Who can apply for dependant passes
Foreign professionals, managers, executives or technicians holding an Employment Pass (EP) or S Pass may apply for a Dependant’s Pass (DP) or Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP) for eligible family members. The application must be submitted by the employer or an appointed employment agent; an overseas company without a Singapore-registered entity must apply through a local sponsor. Both the EP and S Pass use fixed monthly salary as the core threshold, and dependant pass eligibility is tied directly to the principal holder’s salary level.
Eligible family members under the DP and LTVP
The DP covers only a legally married spouse and unmarried children under 21 (including legally adopted children). The LTVP covers a common-law spouse, unmarried disabled children above 21, unmarried stepchildren under 21, and parents (limited to EP holders with a fixed monthly salary of at least S$12,000). Where a family member qualifies for both the DP and LTVP (for example, a legally married spouse or minor child), the DP should be applied for first. An EP holder applying under an intra-company transferee (ICT) arrangement pursuant to WTO GATS or a relevant FTA will generally not have family members who qualify for a DP or LTVP, unless the relevant FTA explicitly covers them and current standards are met.
Salary threshold: fixed monthly salary of S$6,000 and S$12,000
The uniform threshold for a DP or LTVP is a principal pass holder’s fixed monthly salary of at least S$6,000, calculated on the individual’s salary with no pooling of household income. The parent pass (LTVP) demands more: it is limited to EP holders with a fixed monthly salary of at least S$12,000. S Pass holders are likewise subject to the S$6,000 threshold to apply for a DP for their spouse and children, but the S Pass itself has its own separate salary ladder (from S$3,300 across all sectors, from S$3,800 for financial services, rising with age); whether the principal pass is granted is contingent on the holder’s own eligibility.
Application process and time required
The employer must submit a separate application for each family member. This can be filed together with the principal pass application or separately after the principal pass is approved. Upon approval, an In-Principle Approval (IPA) letter is issued, and family members must meet the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA)‘s current entry requirements before entering. After entry, the pass issuance, fingerprint registration (if required) and card collection are completed following the notification letter; LTVP card collection typically takes 5 working days after registration or verification. The entire process is done online via the myMOM Portal or EP eService, and the authorities have not published a uniform median processing time.
Pass validity, renewal and work rights
Both the DP and LTVP follow the validity of the principal pass, or the shorter of the two where a set application period applies. Both can be renewed, in step with the principal pass renewal. An LTVP holder who meets the conditions may work in Singapore (a separate pass or exemption must be obtained), and a DP holder who is employed may apply for a Letter of Consent (LOC) to work. Neither pass is subject to foreign worker levy or quota restrictions.
Salary threshold differences between the EP and S Pass principal passes
The EP uses a two-stage framework: stage one requires meeting the EP qualifying salary (from S$5,600 across all sectors, S$10,700 at 45 and above; from S$6,200 for financial services, S$11,800 at 45 and above; rising to S$6,000/S$11,500 and S$6,600/S$12,700 respectively from 1 January 2027), and stage two requires passing the COMPASS (Complementarity Assessment Framework) points system (pass mark 40 points), unless exempt (fixed monthly salary of S$22,500 or more, intra-company transfer, or employment of one month or less). The S Pass has a single salary threshold: from S$3,300 across all sectors (S$4,800 at 45 and above), from S$3,800 for financial services (S$5,650 at 45 and above), rising to S$3,600/S$5,100 and S$4,000/S$5,650 respectively from 1 January 2027. The S Pass is further bound by the sector Dependency Ratio Ceiling (DRC) (services 35%, manufacturing 60%, and others) and the S Pass sub-quota (services 10%, others 15%), and a uniform foreign worker levy of S$650 per month has applied since 1 September 2025.