Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP) Singapore: Eligibility, LTVP+ and Working Rules (2026)
By Lucas Seah, Founder of Excellence Singapore Group | Last Updated: July 2026
The Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP) is Singapore’s long-stay pass for family members who do not fit the Dependant’s Pass, and it runs on two separate tracks. Family of a Singapore citizen or permanent resident (spouses, young children and parents) apply through the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA). Common-law spouses, step-children and handicapped children of Employment Pass and S Pass holders apply through the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), and parents qualify only when the pass holder earns a fixed monthly salary of at least S$12,000. The two tracks differ on eligibility, fees, validity and working rights, and mixing them up is the most common LTVP mistake we see. This guide, part of our work passes in Singapore hub, covers both tracks, the LTVP+ for citizen spouses, the fees, the Pre-Marriage LTVP Assessment and what it actually takes to work here on an LTVP.
Key Takeaways
- The LTVP runs on two tracks: ICA for family of Singapore citizens and PRs, MOM for family of Employment Pass and S Pass holders.
- On the MOM track, parents qualify only when the pass holder earns at least S$12,000 a month; the floor for common-law spouses, step-children and handicapped children is S$6,000.
- The LTVP+ is reserved for foreign spouses of Singapore citizens: 3 years on the first pass, up to 5 years on each renewal.
- Fees differ sharply by track: S$45 plus S$60 at ICA versus S$105 plus S$225 at MOM.
- Nobody works on the LTVP itself: ICA-track spouses and children use a Letter of Consent or PLOC, everyone else needs their own work pass.
- The free Pre-Marriage LTVP Assessment cuts post-marriage LTVP processing from up to 6 months to within 6 weeks.
Which LTVP track applies: ICA or MOM?
Everything about the LTVP flows from who the sponsor is. If your family member is a Singapore citizen or permanent resident, the application goes to ICA. If the sponsor holds an Employment Pass or S Pass, the application goes to MOM as part of the work pass system.
There is a third possibility that catches people out. A legally married spouse or an unmarried child under 21 of an EP or S Pass holder earning at least S$6,000 a month belongs on a Dependant’s Pass, not an LTVP. The MOM-track LTVP exists precisely for the relationships the DP does not recognise. Our Dependant’s Pass guide covers that pass in detail, including what DP holders can and cannot do.
In our experience the track decides almost everything downstream: the fees you pay, how long the pass runs, and whether a Letter of Consent will ever be an option. Work that out first and the rest of the process falls into place.
Who is eligible under the ICA track?
ICA accepts LTVP applications from these family members of a Singapore citizen (SC) or permanent resident (PR), per ICA’s eligibility list:
- The spouse of a Singapore citizen or PR
- An unmarried child under 21, born within a legal marriage to, or legally adopted by, a Singapore citizen or PR
- A parent of a Singapore citizen or PR (parents-in-law are not eligible)
ICA also runs three non-family categories: a graduate of a Singapore Institute of Higher Learning seeking employment, a parent or grandparent accompanying a child studying here on a Student’s Pass (limited to one applicant), and a visitor seeking permission to give birth in Singapore.
Note what is missing. Common-law spouses, step-children and handicapped children are not ICA-track categories. Those relationships are recognised on the MOM track instead, and only when the sponsor holds an eligible work pass.
Who is eligible under the MOM track?
MOM issues LTVPs to the family of Employment Pass and S Pass holders in three relationships, per MOM’s eligibility rules: a common-law spouse, an unmarried step-child under 21, and an unmarried handicapped child aged 21 or over. For these family members, the pass holder must earn a fixed monthly salary of at least S$6,000.
Parents are the exception. An EP or S Pass holder can sponsor parents for an LTVP only with a fixed monthly salary of at least S$12,000, double the family floor.
In our experience the parent threshold is the figure that catches EP holders off guard. Savings, property or private health insurance do not substitute for the salary test: MOM looks at the fixed monthly salary alone. If bringing parents to Singapore matters to you, factor the S$12,000 line into salary negotiations before you sign an offer.
What is the LTVP+ and who qualifies?
