You can apply for Singapore citizenship if you have been a Singapore Permanent Resident (PR) for at least 2 years and are aged 21 and above, or if you fit one of the other four routes ICA lists. Applications are submitted through ICA e-Service, and ICA states that applications will be processed within 12 months. Renunciation of foreign citizenship comes at Stage 3 of the process, and ICA states it is applicable to those who are 21 years old and above.
Who can apply: the five routes ICA lists
ICA sets out five eligibility routes on its citizenship page. Each route names a different sponsor or submission method, and three of them are filed by another person using their Singpass — the spouse of a Singapore citizen, child of a Singapore citizen and aged parent routes — while the PR applying on own merit and student routes are submitted by the applicant, with the student route using the non-Singpass option at ICA e-Service if the applicant is aged below 15..
| Route | ICA’s stated condition | How ICA says the submission is made |
|---|---|---|
| PR applying on own merit | Have been a PR for at least 2 years and be aged 21 and above; may apply together with a spouse who is a PR and any unmarried children aged below 21 born to you within a legal marriage or legally adopted by you | Log in to ICA e-Service using your Singpass and apply for you and your family |
| Spouse of a Singapore citizen | Have been a PR for at least 2 years and have been married to a Singapore citizen for at least 2 years | Your spouse logs in to ICA e-Service using his or her Singpass to sponsor your application |
| Child of a Singapore citizen | Be an unmarried child aged below 21 born within the context of a legal marriage to, or legally adopted by, a Singapore citizen | Your Singapore citizen parent logs in to ICA e-Service using his or her Singpass to sponsor your application |
| Student route | Be a PR studying in Singapore; have been residing or living in Singapore for more than 3 years, of which at least 1 year as a PR; and have passed at least one national exam (PSLE, GCE ‘N’/‘O’/‘A’ levels) or be in the Integrated Programme (IP) | Aged 15 and above: submit using Singpass at ICA e-Service. Aged below 15: submit via the non-Singpass option at ICA e-Service |
| Aged parent route | Be a PR and an aged parent of a Singapore citizen of at least 21 years old | Your Singapore citizen child logs in to ICA e-Service using his or her Singpass to sponsor your application |
The student route carries the most conditions in ICA’s wording. It combines residence, PR duration and an exam requirement in one route.
What ICA says it assesses
ICA states that it takes into account factors such as the individual’s family ties to Singaporeans, economic contributions, qualifications, age, family profile and length of residency. ICA uses these to assess the applicant’s ability to contribute to Singapore and integrate into society, as well as his or her commitment to sinking roots.
ICA lists these factors together on its page.
Before you start: Singpass, declarations and documents
Every person added as an applicant must review the application form before it can be submitted. To review the form, applicants log in to ICA e-Service using their Singpass, or using unique log in credentials that ICA provides for those ineligible for Singpass, to give their declarations.
ICA states that approval for a Singpass account application may take 2 to 5 working days. ICA recommends that sponsors and applicants start an application only after all applicants have successfully registered for a Singpass account, where eligible.
Documents must be uploaded as certified true copies of the originals. Where a document is in a language other than English, ICA requires an official translation.
ICA states that it accepts three kinds of translation. It does not endorse any private translation company or entity.
- Translations provided by the embassy of the country or place that issued the document.
- Translations provided by a notary public in Singapore or in the country or place that issued the document.
- Privately translated documents attested by that embassy, or notarised by a notary public in Singapore or in the issuing country or place.
ICA warns that insufficient documentation may result in non-acceptance of your application. You may also be required to provide additional documents to support it. A document-by-document walkthrough sits in Singapore Citizenship Application Documents: What ICA Expects You to Prepare.
ICA also states that it has no affiliation with any other external migration agency or commercial entity which claims to be the Singapore immigration specialist, consultant or partner. ICA does not support or endorse services by self-proclaimed professional immigration consultancy service providers for Singapore Citizenship application.
