The Global Investor Programme (GIP) is administered by Contact Singapore, under the Economic Development Board (EDB). Applicants may obtain Singapore permanent resident (PR) status through a qualifying investment. The content below is based entirely on the official EDB fact sheet published on 5 May 2025, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) Dependant’s Pass (DP) page, and the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) PR and citizenship pages.
GIP’s four applicant profiles
EDB divides eligible applicants into four profiles, each with its own qualifying thresholds:
Established business owners
- At least three years of entrepreneurship and operating track record.
- The company currently operated must have annual revenue of at least S$200 million in the year before application, and average annual revenue of at least S$200 million over the preceding three years.
- If the company is privately held, the applicant must hold at least 30% of shares.
- The company must operate in an industry listed in Annex B.
- Available investment options: A, B or C.
Next-generation business owners
- The applicant’s immediate family must hold at least 30% of shares in, or be the largest shareholder of, the company used for qualification.
- That company must have annual revenue of at least S$500 million in the year before application, and average annual revenue of at least S$500 million over the preceding three years.
- The applicant must be a member of the company’s management team (for example, C-suite or board member).
- The company must operate in an industry listed in Annex B.
- Available investment options: A, B or C.
Founders of high-growth companies
- A founder and one of the largest individual shareholders of a non-listed company, with a company valuation of at least S$500 million.
- The company has received investment from a recognised venture capital or private equity firm.
- The company must operate in an industry listed in Annex B.
- Available investment options: A, B or C.
Family office principals
- At least five years of entrepreneurship, investment or management track record.
- Net investable assets of at least S$200 million (excluding real estate; EDB reserves the right to assess the suitability of assets).
- Only investment option C is available.
Note: A spouse and unmarried children under 21 at the time of application may apply for PR as dependants. Parents and unmarried children aged 21 and above cannot apply as dependants; they may instead apply for a Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP), the validity of which is tied to the main applicant’s Re-Entry Permit (REP).
The three investment options
The official fact sheet lists only options A, B and C; there is no option D.
Option A: Invest at least S$10 million in a new or expanded business entity
- Establish a new business entity in Singapore or expand an existing one, with an investment amount that meets the latest threshold published by EDB.
- Submit a detailed five-year business/investment plan (including projected employment, expenditure and financial forecasts); EDB will assess feasibility, the applicant’s role, business activities and local job creation.
- The applicant must hold at least 30% of shares in the Option A company and be a member of its management team.
- The Option A company must operate in an industry listed in Annex B.
Option B: Invest S$25 million in GIP-approved funds
- Invest in an EDB-recognised GIP-approved fund, with an amount that meets the latest threshold published by EDB; the fund must invest in Singapore-based companies.
- The applicant may be asked to provide other Singapore business plans in addition to the fund investment.
- Fund investment is at the applicant’s discretion; EDB does not endorse fund performance and is not responsible for losses arising from the investment.
Option C: Establish a Singapore single-family office (SFO) with assets under management (AUM) of at least S$200 million
- Establish an SFO in Singapore, with AUM that meets the latest threshold published by EDB.
- At least S$50 million of this must be transferred to Singapore and deployed in EDB-approved investment vehicles (see below).
- Submit a detailed five-year business plan (including projected employment and annual financial forecasts); EDB assesses the applicant’s role and functions in the SFO, and intended investment sectors, asset types, geographies and philanthropic interests.
- Offshore assets may count towards AUM, but at the time of In-Principle Approval (AIP), at least S$50 million of investable assets must already have been transferred to and held in Singapore.
- Within 12 months of final approval, at least S$50 million must be deployed in the approved vehicles and maintained throughout the validity of the REP.
- EDB-approved investment vehicles include: shares listed on a recognised Singapore exchange.
Application process and processing timeline
- The applicant submits a complete GIP application form (online and hard copy) to EDB.
- EDB invites the applicant for an interview.
- If the assessment criteria are met, ICA issues AIP; the applicant must meet subsequent requirements within the period specified in the letter.
- The applicant must satisfy the investment conditions of the chosen option within the period stated in the AIP letter.
- After completing the investment, the applicant submits proof of investment and a signed investment undertaking (setting out the investment terms and conditions).
- After EDB verifies the investment documents, ICA issues the final approval letter (Option C applicants must, within 12 months of the final approval letter, evidence deployment of at least S$50 million into the approved investments).
- The applicant must complete PR formalisation within the period stated in the final approval letter.
GIP application processing times vary with case complexity; refer to the latest EDB guidance.
Post-approval investment obligations (AIP stage)
After receiving AIP, EDB will email the required investment amount and the full document checklist. The applicant must complete the investment and submit documents within six months from the date of the AIP letter. The common documents are set out below (they may vary by option and case):
Option A
- Original signed investment undertaking, original signed statutory declaration, latest ACRA Bizfile of the Option A company, certified true copy of ordinary share certificates countersigned by the company secretary, and bank reference letter (showing the account holder’s full name, UEN, account type and account number).
