Non-spousal Sponsorship Renewal by Long-Term Visit Pass Holders
Ministry of Home AffairsSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the breakdown and criteria for non-spousal Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP) renewals as raised by Ms Carrie Tan. Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam stated that between 2015 and 2020, about 23,500 applications were received annually, with approval rates ranging from 98% to nearly 100% for foreign parents, children, and other relatives. Rejections occurred primarily due to adverse records, the sponsor's financial instability, or the applicant’s lack of local roots. Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam also explained that foreign spouses may seek alternative sponsorship if they have valid reasons, such as having custody of Singaporean children or undergoing divorce proceedings. This framework ensures that foreign family members with significant local ties can maintain residency under specific conditions.
Transcript
10 Ms Carrie Tan asked the Minister for Home Affairs of the average of 24,255 applications received each year from Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP) holders who requested for the renewal of their pass through non-spousal sponsorship (a) what is the breakdown by relationship to sponsor; (b) what is the approval rate for each category and what are the common reasons for rejection; and (c) what are the circumstances under which LTVP holders married to Singaporean citizens can seek sponsorship from other Singaporean citizens.
Mr K Shanmugam: The average number of applications received each year from 2015 to 2020 for the renewal of a Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP) which is not sponsored by a local spouse, was about 23,500. Of this, 46% were from foreign parents and 37% were from foreign children, of Singaporeans or permanent residents (PRs). The remaining 17% were from LTVP holders with other types of relationship to their sponsor, such as foreign family members of Student’s Pass holders, foreign former spouses (of Singaporeans or PRs) who are widowed or divorced, and foreign still-married spouses who are undergoing divorce proceedings.
In the same time period, nearly all LTVP renewal applications from foreign parents and foreign children of Singaporeans or PRs were approved. For applications from LTVP holders with other types of relationship to their sponsor, about 98% were approved. A small minority of applications were rejected, mostly due to (i) the applicant not having local family roots, (ii) the sponsor or applicant having adverse records, or (iii) because the sponsor was not able to demonstrate the ability to financially support himself or herself and the applicant.
While the general rule is that foreign spouses should renew their LTVP under the sponsorship of their local spouse, those who are unable to do so can seek sponsorship from other Singaporeans or PRs. ICA will consider if there are valid reasons for the foreign spouse to stay in Singapore, such as whether the foreign spouse has custody of Singaporean children or is undergoing divorce proceedings in Singapore.