Fees: what you pay at submission and at completion
ICA separates fees into an amount payable at submission and amounts payable at the completion of formalities. All fees are non-refundable, and ICA states that successful applicants will be notified of other applicable fees subsequently.
| Category | At submission | At completion of formalities |
|---|---|---|
| Adult PRs and children of PRs | S$100 for each application | S$70 for Singapore Citizenship Certificate; S$10 for Singapore Identity Card (applicable to new citizens aged 15 and above) |
| Overseas-born children to parents who are Singapore citizens, where the gestational mother is a Singapore citizen, or the father is a Singapore citizen and is married to the child’s gestational mother at the time of birth | S$18 for each application (inclusive of Singapore Citizenship Certificate) | S$10 for Singapore Identity Card (applicable to new citizens aged 15 and above) |
| All other overseas or locally born children | S$100 for each application | S$70 for Singapore Citizenship Certificate; S$10 for Singapore Identity Card (applicable to new citizens aged 15 and above) |
Payment has to be made online. ICA lists four payment methods.
- Visa or MasterCard credit or debit card.
- American Express (AMEX) credit card.
- Internet Direct Debit (DBS/POSB, OCBC, UOB and Standard Chartered Bank Internet Banking accounts in Singapore).
- PayNow.
The four stages of a citizenship application
ICA’s citizenship roadmap sets the process out as four stages: online application, in-principle approval, approval letter, and citizenship ceremony. The roadmap gives a general processing time of 12 months at Stage 1 and an estimated 2 months at Stage 2.
| Stage | What ICA says happens | Time ICA states |
|---|---|---|
| Stage 1: Online application | Submit your application and supporting documents online | General processing time: 12 months |
| Stage 2: In-principle approval | Download your IPA letter and complete your Singapore Citizenship Journey (for applicants aged 16 to 60 years old) | Estimated time required: 2 months |
| Stage 3: Approval letter | Download letter to renounce foreign citizenship(s) and attend registration appointment | Not stated on the roadmap |
| Stage 4: Citizenship ceremony | Attend a special event organised to welcome new citizens | Ceremony usually held 3-6 months after you have registered as a Singapore citizen |
ICA states that some applications may take longer to process. The roadmap repeats this and asks for the applicant’s understanding.
Stage 1: online application
You provide information relating to your biodata, family, qualifications, employment and residency, and you upload the required supporting documents. ICA allows up to 7 days to fill in the particulars and upload the documents.
Thereafter, you have up to another 7 days to review and ensure the accuracy of all information provided, and to make payment. ICA estimates that each individual application may require 90 mins to complete.
Stage 2: in-principle approval and the Singapore Citizenship Journey
You download your In-Principle Approval (IPA) letter. Applicants aged 16 to 60 years old are required to complete the mandatory Singapore Citizenship Journey (SCJ) programme.
You log in to the SC Journey Portal 3 days after IPA issuance. You complete the e-Journey, secure a slot for the Singapore Experiential Visit and Community Sharing Session, and make arrangements to meet the requirement for renunciation of your foreign citizenship(s) when it is time to do so for the next stage.
Stage 3: approval letter, renunciation and registration
You download a letter to renounce your foreign citizenship(s) and attend a registration appointment. ICA requires you to fulfil all the requirements for renunciation of your foreign citizenship(s), if any, and gives resolving property ownership issues as an example.
You apply to renounce your foreign citizenship(s) with the relevant foreign authorities. ICA states that this is only applicable to those who are 21 years old and above.
You prepare all documents required for the registration of Singapore Citizenship based on the annex provided. You then report to ICA Building on the scheduled appointment date and time to register for Singapore Citizenship.
Stage 4: citizenship ceremony
The ceremony is a special event organised to welcome new citizens. ICA states that it is usually held 3-6 months after you have registered as a Singapore citizen, and that you will receive an invite once it is organised by your respective group representation or single member constituency (GRC/SMC).
The Singapore citizenship certificate will be presented to you at this ceremony to mark your new journey as a citizen.
The outcome, and how ICA tells you
ICA states that you will be informed of the outcome of the citizenship application via email. You may also check the citizenship application status online at MyICA or the e-Service.
Successful applicants receive an In-Principle Approval. They will be granted Singapore citizenship status once they have fulfilled the necessary conditions.
