The Long-Term Visit Pass is how most foreign family members of Singaporeans, PRs, and senior work pass holders stay here for longer than a tourist stamp allows. It is also one of the passes that gets confused with two or three others, because the same three letters are used by two different agencies for two different things, and the rules sit in different portals.
This guide covers what an LTVP actually is, who can sponsor one, who qualifies, how LTVP+ differs from a standard LTVP, what it costs, how long it takes, and the work-rights piece via the Letter of Consent. The numbers and rules below reflect ICA and MOM policy current to mid-2026.
Who LTVP is for, and who issues it
The LTVP exists for family members who do not fit on a Dependant’s Pass but still need to live in Singapore for an extended stretch. There are two parallel tracks.
ICA issues the LTVP for family of Singapore citizens and permanent residents. Eligible categories are the legally married spouse of a citizen or PR aged 21 or above, unmarried children under 21 (including step-children where ICA accepts the family arrangement), aged parents of a Singapore citizen or PR, and handicapped unmarried children aged 21 and above. Parents-in-law do not qualify.
MOM issues an LTVP-equivalent for certain family members of work pass holders who fall outside the Dependant’s Pass rules. The headline cases are common-law spouses, step-children under 21 without formal adoption, and handicapped unmarried children over 21 of EP, S Pass, PEP, EntrePass, ONE Pass, or Tech.Pass holders earning a fixed monthly salary of at least S$6,000. Parents of EP holders are only eligible at a fixed monthly salary of at least S$12,000.
The split between agencies decides everything downstream: which portal you file in, how the application is assessed, and where you check status. The Singapore PR pillar guide covers the full pass landscape if you want to see where LTVP sits next to PR, work passes, and the Social Visit Pass.
LTVP and LTVP+: what is actually different
LTVP+ is the upgraded version for foreign spouses of Singapore citizens. It was introduced to recognise stable, long-term family arrangements, and the benefits are concrete rather than cosmetic.
A standard LTVP runs for up to two years and is renewable. LTVP+ can be granted for up to three years on first issue and up to five years on each renewal, at ICA’s discretion. That alone makes the renewal cycle less of a quarterly worry.
LTVP+ holders get inpatient subsidies at public hospitals (10% B1, 45% B2, 60% C wards, means-tested), which is meaningfully better than a standard LTVP but still below citizen rates and not extended to outpatient visits or day surgery. SkillsFuture (CET) course-fee subsidies are pegged at PR rates. A Pre-approved Letter of Consent is also available, though that route is open to qualifying standard LTVP holders as well, not only LTVP+ holders.
Eligibility for LTVP+ is narrower than the standard LTVP. A foreign spouse of a Singapore citizen qualifies automatically if there is at least one Singaporean child from the marriage, or if the spouse is currently pregnant. Without a citizen child, applicants are considered more favourably if they have been married for at least three years. Marriage duration, the sponsor’s ability to support the family, and good conduct of both parties all weigh into the call.
LTVP+ is only for spouses of citizens. Spouses of PRs get a standard LTVP. Parents, children, and other family members are not in the LTVP+ scheme at all.
What the application actually involves
LTVP applications go through the ICA e-Service with Singpass. The sponsor logs in to submit on behalf of the foreign family member, uploads supporting documents, and pays the fees online. The ICA-issued card is delivered to the Singpass app, FileSG, or in physical form depending on what you select.
Documents that get asked for in most cases include the marriage certificate, the sponsor’s NRIC, the applicant’s passport bio page, birth certificates of any children, recent payslips or income documents from the sponsor, and a recent photograph meeting ICA’s specifications. ICA may ask for the sponsor’s CPF contribution history or notice of assessment if the financial picture needs more weight.
For spouses of Singapore citizens, the Pre-Marriage Long-Term Visit Pass Assessment (PMLA) is worth knowing about. It lets ICA pre-screen eligibility before the marriage is registered, so the couple goes into the wedding knowing whether the LTVP will be granted. Without a PMLA, the LTVP application after marriage can take up to six months. With one already on file, the post-marriage application typically clears in about six weeks.
For other categories where ICA does not need the same deep financial assessment, the standard six-week processing window applies.
Working out whether your situation fits LTVP, LTVP+, or a Dependant’s Pass? Send us your sponsor type, salary, and family details and we will tell you exactly which pass to file for and what supporting documents to prepare.
Fees, validity, and renewal mechanics
The official ICA LTVP fees are S$45 per application at submission (non-refundable) and S$60 at issuance, plus S$30 if a Multiple Journey Visa is bundled in for a visa-required nationality. For a non-MJV applicant that comes to S$105 in total. Some categories that route through MOM have a different fee structure: S$105 for submission and S$225 for issuance (plus S$30 for an MJV where applicable, total S$330 or S$360), so checking the application portal before filing avoids surprises.
