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More than 1.5 million people hold a work pass in Singapore, and a large share arrive with a spouse or children in tow. For those families, the Dependant's Pass (DP) is the single document that turns a solo work posting into a life together in Singapore. Yet the dependant pass Singapore rules are also some of the most misunderstood in the system, especially around who qualifies, who can sponsor one, and whether a DP holder is allowed to work.
This guide walks through the Dependant's Pass in 2026: what it is, who can sponsor and who qualifies, how it differs from the Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP), how to apply, what fees and timelines to expect, and what a DP holder can actually do once they arrive, including the newer routes to work that replaced the old Letter of Consent. We close with the pathway from a Dependant's Pass to Permanent Residence, a comparison of DP versus LTVP versus PR, and a detailed FAQ.
All figures below come directly from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA). Because pass rules change, always confirm the current position on the official MOM and ICA websites before you act.
What is a Dependant's Pass (DP)?
A Dependant's Pass is a pass issued by the Ministry of Manpower that lets the close family members of an eligible work-pass holder live in Singapore for the duration of that work pass. Put simply, it is the pass that keeps a family together while one member of the household works here on an Employment Pass (EP) or S Pass.
The Dependant's Pass is not a work pass and not a visit pass. It is a residence pass tied to a "main" pass holder, the person working in Singapore who sponsors it. Its validity is linked to that main pass: a DP is granted for the duration of the main work pass or the duration requested, whichever is shorter, and it is renewable when the main pass is renewed.
The Dependant's Pass matters for two reasons. First, it is the legal basis on which a spouse and children can stay long-term, enrol in school, and, in defined circumstances, work or run a business. Second, it is often the first rung on a longer immigration ladder: many families who arrive on an EP plus Dependant's Passes go on to apply for Permanent Residence together a few years later.
Throughout this guide, "dependant pass Singapore" and "DP" mean the same thing. You may also see "dependent pass" in older or overseas material; the official Singapore spelling is "Dependant's Pass."
Who can sponsor a Dependant's Pass? (Eligibility and salary)
The most common reason a Dependant's Pass application never gets off the ground is that the sponsor does not meet the salary threshold, so it pays to be precise here.
To sponsor a Dependant's Pass, the main pass holder must:
- Hold a valid Employment Pass (EP) or S Pass; and
- Earn a fixed monthly salary of at least S$6,000; and
- Be sponsored by an established, Singapore-registered company, which is usually the employer.
Three details trip people up.
The S$6,000 figure is the sponsor's own salary, not household income. You cannot combine two spouses' salaries to clear the threshold. It is the individual EP or S Pass holder's fixed monthly salary that must reach S$6,000.
"Fixed monthly salary" has a specific meaning at MOM: basic monthly salary plus fixed monthly allowances. It excludes variable components such as overtime, bonuses, commissions, productivity incentives, reimbursements, and the employer's CPF contribution. If a large part of your package is a year-end bonus, your fixed monthly salary for DP purposes may be lower than your total annual pay suggests.
The DP salary threshold is separate from the EP qualifying salary. From 2026, the minimum qualifying salary to obtain an EP is S$5,600 for most sectors and S$6,200 for financial services (under the COMPASS framework). To sponsor a Dependant's Pass, the EP holder must actually earn at least S$6,000 in fixed monthly salary, so it is possible to hold an EP but not yet earn enough to sponsor a DP.
Tip: If your EP salary sits just below S$6,000, time the DP application to follow a confirmed raise or a promotion that lifts your fixed monthly salary over the line, and make sure the increase is reflected as fixed salary rather than a discretionary bonus.
What about ONE Pass, EntrePass, and PEP holders?
The EP and S Pass are the two mainstream sponsoring passes, but they are not the only ones. Holders of the Overseas Networks and Expertise (ONE) Pass, the EntrePass, and the Personalised Employment Pass (PEP) can also sponsor Dependant's Passes for their family, under their own criteria set by MOM. The salary and eligibility conditions for these passes differ, and the application process and processing times are slightly different too (more on that below). If you hold one of these passes, check the specific eligibility page on the MOM website rather than assuming the standard EP or S Pass rules apply.
