Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP): A Complete Guide

The Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP) is how a foreign family member stays in Singapore long term when they are not eligible for a Dependant’s Pass. It is easy to get confused because there are really two different LTVPs: one issued by the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) for the family of a Singapore citizen or permanent resident (PR), and one issued by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) for certain family of an Employment Pass or S Pass holder. This guide covers both, with who qualifies, the stronger LTVP+ scheme, how to apply, what it costs, and how an LTVP holder can work.

What the LTVP is

An LTVP is a residence pass, not a work pass. It lets an eligible foreigner live in Singapore for an extended period on the strength of a family tie to someone settled here. Every LTVP needs a local sponsor — in almost all cases the citizen, PR or work-pass holder whose family member you are — and ICA weighs factors such as family ties, length of residency, the sponsor’s ability to support the family, and good conduct when it decides. The pass does not, by itself, confer the right to work, to buy property or to the benefits of permanent residence.

Who can get an LTVP

The ICA-issued LTVP is for a foreigner who is a:

• Spouse of a Singapore citizen (SC) — sponsored by the SC spouse;
• Spouse of a Singapore PR — sponsored by the PR spouse;
• Child under 21 of an SC or PR, born within a legal marriage or legally adopted;
• Parent of an SC or PR (parents-in-law are not eligible);
• Graduate of an approved Institute of Higher Learning seeking employment here (no sponsor needed — you can apply yourself); or
• Parent or grandparent of a Student’s Pass holder studying here, or a visitor seeking permission to give birth in Singapore.

LTVP+: the stronger pass for spouses of citizens

The LTVP-Plus (LTVP+) is a better version of the pass reserved for the foreign spouse of a Singapore citizen. ICA generally grants it to couples who have at least one Singapore-citizen child from the marriage, or — without such a child — considers more favourably those married for at least three years.

Standard LTVP vs LTVP+ at a glance. Source: ICA, October 2026.

The key gains are greater certainty of stay and a longer validity: an LTVP+ runs for three years in the first instance and up to five years for each subsequent renewal, against the shorter term stated on a standard LTVP. There is no separate LTVP+ form — ICA assesses eligible applicants for it as part of the normal LTVP application or renewal, and the outcome letter tells you which pass you were granted.

The other LTVP: sponsored by a work-pass holder

Separately, MOM issues an LTVP so that an Employment Pass or S Pass holder can bring family who do not fit the Dependant’s Pass. To sponsor it you must hold an EP or S Pass, be sponsored by an established Singapore-registered company, and earn a fixed monthly salary of at least S$6,000 (your own salary, not combined household income). It covers:

• a common-law spouse;
• unmarried handicapped children aged 21 and above;
• unmarried step-children under 21; and
• parents — but only where the sponsor earns at least S$12,000 a month.

If you are legally married or have children of your own, the right route is usually the Dependant’s Pass instead — see our Dependant’s Pass and LOC guide.

How to apply

For the ICA LTVP, the local sponsor (the SC/PR family member) files the application through ICA’s e-Service, except an IHL graduate, who can apply alone. Everyone added to the application — sponsor and applicants — must log in with Singpass to review and declare; a Singpass account can take two to five working days to approve, so start early. Documents not in English need an official translation (by an embassy or a notary public).

For the work-pass-holder LTVP, the main pass holder’s employer or appointed employment agent applies (the main holder applies for dependants of PEP or EntrePass holders). You submit a separate application for each family member, and you should only bring the person in once the pass is approved — a visit pass that expires before the LTVP is issued cannot be extended.

Fees and processing time

The costs differ sharply between the two tracks:

For the ICA track, most cases are decided within about six weeks, but a foreign spouse of a citizen can take up to six months. Completing the free Pre-Marriage LTVP Assessment (PMLA) with your intended spouse before the marriage cuts that to about six weeks. For the MOM track, dependants of EP and S Pass holders are usually decided within three weeks, and dependants of EP (Sponsorship), PEP or EntrePass holders within about eight weeks.

Renewal

Submit an LTVP renewal at least three months before the current pass expires. The renewed pass is valid from the date of issue (once you pay the issuance fee), and any remaining validity on the old pass is not carried forward — so renewing too early simply loses you those unused days. Renewals use the same Singpass-based process and fees as a first application.

Can an LTVP holder work?

Holding an LTVP does not, on its own, let you work. How you get the right to work depends on your category:

• Spouse or unmarried child (under 21) of a citizen or PR: you need a Letter of Consent (LOC). You first find a job and the employer applies for the LOC through MOM; it is free, with no quota or levy, and is usually issued in about a week. Your LTVP must be valid for at least three months and you must have a job offer.
• Pre-approved LOC (PLOC): when a spouse or child of a citizen/PR applies for or renews the LTVP with ICA, they can ask for a pre-approved LOC at the same time — this lets them work without finding a job first. Some occupations (journalist, editor, sub-editor, producer, or any religious role) are excluded from the PLOC and need a full LOC.
• Parent of a citizen or PR on an LTVP: can work on a Work Permit (counted only under the employer’s overall quota, and subject to the levy) — see our Work Permit overview.
• Parent accompanying a student child: cannot work in the first year here, after which a Work Permit becomes possible.

No LTVP holder may work in objectionable occupations such as a dance hostess or masseur, and working without a valid LOC or work pass is an offence.

FAQ

What is the difference between LTVP and LTVP+? Both are long-term residence passes. The LTVP+ is reserved for the foreign spouse of a citizen (with an SC child or a marriage of about three years), and gives a longer stay — three years initially, up to five on renewal — and greater certainty.

Can a PR sponsor an LTVP+? No. Only a Singapore citizen can sponsor a spouse for the LTVP+. A PR’s spouse can hold the standard LTVP.

How long is a standard LTVP valid? The validity is stated in your approval letter; it is shorter than the LTVP+ term and renewable before expiry.

Can my parents get an LTVP? Parents of a citizen or PR can (parents-in-law cannot). On the work-pass track, a sponsor must earn at least S$12,000 a month to bring parents.

Does an LTVP lead to PR or citizenship? No — it is a visit pass. PR and citizenship are separate ICA applications with their own criteria; see our applying for PR overview.

General information only, from ICA and MOM, with the date each figure was checked. We are not an immigration agent; the final decision on any pass rests with ICA or MOM. Confirm the current rules on the official page for your own case.