Standard LTVP validity is up to two years. The actual length granted varies with the applicant’s profile, the sponsor’s situation, and the sponsor’s own pass validity for MOM-issued cases. The remaining time on a current LTVP does not roll over into the renewed one. The new validity period starts from the date the issuance fee is paid.
Renewal is done through the same ICA portal. ICA recommends submitting the renewal application at least three months before the current pass ends. Renewal is not automatic. The sponsor’s financial position, marriage status, and any change in household circumstances are reviewed each cycle. For MOM-issued LTVPs that hang off a work pass, the LTVP usually cannot outlast the sponsor’s main pass and is renewed alongside it.
LTVP+ renewal works the same way mechanically but on a longer cycle. The first renewal can be granted for up to five years, with the same Pre-approved Letter of Consent extension if the holder still meets the criteria.
Working on an LTVP: the Letter of Consent
This is where most LTVP holders run into confusion. The LTVP itself does not include the right to work. Holding an LTVP, even an LTVP+, does not let you take up paid employment until a separate authorisation is in place.
For ICA-issued LTVPs and LTVP+ where the holder is the spouse or unmarried child of a Singapore citizen or PR, the working route is the Letter of Consent (LOC) from MOM. The employer applies on behalf of the LTVP holder, attaching a copy of the LTVP card, the employment offer letter, and the sponsor’s NRIC or PR card. Straightforward cases process in about seven working days.
LTVP/LTVP+ holders also have access to the Pre-approved Letter of Consent (PLOC), which is requested at the LTVP application or renewal stage with ICA, not separately later. With a PLOC on file, the holder can take up work or change employer with only a notification to MOM, instead of a fresh LOC each time. The PLOC runs for the same duration as the LTVP.
An LOC or PLOC for an LTVP holder has two quiet advantages that matter to employers. The employee does not count against the company’s foreign worker quota, and the foreign worker levy does not apply. That makes hiring an LTVP holder closer to hiring a PR than hiring a fresh EP candidate, which is one reason the Letter of Consent route is worth flagging in an interview.
For MOM-issued LTVPs that sit under an EP or S Pass sponsor, working rights are tighter and depend on the underlying sponsor pass. A separate work pass is usually the cleaner route.
How LTVP fits next to Dependant’s Pass
The Dependant’s Pass and the LTVP look similar from the outside and trip up applicants who file in the wrong portal. The simplest framing is who the sponsor is and who the applicant is.
A Dependant’s Pass is issued by MOM to the legally married spouse and unmarried children under 21 of EP, S Pass, PEP, EntrePass, ONE Pass, or Tech.Pass holders earning at least S$6,000 fixed monthly. It is the standard route for nuclear family of a foreign professional working in Singapore.
An LTVP issued by ICA goes to the spouse, unmarried child, or aged parent of a Singapore citizen or PR. It is the standard route for family of someone with permanent ties to Singapore. LTVP+ is the upgraded version of this, only for spouses of citizens, with longer validity and better work and healthcare access.
An LTVP issued by MOM covers the in-between cases. Common-law spouses, step-children, and certain handicapped children of work pass holders who do not qualify for a Dependant’s Pass go through this route at the same S$6,000 sponsor salary line.
The practical rule: if the sponsor is a Singapore citizen or PR, the application is ICA. If the sponsor is on a work pass, the default is the Dependant’s Pass through MOM, with the MOM-issued LTVP only when the family member does not fit DP rules. Filing in the wrong portal is one of the most common reasons an application stalls or comes back denied.
Checking your status
ICA-issued LTVP applications are tracked through the ICA e-Service portal using Singpass. Once the pass is issued, the card sits in the Singpass app or FileSG, and the work-pass-style enquiry on MOM’s website does not apply.
MOM-issued LTVPs and the related Letter of Consent are tracked through MOM’s portal at service2.mom.gov.sg/workpass/enquiry, with date of birth plus FIN or passport. The SGWorkPass mobile app also works for these.
Mixing the two is a common avoidable mistake. The portal you should check is the one belonging to the agency that issued your pass, not the agency that issued your sponsor’s pass. A spouse on an ICA LTVP whose Singaporean partner has never touched MOM still tracks through ICA.
Filing an LTVP or LTVP+ this year? Our consultants can review your eligibility, prepare the supporting documents, file through the right portal, and add a Pre-approved Letter of Consent so working rights are sorted in one go.