The Dependant Pass allows work pass holders to bring certain family members to live with them in Singapore.
A Dependant Pass holder can live in Singapore, and with the proper approval can also work and study here. This guide explains who qualifies, what documents are needed, how the application works, and what a holder can and cannot do once the pass is issued.
Key facts about the Dependant Pass
- The main work pass holder’s employer, or an employment agent such as a corporate services provider, must apply. The dependant cannot apply for themselves.
- The pass is available to the spouse and unmarried children of a work pass holder. Qualifying work passes include the Employment Pass, the Personalised Employment Pass, the EntrePass, the ONE Pass and the S Pass.
- A Dependant Pass is valid for the same period as the main work pass, and expires with it.
- It can be renewed up to six months before expiry.
- A dependant who wants to work must obtain their own Employment Pass, S Pass or Work Permit, or a Letter of Consent if they intend to operate a business.
S$6,000
Sponsor’s minimum monthly salary
Under 21
Age limit for unmarried children
S$330
Total government fees per pass
3 weeks
Typical processing, Employment Pass dependants
Who qualifies for a Dependant Pass
Work pass holders can bring the following family members to Singapore on a Dependant Pass.
- A legally married spouse
- Unmarried children under 21, including legally adopted children
What the sponsor must show depends on which pass they hold.
| Sponsor’s pass | What the sponsor must show |
|---|---|
| Employment Pass, Personalised Employment Pass, or S Pass | A fixed monthly salary of at least S$6,000 |
| EntrePass | No salary threshold. Instead the company must meet minimum annual business spending and local hiring requirements |
A sponsor who does not meet the relevant threshold cannot bring dependants, however senior the role.
Documents required
Only one document is always required. MOM may then request others depending on the relationship being claimed.
| Document | When it is required |
|---|---|
| Personal particulars page of the applicant’s passport | Always |
| Marriage certificate | For a legally married spouse |
| Official birth certificate | For children under 21 |
| Adoption order | For adopted children under 21 |
| Verification of Vaccination Requirements, issued by the Health Promotion Board | For foreign-born children aged 12 and below applying for a new pass |
All documents must be in English or officially translated into English.
Application procedure
The work pass holder’s company or an employment agent completes the following six steps. Several of the timelines differ according to which pass the sponsor holds, so those are set out separately below.
Submit the application
The company or immigration services provider submits the application online through the myMOM Portal, with a S$105 application fee. Processing time depends on the sponsor’s pass type.
Receive the In-Principle Approval letter
If approved, MOM issues an In-Principle Approval (IPA) letter through the portal. The applicant must then enter Singapore and request that the pass be issued, within a window that depends on the sponsor’s pass type.
Request MOM to issue the pass
The applicant must be in Singapore for this step. The company or employment agent submits the following, with a S$225 issuance fee:
- The applicant’s passport details
- Details of the applicant’s current Short-Term Visit Pass or immigration pass
- The applicant’s Singapore contact details and residential address
- A local address where the pass card can be delivered
- Contact and personal details of at least one authorised recipient who can receive a text message or email alert with delivery details
Certain cases also require a Disembarkation or Embarkation card, a completed medical examination or health declaration form, and a completed declaration form attached to the IPA letter. Once the documents are submitted the pass is issued immediately.
Receive the notification letter
The notification letter is valid for one month and allows the holder to travel in and out of Singapore while waiting for the card. If more time is needed to complete card registration, its validity can be extended. The letter also states whether fingerprint registration and a photograph are required.
Register fingerprints and photograph, if required
New applicants, and those who last registered more than five years ago, must attend the Employment Pass Services Centre. The deadline depends on the sponsor’s pass type. An appointment is required, and the applicant must bring their original passport, the appointment letter, the notification letter, and the documents listed in the IPA and notification letters.
Receive the pass card
The card arrives within four working days.
How the timelines differ by sponsor
| Sponsor’s pass | Processing time | Time to issue after IPA | Fingerprinting deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment Pass or S Pass | Around 3 weeks | 6 months for Employment Pass dependants, 2 months for S Pass dependants | 2 weeks for Employment Pass dependants, 1 week for S Pass dependants |
| Employment Pass under Sponsorship, Personalised Employment Pass, or EntrePass | Around 8 weeks | 6 months | 2 weeks |
Appealing a rejection
If an application is rejected, the company or employment agent must appeal within three months. An appeal should only be filed where new information can be presented that addresses the issues raised in MOM’s rejection advisory.
