Honorary Citizen of Singapore

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The Honorary Citizen Award is the highest national honour conferred by the Government of Singapore to foreigners since 2003, to recognise and acknowledge the contributions of foreigners who have contributed extensively and significantly to Singapore and its people. [1]

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Description

The Honorary Citizen Award was first introduced in 2003, it is the highest national honour for foreigners. [2] The title Honorary Citizen is conferred for life.

Other existing national awards for foreigners includes the Public Service Star (Distinguished Friends of Singapore) award and the Public Service Medal (Friends of Singapore) award.

The award does not equate to citizenship. Therefore, atypical rights and duties of Singapore citizens, such as voting rights and the requirement to fulfil National Service (NS), do not apply to Honorary Citizens. Additionally, grants and subsidies which Singaporeans are entitled to are not made available to the recipients. [1]

The privileges for the award recipients include the right to live and work in Singapore for themselves as well as their immediate dependent family members and to purchase property if they decide to stay in Singapore. [3] [4]

Administered by Ministry of Manpower, a selection committee panel made up of high-level government officials would receive nominations of foreigners who have rendered extensive and valuable services to Singapore and its people, or who have made a significant impact in the areas of business, science and technology, information communications, education, health, arts and culture, sports, tourism, community services or security. The final selections are then endorsed by the Cabinet of Singapore. Recipients are conferred the Award in the following year of their nomination. The Awards are presented at a formal ceremony by the President of Singapore at the Istana. [5]

As of 2025, there are 22 recipients being conferred with the title.

Honourees

List of recipients [6]
Year of confermentRecipientNationalityRecognitionAdditional Ref.
2003Dr. Sydney Brenner

Scientific Advisor to Ministers / Senior Fellow, A*STAR

 United Kingdom contributions in establishing Singapore as a biomedical hub [2] [7] [8]
Mr Pasquale Pistorio

President & Chief Executive, STMicroelectronics

 Italy contributions in establishing Singapore as a microelectronics hub [2] [7] [8]
2004Sir Richard B. Sykes

Chairman, GlaxoSmith Kline PLC (2000-2002)

 United Kingdom contributions to the development of Singapore as an international biomedical sciences hub [8] [9]
Mr Lodewijk Christiaan van Wachem

Chairman of the supervisory board of the Royal Dutch Petroleum Company (Shell) (1992-2002)

 Netherlands contributions in positioning Singapore as a compelling global hub for business and investment [8] [9]
2005Dr Tsutomu Kanai

Chairman Emeritus of Hitachi, Ltd.

Japan contributions to the development of Singapore [10] [11]
Dr Robert A. Brown

President of Boston University

United States contributions to the Singapore Government [10] [11]
2006Mr Lee Raymond

Former Chairman and CEO, ExxonMobil Corporation

 United States contributions to the development of Singapore economy [12]
Dr Heinrich von Pierer

Former Chairman of the supervisory board, Siemens AG

Germany [12]
2008Sir Ratan Tata

Chairman of Tata Sons

India contribution to the growth of high-tech sectors in Singapore [13] [14]
Tan Sri Frank Tsao Wen-King

Senior Chairman of IMC Group

 Malaysia pivotal role in shaping the growth of the maritime industry and in promoting maritime education and research [13] [15]
2010Mr Jeroen van der Veer

Former CEO of Royal Dutch Shell

Netherlands contributions to Singapore economy through Shell [16]
2011Professor Edward Holmes

Executive Chairman of the National Medical Research Council, MOH

 United States leadership in building up translational and clinical research infrastructure in Singapore [17]
2012Lord Ronald Oxburgh

Co-chairman of A*STAR's Science & Technology Advisory Committee (STAC)

 United Kingdom contributions to Singapore's higher education, science and technology landscape as well as energy policy since 1997 [18]
2014Mr Hiromasa Yonekura

Chairman, Sumitomo Chemical

 Japan contributions to the growth of the chemicals industry [19]
2015Professor Sir George Radda

Chairman, Biomedical Research Council, A*STAR (2009–2017)

 United Kingdom contributions to biomedical sciences industry [20]
Dr Joan Bray Rose

Chairperson, PUB External Audit Panel

 United States contributions towards establishing NEWater as a supplementary water source [20] [21]
2016Dr Tadataka Yamada

Venture Partner, Frazier Healthcare Partners

 United States contributions to biomedical sciences industry [22]
2017Emeritus Professor Ulrich Werner Suter

Advisor, National Research Foundation (2012 – Present)

 Switzerland contributions to developing Singapore into a vibrant and well-known research and development hub [23]
2018Sir Andrew Philip Witty

former chief executive officer of GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK)

