SingaporePermanent residence

Singapore PR in Singapore

Singapore permanent resident (PR) status gives a foreign national the right to live in the country indefinitely without being tied to a work pass. The application is assessed by the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) on the following grounds: a family link with a citizen or permanent resident, work on an Employment Pass or S Pass, study with a national examination passed, or status as a foreign investor.

Source: Immigration & Checkpoints Authority of Singapore (ica.gov.sg)

Who can apply for PR

The ICA assesses an application on one of the listed grounds only.

Through family ties

Spouse of a Singapore citizen or permanent resident
Unmarried child under 21 born within a lawful marriage to a citizen or permanent resident, or adopted by one
Parent of a Singapore citizen aged 21 or above

Through work

Employment Pass holder
S Pass holder

Through study

A foreign student who is studying in Singapore and has sat at least one national examination — the PSLE or GCE N, O or A levels — or is on the Integrated Programme

Through investment

A foreign investor — through the Global Investor Programme at the Economic Development Board (EDB)

What it costs

PR application (per application)	100 SGD
Entry Permit on approval	20 SGD
Five-year Re-Entry Permit on approval	50 SGD
Identity Card on approval	50 SGD
Total government feesThe sum of the mandatory rows in the table.	220 SGD

Documents to gather

The full list depends on the applicant's category (spouse, child, parent, EP/S Pass holder, student, investor) — the ICA publishes the exact list in a separate checklist.

Certified copies of the original documents
An official translation of documents not drawn up in English
A translation is accepted if produced by the embassy of the country that issued the document, by a notary public in Singapore or in the issuing country, or by a private translator and subsequently attested at the embassy

How the process runs

After approval the applicant receives an In-Principle Approval and formalises permanent status once the ICA's conditions are met.

1
Determine the ground for the application
Choose the category: spouse, child or parent of a citizen/permanent resident, Employment Pass or S Pass holder, student who has passed a national examination, or investor under the Global Investor Programme.
2
File the application online through the ICA e-Service
An applicant aged 15 or above logs in with their own Singpass; for an applicant under 15 the application is filed through the non-Singpass option. For the spouse, child and parent categories the sponsor (a citizen or PR) must log in with their Singpass to support the application. The fee on filing is S$100 per application.
3
Wait for the ICA's decision
usually within 6 months where a complete and correct set of documents is filed
The ICA assesses family ties with Singapore citizens, economic contribution, qualifications, age, family profile and length of residence in the country. The outcome is communicated by email or post.
4
Receive the In-Principle Approval and formalise the status
Once approved, the applicant receives an In-Principle Approval and PR status after meeting the necessary conditions. The payments are S$20 for the Entry Permit, S$50 for the five-year Re-Entry Permit and S$50 for the identity card (those aged 15 and above are issued a blue Identity Card).

Timelines and rights

Work

A PR holder does not need a work pass: they take up employment without authorisation from the Ministry of Manpower. Employment Pass and S Pass are required only by foreign nationals without PR status.

Who you can bring with you

Singapore PR has no separate "accompanying family" format — the spouse, child and parent of a citizen or permanent resident each apply on their own ground from the general list of categories.

Spouse of a citizen or permanent resident

Applies as a separate applicant; the sponsor logs in to the ICA e-Service with their Singpass to support the application.

Unmarried child under 21

A child born within a lawful marriage to a citizen or permanent resident, or adopted by one, applies as a separate applicant; the sponsoring parent supports the application through their Singpass.

Parent of a Singapore citizen (aged 21 or above)

Applies as a separate applicant; the citizen child logs in to the ICA e-Service with their Singpass to support the application.

Trips, renewal and the grace period

The status rests on the re-entry permit. If you left without a valid permit, an application for a new one must be filed within 180 days of the date of departure; if the permit expired while you were abroad, the same 180 days run from the expiry date. Miss the deadline and PR is lost. The rule has applied since 1 December 2025.

