Waiting on a Singapore PR application is uncomfortable. There is no progress bar, no weekly update, and no officer you can ring for a nudge. What you do have is an official status page, and knowing how to read it saves a great deal of unnecessary worry. This guide covers how to run a PR status check in Singapore, what each status actually means, and when a long silence is normal rather than a warning sign.
The short answer
Log in to MyICA with your Singpass and open the Enquire Application Status tab. If you do not have a Singpass, use ICA’s e-Service with the application reference number from your acknowledgement email, together with your passport or FIN. The status updates on its own, and ICA notifies you of the final outcome by email.
How to check your PR application status
There are two routes, and which one you use depends on whether you hold a Singpass.
- With Singpass: go to the ICA website, select MyICA, log in, then open the Enquire Application Status tab.
- Without Singpass: use the ICA e-Service and enter your application reference number along with your passport number or FIN.
Your reference number is the code issued when you submitted, usually beginning with the letter S followed by a string of digits. It appears on the acknowledgement email ICA sent at submission. Keep that email. Without the reference number, and without a Singpass, there is no way to look the application up.
Checking more often does not move anything along. The status is updated by ICA as the case progresses, so once a day is already more than enough, and once a week is more realistic.
What each status actually means
The wording is terse and easy to misread. Here is what you are actually looking at:
| Status you see | What it means | What you should do |
| Received or submitted | ICA has your application and your fee | Nothing. Keep the acknowledgement email safe. |
| Under processing | Your file is in the queue and being assessed | Nothing. This is where most of the wait happens. |
| Additional documents requested | ICA needs something more from you | Respond quickly and completely, within the stated window. |
| Approved | Your application was successful | Follow the notification to complete the formalities and fees. |
| Rejected | Your application was unsuccessful | You may apply again later, ideally with a stronger profile. |
The status most people see for the longest stretch is under processing. It is not a stall and it is not a signal that something is wrong. It simply means your file is in the queue and being assessed.
How long before the status changes
ICA generally takes around four to six months to decide a PR application, and some cases run longer. During that period the status may not change at all. That is normal. A file that sits at under processing for five months is not being ignored, and there is nothing in the system that rewards an applicant for checking daily.
If you want a fuller picture of the timeline and what drives it, we cover how long the PR process takes separately. The short version is that you should plan around the longer end rather than the fastest case you have heard about from a colleague.
If ICA asks for more documents
Occasionally the status changes to show that additional documents have been requested. This is good news rather than bad, because it means someone is actively working on your file. Respond quickly and completely, within whatever window ICA states. A slow or partial response is one of the few things genuinely within your control that can delay an outcome.
Upload exactly what was asked for, in the format requested, and make sure the details still match what you originally submitted. If your circumstances have changed since you applied, for example a new job or a new address, say so clearly rather than quietly submitting something inconsistent with the original form.
When the outcome arrives
ICA notifies applicants of the result by email, and for older applications submitted before 26 June 2024, by post. The status page will also reflect the decision. If you are approved, the notification explains the formalities that follow, including fees and appointments. If you are not approved, you may apply again, though it is rarely worth doing so immediately with an unchanged profile.
Whatever the result, do not let your current pass lapse while you wait. Your existing Employment Pass or S Pass conditions continue to apply throughout, and a lapse creates a problem that has nothing to do with the PR application itself.
Common mistakes while waiting
Most of the trouble in this phase is self-inflicted and easy to avoid:
- Losing the acknowledgement email and with it the application reference number.
- Submitting a second application while the first is still being assessed.
- Missing the window to supply additional documents because the notification email was not seen.
- Reading a long silence as a rejection and making decisions, such as resigning or moving, on that assumption.
If you are still preparing rather than waiting, our step-by-step guide to applying for Singapore PR sets out what a complete submission looks like, which is where most delays are avoided in the first place.
This guide reflects ICA’s published process at the time of writing. Government procedures and notification methods can change, so always confirm the current position on ICA’s own website when you check.
Waiting well is the only thing you control
A PR status check tells you where your file sits, not how it will be decided. Once the application is in, the only things still within your control are responding quickly if ICA asks for more, keeping your pass and your circumstances stable, and resisting the urge to refresh the page every morning. Everything else was settled by the quality of what you submitted, which is why preparation matters far more than monitoring. If you want your file reviewed properly before it goes in, that is what our Singapore PR application service is built around.
If you are waiting on an application now and something in the status does not look right, or you have been asked for documents and are unsure how to respond, get in touch with our team and we will talk it through with you.
Not sure what your status means? Speak to Meridian’s consultants for a straight answer.
Frequently asked questions about a PR status check in Singapore
How do I check my Singapore PR application status?
Log in to MyICA with your Singpass and open the Enquire Application Status tab. Without a Singpass, use ICA’s e-Service with your application reference number and your passport number or FIN.
Where do I find my application reference number?
It is on the acknowledgement email ICA sent when you submitted, usually starting with the letter S followed by digits. Keep that email, because without the reference number and without a Singpass you cannot look the application up.
My status has not changed in months. Is that bad?
No. Under processing is where most applications sit for the majority of the assessment, and ICA commonly takes around four to six months. A long period with no change is normal and is not an indication of the outcome.
Can I speed up my PR application by checking more often?
No. The status is updated by ICA as the case moves, and checking has no effect on the queue. The only thing that genuinely affects timing is responding quickly if ICA requests additional documents.
How will I be told the outcome?
By email, and by post for applications submitted before 26 June 2024. The status page will also show the decision, and an approval notice explains the formalities that follow.
