Singapore immigration
Singapore PR applications, prepared with ICA's assessment in mind.
ICA assesses each application as a whole, and more people apply than are approved. We help you present the most complete case your circumstances allow.

- 20+years of combined experience
- 7days a week, including public holidays
- 2business days to respond
- An office you can visit in Jurong East
Genuine ICA approval letters
We publish {count} letters in full, with identifying details removed, instead of a success rate.
One case officer from start to finish
You will not need to explain your circumstances again to someone new.
Every official figure sourced
Each criterion, fee and timeline is attributed to ICA or MOM and linked to the page it came from.
Immigration Express is a Singapore immigration consultancy that prepares Permanent Residence applications for foreign professionals and their families. Singapore PR is granted by the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA), which assesses each application holistically and does not publish a points system or explain its decisions. Eligible applicants include Employment Pass and S Pass holders, spouses and unmarried children under 21 of citizens or Permanent Residents, aged parents of citizens, long-resident students, and Global Investor Programme investors. ICA charges S$100 per applicant on submission and advises allowing around six months for a decision. Immigration Express assesses a profile candidly before any engagement, at no charge, and does not publish an approval rate, because no consultancy is able to substantiate one.
There is no published checklist. ICA considers employment, salary, qualifications, length of stay and family ties as a whole, and it does not explain its decisions.
This is why preparation matters. We tell you where your profile is strong and where it is weaker, and then build a consistent, well-documented application around it.
Who can apply
Who may apply, and why eligibility is a lower bar than approval.
Belonging to one of these groups makes you eligible to apply. Eligibility is a lower bar than approval, and the two are often confused.
Employment Pass and S Pass holders
Work pass holders make up the largest group of applicants.
Spouse of a citizen or Permanent Resident
Husbands and wives of Singapore Citizens or Permanent Residents.
Children of a citizen or Permanent Resident
Unmarried children under 21 who were born within a marriage to, or legally adopted by, a citizen or Permanent Resident.
Aged parents of a citizen
Parents of Singapore Citizens who wish to join their children in Singapore permanently.
Students in Singapore
Students who have lived in Singapore for several years and have passed a national examination or are in the Integrated Programme.
Investors under the GIP
Investors applying through the Global Investor Programme, which is administered by the Economic Development Board.
Benefits and obligations
What it offers, and what it requires.
Most consultancies publish only the benefits. We publish the obligations as well, because they materially affect the decision and we believe you should understand them before you apply rather than afterwards.
What it offers
Stability of residence
You can live and work in Singapore without a pass tied to one employer.
CPF savings
You and your employer contribute to CPF, building savings for retirement, housing and medical needs.
Housing access
You become eligible to buy a resale HDB flat after three years, and you pay far lower stamp duty than foreign buyers.
Healthcare and education
You receive subsidised public healthcare, and your children receive school placement priority over international students.
A path to citizenship
You may apply for citizenship after holding PR for two years.
Family security
Your spouse and unmarried children under 21 can be included in one application.
What it requires
National Service
Sons granted PR through a parent's application become liable for full-time National Service. Renouncing PR to avoid it seriously harms any future application to live, work or study in Singapore.
CPF contributions
Contributions are mandatory, so your take-home pay will be lower than on a work pass. Rates are graduated for the first two years and then rise to the full rates.
Re-Entry Permit
PR remains valid while you hold a valid Re-Entry Permit, which is renewed roughly every five years. ICA considers your continued ties to Singapore at each renewal.
It is not permanent by default
Despite its name, Permanent Residence is conditional. It lapses without a valid Re-Entry Permit, and long periods spent abroad count against renewal.
How it works
From the first conversation to the outcome.
Book a consultation
We discuss your goals, your timeline and your circumstances.
Eligibility assessment
We give you a candid view of what is strong and what needs further work.
Case strategy
We agree which scheme to apply under, when to file, and which documents are needed.
Document preparation
We assemble a complete and well-ordered submission package.
Final review
Every document is cross-checked against the forms before anything is submitted.
Submission and follow-up
We file through the ICA portal and support you through to the decision.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions about Singapore PR
Who is eligible to apply for Singapore PR?
ICA accepts applications from Employment Pass and S Pass holders, spouses and unmarried children under 21 of citizens or Permanent Residents, aged parents of citizens, students resident for several years, and investors under the Global Investor Programme. Being eligible to apply and being likely to be approved are different questions, and we assess the second candidly at the consultation.
What does ICA take into account?
There is no official points system or published checklist. ICA assesses each application holistically, considering employment and salary, qualifications, length of stay, age, family ties to Singapore, and evidence of integration. Our role is to present those factors clearly, consistently and with strong supporting documentation.
How long does a Singapore PR application take?
ICA advises applicants to allow around six months and notes that some cases take longer. In practice applicants report a range of four to twelve months. There is no expedited processing, and ICA does not provide interim status updates. You are notified by letter when a decision is made.
How much does a Singapore PR application cost?
ICA charges S$100 per applicant on submission and a further S$120 per approved applicant for the Entry Permit, Re-Entry Permit and identity card. Consultancy fees in this market range from roughly S$1,400 to around S$5,000. Ours are set out in full at the consultation, and the assessment itself is complimentary.
Can you guarantee my PR will be approved?
No consultancy is able to guarantee an outcome, and we would be cautious of any firm that claims otherwise. Applications are decided solely by ICA. What we are able to offer is thorough preparation, a candid assessment of your profile before you commit to anything, and our honest view of whether this is the right moment to apply.
My application was rejected before. Should I reapply?
It depends on what has changed. A stronger salary, a new qualification, a marriage or a longer period of residence may each alter the picture. Resubmitting an unchanged profile seldom does. We would review what is likely to have held the application back and give you our honest view on whether, and when, a further application would be worthwhile.
Can I apply for Singapore PR myself, without a consultancy?
Yes. ICA's e-Service is open to any eligible applicant and nothing requires you to engage a firm. What a consultancy provides is preparation: a candid assessment of whether your profile is ready, a submission that is internally consistent, and the experience of someone who understands how the pieces usually fit together. If your case is straightforward and your documents are in order, applying yourself is a perfectly reasonable choice, and we would tell you so at the consultation rather than try to talk you out of it.
Does using a consultancy improve my chances of approval?
Not in the sense the question usually implies. ICA makes the decision, and no firm has any influence over it. What preparation changes is what a reviewing officer sees: a complete and consistent file in which the weaker points are addressed rather than left to be inferred. We will not attach a number to that, because no consultancy is able to substantiate one.
What documents will I need for a PR application?
ICA's own checklist is authoritative and varies by scheme, so please rely on it rather than on any list published on a consultancy's website. In practice, most applications rely on the same core material: identity and travel documents, educational certificates, employment and salary history, CPF and IRAS records, and marriage or birth certificates where family is included. We set out exactly which apply to your case at the consultation.
Related services
Is this the right time for you to apply?
Request a complimentary assessment, and a consultant will respond within two business days with a considered view of your position.
Criteria and fees are set by the Singapore authorities and are revised from time to time. Please confirm the current requirements with the relevant authority.
Immigration Express is a private consultancy and is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA), the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) or any Singapore government agency. All application outcomes are decided solely by the relevant authorities.