If your sponsoring pass is an EP but you do not yet meet the S$6,000 threshold, or your family member does not qualify as a dependant, an LTVP may be the alternative. We cover that distinction in detail below and in our Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP) guide.
Who qualifies as a dependant?
Meeting the sponsor requirements is only half the equation. The family member you want to bring over must also fall within MOM's definition of a "dependant." For the Dependant's Pass, that definition is deliberately narrow.
The following family members qualify for a Dependant's Pass:
- Your legally married spouse; and
- Your unmarried children under 21 years old, including legally adopted children.
That is the full list. If a family member does not fit one of these two categories, they cannot get a Dependant's Pass, though they may qualify for a Long-Term Visit Pass instead.
The word "legally" carries weight in both categories. A legally married spouse means the marriage must be recognised, and you will need to produce a marriage certificate (with an official English translation if it is in another language). A common-law partner, a fiancé(e), or an unregistered partner does not qualify for a DP.
For children, three conditions apply together: the child must be unmarried, under 21, and yours (biological or legally adopted). A stepchild is not automatically covered by the DP definition, and neither is a child aged 21 or over. Those cases route to the LTVP.
Who does not qualify for a Dependant's Pass
To make the boundaries clear, the following relatives are not eligible for a DP and are generally considered under the LTVP framework instead:
- Parents of the work-pass holder;
- Common-law or unregistered partners;
- Stepchildren;
- Unmarried handicapped children aged 21 and above;
- Children aged 21 or older; and
- Married children of any age.
There is also a narrow but important exception at the top of the system: family members of EP applicants who qualify under the World Trade Organization's General Agreement on Trade in Services (WTO GATS) or certain Free Trade Agreement (FTA) provisions, often intra-corporate transferees, are generally not eligible for either a DP or an LTVP, except under specific FTA carve-outs. If this applies to your posting, confirm with MOM before you plan your family's move.
DP vs LTVP: which pass does your family member need?
The question we field most often about the Dependant's Pass is the difference between a DP and a Long-Term Visit Pass. Getting this right at the start saves families a rejected application and weeks of lost time.
Here is the short version. The Dependant's Pass is for your closest immediate family: a legally married spouse and unmarried children under 21. The Long-Term Visit Pass is the catch-all for the family members who fall outside that definition but whom you still want to bring to Singapore long-term.
DP vs LTVP at a glance:
- Who it covers: The DP covers a legally married spouse and unmarried children under 21 (including legally adopted children). The LTVP covers a common-law partner, stepchildren, unmarried handicapped children aged 21 and above, and parents.
- Sponsor's pass: A DP can be sponsored by an EP or S Pass holder (and also a ONE Pass, EntrePass, or PEP holder). An LTVP can be sponsored by the same work passes, or by a Singapore citizen or PR.
- Minimum sponsor salary: Both need a fixed monthly salary of at least S$6,000 for most family members, but sponsoring parents on an LTVP requires at least S$12,000.
- Issued by: A DP is always issued by MOM. An LTVP is issued by MOM (when a work-pass holder sponsors) or by ICA (when a citizen or PR sponsors).
- Typical use: The DP is for the immediate nuclear family of a work-pass holder; the LTVP is for extended family or non-standard relationships.
Three points are worth pinning down.
Salary thresholds differ. For most LTVP-eligible family members, the sponsoring EP or S Pass holder still needs at least S$6,000 fixed monthly, the same as for a DP. But to sponsor parents on an LTVP, the threshold rises to at least S$12,000. Bringing your parents over is a materially higher bar than bringing your spouse and children.
The issuing authority differs. A DP is always issued by MOM. An LTVP can be issued by MOM (when a work-pass holder sponsors an eligible family member) or by ICA (when a citizen or PR sponsors a family member, such as a foreign spouse or an aged parent). If you become a PR later, the sponsorship route for some family members shifts from MOM to ICA.
