People emigrate for different reasons. Yet, for most of us, we cannot stay for far too long anywhere without our family around us. The government of Singapore understands this and has made adequate steps to unite families of migrants where possible.
The LTVP program was created to help legalise this particular type of immigration. Citizens and Permanent Residents (PR) of Singapore are able to bring their parents to live with them through the LTVP program.
Eligibility and approval are dependent upon the provision of necessary documents and assessment by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA). As with any immigration program, ICA seeks to determine that the sponsor (citizen or Permanent Resident) has the financial capability and time to cater to the dependent.
What is an LTVP?
LTVP is an abbreviation for Long–Term Visit Pass. Going by its name, it is a visit pass that gives family members the right to live and stay in Singapore for a period of up to two years.
Although the LTVP may have an initial maximum validity period of two years, it is open to renewal. The LTVP gives the holder broad rights and privileges to enjoy all the benefits of Singapore living.
However, the LTVP has two major limitations. Although it aims to unite families, siblings are excluded from its eligibility list. At this time, ICA has yet to give any reason for the exclusion of siblings from the LTVP program.
The second limitation is that it does not give rights to the holder to work in Singapore. The LTVP should be considered to be more like a social visit pass. This means if the holder ever intends to work in Singapore, they have to apply for a work permit.
Who is Eligible for an LTVP?
According to the ICA website, eligibility is given to only seven categories of persons.
- Parent of a Singapore citizen or Permanent Resident (PR).
- A spouse of a Singapore citizen.
- A spouse of a Singapore Permanent Resident (PR).
- A child from the legal marriage of a Singapore citizen or PR. The said child must be unmarried and under 21 years.
- A graduate from any Singapore Higher Institute of Learning looking for employment. A sponsor is not needed in this category.
- Mother or grandmother of a student with a valid student pass studying in any eligible Singapore school.
- Visitor seeking permission to give birth in Singapore.
For more details on each category, visit the ICA official website.
The focus of this article will be more on the category of LTVP for parents.
How to Apply for an LTVP for Your Parents?
Application for LTVP for parents can be made online through the ICA e-Service portal.
Documents Required
The ICA requires documentation from all parties involved. This is done to ascertain that both parties meet the eligibility criteria and can comfortably live and stay in Singapore.
Documentation is required from the applicant (the parent) and the sponsor (the Singapore citizen or PR). The Singapore citizen or PR must be above 21 years old when filing the application.
Where applicable, the spouse of the Singapore citizen or PR may also be required to present some documents.
Each of these documents should be available before you begin the application process.
The Applicant’s (Parents) Documents
- The biodata page of their passport.
- Where applicable, a Disembarkation/Embarkation (D/E) Number.
- Recent passport-sized photograph. It must be taken within the last three months and must be digitalised and in colour. The photograph must follow all other guidelines given by ICA.
- If the sponsor was adopted, the adoption papers should be provided.
The Sponsor’s (Citizen or PR) Documents
- Birth certificate.
- If married, the marriage certificate should be provided.
- Certificate for the highest level of academic qualification.
- Notice of Assessment for Income Tax for the last three years.
- Central Provident Fund (CPF) statement. The statement should show contributions for the last 12 months.
- Letter of Employment, which must show clearly the date of commencement, job title and description, and monthly salary.
- A valid registration certificate from the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) is needed for a self-employed sponsor. The last 12 months’ profit & loss statement is also required.
- Payslips for the last six months.
Sponsor Spouse’s Documents
Excluding the birth certificate, marriage certificate, and certificates for the highest level of qualification, the sponsor’s spouse will be required to submit all the same other documents required from the sponsor himself/herself.
The Process of LTVP Application
Since the application is made online through ICA’s e-Service portal, the sponsor will need to have a SingPass 2FA.
The ICA will provide an Appendix (VP) to be completed by the sponsor and the applicant (parent). The Appendix (VP) is a consent form that gives the ICA the authority to ask for and verify the financial information of the sponsor and the applicant.
When the form is completed, ICA can at any time request further financial information from the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) and/or the CPF.
Processing Time for an LTVP Application
LTVP applications are processed within a maximum of six weeks. However, there have been reported cases where applications have been processed as quickly as within six to seven days.
However, until the expiration of the six weeks (as clearly written on the ICA’s website), it’s advised not to contact ICA if you haven’t gotten any feedback.
If there is no feedback at the end of six weeks, you can reach out to them through the official email.
You’ll be notified through email when the application has been processed. You can also stay updated by checking the application status through the e-Service portal.
Conclusion
The LTVP is an excellent way to bring your parents to Singapore for a long-term visit. Although the application for an LTVP is not as stressful and competitive as for a PR, there is still a need to ensure the application is properly filled and submitted.
ICA remains committed to uniting families with parents as long as sponsors can prove they are capable of caring for the applicants. It’s always best to have all the necessary documents before proceeding with the application. Engage an immigration specialist to make the whole process smooth and hassle-free.
