If a foreign national wants to stay in singapore for longer than 30 days, they may have to get a Long Term Visit Pass.
There are two types of LTVPs, issued by two different Singaporean authorities. They have different eligibility requirements and different application processes.
What are the Types of LTVPs for Singapore?
The first type of LTVP is issued by the Singapore Immigrant and Checkpoints Authority (ICA). It works like an extension of a current Short-Term Visit Pass. It is available to foreign visitors who want to stay in Singapore longer than the 30 days that the Short-Term Visit Pass allows.
The second type of LTVP is issued by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), and is available to the family members of foreign employees who do not qualify for the Dependant Pass but want to go live with their family member in Singapore.
This is a guide on the eligibility, application process, conditions, and requirements of Long Term Visit Passes, depending on the type you need or qualify for.
Who is eligible for the Singapore Long Term Visit Pass?
Long Term Visit Pass issued by ICA
You are eligible to apply for a LTVP at the ICA if you are:
- The spouse of a Singaporean Citizen or Permanent Resident
- The dependant child (under 21) of a Singaporean Citizen or Permanent Resident
- The parent of a Singaporean Citizen or Permanent Resident
- A graduate from a Higher Learning institution who wants to get employed in Singapore
- The mother or grandmother of a foreigner who is in Singapore with a Student Pass
- Foreigner who wants to give birth in Singapore
Long Term Visit Pass issued by the MOM
If a foreign employee who is in Singapore with a Work Visa wants to bring their spouse and/or dependant child along with them, they can do this if they apply for a Dependent Pass.
However, if the family member is not a legal spouse or dependant child (under 21), they do not qualify for the Dependant Pass. Instead, they need a Long Term Visit Pass.
The Dependant Pass and the LTVP for family members of foreign employees are both issued by the Ministry of Manpower.
A foreign employee can bring their family member to Singapore with an LTVP only if:
- They have a Singapore Employment Pass (EP), S Pass, Personalized Employment Pass (PEP) or EntrePass.
- For EP, PEP, S Pass holders:
- Their fixed monthly salary is at least S$6,000.
- Their sponsor (employer) is a Singaporean-registered company.
- For EntrePass holders: They must meet Singapore’s requirements for total annual business spending (minimum of S$100,000) and local employment (at least 3 full-time local employees and 1 local professional, manager or executive).
Additionally, they are allowed to bring their:
- Common law spouse.
- Child over 21 if the child has a mental or physical handicap making them dependant on their parent.
- Unmarried step-child under 21.
- Their parents. In this case, the requirement for each type of pass are doubled, including the number of local employees EntrePass holders must have in their company.
The Documents needed for a Long Term Visit Pass
When applying for an LTVP, all documents have to be in original copies and in English. If they are not, they must be translated by a professional translator.
If you are applying at the ICA
Anyone who applies for a Singapore LTVP must have the following documents:
- Photocopy of your passport’s bio-data page.
- Disembarkation/Embarkation (D/E) card
- Recent picture, based on Singapore photo requirements.
Additional documents required based on the purpose of travel:
- For spouses:
- Marriage certificate
- Document showing the highest level of education of both spouses
- Divorce certificate, for either partner, in case one of you has had a divorce in the past.
- Letter of Long-Term Visit Pass Eligibility (LLE) (If applicable.)
- For dependant child:
- Child’s Birth Certificate
- Parent’s divorce or custody documents (if applicable)
- For parent of Singapore citizen/permanent resident:
- Child’s birth certificate
- Adoption papers (if applicable)
- For a foreign graduate seeking employment in Singapore: Certificate with highest academic achievement.
- Mother/Grandmother of Student Pass holder:
- Marriage certificate
- Divorce certificate/custody documents, if applicable.
- The Student Pass holder’s passport
- The student’s Pass Card
- For mother: Child’s birth certificate
- For grandmother: Child’s birth certificate and birth certificates of his/her parents.
- Foreign visitor wanting to give birth in Singapore:
- Marriage certificate
- Letter from local doctor informing about the mother’s due date and whether there are any complications.
- Letter from the mother’s embassy/high commissioning, informing that the child will receive the mother’s nationality, as well as a valid passport.
Documents required from the Singapore Citizen/Permanent Resident:
- Identity Card
- Income Tax Notice of Assessment for the past three years
- Central Provident Fund (CPF) Statement for the past 12 months which shows the monthly CPF contributions.
- Letter of employment, which shows the start date, position, and monthly salary.
- If self-employed:
- Valid registration certificate issued from the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA)
- The company’s Profit and Loss Statement over the last 12 months.
If you are applying at the MOM
The documents you and your family members have to submit when applying for the Long Term Visit Pass at the Ministry of Manpower include:
- For common law spouses (one of the following):
- A copy of your common law certificate
- Letter from the embassy which states that you and your partner are considered to be in a common-law relationship under their rules
- A notarised affidavit from you stating that you and your partner are in a common-law relationship under your home country’s rules.
- Step children under 21 years old:
- Copy from the court in regards to the child’s custody
- Letter confirming the other parent does not object to the child coming to Singapore
- Verification of Vaccination Requirements issued by the Health Promotion Board if your child is under 12 years old.