Common-law partners always use the LTVP. Singapore does not recognise common-law marriage for the DP. If you and your partner are not legally married, the LTVP is the only pass that can keep you together long-term.
For the full picture on LTVP eligibility, application, and how it compares to PR, see our dedicated LTVP Singapore guide.
How to apply for a Dependant's Pass in Singapore
The Dependant's Pass application is not something the dependant does themselves. It is handled on their behalf, and the exact "who" depends on the sponsoring pass.
Who submits the application
- For dependants of EP and S Pass holders: the employer or an appointed employment agent (EA) of the main pass holder submits the application. Dependants cannot apply on their own.
- For dependants of PEP or EntrePass holders: the main pass holder applies directly.
- For dependants of an EP under the Sponsorship scheme: the local sponsor applies.
For the large majority of families, that means your (or your spouse's) employer's HR team or their EA lodges the DP application through MOM's system.
Where and how to apply
Applications for EP and S Pass dependants are submitted through the EP eService on myMOMPortal. PEP and EntrePass dependant applications use MOM's online forms, and EP (Sponsorship) dependants use a downloadable form. Payment can be made by GIRO, Visa, Mastercard, or Amex for EP and S Pass dependants (PayNow for EP Sponsorship cases).
Documents required
The exact document list depends on the relationship, but a typical Dependant's Pass application needs:
- The main pass holder's passport particulars and work-pass details;
- The dependant's passport (personal particulars page);
- A marriage certificate for a spouse;
- A birth certificate for each child, showing the parent-child relationship;
- Legal adoption papers for adopted children;
- A Verification of Vaccination Requirements (for entry to Singapore) document, issued by the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA), for foreign-born children aged 12 and below who are applying for a new DP (existing DP, LTVP, or Student's Pass holders do not need this); and
- Official English translations of any document not originally in English.
Where a document is not in English, MOM expects the original and its English translation uploaded together as a single combined file, not as two separate uploads. This is a small but frequent cause of avoidable rejections.
Tip: Order and, if needed, translate and legalise your marriage and birth certificates well before the move. Chasing an apostille or a certified translation after you have arrived is one of the most common causes of DP delays. Keep both the originals and clear scanned copies.
Fees
The Dependant's Pass carries two separate fees, plus an optional visa fee:
- S$105 per application (payable when the application is submitted);
- S$225 per pass (payable when the pass is issued); and
- S$30 per Multiple Journey Visa (MJV), if applicable, for dependants who need a visa to travel in and out of Singapore.
So the baseline cost of a successful Dependant's Pass is S$330 (S$105 + S$225) per dependant, before any MJV. Budget for this per family member: a spouse and two children is three separate applications and three separate issuance fees.
Processing time
MOM's stated processing times are:
- Within 3 weeks for dependants of EP and S Pass holders (most cases); and
- Within 6 weeks for dependants of EP (Sponsorship), PEP, or EntrePass holders.
Most ordinary EP-family applications are decided well inside three weeks, but incomplete documents or requests for further information will stretch the timeline, which is another reason to get the paperwork right the first time.
After approval: IPA, entry, and the card
Once a Dependant's Pass is approved, MOM issues an In-Principle Approval (IPA) letter. This is what the dependant uses to enter Singapore and complete pass issuance. The IPA is valid for:
- 6 months for a dependant of an EP holder; and
- 2 months for a dependant of an S Pass holder,
to enter Singapore and have the pass issued. After registration and document verification, the physical Dependant's Pass card is delivered within about 5 working days, and the notification letter is valid for 1 month.
For families arriving together, it usually makes sense to lodge the main pass holder's EP or S Pass application and the Dependant's Pass applications close together so that the whole family's timelines line up.
Why Dependant's Pass applications get delayed or rejected
Most DP applications for ordinary EP families are approved, but the ones that stall or fail tend to fail for the same handful of reasons. Knowing them in advance is the cheapest insurance you can buy:
- Salary miscalculation. The single most common issue. Applicants include bonuses, overtime, commissions, or variable allowances to reach S$6,000, when MOM counts only basic salary plus fixed monthly allowances. If your fixed component sits below the line, the application does not qualify, whatever your total package.