For children born overseas to Singapore citizens, ICA’s citizenship page states the application will be processed within 1 month, provided all the required documents are submitted and are in order. The ICA roadmap PDF states that the processing time for children born overseas to Singapore Citizens is two months from receipt of complete documents.
The renunciation rule
Renunciation is a Stage 3 step, not a Stage 1 step. ICA places it after in-principle approval, once you hold the letter to renounce foreign citizenship(s) and before you register as a citizen.
ICA limits the renunciation step by age. The roadmap states that applying to renounce foreign citizenship(s) with the relevant foreign authorities is only applicable to those who are 21 years old and above.
Renunciation also interacts with National Service. ICA states that male Singapore citizens who wish to renounce Singapore citizenship may have their renunciation applications withheld by the Government if they have not discharged their NS liabilities.
National Service liability
Under the Enlistment Act 1970, all male Singapore citizens and Permanent Residents, unless exempted, are required to serve National Service (NS). After full-time NS they become Operationally Ready National Servicemen (NSmen), and an NSman’s obligation ends at the age of 50 years for officers or 40 years for other ranks.
ICA requires all male applicants to access www.cmpb.gov.sg for information on NS before proceeding with the citizenship application. This sits alongside the eligibility routes, not after them.
ICA states that all male applicants who are granted Singapore Citizenship or Singapore Permanent Residence status as a foreign student or under their parents’ sponsorship are liable for NS. They must register for NS upon reaching 16 and a half years old, and will be scheduled for enlistment into full-time NS at the earliest opportunity upon reaching 18 years old.
MINDEF allows students to attain educational qualifications up to the ‘A’ Levels certificate, the polytechnic diploma, or an equivalent pre-tertiary qualification before they are required to serve NS. They are enlisted at the earliest opportunity when they have finished pre-tertiary education, or after turning 18, whichever is later.
MINDEF does not grant deferment for university studies, regardless of whether such studies have begun. Those granted Singapore Citizenship or PR in the midst of their university studies will have to disrupt these studies to enlist if they are unable to complete them before their enlistment date.
Default carries a penalty. Any person who defaults on his NS obligations by committing an offence under the Enlistment Act 1970 shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding S$10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 years or to both.
ICA also sets out the consequences of renouncing or losing Singapore Citizenship or PR status without serving or completing full-time NS.
ICA states this will have a serious adverse impact on applications to work or study in Singapore, or for any long-term immigration facilities in Singapore, whether now or in the future, and that it will also adversely affect family members’ applications for long-term immigration facilities, their ability to sponsor such facilities, the renewal of their Re-Entry Permits, or their applications for Singapore citizenship or permanent residence.
For NS enquiries, ICA gives the Central Manpower Base at 1800-3676767 (local) or 65-65676767 (overseas), or email contact@ns.gov.sg.
Keeping your PR status while the application runs
Every adult route to citizenship runs through PR status first, so the PR conditions matter during the 12-month processing period. ICA states that a PR is required to have a valid Re-Entry Permit if he or she wishes to travel out and return to Singapore as a PR.
ICA’s conditions page sets out what can end PR status. With effect from 1 December 2025, all Entry Permits (EPs) and Re-Entry Permits (REPs) will be imposed or varied with conditions allowing cancellation pursuant to the Immigration Act 1959, including where the holder breaches any condition of the permit, is found by a court or other competent authority to have contravened any law, or in the opinion of the Controller of Immigration has behaved or is behaving in an undesirable manner.
ICA also lists good conduct conditions. PRs should not partake in undesirable conduct such as interfering in Singapore’s domestic politics or importing foreign politics into Singapore, engaging in activities that undermine social harmony, or committing criminal offences, including the unauthorised consumption of controlled drugs, and a conviction or finding of undesirable conduct leads ICA to review PR status, which can lead to cancellation of the EP and REP and revocation of PR status.
The 180-day rule is the one that catches travellers out. A PR who departs Singapore without a valid REP must apply for an REP within 180 days from the date of departure, and a PR whose REP expired while outside Singapore must apply within 180 days from the date of expiry; failure to apply within those 180 days results in the loss of PR status, and a PR who applies within 180 days still loses PR status if the REP application is unsuccessful.
