Dependant Pass (DP) and Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP) — Complete 2026 guide
The Dependant Pass (DP) and Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP) allow family members of Singapore work-pass holders, citizens and permanent residents to reside in Singapore for the duration of the principal’s pass or status. The two schemes serve overlapping but distinct populations: the DP is for legally married spouses and unmarried children under 21 of qualifying Employment Pass, S Pass and Tech.Pass holders, while the LTVP covers common-law spouses, step-children, handicapped children over 21, and parents of qualifying principals.
Raffles Corporate Services works with a panel of corporate and employment law firms; this article is general information, not legal advice.
Who qualifies for the Dependant Pass
The Dependant Pass is available to family members of EP, S Pass, Personalised EP, Tech.Pass, ONE Pass and EntrePass holders. The principal must earn a fixed monthly salary that meets the prevailing DP qualifying threshold — currently S$6,000 per month for EP-holder principals (subject to MOM’s published schedule and increases). Qualifying family members are: a legally married spouse, and unmarried biological or legally adopted children below the age of 21.
The DP qualifying salary is higher than the EP qualifying salary, which means not every EP holder can sponsor a DP. The differential is deliberate — MOM tunes the threshold to ensure sponsorship is matched to earning capacity. For high earners holding a PEP — see Personalised Employment Pass (PEP) Complete 2026 guide — the DP qualifying threshold is met by default.
Who qualifies for the Long-Term Visit Pass
The Long-Term Visit Pass covers cases that fall outside the DP definition. Qualifying LTVP applicants include: common-law spouses (recognised relationships without formal marriage); step-children of the principal under the age of 21; handicapped children of the principal aged 21 or older; and parents of the principal, where the principal earns at least S$12,000 per month or holds a senior pass class.
LTVP applications for parents are subject to stricter MOM and ICA scrutiny than DP applications, particularly around financial support arrangements, healthcare coverage and length of intended stay. Recent policy direction has emphasised that parental LTVPs are best matched to higher-earning principals with the financial capacity to support older dependants.
Application route and documentation
DP and LTVP applications are filed through the MOM EP eService (for DP and most LTVP categories) and ICA in select cases. The principal employer (or in the case of self-sponsored principals, the principal themselves) initiates the application. Required documents include: passport copies of all family members, marriage certificates, birth certificates and adoption certificates as applicable, and supporting evidence of the principal’s pass status. For LTVP applications involving parents, additional documentation around financial support and health insurance coverage is required.
Corporate documentation around the principal’s Singapore footprint may also be needed — see Singapore registered address and BizFile+ filings for the foundational corporate steps where the principal is a director or shareholder of a Singapore company.
Cost and timeline
MOM application fee is S$120 per DP applicant; LTVP application fees vary by category but are typically S$120 to S$150. The card fee on issuance is S$50 per pass. External advisory and dossier preparation, when used, ranges from S$800 to S$2,500 per family unit.
Timeline: DP applications are typically processed in 1 to 3 weeks for clean cases. LTVP applications take 4 to 8 weeks, longer for parent-LTVP cases where ICA may conduct supplementary checks. Plan for a 4 to 8 week buffer from principal pass issuance to family relocation.
Work, study and other entitlements on DP/LTVP
DP holders may work in Singapore subject to obtaining a Letter of Consent (LOC) from MOM. The LOC application is filed by the employer once a job offer is in place, and approval is typically straightforward where the DP holder is in a regular employment relationship. LTVP holders generally need a separate work pass (such as an EP or S Pass) to work — the LOC route is not generally available, though specific case-by-case discretion can apply.
DP and LTVP holders may enrol their children in Singapore schools subject to MOE admission processes (Singapore Citizen and PR priority applies, with international school options widely available). DP and LTVP holders are eligible for private medical care; subsidised public healthcare access is restricted, so private health insurance is strongly recommended.
Renewal and conversion to long-term residency
DP and LTVP passes are renewed in step with the principal’s pass. When the principal’s EP, S Pass or Tech.Pass is renewed, the DP/LTVP renewal is bundled into the same MOM filing. The pass duration matches (or is shorter than) the principal’s pass.
DP and LTVP holders may apply for Singapore PR through the ICA’s standard PR framework, typically after 2 to 3 years of stable residence. The application is independent of the principal’s PR application but is often filed in parallel. For founders and high-earning principals organising family wealth in Singapore alongside the DP/LTVP application, see family office MAS approval, annual review and audit.
Common scenarios and edge cases
Scenario 1: Foreign founder relocating with spouse and two children, EP-holder principal earning S$8,000 monthly. Outcome: DP for spouse and both children straightforward; LOC for spouse to work attainable once a job offer is in place.
Scenario 2: PEP-holder principal earning S$25,000 monthly, with elderly parents wishing to join. Outcome: LTVP for parents likely approved subject to documentation; ICA may seek evidence of financial support and health insurance.
Scenario 3: EP-holder principal at the DP qualifying threshold edge (S$6,000 monthly), with same-sex partner. Outcome: DP requires legal marriage recognised by Singapore law; same-sex marriages are not currently recognised under Singapore law, so the LTVP common-law route is the practical option, subject to MOM discretion.
Scenario 4: Tech.Pass holder with two step-children. Outcome: LTVP for step-children is the standard route; DP is not available for step-children. Documentation of the relationship is critical.
Common mistakes and gotchas
First mistake: assuming the EP qualifying salary is enough to sponsor a DP. The DP qualifying threshold is higher, currently S$6,000 monthly. Second mistake: applying for a DP for a step-child or common-law spouse — the LTVP is the correct category. Third mistake: failing to obtain an LOC before a DP holder starts work — employment without an LOC breaches MOM’s pass conditions and can trigger pass cancellation. Fourth mistake: delaying renewal applications — DP/LTVP renewals must be filed before the principal pass renewal completes, to avoid gaps in lawful residence. Fifth mistake: under-documenting parent-LTVP applications — ICA looks for evidence of financial support, healthcare coverage and the genuine intention to maintain the parental household in Singapore.
FAQs
Can a DP holder become PR? Yes. DP holders may apply for PR through ICA’s standard framework after a period of stable residence. The DP itself does not confer PR but does provide the residence base from which to apply.
What happens to the DP/LTVP if the principal’s pass is cancelled? The DP/LTVP is cancelled in parallel. The family members must depart Singapore within the prescribed time or transition to another pass class.
Can a DP holder open a Singapore bank account? Yes. DP holders are entitled to open personal bank accounts at Singapore banks subject to standard KYC and minimum balance requirements.
Is the LOC for a DP holder tied to a specific employer? Yes. The LOC names the sponsoring employer. A new LOC is needed if the DP holder changes employer.
Can parents on LTVP access public healthcare? Subsidised public healthcare is restricted for LTVP holders. Private healthcare is generally available, and travel/health insurance is strongly recommended.
Need help with this? Call, SMS or WhatsApp +65 8501 7133, or email [email protected]. Singapore Employment Agency files DP and LTVP applications and coordinates LOC work permissions for relocating families — book a family-relocation scoping call.