- Incomplete or unclear relationship documents. Missing pages of a marriage certificate, a birth certificate that does not clearly show the parents' names, or an uncertified translation. MOM needs to see the relationship established on the face of the document.
- Non-English documents without a combined translation. Uploading the original alone, or the original and translation as two separate files rather than one, is a frequent avoidable rejection.
- Discrepancies in the sponsor's employment record. Where the sponsor's declared salary or employment history does not line up with CPF records or the work-pass file, MOM may query or refuse the application.
- A thin sponsor profile. A newly incorporated company with little trading history, a very short employment record, or a salary sitting exactly on S$6,000 with no progression can weaken an otherwise valid case.
- Missing vaccination verification for a foreign-born child aged 12 and below, where it is required.
Nearly all of these are fixable before you submit. Reviewing the sponsor's fixed-salary breakdown and the document set against MOM's requirements ahead of filing is the surest way to keep the application inside the three-week window.
If your application is rejected: the appeal
A refused Dependant's Pass application is not always the end of the road. The employer or employment agent can lodge an appeal, and this should generally be done within 3 months of the rejection. An appeal is only worth filing if you can add new information that addresses the reason given in the rejection advisory, for example evidence of a salary increase that now clears the threshold, or a corrected and properly translated relationship document. Appeals are submitted online and take at least three weeks to be assessed. If the underlying issue cannot be cured (for instance, the family member simply falls outside the DP definition), the better route is usually an LTVP or an alternative pass rather than a repeat appeal.
What a Dependant's Pass holder can do: study and work
This is where the Dependant's Pass generates the most confusion, and where a lot of the information online is simply out of date. Let us take study and work in turn.
Studying on a Dependant's Pass
A Dependant's Pass is a valid stay pass for unmarried children under 21, and DP children can enrol in school in Singapore without a separate Student's Pass. In other words, a child on a Dependant's Pass does not need to convert to a Student's Pass simply to study while the DP is valid.
One nuance catches families out: eligibility to study is not the same as priority in school admissions. Places in Singapore's mainstream government and government-aided schools are allocated with citizens and PRs given priority, and DP-holding children compete for the remaining places, often through the Admissions Exercise for International Students (AEIS). Many DP families opt for private or international schools for this reason. If school placement is a deciding factor in your move, plan it early.
Working on a Dependant's Pass: what changed in 2021
Here is the single most important update in this guide. The old route that let a Dependant's Pass holder work for an employer on a Letter of Consent (LOC) was scrapped on 1 May 2021. A great deal of older content, and even some current agency guides, still tell readers that "DP holders can work on an LOC." For employees, that is no longer true.
Since 1 May 2021, a Dependant's Pass holder who wants to work for an organisation must have their prospective employer apply for one of the following passes:
- Employment Pass (EP): the DP holder must meet the prevailing EP qualifying criteria (salary and COMPASS). When the EP is granted, the Dependant's Pass is cancelled and the holder is no longer a dependant of the main pass holder. See our Employment Pass Singapore guide for the full EP criteria.
- S Pass: the DP holder must meet the prevailing S Pass criteria. As with the EP, the DP is cancelled once the S Pass is issued. Our S Pass Singapore guide covers the details.
- Dependant's Pass Work Permit (DP-WP): a distinct route created for DP holders, explained next.
The Dependant's Pass Work Permit (DP-WP)
The DP-WP is the route that most people miss, and it is often the most accessible way for a DP-holding spouse to take a job in Singapore. Its key features:
- Open to any nationality;
- Not subject to a minimum qualifying salary (unlike the EP and S Pass);
- Validity is tied to the Dependant's Pass it sits under;
- Not subject to the six-monthly medical examination or a security bond that ordinary Work Permit holders face; and the employer need not provide separate medical insurance if the holder is already covered;
- Subject to the employer's Work Permit quota (the Dependency Ratio Ceiling) and to a monthly levy. The DP-WP levy is aligned to the lowest applicable levy rate for each sector, so it sits at the low end of the Work Permit levy scale, ranging from about S$200 to S$600 a month depending on the sector and levy tier (for example, Services Tier 1 is S$300 and Process is S$200).
