Work passes
Dependant's Pass (DP)
The Dependant's Pass lets the legally married spouse and unmarried children under 21 of an Employment Pass or S Pass holder live in Singapore. The pass holder must earn at least S$6,000 a month — their own salary, not household income — and the employer applies. The DP lasts as long as the main pass. Since May 2021 a DP holder needs a work pass of their own to take a job, unless running a qualifying business on a Letter of Consent.
Key takeaways
- Sponsor: an EP or S Pass holder earning at least S$6,000 a month. ONE Pass and EntrePass holders have their own rules.
- Who qualifies: a legally married spouse, and unmarried children under 21 including legally adopted children. Other relatives may qualify for a Long-Term Visit Pass.
- The employer or appointed agent applies; the DP's validity follows the main pass.
- To work: an EP, S Pass or DP-Work Permit applied for by the employer, or a Letter of Consent for qualifying business owners.
- Spouses of ONE Pass holders are the exception: they can work on a free Letter of Consent.
Who can sponsor, and for whom
| Family member | Pass | Sponsor's salary |
|---|---|---|
| Legally married spouse | Dependant's Pass | S$6,000 |
| Unmarried children under 21, including legally adopted children | Dependant's Pass | S$6,000 |
| Common-law spouse, unmarried step-children under 21, unmarried handicapped children 21 and over | Long-Term Visit Pass | S$6,000 |
| Parents | Long-Term Visit Pass | S$12,000 (EP holders) |
- Family of an Employment Pass holder who applied as an overseas intra-corporate transferee under WTO GATS or a free-trade agreement are not eligible for Dependant's or Long-Term Visit Passes, unless an agreement specifically covers them.
- ONE Pass and EntrePass holders sponsor family under their own pass's rules.
- MOM suggests applying for family passes after the main pass is approved: fees for a family pass applied for alongside the EP are lost if the EP is rejected.
Can a Dependant's Pass holder work?
Not on the DP alone. MOM's 2021 change: from 1 May 2021, “all DP holders who wish to work during their stay in Singapore will need an applicable work pass (such as an Employment Pass, S Pass or Work Permit) instead of an LOC, unless they are business owners who meet specified criteria.” Today the options are:
| Route | Who applies | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Employment Pass or S Pass | The employer | The prevailing EP or S Pass criteria apply. The holder becomes independent of the main pass: the DP is cancelled before the new pass is issued. |
| DP-Work Permit | The employer | Any nationality, no minimum qualifying salary, validity tied to the DP; the employer's Work Permit quota and levy apply. |
| Letter of Consent | The DP holder | For a sole proprietor, a partner, or a company director with at least 30% of the shares, running their own business. Renewal needs at least one Singaporean or PR employee at the Local Qualifying Salary. |
| Volunteering | — | No work pass needed if no payment is involved and the activity is for a charitable purpose. |
Spouses of ONE Pass holders keep the older arrangement: MOM says they “can work or operate a business in Singapore with a Letter of Consent”, at no cost.
Duration and renewal
MOM: the duration “is tied to the validity of the main work pass or up to the duration requested, whichever is shorter”. The DP is renewed through the sponsor, so it depends on the main pass being renewed — see Employment Pass renewal.
Dependant's Pass holders and PR
A Dependant's Pass is not an ICA category for permanent residence. The routes are to be included in the main pass holder's own PR application, to obtain a work pass of your own, or later the spouse or child route if a family member becomes a citizen or PR. Dependant's Pass to PR sets out the three.
Which PR route fits your family?
The eligibility checker applies ICA's categories to your household — as the main applicant's spouse or child, or in your own right.
Official sources referenced
- MOM — Eligibility for Dependant's PassMOM · accessed 27 September 2026
- MOM — Key facts on Dependant's PassMOM · accessed 27 September 2026
- MOM — Working in Singapore (Dependant's Pass holders)MOM · accessed 27 September 2026
- MOM — Factsheet: work arrangements for Dependant's Pass holders (PDF, 2021)MOM · accessed 27 September 2026
- MOM — Passes for families of Employment Pass holdersMOM · accessed 27 September 2026
- MOM — Eligibility for Long-Term Visit Pass (family of EP and S Pass holders)MOM · accessed 27 September 2026
- MOM — Working in Singapore: Dependant's Pass holders of ONE Pass holdersMOM · accessed 27 September 2026
- MOM — Apply for an Employment PassMOM · accessed 27 September 2026
- ICA — Becoming a Permanent Resident (eligibility, documents, fees, processing)ICA · accessed 2 September 2026Primary page for eligibility routes, assessment factors, fees (S$100; S$20 + S$50 + S$50 at completion) and the 'within 6 months' processing statement.
Editorial information
- Written by
- SingaPR Editorial Team — Research & editorial
- Reviewed by
- SingaPR Immigration Research Desk — Fact review against ICA/MOM sources
- Published
- 27 September 2026
- Facts verified
- 27 September 2026 (re-checked at least every 90 days)
Revision history
- 2026-09-27 — First published after verification against MOM and ICA pages fetched on 27 September 2026.
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