Quick answer: The long term visit pass for parents lets a citizen’s or PR’s mother or father stay in Singapore longer. The child, if aged 21 or above, applies online through ICA e-Service with Singpass. ICA charges S$45 to apply and S$60 when the pass is issued. Most cases are done within 6 weeks if all documents are in order.
Many families want their parents close by. This guide explains the long term visit pass for parents step by step. It also covers renewal and whether parents can become PRs.
What Is the Long Term Visit Pass for Parents?
A Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP) is a pass from the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA). It lets some family members of Singaporeans and PRs live here for longer than a normal visit.
Parents are one of the groups ICA lists. The pass is now digital only. ICA stopped making plastic cards on 27 February 2023.
Your parent can view the digital pass in a few places:
- the MyICA app or the MyICA e-Service
- FileSG
- the Singpass app, if they have Singpass
Who Can Apply, and Does the Sponsor’s Income Matter?
Who is eligible
ICA accepts applications for:
- a parent of a Singapore citizen
- a parent of a Singapore PR
Parents-in-law are not eligible. So you can only sponsor your own mother or father.
A sponsor is the local person who supports the application and takes responsibility for it.
- If you are 21 or older, you are the sponsor. You log in with your own Singpass.
- If the child is under 21, another Singapore citizen or PR aged 21 or above must sponsor.
ICA does not publish a fixed minimum income for a citizen or PR child. Instead, it looks at the whole family. It checks family ties, economic input, education and age. It also checks the family profile and how long you have lived here.
Still, a steady job and income help your case. Keep your latest payslips and tax papers ready in case ICA asks.
A different rule applies to foreigners. Parents of Employment Pass or S Pass holders apply through MOM, not ICA. MOM needs the pass holder to earn a fixed monthly salary of at least S$12,000.
How to Apply for the Long Term Visit Pass for Parents
Here is how to apply long term visit pass for parents online:
- Get Singpass ready. Every person named in the form must log in to review it and make a declaration. Singpass approval may take 2 to 5 working days. Parents who cannot get Singpass will receive login details from ICA.
- Gather the documents. Scan clear copies of every paper. Prepare English translations for any paper in another language.
- Open ICA e-Service. The sponsor logs in with Singpass and fills in the LTVP form.
- Upload the documents and a recent colour photo of your parent.
- Pay the S$45 processing fee online by card, Internet banking or PayNow.
- Wait for the result. ICA sends it by email. You can also check the status on MyICA.
- Complete formalities. If approved, pay the S$60 issuance fee to get the digital pass.
Families who live abroad often ask our LTVP and PR translation desk to do the whole set. That way, every name stays the same.
Bringing Your Parents to Singapore? Get Their Foreign Certificates Translated Before You Apply
Documents Needed for the LTVP for Parents
ICA may ask for different papers based on your family. The table shows the common ones.
| Document | Who it belongs to | When it is needed |
|---|
| Colour passport photo | Parent | Always. 400 x 514 pixels, white background |
| Passport or travel document | Parent | Always |
| Birth certificate or household register | Child (sponsor) | When the child’s birth was not registered in Singapore |
| Marriage certificate | Parent | When the marriage was not registered in Singapore |
| Divorce papers or death certificate of a spouse | Parent | When it applies to your family |
| Deed poll or other name change proof | Parent or child | When a name has changed |
The birth certificate is the most important paper. It proves that the applicant is your parent. Was it issued abroad in another language? Then book a birth record translation for an LTVP early. This paper often takes the longest to collect.
ICA may ask for more papers later. Answer quickly to avoid delays.
How ICA Treats Translations
ICA asks for original documents and copies for its records. Any paper not in English needs an official English translation.
ICA accepts a translation from:
- the embassy of the country that issued the document
- a notary public in Singapore or in that country
- a private translator, if the embassy attests it or a notary notarises it
A notary public is a senior lawyer who is allowed to witness and certify documents. ICA does not endorse any private translation company, so the embassy or notary step matters. Why post papers back home? Choose local notarisation for foreign records instead.
Fees, Timeline and Validity
| Item | Amount or time |
|---|
| Processing fee (paid when you apply) | S$45 per application |
| Issuance fee (paid after approval) | S$60 |
| Multiple Journey Visa, if your parent needs a visa | S$30 |
| Usual processing time | Within 6 weeks, if documents are in order |
All fees are non-refundable. ICA may tell you about other fees after approval.