- Dependant children over 21 years of age: Letter or report from a doctor in regards to the child’s condition.
- Parents: Your birth certificate which states your parent’s names.
Keep in mind that this is not an exhaustive list of documents and the Singaporean authorities reserve the right to ask for additional documents as they see fit.
How to Apply for a Long Term Visit Pass?
Depending on the type of LTVP that you qualify for, you have to apply at the adequate location. Because different authorities are in charge of handling the processing, the application for Long Term Visit Pass differs.
If you qualify for the LTVP issued by the ICA
Who applies?
To submit an application for a Long Term Visit Pass, you need a Singapore citizen/permanent resident who has a SingPass account. They serve as your sponsor and lodge the application via SingPass at ICA’s e-Service*, which is found on their website.
For example, if you are married to a Singapore citizen/permanent resident, then your spouse serves as your sponsor.
If you do not have a relative who is a Singapore citizen/permanent resident, you need an authorized visa agent, strategic partner, or other local partner with a SingPass account.
All sponsors must be over 21 years of age to be able to submit an application for you.
When to apply?
You have to apply for the LTVP while you are already in Singapore with a regular Visit Pass, at least 10 days before the Pass expires.
The application process
You have to pay a S$30 non-refundable processing fee through a valid credit/debit card (Visa or MasterCard, American Express (AMEX) credit card or Internet Direct Debit).
Then, you have to wait for the LTVP to be processed, which can take up to six weeks. During this time, the ICA may contact you and your sponsor for further documents or invite you to attend an interview.
After your LTVP is approved
You have to pay (via ICA’s eService) a fine of S$60 for the LTVP itself. Depending on your case, you may be required to pay for other fees as well, such as a Multiple Journey Visa, if it applies to you.
If you do not pay the fees, your LTVP will become void.
The ICA will also issue you an In-Principle Approval (IPA) letter. The IPA letter holds information regarding the documents you need to bring when you visit the ICA offices along with your sponsor for the final part of your LTVP application.
You will have to book an appointment beforehand.
If you qualify for the LTVP issued by the MOM
Who applies?
If you are a foreign worker who is in Singapore with an EP or S Pass, you cannot apply for your family members’ LTVP yourself.
Instead, your employer or appointed employment agent (EA) has to lodge the application on your behalf at EP Online (available at MOM’s website).
For this type of LTVP, your family member does not have to be in Singapore as the application is being processed.
When to apply?
Your employer/EA can submit the application for your family member’s LTVP at either time:
- At the same time they apply for your own employment pass
- After you are in Singapore and want to bring your family member to live with you.
The application process
Your employer/EA has to apply via EP Online*, where they have to upload the required documents and pay a S$105 processing fee.
They must lodge an application for each family member individually, so there’s a fee for every member.
The application is normally processed within three weeks. If your family members receive their Pass, they will get an in-principle approval (IPA) letter, which your employer has to print and send it to them.
They can use the IPA letter to enter Singapore. If you are an EP holder, they can use their IPA letter to enter within six months. For S Pass holders, the period of validity is 2 months.
After your family member travels to Singapore, you have to apply for their LTVP together, via EP Online. You must pay another fee of S$225 for each of the Passes.
You will receive a notification letter, which allows your family member to travel in and out of Singapore while the Pass Card is being processed. It also holds information on whether they need to get their picture and fingerprints taken.
Your family members will receive their Pass Card within four days of submitting all the requirements.
*If for some reason you cannot submit an application online, contact the appropriate authorities for information on how to proceed.
The Duration of the Long Term Visit Pass
In both cases, the LTVP has a duration of up to two years, depending on the reason you are applying.
If you want to join a family member who is a foreign worker in Singapore, your Pass has the same duration as their Employment Pass.
Singapore Long Term Visit Pass Plus
Spouses of Singaporean citizens or Permanent Residents may qualify for the Singapore Long Term Visit Pass Plus.
The LTVP+ allows the holder to stay in Singapore for three years initially, and can be renewed for up to five years for each renewal. Holders of an LTVP+ can enjoy employment and health benefits.
However, the conditions for eligibility for the LTVP+ include having at least one Singaporean child. If there is no child, you could still qualify if you have been married for at least three years.
Can you renew a Singapore Long Term Visit Pass?
Yes, you can can renew either type of LTVP using the same procedure as when you initially applied.
- If you want to renew an LTVP issued by the ICA, you have to do it at least ten days before your current one expires.
- If you want to renew an LTVP issued by the MOM, you must do it a maximum of six months before it expires. It is advised to start the renewing process early.
Applying for a LTVP renewal does not guarantee that you will receive your new Pass. You will still be evaluated based on the existing criteria and your eligibility.
Working in Singapore with a LTVP
In both cases, you can only work in Singapore if you find a job and your prospective employer applies for a Work Permit for you.
If your LTVP has been issued by the ICA, your employer has to apply for a Letter of Consent (LOC) beforehand at the Ministry of Manpower. They can apply for the Letter of Consent via MOM’s online application service.