Most LTVP applications go quiet for several weeks after submission, and that silence is normal. The unhelpful part is that two separate status portals exist depending on who sponsored the pass, and logging into the wrong one returns nothing useful no matter how many times you refresh.
This guide covers which portal applies, where to find your reference number, what each status label means, when to worry about a stuck case, and what to do after an In-Principle Approval lands in your inbox or a refusal arrives. The rules below are current to mid-2026.
Which portal you check, and why it depends on the sponsor
The first decision is whether the LTVP was filed by ICA or by MOM. The same three letters cover two different passes issued by two different agencies, and the status systems do not talk to each other.
ICA handles LTVPs sponsored by Singapore citizens and PRs, including LTVP+ for foreign spouses of citizens. Status checks for these go through MyICA at eservices.ica.gov.sg using the sponsor’s Singpass. Applicants without Singpass, or for older applications, can still use the e-Service enquiry with the reference ID and the applicant’s FIN or passport number.
MOM handles LTVPs that hang off a work pass: common-law spouses, step-children without formal adoption, and certain handicapped children of EP, S Pass, PEP, EntrePass, ONE Pass, or Tech.Pass holders. Status checks for these go through the MOM enquiry portal at service2.mom.gov.sg/workpass/enquiry. No login is required for that page. You enter the applicant’s date of birth and FIN or passport number, and the portal returns the status of any work pass or long-term pass application made in the last six months.
If you cannot remember which agency issued the pass, the sponsor type is the giveaway. A Singaporean spouse or parent points to ICA. A foreign work pass holder sponsoring a relative points to MOM.
Finding your application reference
For ICA-filed LTVPs, the reference number arrives in the acknowledgement email sent immediately after submission. It usually starts with a letter prefix followed by a string of digits, and it is the number ICA uses across the whole application lifecycle. Save the acknowledgement email. If it has been deleted, the sponsor can log into MyICA and pull up the application directly from the dashboard.
For MOM-filed LTVPs, the enquiry portal does not need a reference number. The applicant’s date of birth and FIN or passport number are enough. If the applicant has not yet been issued a FIN, the passport number from the application form works.
For sponsors who applied through an immigration consultant, the consultant usually holds the reference. Ask for it in writing rather than relying on a phone call.
Not sure which portal applies to your case? Send us the sponsor type and the rough date of submission and we will point you to the right login.
What each status label means
The labels are short and the system does not explain them. Here is what they cover in practice.
Application Received is the first state after submission. ICA or MOM has the file, the fee has cleared, and the case is queued for review. No officer has looked at it yet. This is normal for the first one to two weeks.
In Progress, sometimes shown as Under Review or Pending, means an officer is working on the case. Documents are being checked, and supporting records like CPF and IRAS data are being pulled in the background. This is where most of the six-week processing window is spent.
Approval In Principle, or IPA, means the application is approved subject to formalities. ICA emails the IPA letter as a PDF. The letter is valid for three months, and the applicant must complete card collection, payment of the issuance fee, and any required medicals or biometrics within that window. The IPA is not the LTVP itself. It does not let the applicant remain in Singapore on its own.
Issued means the pass has been generated and is ready for retrieval through FileSG, MyICA web or mobile, or the Singpass app. Since 27 February 2023, ICA issues only digital LTVPs for new and renewed passes. At this point the LTVP is active.
Refused means the application has been declined. The notice arrives by email and usually does not give a detailed reason. ICA may also use Withdrawn for applications the sponsor pulled, or where the IPA window expired without the formalities being completed.
Email versus portal notifications
ICA sends every major update by email to the sponsor’s registered address. That includes acknowledgement, IPA, requests for additional documents, and the final outcome. The portal mirrors what is in the email, but the email is the primary channel.
For MOM-issued LTVPs, the notifications go to the employer or sponsor’s MOM contact rather than the applicant. The enquiry portal is the only place an applicant can check status directly without going through the employer.
The practical risk with both systems is missing a document request because it landed in spam. ICA and MOM both flag stalled applications after a couple of weeks of no response, but the clock is running the whole time. Check spam folders weekly during processing, and respond to document requests within the deadline given in the email.
When to worry about a stuck application
The published processing time for a standard ICA LTVP is up to six weeks once all documents are in order. Spousal LTVPs without a completed Pre-Marriage Long-Term Visit Pass Assessment can take up to six months, which is a separate situation rather than a delay. The LTVP processing time and approval page covers the breakdown by category.
The reasonable threshold to contact ICA is eight weeks with no movement on the portal, no document request, and no outcome email. Call the ICA contact centre on 6391 6100 or send a query through the Ask ICA portal with the application reference. Have the sponsor’s Singpass details ready. Calling earlier than eight weeks rarely produces a useful answer, since the file is still in the normal review queue.
For MOM-issued LTVPs, the published timeline is shorter, around three weeks for dependants of EP and S Pass holders. LTVPs sponsored by PEP, EntrePass, ONE Pass, or Tech.Pass holders can take up to eight weeks. Anything past those baselines with no status change is worth following up through the employer’s MOM contact.
If the status sits at In Progress for an unusually long time, the most common cause is a missing document the system flagged but did not surface. Logging back into the portal and checking the application detail page sometimes reveals a request the sponsor missed in email.
What to do after IPA
The IPA email is the trigger for finishing the application. Three things need to happen within the three-month validity window.
Pay the issuance fee online through the link in the IPA letter. The current ICA LTVP issuance fee is S$60 for the pass and S$30 for a Multiple Journey Visa endorsement if the applicant is from a visa-required nationality. Payment must be made within 14 days of the issuance notification, otherwise the application is treated as withdrawn. This shorter deadline is the more pressing constraint than the three-month IPA outer window.
Complete any required medical or biometric appointment. The IPA letter says whether this applies. Spousal and parent LTVPs usually require a medical examination at an approved clinic, with the results uploaded before card issuance.
Retrieve the digital pass. Since 27 February 2023, ICA issues only digital LTVPs. The pass is available through FileSG, MyICA web or mobile, or the Singpass app for Singpass holders. There is no option to request a physical card for new issuances. The validity period of the LTVP starts from the date the issuance fee is paid, not from the IPA date.
Missing the three-month window means the IPA lapses and a fresh application is needed. ICA does not extend IPA validity in normal cases.
If the application is refused
A refusal is final for that application but does not bar future ones. Two paths exist.
The first is to appeal. For LTVP rejections, ICA’s published appeal window is up to three months from the date of the rejection advisory. The appeal is submitted through ICA’s enquiry form with a written explanation and any new supporting documents that strengthen the case. An appeal works best when something specific changed since the original filing, like a sponsor’s new income documents or a clarification of the relationship. Resubmitting the same documents with the same explanation rarely succeeds.
The second is to reapply later. There is no formal bar on reapplication after a refused LTVP, and ICA does not publish an official waiting period. A common practitioner rule of thumb is to wait around six months, long enough to address whatever the original weakness was. Applying again within weeks, with no material change, usually produces another refusal and adds a second declined application to the record.
The sibling LTVP for spouse application guide covers the eligibility criteria that most often drive a refusal for spousal cases, and the broader Singapore PR and long-term passes guide covers alternatives like the Social Visit Pass for shorter-term family stays.
Stuck at In Progress for more than eight weeks, or sitting with a refusal you want to appeal? Send us your reference number and the timeline so far, and our consultants will tell you whether a follow-up or a fresh application is the better next step.