Singapore Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP)

The Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP) is how many family members of Singapore citizens and permanent residents are able to stay in Singapore for the long term. It is issued by the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) and covers several quite different situations, from spouses to parents to visitors giving birth in Singapore. This page covers Singapore rules. Verified against the official ICA pages, September 2026.

Who can apply for an LTVP

There are seven categories of applicant, and each has its own document list and, in some cases, its own fee and processing time:

1. The spouse of a Singapore citizen (SC) — the most familiar route, and the one the PMLA is designed for.
2. The spouse of a permanent resident (PR).
3. Unmarried children under 21 of an SC or PR, whether born to the marriage or legally adopted.
4. The parents of an SC or PR.
5. Graduates of an Institute of Higher Learning (IHL) who are seeking employment in Singapore.
6. One parent or grandparent of a child who holds a Student's Pass — only one such person qualifies.
7. Visitors seeking permission to give birth in Singapore.

Because the categories are so different, the first practical step is to decide which one you fall into; that choice determines everything that follows, including who can sponsor you and what you must submit.

The PMLA and the Letter of Eligibility

If you are applying as the spouse of a citizen or permanent resident, the Pre-Marriage LTVP Assessment (PMLA) is worth doing first. It is a free eligibility assessment, and completing it can reduce the processing time from up to six months to about six weeks. Applicants who qualify through the PMLA receive a Letter of Eligibility (LLE) that is valid for one year. The PMLA does not guarantee approval — it is an assessment, not a decision — but it gives a clear early signal and can save a great deal of waiting. If you are eligible, treat the LLE as the document to hold ready within its one-year validity.

The application process and the sponsor

1. Confirm which of the seven categories you fall into.
2. For spouse applications, complete the PMLA and obtain the LLE if eligible.
3. Prepare the required documents, including official translations where needed.
4. Have your local sponsor — a Singapore citizen or permanent resident aged 21 or over — submit the application.
5. Wait for the outcome; processing is about six weeks for the birth-related category, and can be much longer without a pre-assessment.
6. On approval, pay the issuance fee and the LTVP is issued.

The sponsor requirement is not a formality: the application is submitted by, and in effect stands behind, a Singapore citizen or PR who meets the age condition. An in-law who is not themselves an SC or PR cannot act as sponsor.

Fees, processing and photos

The published fees and processing time above relate to the visitor-seeking-to-give-birth category, which the official pages state most fully. Fees and processing times for the other categories are set out on their own ICA pages; check those before you apply so that you are not relying on figures that belong to a different route.

Giving birth in Singapore

A visitor who wants to give birth in Singapore applies under that dedicated category of the LTVP. The application needs a Singapore citizen or permanent resident sponsor who is at least 21 years old, the fee is S$45 on submission with S$60 to issue the pass (plus S$30 for a multiple-entry visa where applicable), and processing takes about six weeks. Because the date of birth is not flexible, plan well ahead and submit early enough that the pass is in place before the expected date.

Documents and translations

Supporting documents that are not in English must be translated, and only official translations are accepted — from an embassy or a notary public. Informal or self-made translations are not accepted. For how to prepare scanned documents, see our scan and upload and translation and copies guides, and check the Singapore LTVP documents checklist for the papers to gather.

Common mistakes

• Assuming that marrying a citizen or PR guarantees an LTVP — it does not.
• Skipping the PMLA and then waiting the full processing period.
• Using a sponsor who does not qualify (a parent-in-law, for example).
• Submitting documents without the required official translation.
• Work pass holders marrying a citizen or PR without first getting the Controller of Work Passes' approval, which can cost them their work privileges.
• Treating the LTVP as a work pass, when permission to work is a separate question.

For related routes, see the family and partner visa guide and, for a different Singapore pass, the Singapore Employment Pass documents checklist.

Source: Immigration & Checkpoints Authority, Singapore (ica.gov.sg), LTVP apply pages including the spouse-of-a-Singapore-citizen and visitor-seeking-to-give-birth pages, retrieved 2026-09-29. Rules and fees can change, so confirm them on the official pages before you apply.

Why the category matters so much

Although all seven LTVP categories produce the same kind of pass, they are assessed on different evidence and, in some cases, on different fees and timelines. A spouse applying under the PMLA route is assessed against the marriage and the sponsor; a parent of a citizen or PR is assessed against the family relationship; an IHL graduate is assessed against study and job-seeking; the parent or grandparent of a Student's Pass holder is limited to a single person; and a visitor seeking to give birth is assessed against the birth arrangements and the sponsor. Because the evidence differs, choosing the wrong category — or assuming one category's fees and processing time apply to another — is one of the most common ways applicants lose time.

What the LTVP is not

It helps to be clear about what the Long-Term Visit Pass does and does not do. It is a pass that lets a qualifying family member stay in Singapore for the long term; it is not a work pass, and it is not a route to permanent residence in itself. Where a holder wishes to work, that is a separate question governed by the relevant work-pass rules, and it should be checked rather than assumed. Similarly, holding an LTVP does not by itself change a person's immigration status beyond the stay the pass grants. Understanding these boundaries avoids expectations that the pass cannot meet.

Planning the timeline

The practical lesson from the processing rules is to start early. For spouse applications, completing the PMLA first can bring the wait down from up to six months to roughly six weeks, and the resulting Letter of Eligibility is valid for a year — so an early assessment buys room to prepare. For the birth category, where the date cannot move, submitting in good time is essential so that the pass is issued before the expected date. In every category, gather documents first and get any needed official translation before submitting, because a missing or untranslated document stalls the application rather than being fixed quickly.

Frequently asked questions

Who can apply for a Singapore Long-Term Visit Pass?
There are seven categories: the spouse of a Singapore citizen; the spouse of a permanent resident; unmarried children under 21 of a citizen or PR (legitimate or legally adopted); parents of a citizen or PR; graduates of an Institute of Higher Learning seeking employment; one parent or grandparent of a child holding a Student's Pass; and visitors seeking permission to give birth in Singapore.

What is the PMLA and does it help?
The Pre-Marriage LTVP Assessment (PMLA) is a free eligibility assessment. Completing it can shorten the processing time from up to six months to about six weeks, and eligible applicants receive a Letter of Eligibility (LLE) valid for one year.

Does marrying a Singapore citizen guarantee an LTVP?
No. Marriage does not guarantee approval of a Long-Term Visit Pass; each application is assessed on its own merits.

How much does the birth-related LTVP cost?
For the visitor seeking permission to give birth, the fee is S$45 on submission, the LTVP issuance fee is S$60, and a multiple-entry visa, if applicable, is S$30. Processing is about six weeks.

Who has to sponsor the application?
A Singapore citizen or permanent resident who is at least 21 years old acts as the local sponsor.

What photo size does the LTVP application need?
The photo requirements specify a 400 by 514 pixel image; check the official photo guidelines when you apply.

What about work pass holders who marry a citizen or PR?
Current and former work pass holders who marry a Singapore citizen or permanent resident must first get approval from the Controller of Work Passes, or they may lose their work privileges.

Are translated documents accepted?
Only official translations are accepted — translations from an embassy or a notary public, not informal ones.

Can I work in Singapore while holding an LTVP?
The LTVP is a stay pass rather than a work pass. Whether you may work depends on your situation and any separate permission; check the official rules before accepting employment rather than assuming the LTVP includes work rights.