Long-Term Visit Pass Singapore for Parents: ICA and MOM Routes Explained

A long-term visit pass in Singapore for parents is issued through one of two routes. If your child is a Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident, the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) handles the application and your child sponsors it. If your child is a foreign professional on an Employment Pass or S Pass, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) handles it, and your child must earn a fixed monthly salary of at least $12,000.

Key Takeaways Parents of Singapore Citizens (SCs) and Permanent Residents (PRs) apply to ICA, while parents of Employment Pass (EP) and S Pass holders apply to MOM. ICA charges S$45 to apply and S$60 to issue the pass, and processes most applications within 6 weeks. MOM only accepts parents of EP or S Pass holders who earn a fixed monthly salary of at least $12,000, and charges $105 to apply and $225 to issue. Parents-in-law are not eligible for the ICA long-term visit pass for parents. A parent holding a Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP) cannot work on the LTVP alone and needs a separate work pass to take up a job.

Table of Contents

• Which Agency Issues the LTVP for Your Parents?
• Who Can Sponsor a Parent for an ICA LTVP?
• Is There a Minimum Income to Sponsor a Parent?
• How to Apply for a Long-Term Visit Pass for Parents (ICA)
• How Does the MOM LTVP for Parents of EP and S Pass Holders Work?
• ICA vs MOM: How Do the Two LTVP Routes Compare?
• How Long Does Processing Take and What Are the Fees?
• How Do You Renew a Parent’s LTVP?
• Can a Parent on an LTVP Work or Use Public Healthcare?
• What Does This Look Like in Practice?
• Frequently Asked Questions

Which Agency Issues the LTVP for Your Parents?

The LTVP lets an eligible foreigner live in Singapore for an extended period. It is a visit pass, not a work pass or residency status.

The agency depends on your own status in Singapore, not your parent’s. This is where many families go wrong. A PR who applies through MOM, or an EP holder who tries ICA’s e-Service, will be applying under the wrong scheme.

• You are a Singapore Citizen or PR: apply to ICA.
• You hold an Employment Pass or S Pass: your employer applies to MOM.

If you hold a different pass, such as the EntrePass or the Overseas Networks & Expertise (ONE) Pass, MOM applies separate requirements for your family members. Our overview of the types of work passes in Singapore explains how each pass treats dependants.

Who Can Sponsor a Parent for an ICA LTVP?

ICA accepts applications from the parent of a Singapore Citizen or Singapore PR. Every application needs a local sponsor.

If your child is 21 or older

Your SC or PR child sponsors you. Your child logs in to ICA’s e-Service with Singpass to submit the application.

If your child is under 21

Any Singapore Citizen or PR aged 21 or above can act as your sponsor. That sponsor logs in with their own Singpass.

Who is not eligible

Parents-in-law are not eligible under this category. A son-in-law or daughter-in-law cannot sponsor a spouse’s parent. The parent’s own SC or PR child has to be the sponsor.

What ICA considers

ICA assesses each case on its merits. The factors it lists include family ties to Singaporeans, economic contributions, qualifications, age, family profile and length of residency.

Is There a Minimum Income to Sponsor a Parent?

ICA does not publish a minimum income for sponsoring a parent on an LTVP. Its LTVP document checklist lists employment letters, payslips and income tax documents as required for spouse applications, not parent applications.

That does not mean income is irrelevant. ICA may ask the sponsor or applicant for additional documents during assessment. Sponsors should be ready to show they can support a parent living in Singapore if asked.

If you see a fixed salary figure quoted for this category, it is most likely the $12,000 MOM threshold, which applies only to EP and S Pass holders.

How to Apply for a Long-Term Visit Pass for Parents (ICA)

To apply LTVP for parents through ICA, the sponsor starts the application online through ICA’s Long-Term Visit Pass Application/Renewal e-Service.

Documents to prepare

ICA’s checklist for a parent application includes:

• A recent coloured digital photo of the parent, 400 x 514 pixels, full face, on a white background
• The sponsor’s birth certificate or household register, if the sponsor’s birth was not registered in Singapore
• Marriage, divorce or death certificates where relevant and not registered in Singapore
• A deed poll or name change certificate, if any name on the documents has changed

Documents not in English need an official translation. ICA accepts translations from the issuing country’s embassy, notarised translations, or private translations attested by an embassy or notarised. Insufficient documents can lead to the application not being accepted.

Step-by-step application

1. The sponsor logs in to the ICA e-Service with Singpass and fills in the application form.
2. The parent logs in to review the form and make their declarations. A parent without Singpass uses the login details ICA provides.
3. The sponsor uploads the supporting documents and submits the application.
4. Pay the S$45 application fee online by Visa, Mastercard, AMEX, internet direct debit (DBS/POSB, OCBC, UOB or Standard Chartered) or PayNow.
5. Wait for the outcome by email. You can check the status through the MyICA Portal or the e-Service.
6. If approved, the parent receives an In-Principle Approval (IPA) letter.
7. Book an appointment to complete formalities. This is strictly by appointment, and you can reschedule within the IPA’s validity.
8. Pay the S$60 issuance fee, plus S$30 for a Multiple Journey Visa if applicable, and receive the pass.

The IPA is not an immigration pass. The parent must hold a valid immigration pass to stay in Singapore while completing formalities, and overstaying is an offence.