A permanent resident's Entry Permit has no expiry, but you may leave Singapore and return only with a valid Re-Entry Permit. The REP can be renewed online through Singpass in the 3 months before it expires. If a permanent resident left without a valid REP, or the REP expired while they were abroad, an application for a new permit must be filed within 180 days of the date of departure or expiry — otherwise PR status is lost. Since 1 December 2025 all EPs and REPs carry a condition on good conduct: the permit may be cancelled where the law has been broken or where, in the ICA's view, the holder has behaved improperly, and that means the loss of PR status.

How it differs from the routes next to it

The comparison is built from the official terms of the routes themselves — the source links sit on their own pages.

	Singapore PR	ONE Pass for top professionals	Work visa for professionals
Grounds	Obtaining Singapore permanent resident status on one of the prescribed grounds	High income	Professionals/managers
Money	The application fee is 100 Singapore dollars	Fixed salary ≥30,000 SGD/month; the employer is a large company	Minimum salary 5,600 SGD/month (6,200 in the financial sector), higher for older candidates
Residence	The status rests on the re-entry permit	No strict minimum number of days	No explicit minimum number of days

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

This is Singapore permanent residence itself. Since 1 December 2025 the status is held subject to rules of conduct: interference in domestic politics, acts against social harmony and criminal offences lead to cancellation of the permit and loss of PR. Men of enlistment age serve; renouncing PR without discharging National Service obligations will close off work, study, PR and citizenship in Singapore and complicate permit renewals for relatives.

Route to citizenship

Citizenship is available from the age of 21 after 2 years with PR status. For the spouse of a citizen — 2 years of PR and 2 years of marriage. The fees are 100 Singapore dollars on application, 70 for the certificate and 10 for the identity card on issue; a decision takes up to 12 months.

Frequently asked questions about Singapore PR

Who can apply for PR in Singapore?

Applications are accepted from the spouse of a citizen or permanent resident, an unmarried child under 21, a parent of a citizen aged 21 or above, an Employment Pass or S Pass holder, a student who has sat at least one national examination (PSLE, GCE N/O/A levels) or is on the Integrated Programme, and a foreign investor under the Global Investor Programme.

How much does it cost to apply for PR and to complete the paperwork after approval?

The fee on filing is S$100 per application. After approval — a further S$20 for the entry permit, S$50 for the five-year re-entry permit and S$50 for the identity card. All fees are non-refundable.

How long does the ICA take to assess a PR application?

Applications are assessed within 6 months provided all the required documents are filed completely and correctly; some applications may take longer.

Does a permanent resident need a special permit to leave Singapore and return?

Yes, a valid Re-Entry Permit is needed — it is renewed online through Singpass in the 3 months before it expires. If a permanent resident left without a valid REP, or the REP expired while they were abroad, an application for a new permit must be filed within 180 days — otherwise PR status is lost.

Can the ICA cancel PR status for breaking the law or rules of conduct?

Yes. Since 1 December 2025 all entry permits and re-entry permits of permanent residents carry a condition: the permit may be revoked if the holder has been found guilty by a court or another competent authority, or if, in the view of the Controller of Immigration, they have behaved improperly — including contrary to national or public interests. Revocation of the permit means the loss of PR status.

Does National Service apply to permanent residents?

Yes. Under the Enlistment Act 1970 all men who are Singapore citizens or permanent residents, unless exempt, must complete National Service (NS); after full-time service they become operationally ready national servicemen until the age of 50 (officers) or 40 (other ranks). Renouncing PR status without completing NS will seriously complicate future applications for work, study or other long-term permits — both for the applicant and for their family members.

When can a Singapore permanent resident apply for citizenship?

You may apply from the age of 21 after at least 2 years with PR status; the spouse of a Singapore citizen after 2 years of PR and 2 years of marriage. The fee on filing is S$100, and on approval a further S$70 for the citizenship certificate and S$10 for the identity card. Applications are assessed within 12 months.

Other ways to move to Singapore

Every route in one list — migration programmes: Singapore.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.