The LTVP+ is an enhanced pass for foreign spouses of Singapore citizens. ICA is explicit that sponsoring a foreign spouse for the LTVP+ is a privilege of Singapore citizens only, so the foreign spouse of a PR stays on the standard LTVP.
Three things set the LTVP+ apart:
- Longer validity. The first pass runs 3 years, and each renewal can run up to 5 years.
- Work access. LTVP+ holders can work once an employer obtains a Letter of Consent, and LOC holders are not counted against the employer’s foreign worker quota and attract no levy. That makes an LTVP+ spouse a quota-free hire; our foreign worker levy and quota guide explains why employers care.
- Healthcare. LTVP+ holders generally receive inpatient subsidies at restructured hospitals at close to PR levels.
Eligibility turns on the marriage itself. ICA looks for at least one Singapore citizen child from the marriage, or, where there are no children, the duration of the marriage (three years or more is viewed favourably) together with the citizen sponsor’s ability to support the family.
How much does the LTVP cost in 2026?
The two tracks price very differently. At ICA, an LTVP costs S$45 per application (non-refundable) plus S$60 when the pass is issued, with a further S$30 for a Multiple Journey Visa where one is needed. At MOM, an LTVP costs S$105 per application plus S$225 at issuance, plus the same S$30 MJV where applicable.
Add up each track and the gap is stark: S$105 all-in at ICA against S$330 at MOM, before any visa fee. The MOM-track pass costs roughly three times as much, and that is before the separate work pass the family member will need if they intend to work.
What is the Pre-Marriage LTVP Assessment (PMLA)?
The PMLA is a free online assessment for couples where one party is a Singapore citizen and the other is a non-resident, taken before the marriage. It is not available to PR couples. ICA processes the assessment within 1 month, and a positive outcome comes as a Letter of LTVP Eligibility (LLE) valid for one year. The LLE is an indication of eligibility, not an approved LTVP.
The real payoff is speed after the wedding. An LTVP application backed by a PMLA is processed within 6 weeks of the marriage; without one, the same application can take up to 6 months. We advise every citizen and non-resident couple planning to settle in Singapore to submit the PMLA before the marriage: it costs nothing, and it removes the worst-case wait at exactly the moment a couple is trying to plan housing and jobs.
Can you work in Singapore on an LTVP?
No LTVP is a work pass in itself. Whether and how the holder can work depends entirely on which track issued it.
ICA-track spouses and children have the smoothest route. A Letter of Consent is available to an LTVP or LTVP+ holder who is married to a Singapore citizen or PR, or who is the unmarried child under 21 of a citizen or PR. The LTVP must be valid for at least 3 months, and the employer applies after making a job offer; the holder cannot apply on their own.
The PLOC removes the job-first problem. A Pre-approved Letter of Consent can be requested when applying for or renewing the LTVP or LTVP+ with ICA, and it lets an eligible spouse or child start work without lining up a job first. A few occupations stay off-limits under a PLOC: journalist, editor, sub-editor, producer and religious occupations.
Other ICA-track holders need a work pass on merit. A parent on an LTVP, for example, would need to qualify for a pass such as a Work Permit in their own right; our Work Permit employer guide covers that route. Parents and grandparents holding an LTVP to accompany a Student’s Pass child cannot work during their first year here.
MOM-track holders cannot work on the LTVP at all. MOM is explicit that its LTVP holders need their own work pass before starting work: an Employment Pass, S Pass or Work Permit, each assessed on that pass’s own criteria. See our Employment Pass application guide and S Pass guide for what those tests involve.
How long is an LTVP valid?
The MOM-track answer is published: the pass is tied to the main work pass, running for the validity of the EP or S Pass or the duration requested, whichever is shorter, and it is renewable. If the sponsor’s work pass is cancelled or lapses, the LTVP goes with it.
ICA does not publish a fixed validity for its LTVP; the duration is set case by case when the pass is granted. What ICA does publish is the renewal rule: apply at least 3 months before expiry, and note that a renewed pass runs from the date it is issued, not from the old expiry date, so renewing very early trims the tail of the current pass.