For a wider look at ICA’s other LTVP categories, see our guide to Singapore’s Long-Term Visit Pass for family members.

How Does the MOM LTVP for Parents of EP and S Pass Holders Work?

MOM issues LTVPs to certain family members of Employment Pass and S Pass holders. Parents are eligible only if the pass holder earns a fixed monthly salary of at least $12,000.

The pass holder must also meet MOM’s general conditions for bringing family members. They must hold an EP or S Pass, earn at least $6,000 a month in fixed salary, and be sponsored by an established Singapore-registered company. The salary assessed is the pass holder’s own, not household income.

How to apply through MOM

1. The employer or an appointed employment agent logs in to the EP eService on the myMOM Portal.
2. They complete the application and upload a copy of the parent’s passport particulars page.
3. They upload a copy of the pass holder’s birth certificate showing the names of the parents.
4. They pay the $105 application fee by GIRO, Visa, Mastercard or Amex.
5. If approved, the parent receives an IPA letter.
6. On arrival, the pass is issued after the $225 issuance fee is paid. MOM sends a letter stating whether fingerprint and photo registration is needed.
7. The pass card is delivered 5 working days after registration or document verification.

The parent’s LTVP validity follows the pass holder’s work pass or the duration requested, whichever is shorter. Because the parent’s pass depends on the main pass, any change to the holder’s Employment Pass or S Pass affects the parent too.

ICA vs MOM: How Do the Two LTVP Routes Compare?

	ICA route	MOM route
Your status	Singapore Citizen or PR	Employment Pass or S Pass holder
Who applies	Sponsor via ICA e-Service	Employer or employment agent via EP eService on myMOM
Sponsor’s income	No published minimum	Fixed monthly salary of at least $12,000
Parents-in-law	Not eligible	Not listed as eligible
Application fee	S$45	$105
Issuance fee	S$60	$225
Multiple Journey Visa	S$30 if applicable	$30 if applicable
Processing time	Within 6 weeks for most cases	Within 3 weeks for most cases
Validity	Set by ICA on approval	Tied to the work pass or duration requested, whichever is shorter
Renewal window	At least 3 months before expiry	Up to 6 months before expiry

How Long Does Processing Take and What Are the Fees?

ICA processes most parent LTVP applications within 6 weeks, provided all required documents are in order. Some cases take longer. ICA’s fees are S$45 at submission and S$60 at issuance, and all fees are non-refundable.

MOM processes most EP and S Pass dependant applications within 3 weeks. Its fees are $105 per application and $225 per pass issued.

How Do You Renew a Parent’s LTVP?

For an ICA-issued pass, submit the renewal at least 3 months before the current LTVP expires. The renewed pass is valid from the date of issuance, once the issuance fee is paid. ICA does not carry forward any remaining validity from the old pass.

For a MOM-issued pass, the employer can apply up to 6 months before expiry and must apply before the expiry date. The renewal is assessed against current criteria, so the pass holder must still meet the $12,000 salary requirement at that point. A successful renewal gets an IPA valid for 3 months for EP holders’ dependants or 2 months for S Pass holders’ dependants. If the deadline is missed, the employer has to apply for a new pass.

Can a Parent on an LTVP Work or Use Public Healthcare?

An LTVP does not give the right to work. ICA-issued LTVP holders can work in Singapore only if they get a work pass.

For parents of Singapore Citizens and PRs, MOM states they can work on a Work Permit. The employer applies, and the parent counts only under the employer’s overall quota. Parents are not among the groups eligible for a Letter of Consent (LOC), which is limited to spouses of SCs or PRs and their unmarried children under 21.

Parents of EP or S Pass holders can also work if they hold a valid work pass. The employer would apply for an EP, S Pass or Work Permit, and the parent must meet that pass’s criteria.

On healthcare, MediShield Life covers Singapore residents, meaning Citizens and PRs. A parent on an LTVP is a foreigner and is not covered. Families usually arrange private medical insurance for the parent before or soon after arrival.

What Does This Look Like in Practice?

The scenario below is illustrative only and does not describe any real client.

Mei, 34, became a Singapore PR two years ago. Her widowed mother lives overseas and wants to stay with her for a longer period. Because Mei is a PR, the application goes to ICA, not MOM, and her salary does not need to reach $12,000.

Mei logs in with Singpass and fills in the form. Her mother logs in with the credentials ICA provides and makes her declarations. Mei uploads her mother’s photo, her own foreign birth certificate with an embassy-attested English translation, and her late father’s death certificate, also translated. She pays S$45.

Five weeks later, an IPA arrives by email. Mei’s mother is still on a valid visit pass, so they book the earliest formalities appointment, pay S$60 and receive the LTVP.

Now compare Mei’s colleague Raj, an EP holder earning $10,500 a month. Raj cannot bring his parents on an LTVP through either route. He is not a Citizen or PR, so ICA does not apply, and his salary is below MOM’s $12,000 threshold. If Raj later becomes a PR, ICA’s route opens up. Our Singapore PR application service covers that path.

Frequently Asked Questions

Need Help With Your Parent’s LTVP?

Xignam’s consultants prepare and review LTVP applications for parents of Singapore Citizens, PRs and work pass holders, so the right route and the right documents go in the first time. Learn more about our Long-Term Visit Pass and dependant pass services, or book a consultation with a Singapore immigration specialist.