Option B
- Original signed investment undertaking, original signed statutory declaration, Singapore personal bank account reference letter (showing the holder’s full name, passport number, account type and account number), bank statement or credit/debit advice evidencing the investment, and certified true copy of fund shares/subscription agreement countersigned by the fund manager.
Option C
- Original signed investment undertaking (committing that the SFO will manage at least S$200 million in assets and deploy at least S$50 million in approved investments), original signed statutory declaration, latest ACRA Bizfile of the SFO, documents proving the fund vehicle holds S$200 million in assets, bank reference letters for the SFO and fund vehicle accounts, fund vehicle bank statement showing total net investable assets of at least S$200 million, and notarised investment management agreement proving the fund is managed by the SFO.
PR formalisation and REP
- After receiving ICA’s final approval letter, the applicant must complete PR formalisation within 12 months.
- Upon formalisation, a REP is issued; its validity is determined by ICA. The REP allows PR status to be retained while abroad.
- Renewal criteria must be met before the end of the fifth year to obtain a five-year REP.
- Renewal applications may be submitted via ICA’s electronic system before the REP expires; failure to obtain approval in time may affect retention of PR status.
- Changes of correspondence address must be notified as required by the relevant authority; refer to the latest official guidance for contact details.
PR renewal criteria (fifth year)
Option A
- The Option A investment conditions have been met, and the additional renewal requirements in the official fact sheet are satisfied.
Option B
- The Option B investment conditions have been met, and the additional renewal requirements in the official fact sheet are satisfied.
Option C
- The Option C investment conditions have been met, and the additional renewal requirements in the official fact sheet are satisfied.
The official fact sheet does not publish approval rates, rejection rates, median processing times, the number of approvals by profile, or renewal ratios. The renewal thresholds in the official fact sheet are satisfying the investment conditions and other requirements; for details, refer to the official fact sheet.
Dependant’s Pass eligibility (per current MOM rules)
Once the main applicant is granted an Employment Pass (EP), Dependant’s Pass eligibility is as follows:
| Family member | Pass type | Salary threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Legally married spouse | DP | Fixed monthly salary ≥ S$6,000 |
| Unmarried children under 21 (including legally adopted) | DP | Fixed monthly salary ≥ S$6,000 |
| Unmarried partner | LTVP | Fixed monthly salary ≥ S$6,000 |
| Unmarried children aged 21 and above with disabilities | LTVP | Fixed monthly salary ≥ S$6,000 |
| Unmarried stepchildren under 21 | LTVP | Fixed monthly salary ≥ S$6,000 |
| Parents | LTVP | Fixed monthly salary ≥ S$12,000 |
- The definition of fixed monthly salary is set out in the MOM FAQ and is based on the applicant’s salary, not combined household income.
- The employer must submit a separate application for each family member, either together with the main pass application or on its own.
- Holders who apply for an EP under WTO GATS or an applicable FTA as an intra-corporate transferee (ICT) are not eligible for DP/LTVP for their family members, unless a specific FTA provides otherwise and current criteria are met.
PR and citizenship application fees (per current ICA rules)
PR application
- On submission: S$100 per application.
- On completion: entry permit S$20 + 5-year REP S$50 + NRIC S$50.
- All fees are non-refundable. Payment is accepted by Visa/Mastercard, Amex, direct debit from major Singapore banks’ internet banking, and PayNow.
Citizenship application
- Adult PRs and PR children: S$100 per person on submission; on completion, citizenship certificate S$70 + NRIC S$10 (aged 15 and above).
- Children born overseas to a Singapore citizen (mother is a citizen, or parents are married and father is a citizen): S$18 per person on submission (includes citizenship certificate); on completion, NRIC S$10 (aged 15 and above).
- Other children born overseas or in Singapore: S$100 per person on submission; on completion, citizenship certificate S$70 + NRIC S$10 (aged 15 and above).
- All fees are non-refundable; payment methods are the same as for PR applications.
Processing times (per current ICA rules)
- PR application: processed within six months where documents are complete; individual cases may take longer.
- Citizenship application: processed within 12 months where documents are complete; one month for children born overseas to a Singapore citizen. Individual cases may take longer.
- PR application outcomes are notified by email or post (for submissions before 26 June 2024); citizenship application outcomes are notified by email. Status can be checked on MyICA or the e-service.
Key points
- The authorities have not published the specific weighting, quotas or scoring details for PR/citizenship approval. ICA states it considers holistically factors such as family ties, economic contribution, educational qualifications, age, family profile and length of residence, to assess an applicant’s ability to contribute, integrate and put down roots.
- The official fact sheet does not mention “option D”, changes to MAS 13O/13U tax incentive thresholds, EDB annual report rejection/renewal statistics, specific cases, tax rate projections, changes to CRS exchange frequency, or CPF Special Account interest rate projections; none of these falls within the scope of this article.
- All fees, thresholds and timelines are subject to the latest government website publications; applicants are advised to verify the relevant pages directly before applying.