ICA lists six categories of people who may apply for permanent residence, and it names a sponsor for three of them. The categories are spouse, unmarried child aged below 21, aged parent, Employment Pass or S Pass holder, student, and foreign investor. Each application costs S$100 at submission. ICA states that applications are processed within six months if all required documents are submitted and are in order.
Who can apply under each ICA category
ICA sets out the eligibility categories on its permanent residence page, together with a note on how each one is submitted. The table below reproduces that list.
| Category | Who applies or sponsors | How ICA says it is submitted |
|---|---|---|
| Spouse of a Singapore citizen or PR | Your spouse sponsors you | Sponsor logs in to ICA e-Service using Singpass |
| Unmarried child aged below 21, born within a legal marriage to, or legally adopted by, a Singapore citizen or PR | Your parent sponsors you | Parent logs in to ICA e-Service using Singpass |
| Aged parent of a Singapore citizen of at least 21 years old | Your Singapore citizen child sponsors you | Sponsor logs in to ICA e-Service using Singpass |
| Holder of an Employment Pass or S Pass | You apply yourself | You log in to ICA e-Service using your Singpass |
| Student studying in Singapore who has passed at least one national exam (PSLE, GCE ‘N’/‘O’/‘A’ levels) or is in the Integrated Programme | You apply yourself | Aged 15 and above: Singpass. Below 15: non-Singpass option |
| Foreign investor in Singapore | Referred to another agency | ICA directs applicants to the EDB Global Investor Programme |
The three family categories are sponsored categories. In each one, the sponsor is the applicant’s spouse, parent or Singapore citizen child, and the sponsor acts by logging in to ICA e-Service with their own Singpass.
The work pass category is self-submitted. The Ministry of Manpower confirms on its Employment Pass FAQ that an EP holder can apply to be a PR through ICA, and its S Pass FAQ carries the same statement for S Pass holders. Both say the application will be assessed based on ICA’s PR criteria.
The student category turns on schooling in Singapore. ICA requires that the student has passed at least one national exam, meaning PSLE, GCE ‘N’, ‘O’ or ‘A’ levels, or is in the Integrated Programme. Submission method depends on age: Singpass at 15 and above, and the non-Singpass option below 15.
What the sponsor and every applicant must do before submission
The application cannot be submitted until every person added as an applicant has reviewed the application form. ICA states that all persons added as an applicant must review the form before submission.
To review the form, an applicant logs in to ICA e-Service using Singpass, or using unique login credentials that ICA provides for those ineligible for Singpass. This is how declarations are given.
Singpass registration takes time. ICA states that approval for a Singpass account application may take 2 to 5 working days, and recommends that sponsors and applicants start an application only after all applicants have successfully registered for a Singpass account, where eligible.
A work pass holder who does not yet have a Singpass can obtain one through the Singpass website or in person at Singpass counters located islandwide. MOM states both options on its work pass FAQ.
What ICA says it assesses
ICA names the factors it takes into account. They are the individual’s family ties to Singaporeans, economic contributions, qualifications, age, family profile and length of residency.
ICA states that it uses these factors to assess the applicant’s ability to contribute to Singapore and integrate into society, and his or her commitment to sinking roots in Singapore.
A PR is a foreigner who has been granted permanent residence status allowing him or her to reside in Singapore on a permanent basis. PRs aged 15 years and above are issued the Singapore blue Identity Card, and a PR needs a valid Re-Entry Permit to travel out and return to Singapore as a PR.
Documents, certified copies and translations
Applicants must provide certified true copies of original documents. Official translations are required for documents in languages other than English.
ICA accepts three kinds of translation. A translation provided by the embassy of the country or place that issued the document is accepted, as is a translation provided by a notary public in Singapore or in the country or place that issued the document. Privately translated documents are accepted if they are attested by that embassy or notarised by such a notary public.
ICA does not endorse any private translation companies or entities. Insufficient documentation may result in non-acceptance of an application, and ICA may require additional documents to support it.
Fees and how to pay them
Fees fall into two stages, and all of them are non-refundable.
| Stage | Fee |
|---|---|
| At submission | S$100 for each application |
| At completion of formalities | S$20 for Entry Permit |
| At completion of formalities | S$50 for a 5-year Re-Entry Permit |
| At completion of formalities | S$50 for Singapore Identity Card |
Payment is made online. ICA accepts Visa or MasterCard credit or debit cards, American Express (AMEX) credit cards, Internet Direct Debit through DBS/POSB, OCBC, UOB and Standard Chartered Bank internet banking accounts in Singapore, and PayNow.
Successful applicants are notified of other applicable fees subsequently.
Processing time, outcome and formalities
ICA processes applications within 6 months, provided all the required documents are submitted and are in order. Some applications may take longer to process.
The outcome is sent by email or by post for applications submitted before 26 June 2024. Applicants can also check PR application status online at MyICA or the e-Service.
Successful applicants receive an In-Principle Approval. They are granted permanent residence status once they have fulfilled the necessary conditions, .
For status checking in detail, see Singapore PR Processing Time and How to Check Your Application Status.
