Citizenship in Singapore

Written by Luis Minvielle Moderated by Oleksandra Dosii

Luis Minvielle

Luis is a writer with over 5 years of experience in B2B software. Even though he has always worked in tech, a sector he regularly publishes about, his initial incursions into writing were, curiously enough, music essays discussing scenes from different parts of the world—most likely to deal with his unfulfilled ambition of becoming a neo-soul crooner.

Oleksandra Dosii

Oleksandra is a dedicated marketer with a passion for growing HR-tech products. She believes content marketing is about delivering high-quality content that provides value—not just generating leads. Since 2016, Oleksandra has been involved in tech talent relocation.

Last update: September 15, 2024

Next update: Scheduled for February 1, 2025

Once you have lived in Singapore as a permanent resident for at least two years, you are eligible to apply for citizenship. If you are already above 21, for you to get permanent residence in the first place you have to either be the spouse or relative of another resident, have an employment or student pass, or in special cases, be a foreign investor. Only after two years under these conditions, you can apply for citizenship.

Singapore has claimed its place as the country with the best passport in 2024, according to the Henley Passport Index. With it, you can travel to 195 countries without needing a visa. As usual, the passport can only be issued to citizens of the country. What is the process for getting citizenship in Singapore? Read on to learn how to become a Singaporean citizen.

Are you eligible for citizenship in Singapore?

According to the official government site, you are eligible if you meet any of these criteria:

• You have been a Singapore permanent resident for at least two years and are aged 21 or above.
• You have been a permanent resident for at least two years and have been married to a Singapore citizen for at least two years as well.
• You are an unmarried child under the age of 21, born in a legal marriage to, or legally adopted by, a Singapore citizen.
• You are a permanent resident studying in Singapore and have been living in the country for at least three years (at least one of those years should have been as a permanent resident). To apply to this criterion, you should have passed at least one national exam, or be part of the educational Integrated Programme.
• You are a permanent resident and an aged parent of a Singapore citizen.

What is being an "aged parent" in Singapore?

So if you’re wondering if being an "aged parent" is a doable path to permanent residence, you probably want to know what counts as "aged." The official information from Singapore doesn't specify what they mean. Is it 35 years of age or 60 years of age? Ongoing online discussions seem to point out it’s the latter. For many expats, this is not a good course of action.

How can you apply for Singapore citizenship?

In case you meet any of the criteria mentioned above, you will need to log in to ICA e-Service, using your own Singpass—a digital identity that allows residents to access online government and business services—or your sponsor’s Singpass, if you are applying by marriage or parentage.

What documents will you need?

There is a long list of documents you will be asked for to get citizenship in Singapore, depending on which qualifying circumstance you are eligible for. You can check the full list on a government site. For a quick recap, however, you will need documents comprising information from five different categories: personal, family, education, employment, and national service.

Note: all male Singapore citizens and permanent residents, unless exempted, are required to serve in National Service. And the active military service lasts two years.

What are the fees for getting Singapore citizenship?

The fee is S$100—approximately 76.5 US dollars—for each application, plus S$70 for the Singapore Citizenship Certificate, and S$10 for the Singapore Identity Card.

People who are eligible to apply for multiple products within a single application will pay a fee of S$130. If pertinent, this option will be made known to the applicant at the start of the process.

For the rare cases of overseas-born babies whose parents are Singapore citizens, the fee is S$18 for each application and S$10 for the Identity Card.

How long does it take to get the Singapore citizenship once you apply?

The general processing time for applications is 12 months, once all the documents are submitted correctly. Of course, by that time you will already have spent more time applying for permanent residence if your eligibility conditions demand it, so the whole process will be longer. You can check how long it takes to get your permanent residence by checking which kind of pathway you’re best suited for.

Once the application is approved, requesters will have to complete the Singapore Citizenship Journey, an introduction course about the history, culture and daily life in the country. It takes about two months to complete. In the end, you will receive an approval letter and a ceremony will be held about three to six months later, in which the Singapore Citizenship Certificate will be presented to you.

You can see a checklist of every step on the application, and the time each one usually takes, by using the government’s dashboard.

Does Singapore allow dual citizenship?

No, so you will need to renounce to any other citizenship you may have, once you are accepted as a citizen.

How to get a Singapore passport?

Once you get your citizenship in Singapore, you are finally able to get that extremely powerful passport, necessary if you want to exit the country. To do so, you must apply with a passport-sized photo, and the process can be done online or by post or deposit box.

The process usually takes one to two weeks and costs S$70 if you are renewing it or making it for the first time. An extra S$50 has to be paid for the first replacement after damage or loss, and an extra S$100 for subsequent replacements. For citizens aged 16 and above, the passport is valid for 10 years. For younger citizens, it is valid for five years.

What if your application is rejected?

Applicants have the possibility of submitting an appeal letter, to have their citizenship application revisited. There is a variety of reasons why an application can be rejected, which can vary from mistakes in the submission of documents to simply unconvincing profiles—for example, profiles that do not show financial stability or commitment to the country.

Unfortunately, the reasons for rejection are never disclosed to applicants.

If you are 100% sure that no mistakes were made in the submission of documents and personal information, an appeal letter may be a waste of time. Instead, write one when you have reached significant improvements in your salary, work status, property ownership, or marital or family status. In summary, when your application has evolved into a better chance of being approved.

Talk to an immigration expert

Unless you are a relative or the spouse of a Singapore citizen, your best chance to get citizenship will be via a prior permanent residence. And one of the best ways to become a resident is with an Employment Pass—that is, a job offer to work in Singapore.

To that end, at Relocate.me we have been connecting employers with jobseekers for years, so that relocation based on job is possible, both for employees and companies. Our platform lists jobs, and almost every open position on our job board is from a company that’s eager to help you relocate.

Also, with our aid, you can get in touch with immigration consultants who will guide you through the whole process of becoming an expat in this welcoming and developed Asian country.

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