Singapore PR Application Requirements and Conditions

To apply for Singapore permanent residence, you must fall into one of the ICA-recognised eligibility categories, such as being the spouse or child of a Singapore citizen or PR, an aged parent of a citizen, an Employment Pass or S Pass holder, a student who has passed a national exam, or a foreign investor. The application is submitted online through ICA e-Service, and the fee is S$100 per application, non-refundable. ICA assesses factors including family ties, economic contributions, qualifications, age, family profile and length of residency. Approval is not guaranteed, and once granted, your PR status is conditional on complying with Entry Permit and Re-Entry Permit conditions, including good conduct and National Service obligations for males.

Who Can Apply for Singapore Permanent Residence

The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) lists specific categories of foreign nationals who may be eligible to apply for permanent residence. Your eligibility depends on your relationship to a Singapore citizen or PR, your immigration status, or your investment activity.

Eligibility Category	Notes on Submission
Spouse of a Singapore citizen or PR	Your spouse must log in to ICA e-Service using their Singpass to sponsor your application.
Unmarried child below 21, born within a legal marriage to, or legally adopted by, a Singapore citizen or PR	Your parent must log in to ICA e-Service using their Singpass to sponsor your application.
Aged parent of a Singapore citizen aged at least 21	Your Singapore citizen child must log in to ICA e-Service using their Singpass to sponsor your application.
Holder of an Employment Pass or S Pass	You must log in to ICA e-Service using your Singpass to submit the application.
Student in Singapore who has passed at least one national exam (PSLE, GCE ‘N’/‘O’/‘A’ levels) or is in the Integrated Programme	If aged 15 and above, submit using your Singpass. If below 15, use the non-Singpass option at ICA e-Service.
Foreign investor in Singapore	Visit the EDB website for the Global Investor Programme, assessment criteria and application process.

ICA states that it takes into account factors such as your family ties to Singaporeans, economic contributions, qualifications, age, family profile and length of residency. These are used to assess your ability to contribute to Singapore, integrate into society, and your commitment to sinking roots in Singapore.

A PR is a foreigner granted permanent residence status allowing them to reside in Singapore on a permanent basis. PRs aged 15 and above are issued the Singapore blue Identity Card (IC). A valid Re-Entry Permit is required if you wish to travel out of and return to Singapore as a PR.

How to Apply and the Singpass Requirement

All applications are submitted online through ICA e-Service. Before submission, every person added as an applicant must review the application form. To do so, each applicant must log in to ICA e-Service using their Singpass or unique log-in credentials provided by ICA for those ineligible for Singpass.

Approval for a Singpass account application may take 2 to 5 working days. ICA recommends that sponsors and applicants start an application only after all applicants have successfully registered for a Singpass account, where eligible. If you are aged below 15 and applying as a student, you can submit via the non-Singpass option.

Documents Required and Translation Rules

When uploading documents, you must provide certified true copies of the original documents. For documents in languages other than English, you must also provide official translations.

ICA accepts the following translations:

• Translations provided by the embassy of the country or place that issued the document.
• Translations provided by a notary public in Singapore or the country or place that issued the document.
• Privately translated documents attested by the embassy of the country or place that issued the document, or notarised by a notary public in Singapore or the country or place that issued the document.

ICA does not endorse any private translation companies or entities. Insufficient documentation may result in non-acceptance of your application, and you may be required to provide additional documents. You should refer to the checklist on the documents required for your application on the ICA website.

Fees for PR Application and Formalities

The fees are payable at two stages: at submission and at completion of formalities. All fees are non-refundable.

Stage	Fee
At submission	S$100 for each application
At completion of formalities	S$20 for Entry Permit
At completion of formalities	S$50 for a 5-year Re-Entry Permit
At completion of formalities	S$50 for Singapore Identity Card

These are the fees stated by ICA. You should confirm the current fee schedule on the ICA website before submitting your application, as the official guidance does not indicate any future changes.

Conditions Attached to Entry Permit and Re-Entry Permit

All Singapore PRs must respect and abide by Singapore’s laws and their Entry Permit (EP) and Re-Entry Permit (REP) conditions. ICA specifies good conduct conditions: PRs should not partake in undesirable conduct, such as interfering in Singapore’s domestic politics, importing foreign politics into Singapore, engaging in activities that undermine social harmony, or committing criminal offences, including the unauthorised consumption of controlled drugs.

