by descent;
(c)	by registration or, before the commencement of this Constitution, by enrolment; or
(d)	by naturalisation.

Citizenship by birth

121.—(1) Subject to this Article, every person born in Singapore after 16 September 1963 shall be a citizen of Singapore by birth.

(2) A person shall not be a citizen of Singapore by virtue of clause (1) if at the time of his birth —

(a)	his father, not being a citizen of Singapore, possessed such immunity from suit and legal process as is accorded to an envoy of a sovereign power accredited to the President;
(b)	his father was an enemy alien and the birth occurred in a place then under the occupation of the enemy; or
(c)	neither of his parents was a citizen of Singapore.

(3) Notwithstanding clause (2)(c), the Government may, where it considers it just and fair and having regard to all the circumstances prevailing at the time of the application, confer citizenship upon a person born in Singapore.

Citizenship by descent

122.—(1) Subject to clauses (2) and (3), a person born outside Singapore after 16 September 1963 shall be a citizen of Singapore by descent if, at the time of his birth —

(a)	where the person is born before the date of commencement of section 7 of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (Amendment) Act 2004, his father is a citizen of Singapore, by birth or registration; and
(b)	where the person is born on or after the date of commencement of section 7 of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (Amendment) Act 2004, either his father or mother is a citizen of Singapore, by birth, registration or descent. [12/2004]

(2) A person born outside Singapore shall not be a citizen of Singapore by descent by virtue of clause (1) unless —

(a)

his birth is registered in the prescribed manner at the Registry of Citizens or at a diplomatic or consular mission of Singapore within one year, or such longer period as the Government permits, after its occurrence; and

(b)

he would not acquire the citizenship of the country in which he was born by reason of his birth in that country where —

(i)	in the case of a person born before the date of commencement of section 7 of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (Amendment) Act 2004, his father is a citizen of Singapore by registration at the time of his birth; or
(ii)	in the case of a person born on or after the date of commencement of section 7 of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore (Amendment) Act 2004, either his father or mother is a citizen of Singapore by registration at the time of his birth. [12/2004]

(3) Without prejudice to clause (2), a person born outside Singapore of a father or mother who is a citizen by descent at the time of his birth shall not be a citizen of Singapore by descent by virtue of clause (1) unless the parent who is the citizen by descent has lawfully resided in Singapore —

(a)	for a period of, or for periods amounting in the aggregate to, not less than 5 years before that person’s birth; or
(b)	for a period of, or for periods amounting in the aggregate to, not less than 2 years during the period of 5 years immediately preceding that person’s birth. [12/2004]

(4) A person who, being a minor, becomes a citizen of Singapore by descent shall cease to be a citizen of Singapore on attaining the age of 22 years unless within 12 months after he attains the age of 21 years he takes the Oath of Renunciation, Allegiance and Loyalty in the form set out in the Second Schedule and where the Government so requires divests himself of any foreign citizenship or nationality.

[12/2004]

Citizenship by registration

123.—(1) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, any person resident in Singapore of or over the age of 21 years may, on application being made therefor in the prescribed form, be registered as a citizen of Singapore if he satisfies the Government that he —

(a)

is of good character;

(b)

has resided in Singapore throughout the 12 months immediately preceding the date of his application;

(c)

has during the 12 years immediately preceding the date of his application resided in Singapore for periods amounting in the aggregate to not less than 10 years:

Provided that the Government may exempt any applicant from compliance with this paragraph —

(i)	where such applicant has during the 6 years immediately preceding the date of his application resided in Singapore for periods amounting in the aggregate to not less than 5 years; or
(ii)	where in any special case the Government considers fit to confer citizenship upon such applicant;

(d)

intends to reside permanently in Singapore; and

(e)

has an elementary knowledge of one of the following languages, namely, Malay, English, Mandarin and Tamil:

Provided that the Government may exempt an applicant who has attained the age of 45 years or who is deaf or dumb from compliance with this paragraph.

(2) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, any woman who is married to a citizen of Singapore may, on making application therefor in the prescribed manner, be registered as a citizen of Singapore if she satisfies the Government —

(a)	that she has resided continuously in Singapore for a period of not less than 2 years immediately preceding the date of the application;
(b)	that she intends to reside permanently in Singapore; and
(c)	that she is of good character.

Citizenship by naturalisation

127.—(1) Subject to clause (4), the Government may, upon application made by any person of or over the age of 21 years who is not a citizen of Singapore, grant a certificate of naturalisation to that person if the Government is satisfied —

(a)	that he has resided in Singapore for the required periods and intends, if the certificate is granted, to do so permanently;
(b)	that he is of good character; and
(c)	that he has an adequate knowledge of the national language.

(2) The periods of residence in Singapore or the relevant part of it which are required for the grant of a certificate of naturalisation are periods which amount in the aggregate to not less than 10 years in the 12 years immediately preceding the date of the application for the certificate and which include the 12 months immediately preceding that date.

(3) A person to whom a certificate of naturalisation is granted shall be a citizen of Singapore by naturalisation from the date on which the certificate is granted.

(4) No certificate of naturalisation shall be granted to any person until he has taken the Oath of Renunciation, Allegiance and Loyalty in the form set out in the Second Schedule.

Commonwealth citizenship

139.—(1) In accordance with the position of Singapore within the Commonwealth, every person who is a citizen of Singapore enjoys by virtue of that citizenship the status of a Commonwealth citizen in common with the citizens of other Commonwealth countries.

(2) Any existing law shall, except so far as Parliament otherwise provides, apply in relation to a citizen of the Republic of Ireland who is not also a Commonwealth citizen as it applies in relation to a Commonwealth citizen.

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