The DP-WP means a spouse who does not earn enough to qualify for an EP or S Pass can still work legally, provided the employer is willing to apply for the permit and can accommodate it within their quota and levy. Because the levy and quota rules matter to employers, it helps to understand the Dependency Ratio Ceiling; see our Dependency Ratio Ceiling guide.
Tip: When a DP-holding spouse is job-hunting, mention the DP-WP route to prospective employers. Some HR teams are unfamiliar with it and may wrongly assume a full Work Permit or EP is required. The DP-WP is often faster and cheaper for the employer than they expect.
Running your own business: the LOC for business owners
The Letter of Consent did not disappear entirely in 2021. It survives for one specific group: Dependant's Pass holders who are business owners.
If you are, in an ACRA-registered business, a sole proprietor, a partner, or a company director holding at least 30% shareholding (or a member of a Company Limited by Guarantee), you can apply for an LOC for DP business owners to run that business. The main conditions:
- First-time LOC validity: one year from issue, or up to the DP's expiry, whichever is shorter.
- To renew the LOC, you need at least 3 months of DP validity remaining, and your business must have hired at least one Singaporean or PR who earns at least the prevailing Local Qualifying Salary and has received CPF contributions for at least 3 consecutive months before you submit the renewal.
- The LOC ends when the DP is cancelled or expires, or when the business is no longer active (you must still cancel it in that case).
The 30% shareholding rule is the gate most aspiring founders need to plan around: passive shareholders below 30% do not qualify. The local-hire requirement at renewal is designed to ensure the business genuinely contributes to the Singaporean workforce.
Volunteering
If the work is unpaid and for a charitable purpose, a Dependant's Pass holder does not need any work pass to volunteer. Paid work, however casual, always requires the appropriate pass.
Renewal, cancellation, and changes to the main pass holder's status
A Dependant's Pass does not stand on its own. It lives and dies with the main work pass it depends on, which is why understanding the "what if" scenarios matters.
Renewing a Dependant's Pass
A Dependant's Pass is granted for the duration of the main work pass or the duration requested, whichever is shorter, and it is renewable. In practice, the DP is renewed alongside the main pass: when the EP or S Pass holder renews their pass, the family's Dependant's Passes are renewed too. Renew before the current pass expires to avoid a gap in the family's legal stay. If a child on a DP turns 21 or marries, they cease to qualify and the family will need to look at an alternative pass (such as an LTVP or a pass in the child's own right).
Cancelling a Dependant's Pass
A Dependant's Pass must be cancelled when it is no longer needed, for example when the family leaves Singapore, when the main pass holder's employment ends, or when the DP holder obtains their own work pass or becomes a PR. Cancellation is usually handled by the same party that applied (the employer or EA for EP and S Pass dependants). After cancellation, a short-term visit pass (typically valid for up to 30 days) may be issued to allow the departing dependant time to wind up their affairs and leave. Note that cancelling a DP also cancels any Letter of Consent or DP-Work Permit that sits under it.
Replacing a lost, stolen, or damaged DP card
If a Dependant's Pass card is lost, stolen, or damaged, the employer or employment agent must apply for a replacement, generally within one week. Replacement fees are separate from the application and issuance fees:
- S$65.40 for a damaged card;
- S$109 for the first lost or stolen card; and
- S$327 for any subsequent lost or stolen card.
These fees are inclusive of GST and are non-refundable.
A stolen card requires a police report (in English or with an English translation) to accompany the replacement request. If the card is lost while the holder is overseas, notify the main pass holder's employer immediately so MOM can issue a letter allowing the dependant to re-enter Singapore.
Keeping MOM updated on changes
The employer or employment agent must also notify MOM when a DP holder's personal particulars change or when they move to a new residential address. As a rule of thumb this should be done within a few days of the change, through MOM's online services. Keeping the record current avoids problems at renewal and at the border.
