Long-Term Visit Pass Applications

There are two different LTVPs

The Long Term Visit Pass is not one pass with one process. Family members of Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents generally apply through ICA. Certain family members of eligible work pass holders apply through MOM.

How long it takes

ICA states that most LTVP applications are processed within six weeks, provided all required documents are submitted and in order. An LTVP application by a foreign spouse of a Singapore Citizen takes up to six months, or six weeks where the couple completed the Pre-Marriage Long Term Visit Pass Assessment before the marriage. Processing times for family members of work pass holders, through MOM, follow MOM's published timelines.

The Pre-Marriage Assessment is free

Couples intending to marry can complete a Pre-Marriage Long Term Visit Pass Assessment before the marriage takes place. It carries no fee.

It gives an indication of the likelihood of a successful LTVP application, and where it has been completed the subsequent application is processed in a shorter time. ICA encourages couples to complete it before the marriage.

It is not a guarantee of an outcome. It is an indication, and a shorter timeline.

Differences Between the LTVP and LTVP+

LTVP+ is commonly described as an upgraded LTVP. It is more accurate to treat it as a separate ICA scheme with its own eligibility, introduced to give foreign spouses of Singapore Citizens greater certainty of stay.

There is no separate LTVP+ application. ICA states that foreign spouses of Singapore Citizens who apply for an LTVP are automatically considered for the LTVP+ where they qualify, and ICA decides which one is granted. An existing LTVP holder who becomes eligible is considered at the next renewal.

Who is eligible for the LTVP+. It is for spouses only, and only where the sponsor is a Singapore Citizen. Parents, parents in law and children are not eligible. Couples with at least one Singaporean child from the marriage are eligible to apply. Where there is no Singaporean child, ICA considers other factors including the duration of the marriage, and has said it generally looks more favourably on marriages of at least three years. The sponsor's ability to support the family financially and the conduct of both parties are also taken into account.

Working. MOM states that spouses and children under 21 of Singaporeans and PRs who hold an ICA-issued LTVP or LTVP+ can work in Singapore with a Letter of Consent, which the employer applies for once they have found a job. When applying for or renewing the pass with ICA, they are also given the option to apply for a Pre-approved Letter of Consent, which allows them to work without first finding a job. Holders working on a Letter of Consent are not counted against their employer's foreign worker quota, and no foreign worker levy is payable. MOM administers work authorisation, so its current guidance should be checked.

What it does not cover. LTVP+ does not place the holder on the same footing as a citizen, and it is not a prerequisite for permanent residence.

None of this is a choice an applicant makes. Which status is available follows from the relationship and the sponsor rather than from preference, which is why establishing the route comes before everything else.

What the pass does not do

An LTVP allows the holder to remain in Singapore. It does not by itself permit employment, and working requires separate authorisation. It is also a pass rather than a status, which means it is granted for a period and renewed rather than held permanently.

Permanent residence is a separate application from the LTVP.