Singapore Permanent Residence 2026: Eligibility and Fees
A Singapore permanent resident (PR) is a foreigner who has been granted a status that allows them to reside in Singapore on a permanent basis. The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) decides every application. Its eligibility page names six groups who may apply and the factors it weighs, and it sets out the fees and the processing time. This guide puts those rules in order, together with the obligations that come with the status: National Service for sons, the Re-Entry Permit you need to travel, and the conditions attached to every permit since 1 December 2025. All of it was read on ICA's pages on 13 October 2026.
Quick answer
You may be eligible to apply if you are the spouse or unmarried child under 21 of a Singapore citizen or PR, the aged parent of a Singapore citizen, a holder of an Employment Pass or S Pass, a student who has passed at least one national exam, or a foreign investor. The fee is S$100 for each application at submission, then S$20 for the Entry Permit, S$50 for a 5-year Re-Entry Permit and S$50 for the identity card. Applications are processed within 6 months. After at least 2 years as a PR, from age 21, you are eligible to apply for citizenship.
Who can apply
| You are | Who submits the application |
|---|---|
| The spouse of a Singapore citizen or PR | Your spouse sponsors it, logging in with Singpass |
| An unmarried child aged below 21, born within a legal marriage to, or legally adopted by, a Singapore citizen or PR | Your parent sponsors it |
| The aged parent of a Singapore citizen of at least 21 years old | Your Singapore citizen child sponsors it |
| A holder of an Employment Pass or S Pass | You submit it yourself with Singpass |
| A student studying in Singapore who has passed at least one national exam (PSLE, GCE 'N', 'O' or 'A' levels), or is in the Integrated Programme | You submit it with Singpass if aged 15 and above. Below 15, the non-Singpass option is used |
| A foreign investor in Singapore | Through the Global Investor Programme of the Economic Development Board (EDB) |
What ICA looks at
ICA says it takes into account factors such as:
- Family ties to Singaporeans
- Economic contributions
- Qualifications
- Age
- Family profile
- Length of residency
It uses them to assess the applicant's ability to contribute to Singapore and integrate into society, and their commitment to sinking roots in Singapore. The eligibility page lists the groups and the factors. It does not give a points table, a minimum salary or a minimum period of residence.
Fees
| When | Fee | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| At submission | Each application | S$100 |
| At completion of formalities | Entry Permit | S$20 |
| At completion of formalities | 5-year Re-Entry Permit | S$50 |
| At completion of formalities | Singapore Identity Card | S$50 |
All fees are non-refundable and are paid online. ICA adds that successful applicants will be notified of other applicable fees subsequently.
How to apply, step by step
- Get Singpass for every applicant who is eligible for it. Every person added as an applicant has to review the form before it can be submitted. Approval of a Singpass account may take 2 to 5 working days, and ICA recommends starting only after all applicants have registered.
- Prepare the documents on ICA's checklist. For upload you provide certified true copies of the original documents, with official translations for any document not in English.
- Submit through the ICA e-Service and pay S$100 for each application.
- Wait for the outcome. Applications are processed within 6 months, provided all the required documents are submitted and in order. ICA notes that some applications may take longer. You can check the status online at MyICA.
- Receive the In-Principle Approval if you are successful.
- Complete the formalities and pay for the Entry Permit, the Re-Entry Permit and the identity card. PR status is granted once the necessary conditions are fulfilled. PRs aged 15 and above are issued the Singapore blue Identity Card.
Translations ICA accepts
- Translations provided by the embassy of the country or place that issued the document
- Translations provided by a notary public in Singapore or in the country or place that issued the document
- Privately translated documents attested by that embassy, or notarised by such a notary public
ICA warns that insufficient documentation may result in non-acceptance of the application.
National Service: read this before applying with sons
Under the Enlistment Act 1970, all male Singapore citizens and permanent residents, unless exempted, are required to serve National Service (NS). ICA sets out what that means for families:
- Male applicants granted PR status as a foreign student or under their parents' sponsorship are liable for NS.
- They must register upon reaching 16 and a half years old and are scheduled for enlistment into full-time NS at the earliest opportunity upon reaching 18.
- The defence ministry, MINDEF, allows students to attain qualifications up to the 'A' Levels certificate, the polytechnic diploma or an equivalent before serving. It does not grant deferment for university studies.
- After full-time NS, the obligation continues until the age of 50 for officers or 40 for other ranks.