What happens if the main pass holder loses or changes their job
Because the Dependant's Pass is tied to the main work pass, the family's status follows the sponsor's. The key scenarios:
- Main pass holder resigns or is retrenched: when the EP or S Pass is cancelled, the associated Dependant's Passes must be cancelled too. If the main holder finds a new job quickly and a new work pass is issued, fresh Dependant's Pass applications can be made under the new pass.
- Main pass holder changes employer: a change of employer means a new work pass application by the new employer. The Dependant's Passes are re-applied for under the new pass; they do not automatically transfer.
- Main pass holder's salary drops below S$6,000: if a renewal or salary change takes the sponsor's fixed monthly salary below the S$6,000 threshold, the ability to sponsor a DP is affected. This is worth watching at renewal time, especially where a package shifts weight toward variable pay.
- Main pass holder upgrades to Permanent Residence: once the sponsor becomes a PR, the family's route changes. A PR sponsors a foreign spouse on an LTVP through ICA (not MOM), and children may be sponsored for PR directly. This is often the moment families formalise the whole household's status. See the pathway section below.
Tip: If a job change or retrenchment is on the horizon, speak to your employer's HR and, if needed, an immigration adviser before the current pass is cancelled. Planning the sequence (new pass first, then re-apply for DPs) avoids a period where the family has no valid pass.
From a Dependant's Pass to a Student's Pass, work pass, or PR
A Dependant's Pass is rarely the end of the story. Over a family's time in Singapore, dependants frequently move onto passes in their own right. There are three common pathways.
To a Student's Pass
While a child can study on a Dependant's Pass, some situations call for a Student's Pass in the child's own name, for example when the child turns 21 (and so ages out of the DP) but is still studying, or where an institution requires a Student's Pass for enrolment. In those cases the education institution typically sponsors the Student's Pass application through ICA's SOLAR system.
To a work pass
As covered above, a DP-holding spouse who takes up employment moves onto an EP, S Pass, or DP-WP. Where the new pass is an EP or S Pass, the Dependant's Pass is cancelled and the person holds a work pass in their own right, a common and entirely normal transition as spouses build their own careers in Singapore.
To Permanent Residence
For many families, the real destination is Permanent Residence (PR). A Dependant's Pass holder can apply for Singapore PR in their own right. The most common routes are:
- The Family Ties Scheme, if the DP holder is the spouse of a Singapore citizen or PR; and
- As part of a family application under the Professional/Technical Personnel and Skilled Workers (PTS) Scheme, where the main EP or S Pass holder applies for PR and includes their spouse (on a DP) and unmarried children under 21 (also on DPs) in the same application.
That second route is why the Dependant's Pass matters so much to the PR journey: it lets a family apply for PR together, in one application, rather than piecemeal. ICA assesses each applicant's own profile, the main applicant's employment and contribution, the length and stability of the family's residence, and factors such as children being enrolled in local schools.
There is no fixed minimum period on a DP before a PR application, but a longer, stable record of residence and local ties generally strengthens the case. PR outcomes are always at ICA's discretion, so treat any specific timeline as guidance rather than a guarantee. For the family angle, our articles on securing PR for the whole family and PTS versus the Family Scheme for a spouse go deeper, and the EP-to-PR pathway covers the main pass holder's side of the equation.
Becoming a PR also unlocks benefits that a DP does not, from CPF participation to eligibility to buy certain HDB flats; see our guide on HDB eligibility for PRs.
Special case: getting a Dependant's Pass for a newborn in Singapore
If your child is born in Singapore while you are here on a work pass, the process is slightly different. ICA issues the newborn a Special Pass valid for 6 weeks, and within that window the parent must apply for the child's Dependant's Pass. The usual documents (the baby's birth certificate showing the parent-child relationship, and the parents' pass details) apply. Missing the 6-week window can complicate the baby's status, so treat it as a firm deadline rather than a target.
