Back to top
Response To 'A Better Way To Prove Marital Status In ICs' (ST Online, 25 Jan 2011)
ICA: Why original documents are necessary
ST Online
12 Feb 2011
WE REFER to Mrs Teoh Cheng Ching's letter ("A better way to prove marital status in ICs"; Jan 25) and thank her for her suggestion.
Singaporeans who wish to change their names, insert a married name or update any particulars in their identity cards are required to furnish the requisite original documents in support of such applications.
The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) noted that Mrs Teoh had requested to insert her married name when she re-registered for her NRIC. Hence, the ICA requested that she submit her original marriage certificate in order to verify her request to change her particulars on her identity card, and not for verification for the purpose of re-registration per se.
This requirement, which was clearly stated in the notification letter to her, was necessary to ensure that her identification document was properly verified before issuance. The need and purpose of our request for original documents were also conveyed to Mrs Teoh personally by our officers when she called at the ICA without her original marriage certificate.
While the ICA may have access to personal information maintained by other agencies where it is legally permissible, such information is dynamic and needs to be verified and updated at the point of application or collection of documents. The requirement of having an applicant present the requisite original documents allows ICA to verify whether there have been any changes to the personal information.
At the same time, given that the onus to provide accurate information falls on the applicant and that the information provided would become official government records, the applicant would also be provided with an opportunity to confirm that the information to be recorded is still accurate and relevant.
Chia Hui Keng (Ms)
Head, Public & Internal Communications
Corporate Communications Division
Immigration & Checkpoints Authority
A better way to prove marital status in ICs
ST Online
25 Jan 2011
ON MY 30th birthday in October last year, I received a notification statement from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) to re-register my identity card (IC).
I got married the year before and on the statement, it showed that my marital status had been updated to "married". However, I had to show proof of my marital status and married name by submitting a copy of the marriage certificate along with other documentation to ICA.
Shortly after, I received the notification to collect my new IC, which stated that I should present my old IC and the original marriage certificate upon collection.
I arranged for an appointment to collect my new IC last Saturday, but I did not take along my original marriage certificate. Since the ICA was informed of my change in marital status, I deemed the document as not so important and necessary.
But the ICA officer informed me that the original marriage certificate was required or at least a certified true copy of the certificate.
I asked the ICA officer if it would be better to rely on the Registry of Marriages' (ROM) records rather than the original marriage certificate in case of forgeries. The officer replied that should any sham marriage be discovered eventually, the perpetrators would have to pay the penalty.
Instead of spending money on investigations to confirm the authenticity of a marriage, shouldn't verification be done at the very beginning? Shouldn't all the government databases be linked to share important identity information?
In this case, shouldn't the ROM database be linked to ICA? If ICA verifies a copy of a marriage certificate with the ROM database, then the original certificate would no longer be required. Wouldn't that be more efficient?
I agree that original documentation is still important. However, in this age of electronic documentation, isn't it time for government agencies to update their practices and operating procedures?
Teoh Cheng Ching (Mrs)
ST Online
12 Feb 2011
WE REFER to Mrs Teoh Cheng Ching's letter ("A better way to prove marital status in ICs"; Jan 25) and thank her for her suggestion.
Singaporeans who wish to change their names, insert a married name or update any particulars in their identity cards are required to furnish the requisite original documents in support of such applications.
The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) noted that Mrs Teoh had requested to insert her married name when she re-registered for her NRIC. Hence, the ICA requested that she submit her original marriage certificate in order to verify her request to change her particulars on her identity card, and not for verification for the purpose of re-registration per se.
This requirement, which was clearly stated in the notification letter to her, was necessary to ensure that her identification document was properly verified before issuance. The need and purpose of our request for original documents were also conveyed to Mrs Teoh personally by our officers when she called at the ICA without her original marriage certificate.
While the ICA may have access to personal information maintained by other agencies where it is legally permissible, such information is dynamic and needs to be verified and updated at the point of application or collection of documents. The requirement of having an applicant present the requisite original documents allows ICA to verify whether there have been any changes to the personal information.
At the same time, given that the onus to provide accurate information falls on the applicant and that the information provided would become official government records, the applicant would also be provided with an opportunity to confirm that the information to be recorded is still accurate and relevant.
Chia Hui Keng (Ms)
Head, Public & Internal Communications
Corporate Communications Division
Immigration & Checkpoints Authority
A better way to prove marital status in ICs
ST Online
25 Jan 2011
ON MY 30th birthday in October last year, I received a notification statement from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) to re-register my identity card (IC).
I got married the year before and on the statement, it showed that my marital status had been updated to "married". However, I had to show proof of my marital status and married name by submitting a copy of the marriage certificate along with other documentation to ICA.
Shortly after, I received the notification to collect my new IC, which stated that I should present my old IC and the original marriage certificate upon collection.
I arranged for an appointment to collect my new IC last Saturday, but I did not take along my original marriage certificate. Since the ICA was informed of my change in marital status, I deemed the document as not so important and necessary.
But the ICA officer informed me that the original marriage certificate was required or at least a certified true copy of the certificate.
I asked the ICA officer if it would be better to rely on the Registry of Marriages' (ROM) records rather than the original marriage certificate in case of forgeries. The officer replied that should any sham marriage be discovered eventually, the perpetrators would have to pay the penalty.
Instead of spending money on investigations to confirm the authenticity of a marriage, shouldn't verification be done at the very beginning? Shouldn't all the government databases be linked to share important identity information?
In this case, shouldn't the ROM database be linked to ICA? If ICA verifies a copy of a marriage certificate with the ROM database, then the original certificate would no longer be required. Wouldn't that be more efficient?
I agree that original documentation is still important. However, in this age of electronic documentation, isn't it time for government agencies to update their practices and operating procedures?
Teoh Cheng Ching (Mrs)