 United Kingdom contributions to Singapore's economic development, and the growth of biomedical sciences industry [24]
2019Sir John O'Reilly

Chairman of the Science and Engineering Research Council at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star)

 United Kingdom contributions to engineering research and development [25]
Professor Victor Dzau

President of the US-based National Academy of Medicine

United States contributions to postgraduate medical education [25]
2025Mr Tarun Das India Chairman Emeritus, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII); for his contributions to strengthening the economic partnership between India and Singapore [26]

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References

  1. 1 2 "Parliamentary reply by SM Teo Chee Hean on creating honorary citizenship for those who have invested in Singapore and created quality jobs for Singaporeans". www.strategygroup.gov.sg. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 "Singapore honours contributions of top global talent with inaugural Honorary Citizen award". A*STAR. 22 October 2003. Archived from the original on 22 February 2020. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  3. ↑ Shing Huei, Peh (29 December 2005). "Two global talents to get Honorary Citizen Award; they will be honoured for contributions to S'pore's R&D and electronics sectors". Straits Times. Singapore.
  4. ↑ "Honorary Citizen Award (Singapore)". Wellcome Library. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  5. ↑ Nirmala, M. (5 October 2004). "Honorary citizenship for two who fueled S'pore's growth; Dutch and Briton to get highest-level govt award for petrochemical and biomedical efforts respectively". Straits Times. Singapore.
  6. ↑ "Annex A - About the Honorary Citizen Award" (PDF).
  7. 1 2 "Singapore honours contributions of Dr Sydney Brenner and Mr Pasquale Pistorio with inaugural Honorary Citizen award". Archived from the original on 16 December 2007.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Singapore honours contributions from top global talent with prestigious Honorary Citizen Award" (PDF). 4 October 2004.
  9. 1 2 "Singapore honours contributions from LSir Richard B Sykes and C van Wachem with prestigious Honorary Citizen Award". Archived from the original on 20 October 2007.
  10. 1 2 "SINGAPORE CONFERS PRESTIGIOUS HONORARY CITIZEN AWARD ON DR TSUTOMU KANAI AND DR ROBERT A BROWN" (PDF). 28 December 2005.
  11. 1 2 "Singapore Confers Prestigious Honorary Citizen Award on Dr Tsutomu Kanai and Dr Robert A Brown". Archived from the original on 28 April 2007.
  12. 1 2 "Singapore Confers Prestigious Honorary Citizen Award on Mr Lee R. Raymond and Dr Heinrich Von Pierer". Archived from the original on 2 November 2007.
  13. 1 2 "Singapore Confers Prestigious Honorary Citizen Award on Mr Ratan N. Tata and Tan Sri Frank Tsao". Archived from the original on 15 September 2008.
  14. ↑ "Singapore confers honorary citizenship on Ratan Tata". India Today. 29 August 2008. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  15. ↑ "SINGAPORE CONFERS PRESTIGIOUS HONORARY CITIZEN AWARD ON MR RATAN N. TATA AND TAN SRI FRANK TSAO" (PDF). 29 August 2008.
  16. ↑ Shafawi, Mustafa (25 February 2010). "Retired chief executive of Shell receives Honorary Citizen Award". Archived from the original on 27 February 2010.
  17. ↑ "US researcher is Honorary Citizen". www.asiaone.com. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  18. ↑ "Lord Ronald Oxburgh Conferred Prestigious Honorary Citizen Award". Ministry of Manpower Singapore. 2 October 2012. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  19. ↑ Chia, Yan Min (14 February 2014). "National Day awards presented to six who have made significant contributions to S'pore". The Straits Times. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  20. 1 2 Khew, Carolyn (22 October 2015). "Two foreigners made Honorary Citizens of S'pore". The Straits Times. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  21. ↑ "SINGAPORE CONFERS PRESTIGIOUS HONORARY CITIZEN AWARD ON PROFESSOR SIR GEORGE RADDA AND DR JOAN B. ROSE" (PDF). 21 October 2015.
  22. ↑ "Tadataka Yamada Made Honorary Citizen of Singapore". 15 November 2016.
  23. ↑ hermesauto (14 August 2017). "Swiss materials science expert made honorary citizen for contributions to Singapore R&D". The Straits Times. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  24. ↑ "Singapore Confers Honorary Citizen Award on Sir Andrew Witty" (PDF). 26 June 2018.
  25. 1 2 Begum, Shabana (27 April 2019). "Doctor, A*Star engineer named honorary citizens". The Straits Times. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  26. ↑ Begum, Shabana (15 January 2025). "Indian industrialist Tarun Das receives Honorary Singapore Citizenship". The Straits Times. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
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