DP vs LTVP vs PR for family members
Families deciding how to structure their move often weigh three options against each other: keep everyone on Dependant's Passes, use LTVPs where the DP does not fit, or pursue Permanent Residence. Here is how the three compare for family members.
The pattern most families follow is a natural progression: arrive on DPs (and LTVPs where needed), then convert to PR once the family has settled and the main earner's profile is strong. PR is the pass that finally decouples the family's status from any single work pass and opens up CPF, housing, and, eventually, the citizenship question. If the whole household is serious about staying, PR is usually the goal that the dependant pass Singapore route is quietly building toward.
Get the salary threshold, the dependant definition, and the paperwork right, and the Dependant's Pass in Singapore is one of the more predictable passes to secure. If your situation is less clear-cut, whether that is a sponsor sitting close to the S$6,000 line, a family member who may fall under the LTVP instead, or a plan to move the household onto PR, it is worth getting the sequence checked before you file. Our team advises families on exactly these decisions; get in touch if you would like a review of your options.
Frequently asked questions
What are the eligibility requirements for a Dependant's Pass in Singapore?
To sponsor a Dependant's Pass, the main applicant must hold a valid Employment Pass or S Pass (or a ONE Pass, EntrePass, or PEP under their own rules) and earn a fixed monthly salary of at least S$6,000, sponsored by a Singapore-registered company. The dependant must be a legally married spouse or an unmarried child under 21, including legally adopted children. Family members outside this definition, such as parents or common-law partners, are considered for a Long-Term Visit Pass instead.
Can a Dependant's Pass holder work in Singapore?
Yes, but not automatically and no longer on a Letter of Consent. Since 1 May 2021, a DP holder who wants to work for an employer needs their prospective employer to apply for an Employment Pass, an S Pass, or a Dependant's Pass Work Permit (DP-WP). The DP-WP has no minimum salary and is open to any nationality, making it the most accessible route for many DP-holding spouses. To run your own ACRA-registered business, you can apply for a Letter of Consent for business owners if you are a sole proprietor, partner, or director with at least 30% shareholding.
What is the difference between a DP and an LTVP?
A Dependant's Pass covers a work-pass holder's closest immediate family: a legally married spouse and unmarried children under 21. A Long-Term Visit Pass covers family members who fall outside that definition, such as parents, common-law partners, stepchildren, and handicapped children aged 21 and above. Both can be sponsored by a work-pass holder, but sponsoring parents on an LTVP requires a higher fixed monthly salary of at least S$12,000, and an LTVP can also be issued by ICA when a citizen or PR is the sponsor.
How much does a Dependant's Pass cost?
The Dependant's Pass costs S$105 per application when you submit it, plus S$225 per pass when it is issued, so a successful application is S$330 per dependant. A Multiple Journey Visa, if needed, adds S$30. These fees apply to each family member separately.
How long does a Dependant's Pass take to process?
MOM states that Dependant's Pass applications for dependants of Employment Pass and S Pass holders are usually processed within 3 weeks. Applications for dependants of EP (Sponsorship), Personalised Employment Pass, or EntrePass holders take within 6 weeks. Incomplete documents or requests for further information can extend these timelines, so submitting a complete, correctly translated document set is the best way to keep the application inside the stated window.
Can a Dependant's Pass holder study in Singapore?
Yes. A Dependant's Pass is a valid stay pass, and DP-holding children under 21 can enrol in school in Singapore without converting to a separate Student's Pass. Note that eligibility to study is not the same as admission priority: citizens and PRs get priority for places in mainstream government schools, and DP children often compete for the remaining places through the Admissions Exercise for International Students (AEIS), which is why many DP families choose private or international schools.
Can a Dependant's Pass lead to Permanent Residence?
Yes. A Dependant's Pass holder can apply for Singapore PR in their own right, most commonly as part of a family application where the main Employment Pass or S Pass holder applies and includes their spouse and unmarried children under 21 in the same application. This lets a family apply for PR together rather than piecemeal. There is no fixed minimum time on a DP before applying, but a longer, stable record of residence generally strengthens the case, and all PR outcomes are at ICA's discretion.
