Guide for Non-Citizen Spouse Scheme 2021: Buy an HDB Flat With the EHG

Most housing grants are only available to Singapore Citizens (SC). However, because of the cosmopolitan nature of Singapore, it’s not uncommon to have marriages between a citizen and a non-citizen.

Thankfully, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) made provisions for SCs with non-citizen spouses in the form of the Non-Citizen Spouse Scheme (NCS).

If you are a citizen married to a spouse who is not a Singapore citizen nor a Singapore Permanent Resident (SPR), you may be eligible for the Enhanced CPF Housing Grant (EHG).

EHG for Non-Citizen Spouses:

What is the EHG non-citizen spouse scheme?

In September 2019, the new EHG replaced two older housing grants – the Special CPF Housing Grant (SHG) and the Additional Housing Grant (AHG).

If you are an SC with a non-citizen spouse and earn an average monthly income of $4,500 or less, you can get an EHG amount of up to $40,000, depending on their income.

What kind of flat can you purchase with the EHG?

With the EHG, you can buy a BTO or a resale flat of any size, wherever it is located, as long as you meet the qualifications for it. You can use the EHG to pay off part of the purchase price of the flat or, in the case of mortgages, reduce the mortgage loan amount. However, you cannot use these grants as cash down payment, if any, or to pay for any of the monthly mortgage instalment payments.

Are you eligible for the EHG under the NCS?

Here are a few questions you need to answer to know if you qualify for the EHG under the NCS:

1. Income: If your household’s monthly average gross income over the period of 12 months before you applied is cut in half, would it reach $4,500 or less?
2. Employment:Have you and your spouse both been continuously working for the 12 months before you applied for the EHG? Are you both working still?
3. Remaining Lease of Flat: Does the flat you are planning to buy have enough remaining lease so that you and your spouse can live in it until both of you turn 95? If not, you may get a prorated portion of the EHG amount. But the flat should have at least 20 years of remaining lease.
4. Ownership/Interest in Property: Will this flat be the only property you or your spouse will own, either here or overseas? You or your spouse have not disposed of any property over the last 30 months, have you?

How Much Can You Get?

Unlike the Singles Scheme, the amount of EHG you can get is based on half of the average gross monthly income of your household over the period of 12 months up to the date that you applied for the grant. “Household” here means the combined income of everyone in your household, both applicants and occupiers.

To help those who really cannot afford to buy a home, those who earn less are given a bigger grant, and those who earn more are eligible for less.
For example, if half of your household’s average income only reaches $750 or less, you are eligible for a grant of $40,000. On the other hand, if you are doing well and half of your average monthly income reaches $4,500, you will only get a grant of $2,500.

How Can You Apply?

Download and fill out the EHG application form and submit it with the necessary income documents to the HDB during your flat booking appointment. If you qualify, the grant will be credited to the SC spouse’s CPF Ordinary Account.

Buy Your Dream Home

With the HDB’s Non-Citizen Spouse Scheme, it is now possible for SCs who are married to foreigners to acquire a flat that they can call their own.

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