ICA decides how long each pass lasts. The end date is shown on the digital pass. Note it down as soon as the pass is issued.
How to Renew the LTVP for Parents
Many people look up how to renew LTVP for parents only when the pass is about to end. Start early instead.
- Apply at least 3 months before the pass expires.
- Use the same ICA e-Service. The sponsor logs in with Singpass.
- The new pass starts from the day it is issued. This is the day you pay the issuance fee.
- Any time left on the old pass is not added on.
Upload any paper that has changed since the last pass. A common problem we see is a parent’s new passport spelling the name a little differently. For fresh papers, ask for translation work for ICA renewals and give the translator the passport spelling.
Also remember that a parent who moves house must tell ICA within 14 days.
Need Your Parents' Birth or Marriage Records in English for ICA? We Can Help Today
Can My Parents Get Singapore PR?
Many people ask if they can sponsor their parents for PR. The answer depends on your status.
Parents of Singapore citizens
ICA has a PR category for aged parents of a Singapore citizen. ICA lists it for parents of a citizen aged 21 or above. The citizen child sponsors the application through ICA e-Service with Singpass.
Parents of Singapore PRs
The aged parent category covers only parents of citizens. So a PR cannot sponsor a parent for PR under this route. A PR can still sponsor the long term visit pass for parents. Once the child becomes a citizen, the parent may then fit the aged parent category.
PR fees and timeline
| Item | Amount or time |
|---|
| Application fee | S$100, non-refundable |
| Entry Permit (after approval) | S$20 |
| 5-year Re-Entry Permit | S$50 |
| Singapore Identity Card | S$50 |
| Usual processing time | Within 6 months, if documents are in order |
Planning both routes? Then order aged parent PR paperwork in English with the LTVP papers. One English set can serve both.
Documents for a Parent’s PR Application
ICA’s PR checklist has items marked “for aged parent applications only”. These include:
- the sponsor’s latest one-month payslip
- the sponsor’s latest income tax assessment, if the sponsor works overseas
- the sponsor’s birth certificate or household register, if the birth was not registered in Singapore
The parent also submits a passport, photo and civil records such as a marriage certificate. If the parent still works, ICA may ask for job and income papers.
For PR, ICA asks for certified true copies of originals. Translations follow the same rules as for the LTVP. Our checklist of what every PR applicant must submit shows the papers shared by all groups.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Applying for a parent-in-law. ICA will not accept this under the parent category.
- Leaving Singpass too late. Each applicant must log in, and approval can take up to 5 working days.
- Sending a plain translation. A translation without an embassy stamp or a notary may not be accepted.
- Names that do not match. Check that every spelling matches the passport.
- Renewing late. Apply at least 3 months before expiry.
Is your parents’ wedding record still in the home town? Ask for a decades-old marriage certificate in English early, as it is one of the slowest papers to get.
What Happens After Approval
After you pay the issuance fee, your parent gets the digital LTVP. Save a PDF copy and keep the end date in your calendar.
Your parent should keep the passport valid for the whole stay. Plan the renewal at least 3 months ahead, and think about PR once you are a citizen.
Renewing a Parent's Pass or Applying for Their PR? Let Us Prepare Every Translation
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I do if ICA rejects my parent’s LTVP?
You can appeal through ICA’s appeal e-Service, but only within 12 months of the rejection. The sponsor of the rejected application must submit the appeal using Singpass.
Can I download my parent’s digital LTVP for them?
Only sponsors of LTVP holders under 15 get a copy in their own FileSG account. For a parent, a family member can log in to FileSG with the parent’s details instead. A one-time password goes to the mobile number given in the application.
My parent got a new passport. How do I tell ICA?
Report it through ICA’s e-Service for LTVP holders. You upload an image of the new passport’s data page, which shows the new passport number. Do this within 14 days of the change.
How many times can my parent apply for PR?
There is no limit. ICA advises applying again only when the family’s situation has clearly changed. Each new application has its own fee, and fees are not refunded.
Can a withdrawn PR application be brought back?
No. Once you withdraw a PR application, ICA cannot reinstate it. The fee is not refunded or moved to a new application.
Conclusion
The long term visit pass for parents is the main way to keep a mother or father here. The sponsor applies online, pays S$45 and then S$60, and usually gets a result within 6 weeks. Renew at least 3 months before the pass ends.
If you are a citizen, your parent may also apply for PR as an aged parent. For both routes, foreign papers need proper English translations with an embassy stamp or a notary. Start early, and keep every name the same as in the passport.