National Service liability for male applicants
National Service applies to male PRs. Under the Enlistment Act 1970, all male Singapore citizens and permanent residents are required to serve National Service unless exempted, and after full-time NS they become Operationally Ready National Servicemen (NSmen).
An NSman’s obligation ends at age 50 for officers and age 40 for other ranks. All male applicants are required to access www.cmpb.gov.sg for information on NS before proceeding with the PR application.
Male applicants granted Singapore citizenship or permanent residence 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. They are enlisted at the earliest opportunity when they have finished pre-tertiary education, or after turning 18 years old, whichever is later.
MINDEF does not grant deferment for university studies, regardless of whether such studies have begun. A person granted SC or PR in the midst of university studies has to disrupt those studies to enlist if he is unable to complete them before his enlistment date.
Consequences of not completing National Service
Renouncing or losing PR status without serving or completing full-time NS has stated consequences. It 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.
It also adversely affects family members. ICA states it will affect their applications for long-term immigration facilities, their ability to sponsor such facilities, their renewal of Re-Entry Permits, and their applications for Singapore citizenship.
Male新加坡 citizens who wish to renounce citizenship may have their renunciation applications withheld by the Government if they have not discharged their NS liabilities. A person who defaults on NS obligations by committing an offence under the Enlistment Act 1970 is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding S$10,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years, or both.
Enquiries go to the Central Manpower Base at 1800-3676767 (local) or 65-65676767 (overseas), or by email to contact@ns.gov.sg.
The investor route: the Global Investor Programme
Foreign investors are directed to the EDB. The Global Investor Programme (GIP) accords Singapore Permanent Resident status to eligible global investors who intend to drive their businesses and investment growth from Singapore, and EDB states that applicants need a substantial business track record and successful entrepreneurial background to qualify.
The GIP is administered by Contact Singapore, a division of the EDB that advises entrepreneurs and business owners interested in relocating to and investing in Singapore. Applicants submit the required application forms and supporting documents.
EDB publishes a GIP Factsheet and e-application forms, which take approximately 30 minutes to complete and must be opened in Adobe Acrobat Reader because web browsers do not support XFA-based PDF forms. Applicants also complete Form 4, the Application for an Entry Permit to enter Singapore, and a family background Excel sheet that takes approximately 15 minutes to complete.
The ICA fee still applies on this route. EDB states that all applicants who apply for PR are required to pay a S$100 non-refundable processing fee per applicant directly to ICA, and that applicants will be advised when to make the payment after the GIP application has been received.
Commercial consultants and immigration agents
ICA distances itself from consultants. It states that it has no affiliation with any external migration agency or commercial entity claiming to be a Singapore immigration specialist, consultant or partner, and that it does not support or endorse services by self-proclaimed professional immigration consultancy service providers for Permanent Residence applications.
ICA repeats the point on a separate public education page. It is aware of commercial entities or consultants who claim they can help applicants improve their success in obtaining long-term immigration facilities such as Singapore Citizenship, Permanent Residence and Long-Term Immigration Passes, and it does not support nor endorse their services.
ICA states that it carefully assesses all applications for long-term immigration facilities, and advises applicants who engage commercial entities or consultants to exercise caution. It states it is not responsible or held accountable for any loss arising from such engagement, and that it does not regulate the advertising industry or the immigration consultancy industry.
False or misleading advertisements are handled elsewhere. ICA states that companies publishing such advertisements will be referred to the Advertising Standards Authority of Singapore (ASAS), which investigates and takes action on advertisements that breach the Singapore Code of Advertising Practice (SCAP).
What to read next
- Singapore PR Application: Who Can Apply, What ICA Asks For and How the Process Runs — the full application route, from form to formalities.
- Singapore PR Requirements: The Application Routes, Documents, Fees and National Service Rules — the document checklist and requirement detail behind each route.
- Applying for Singapore PR From Overseas: Which Routes Allow It and Which Do Not — whether a category can be used while living outside Singapore.
- Singapore PR Benefits and Obligations: CPF, Housing, Schooling, Travel and National Service — what changes after permanent residence is granted.
- Singapore PR Re-Entry Permit (REP): How to Apply, Renew and Avoid Losing PR Status — the permit a PR needs to travel out and return.
- Singapore Citizenship: Requirements, Application Stages and the Renunciation Rule — the step some PRs take after permanent residence.
Official sources
- Becoming a Permanent Resident (ICA)
- If I’m an EP holder, can I apply to be a Singapore permanent resident (PR)? (MOM)
- Can an S Pass holder apply to be a Singapore permanent resident (PR)? (MOM)
- Global Investor Programme (EDB)
- As a work pass holder, how do I get a Singpass? (MOM)
- Application for Long-Term Immigration Facilities Through Commercial Entities or Consultants (ICA)
This article relies on the official pages above as retrieved on 2026-10-07, and ICA, MOM and EDB rules change, so confirm the current position on the agency page before acting. Pass & Permit Desk is not an immigration agent: it does not file applications or represent anyone, and this article gives general information only, not immigration or legal advice.