You may apply to renew your REP online at www.ica.gov.sg using your Singpass three months before the expiry of your current REP. When you obtain a new travel document, you are required to log in to www.ica.gov.sg to do an electronic transfer of the remaining validity of your REP from your old travel document to your new one.
PR and citizenship side by side
Both figures below are published by ICA on its own pages. The comparison is of processing time and fees only.
| Item | PR, per ICA | Citizenship, per ICA |
|---|---|---|
| Stated processing time | Applications will be processed within 6 months, provided all required documents are submitted and are in order | Applications will be processed within 12 months |
| Fee at submission | S$100 for each application | S$100 for each application (adult PRs and children of PRs) |
| Fees at completion of formalities | S$20 for Entry Permit; S$50 for a 5-year Re-Entry Permit; S$50 for Singapore Identity Card | S$70 for Singapore Citizenship Certificate; S$10 for Singapore Identity Card (applicable to new citizens aged 15 and above) |
| Outcome notice | Informed via email, or by post for applications submitted before 26 June 2024 | Informed via email |
| Status check | Online at MyICA or the e-Service | Online at MyICA or the e-Service |
ICA states that successful applicants in both cases receive an In-Principle Approval and are granted the status once they have fulfilled the necessary conditions. The route into PR in the first place is covered in Singapore PR Application: Who Can Apply, What ICA Asks For and How the Process Runs.
After citizenship: certificate, card and proof of status
The Singapore citizenship certificate is presented at the citizenship ceremony. New citizens aged 15 and above are also issued a Singapore Identity Card, which carries the S$10 fee at completion of formalities.
ICA offers a separate Confirmation of Singapore Citizenship Status letter for people who need documentary proof later. The letter is issued digitally only and does not include signatures, stamps or QR codes.
Any person who is a current or former NRIC/FIN holder, or who possesses a Singapore birth certificate, may apply for that letter. The fee for each application is S$20, payable by credit or debit card or PayNow, and ICA states the application takes three working days if all required documents were submitted.
The documents for that request are the applicant’s foreign passport, birth certificate, Singapore Citizenship Certificate or Singapore Identity Card. If the requestor is an appointed proxy, a letter of authorisation and the requestor’s Singapore Identity Card are required; for children below 16 the requestor can be a parent or a proxy appointed by the parents, while children aged 16 and above can represent themselves.
ICA also reminds new citizens to keep particulars current. A change of address should be updated promptly via ICA’s e-Service, and a Singapore Permanent Resident holding a Singapore Identity Card is required to change his or her name in the foreign passport first before applying for a change of name.
What to read next
- Singapore Citizenship Application Documents: What ICA Expects You to Prepare — the document and translation rules ICA applies at submission, in checklist order.
- Singapore PR Requirements: The Application Routes, Documents, Fees and National Service Rules — what the PR stage asks for before a citizenship application is possible.
- Singapore PR Re-Entry Permit (REP): How to Apply, Renew and Avoid Losing PR Status — the 180-day rule and renewal window that protect PR status while you wait.
- 2026 PR Application: Handling Dual Citizenship Restrictions When Your Home Country Doesn’t Allow Dual Nationality — the nationality questions that surface again at the renunciation stage.
- Singapore PR Eligibility: Who Can Apply Under Each ICA Category and Who Sponsors — the sponsor rules behind each ICA category.
- Citizenship — the site’s citizenship hub for the other passes and status questions in this area.
Official sources
- Becoming a Singapore Citizen (ICA)
- Your Singapore Citizenship Roadmap (ICA)
- Confirmation of Singapore Citizenship Status (ICA)
- Becoming a Permanent Resident (ICA)
- Entry Permit and Re-Entry Permit Conditions for Singapore Permanent Residents (ICA)
These ICA pages were retrieved on 2026-10-07, and the rules, fees and processing times on them change, so This site is not an immigration agent, does not file applications and does not represent anyone, and the material on this page is general information only and not immigration or legal advice.