One practical change worth knowing: since 26 June 2024, ICA issues LTVPs digitally. There is no physical card; holders access the pass through the Singpass app, MyICA or FileSG.
LTVP vs LTVP+ vs Dependant’s Pass: which fits your family?
The three passes cover different relationships and carry different rights, so the comparison below is usually the fastest way to place a family member.
| Feature | LTVP | LTVP+ | Dependant’s Pass |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who it covers | ICA track: spouse, unmarried child under 21 or parent of an SC or PR. MOM track: common-law spouse, step-child or handicapped child of an EP or S Pass holder (parents at S$12,000+) | Foreign spouse of a Singapore citizen | Legally married spouse and unmarried children under 21 of an EP or S Pass holder earning S$6,000+ |
| Issued by | ICA or MOM, depending on the sponsor | ICA | MOM |
| Validity | ICA track: set case by case, no published fixed term. MOM track: tied to the main work pass | 3 years first, up to 5 years on each renewal | Tied to the main work pass |
| Working | ICA-track spouses and children: LOC or PLOC. All other holders: own work pass | LOC; the hire is outside the employer’s quota, with no levy | Own work pass in most cases; see our DP guide for the business-owner LOC route |
For a family planning to stay, the LTVP is often the bridge rather than the destination: it must be renewed, and it depends on the sponsor’s status or work pass surviving. Our guide to applying for PR in Singapore covers the application itself, our Singapore PR benefits guide weighs what actually changes with PR, and our PR advisory team can assess whether a profile is ready before you file.
Frequently asked questions
How long can I stay in Singapore on an LTVP?
It depends on the track. A MOM-issued LTVP is tied to the sponsor’s work pass, running for the validity of that pass or the duration requested, whichever is shorter, and it is renewable. ICA does not publish a fixed validity for its LTVP; the duration is set case by case. Renew at least 3 months before expiry, because a renewed pass runs from the date it is issued.
Who is eligible for the LTVP+?
Only foreign spouses of Singapore citizens. ICA considers whether the marriage has produced at least one Singapore citizen child, or looks at the duration of the marriage (three years or more is viewed favourably) and the sponsor’s ability to support the family. The first LTVP+ runs 3 years and each renewal can run up to 5 years. Spouses of PRs stay on the standard LTVP.
Is the LTVP better than PR?
They solve different problems. The LTVP is a renewable long-stay pass that depends on your sponsor, while permanent residence is a status you hold in your own right. Many families use the LTVP as the bridge while they build up the residence and work history that supports a PR application, then apply for PR when the profile is ready.
How much does the LTVP cost?
On the ICA track, S$45 per application (non-refundable) plus S$60 when the pass is issued. On the MOM track, S$105 per application plus S$225 at issuance. A S$30 Multiple Journey Visa fee can apply on either track. In total that is S$105 at ICA versus S$330 at MOM, before any visa fee.
Can I work on an LTVP?
Not on the pass itself. Spouses and unmarried children under 21 of Singapore citizens and PRs can work once an employer obtains a Letter of Consent, or upfront through a Pre-approved Letter of Consent. All other holders, including everyone on the MOM track, need their own work pass such as an Employment Pass, S Pass or Work Permit before starting work.
Can I get an LTVP for my parents?
It depends on your status. Parents of a Singapore citizen or PR can apply through ICA, though parents-in-law are not eligible. An Employment Pass or S Pass holder can sponsor parents through MOM only with a fixed monthly salary of at least S$12,000. Parents on an LTVP cannot work unless they qualify for a work pass in their own right.
Get the right pass for your family
The LTVP sits at the junction of immigration and employment rules: pick the wrong track, or file for a Dependant’s Pass when the salary and relationship point to an LTVP, and you can lose months. Excellence SG is a MOM-licensed employment agency (EA licence 16C7944). Our work pass and immigration team handles LTVP, Letter of Consent and Dependant’s Pass applications alongside Employment Passes and S Passes, and times family applications around the sponsor’s own pass. Excellence Singapore supports foreign professionals and their employers with incorporation, payroll and immigration under one roof, so talk to us before you file.