- Renouncing or losing PR status without serving or completing full-time NS will have a serious adverse impact on later applications to work or study in Singapore, and will adversely affect family members' applications.
ICA requires all male applicants to read the NS information at cmpb.gov.sg before proceeding.
Keeping the status: the Re-Entry Permit
An Entry Permit allows a PR to enter and remain in Singapore. To travel out and return as a PR you need a valid Re-Entry Permit (REP). The rules on losing the status are precise:
| Situation | What you must do | If you do not |
|---|---|---|
| You leave Singapore without a valid REP | Apply for an REP within 180 days from the date of departure | Loss of PR status |
| Your REP expires while you are outside Singapore | Apply for an REP within 180 days from the date of expiry | Loss of PR status |
| You apply within the 180 days | Successfully obtain the REP | Loss of PR status if the application is unsuccessful |
Conduct conditions since 1 December 2025
With effect from 1 December 2025, every Entry Permit and Re-Entry Permit carries a condition that it may be cancelled where the holder breaches a permit condition, 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 in an undesirable manner. ICA says a review of PR status can lead to cancellation of the permits and revocation of the status.
What changes at work: CPF
Employers pay Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions for employees who are Singapore Citizens or Singapore Permanent Residents and who earn total wages of more than $50 per month. The CPF Board lists foreigners as exempt, so contributions apply once you are a PR. The Board uses separate contribution rate tables for the first year of PR status, the second year, and from the third year, when the table is the same as for citizens. It asks employers to make sure employees tell them the date they became a PR, because different rates apply.
The investor route
The Global Investor Programme accords PR status to eligible global investors who intend to drive their businesses and investment growth from Singapore. EDB says you need a substantial business track record and a successful entrepreneurial background to qualify. Applicants pay a S$100 non-refundable processing fee per applicant directly to ICA.
From PR to citizenship
| You are eligible to apply for citizenship if you |
|---|
| Have been a PR for at least 2 years and are aged 21 and above |
| Have been a PR for at least 2 years and have been married to a Singapore citizen for at least 2 years |
| Are a PR studying in Singapore, have lived in Singapore for more than 3 years, of which at least 1 year as a PR, and have passed at least one national exam or are in the Integrated Programme |
| Are a PR and the aged parent of a Singapore citizen of at least 21 years old |
Agents and consultants
ICA states that it has no affiliation with any external migration agency or commercial entity that claims to be a Singapore immigration specialist, consultant or partner, and that it does not support or endorse such services for permanent residence applications.
Frequently asked questions
Who is eligible for Singapore PR?
ICA lists the spouse or unmarried child under 21 of a Singapore citizen or PR, the aged parent of a Singapore citizen, holders of an Employment Pass or S Pass, students who have passed at least one national exam or are in the Integrated Programme, and foreign investors.
How much does a Singapore PR application cost?
S$100 for each application at submission. At completion of formalities you pay S$20 for the Entry Permit, S$50 for a 5-year Re-Entry Permit and S$50 for the Singapore Identity Card. All fees are non-refundable.
How long does a Singapore PR application take?
ICA says applications are processed within 6 months, provided all the required documents are submitted and in order, and that some applications may take longer.
Can an S Pass holder apply for PR?
Yes. ICA lists holders of an Employment Pass or S Pass among the foreigners who may be eligible to apply.
Can I lose Singapore PR by living abroad?
Yes, if you are outside Singapore without a valid Re-Entry Permit and do not apply for one within 180 days from the date of departure, or from the date the permit expired.
Do PR children have to do National Service?
Male applicants granted PR status as a foreign student or under their parents' sponsorship are liable. They register at 16 and a half and are scheduled for enlistment at the earliest opportunity upon reaching 18.
How long after PR can I apply for Singapore citizenship?
You are eligible to apply once you have been a PR for at least 2 years and are aged 21 and above.
Official sources
- Immigration & Checkpoints Authority — Becoming a Permanent Resident
- ICA — Entry Permit and Re-Entry Permit conditions for Singapore Permanent Residents
- ICA — Becoming a Singapore Citizen
- Economic Development Board — Global Investor Programme
- CPF Board — Who should receive CPF contributions
- CPF Board — How much CPF contributions to pay
All figures verified against the official pages above on 13 October 2026. ICA decides each application on its own assessment, and meeting an eligibility category does not mean approval. Information, not legal advice.