If you are convicted of an offence or found to have undesirable conduct, this constitutes a breach of the EP and REP conditions. ICA will review your PR status, and that review can lead to cancellation of the EP and REP, resulting in revocation of your PR status.

With effect from 1 December 2025, all EPs and REPs are imposed or varied with a specific condition. The permit may be cancelled pursuant to the Immigration Act 1959, including where the holder breaches any condition of the permit listed at www.ica.gov.sg, is found by a court or other competent authority to have contravened any law, or, in the opinion of the Controller of Immigration, has behaved or is behaving in an undesirable manner. That undesirable manner includes behaviour contrary to national or public interests, threatening a breach of peace, or prejudicial to public order or public welfare.

The 180-Day Rule and Loss of PR Status

The REP is critical for maintaining your ability to re-enter Singapore as a PR. ICA sets out strict timelines for applying for an REP if you are outside Singapore without a valid one.

• If you depart Singapore without a valid REP, you must apply for an REP within 180 days from the date of departure. Failure to do so results in loss of PR status.
• If you depart with a valid REP but it expires while you are outside Singapore, you must apply for an REP within 180 days from the date of expiry of the REP. Failure to do so results in loss of PR status.
• If you apply within the 180 days but the application is unsuccessful, you will nonetheless lose your PR status. To remain a PR, you must submit an REP application within 180 days and successfully obtain an REP.

These rules apply regardless of whether you are applying for a new REP or a renewal. You may apply to renew your REP online at www.ica.gov.sg using your Singpass three months before the expiry of your current REP.

You can check the validity of your REP online by logging into ICA’s website. If you obtain a new travel document, you are required to log in to www.ica.gov.sg to do an electronic transfer of the remaining validity of your REP from your old travel document to your new travel document. You are also advised to carry a copy of your REP when travelling overseas, as some foreign authorities and agencies may require you to produce it.

National Service Obligations for Male Applicants

Under the Enlistment Act 1970, all male Singapore citizens and permanent residents, unless exempted, are required to serve National Service (NS). Following completion of full-time NS, they become Operationally Ready National Servicemen (NSmen). An NSman’s obligation ends at age 50 for officers or 40 for other ranks.

All male applicants are required to access www.cmpb.gov.sg for information on NS before proceeding with the PR application. Male applicants granted PR status as a foreign student or under their parents’ sponsorship are liable for NS. They must register for NS upon reaching 16 and a half years old and will be scheduled for enlistment into full-time NS at the earliest opportunity upon reaching 18 years old. MINDEF allows students to attain educational qualifications up to the ‘A’ Levels certificate, polytechnic diploma, or equivalent pre-tertiary qualification before serving NS. They are enlisted at the earliest opportunity when they have finished pre-tertiary education, or after turning 18, whichever is later. MINDEF does not grant deferment for university studies, regardless of whether such studies have begun. Those granted PR in the midst of university studies will have to disrupt their studies to enlist if they cannot complete their studies before their enlistment date.

Defaulting on NS obligations by committing an offence under the Enlistment Act 1970 is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding S$10,000, imprisonment for up to three years, or both. Renouncing or losing PR status without serving or completing full-time NS will have a serious adverse impact on applications to work or study in Singapore, or for any long-term immigration facilities, whether now or in the future. It will also adversely affect your family members’ applications for long-term immigration facilities, their ability to sponsor such facilities, their renewal of Re-Entry Permits, or their applications for Singapore citizenship.

What to Do Next and What to Verify

Before applying, confirm that you fall into one of the eligibility categories and that your sponsor, if required, has a Singpass account. Gather certified true copies of your original documents and, where needed, official translations that meet ICA’s acceptance criteria. Check the ICA document checklist for your specific category.

Verify the current fees on the ICA website, as the S$100 application fee and formalities fees are stated at the time of the official guidance. If you are a male applicant, review your NS obligations at www.cmpb.gov.sg before proceeding.

After you are granted PR, keep your REP valid. If you travel, ensure your REP covers your period outside Singapore, and remember the 180-day rule if it expires while you are abroad. Monitor the conditions attached to your EP and REP, and maintain good conduct. For the most current requirements and forms, refer to the ICA pages for becoming a PR and for EP and REP conditions.