What is your race?

When I had to fill up the forms for Kirsten's application to become a Singaporean, I had to ask this question to Sander. However, it sounds like a very strange question to him and he just said he is Dutch, but is that nationality = race? I am not sure of the implication so I left the column empty.

Well, I just realise that whatever I fill in there, the kid will take that as her race as her record in Singapore. So should I fill in Dutch or Cacuasian?

Then again, both of us think that if I am an Asian and Sander is from Europe, shouldn't Kirsten be consider as a Eurasian? But seems that MY identity is being left out from the equation in reference to my kids record in MY country!

Then, in Holland, the law is such that all offsprings from any Dutch person will automatically be of Dutch nationality. So Kirsten is automatically Dutch. Then in Singapore, it is such that it is by application. So, Kirsten will be Singaporean only IF we apply. I am just wondering if Singapore is hard up for people and trying to invite so many foreigners into the country, why don't they make the regulations easier so that any kid of any Singaporean can easily be a citizen. If they make this easier, then at least the kid will have an easy link and may one day choose for herself to make Singapore her home.

We have already fill in a lot of papers as stated on ICA's website, and then now they need the translation of her birth certificate to English. The belgium embassy directed us to get this from our local city hall. The city hall may not not have this service, then we will have to go to an official translator to have it translated and then to get it stamped as certified true copy in various agencies! That is a lot of effort and money required to get the paperwork for my daughter to be a Singaporean, is it worth it ?

I don't know.
I totally embrace my Singaporean identity but having to go through so much for her, at the end of 18 years, she might just choose to give it again. hahaha.... anyway, the Baby bonus is my answer, I will definitely try harder to establish her links to Singapore for now.