Appeals are submitted online and take a minimum of three weeks for MOM to process.
Working and studying on a Dependant Pass
The pass permits the holder to live in Singapore. Everything beyond that depends on obtaining a further approval, and which approval depends on what they want to do.
Live in Singapore
Permitted on the pass itself, for as long as the main work pass remains valid.
Work for an employer
Requires the holder’s own Employment Pass, S Pass or Work Permit. The employer or an employment agent must apply, and the qualifying salaries, quotas and levies attached to that pass all apply as normal.
Run their own business
Requires a Letter of Consent. This route applies only where the holder intends to operate a business rather than work for someone else.
Attend school
Children on the pass have access to primary and secondary education and can apply to both private and public schools. Admission to a public school is not guaranteed.
Attend university
Generally requires a Student Pass. For courses shorter than the remaining validity of the Dependant Pass, a Letter of Consent from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority is sufficient instead.
The duration of any work pass obtained this way is tied to the validity of the Dependant Pass. Holders who obtain a Work Permit are not subject to source requirements, six-monthly medical examinations, a security bond, or pregnancy restrictions.
The step that is easy to miss
On obtaining an Employment Pass or S Pass, the holder must submit a request to MOM to cancel their Dependant Pass. The two cannot be held at the same time, and the cancellation does not happen automatically.
Renewing the pass
A Dependant Pass runs for the same period as the main work pass. To renew it, the work pass holder’s employer or employment agent submits a renewal request to MOM.
A renewal can be submitted up to six months before the pass expires. Applying early costs nothing: the renewed pass takes effect when the current one expires, so no remaining validity is lost.
Renewal requests for dependants of Employment Pass, Personalised Employment Pass and S Pass holders go through the myMOM Portal. Requests for EntrePass dependants must be submitted by post.
Renewal is not guaranteed. Each application is assessed against MOM’s current criteria. If approved, an In-Principle Approval letter is issued and the holder goes through the same issuance procedure again, including fingerprinting where required, before receiving a new card.
Replacing the card
If a card is stolen, lost or damaged, the company or employment agent must apply for a replacement within one week. Where the card was stolen, the application must include a police report, in English or translated into English.
If the holder is overseas when the card is lost, the main work pass holder’s employer must notify MOM immediately. MOM will then issue a letter allowing the holder to re-enter Singapore.
Replacement applications are submitted through the myMOM Portal, and a non-refundable fee applies:
| Circumstance | Replacement fee |
|---|---|
| Damaged card | S$60 |
| First lost card | S$100 |
| Each subsequent lost card | S$300 |
If approved, MOM issues a card replacement letter with collection instructions. The holder then has four working days to collect the new card at the Employment Pass Services Centre. No appointment is needed, but they must bring the original passport, the card replacement letter, the damaged card where applicable, a completed declaration form for lost or stolen cards, and the police report for stolen cards.
If a lost card is later found, it must be returned to MOM.
Notifying MOM of changes
The main pass holder’s employer or an employment agent must inform MOM if the holder moves to a new address, or if any of their personal particulars change.
MOM must be notified within five days of the change, by submitting a request through the myMOM Portal with the relevant supporting documents. The request is processed within seven working days. Written requests to update personal particulars are no longer accepted.
Cancelling the pass
If the main work pass is cancelled, the Dependant Pass is cancelled at the same time. A holder must also cancel the pass in any of the following circumstances.
- The main work pass holder has become a Permanent Resident
- The holder decides to leave Singapore to live elsewhere
- The holder has obtained their own Employment Pass or S Pass
The main work pass holder’s employer or registered employment agent cancels the pass through the myMOM Portal. To remain lawfully in Singapore during the cancellation process, the holder can request a 30-day Short-Term Visit Pass, which must be surrendered to immigration authorities on departure.
Any related Letter of Consent or Work Permit is cancelled at the same time. Once cancellation is complete, the card must be cut in half and discarded to prevent misuse.
Dependant Pass to permanent residence
A Dependant Pass holder can obtain permanent residence in Singapore through the main work pass holder. When the work pass holder applies for permanent residence, they can apply for their dependants at the same time, and the applications are usually decided together.