What is a Letter of Consent and How Do You Get One?
You’re living your life, but then a job offer from Singapore completely changes everything. Surprise! You now need to relocate and move to an entirely new country.
But... It isn’t your job offer.
You have to move with and because of a parent or spouse. On top of all the things you will need to finish before moving, you will also need to apply for a Dependant’s Pass.
However, it is a whole other ball game if you wish to work in Singapore while you have a Dependant’s Pass. In such a situation, you will need a Letter of Consent from the Ministry of Manpower, after which you will be allowed to operate a business in Singapore.
It’s a process that can get confusing, and we are here to give you all the information you need for your application.
What is a letter of consent?
A letter of consent is a ministry of manpower approved letter, in addition to your dependant’s pass, that allows you to operate a business in Singapore.
What is the new change when applying for the letter of consent?
Before May 2021, dependant pass holders could work in any company of their choice as long as they were approved and had a letter of consent. However, the rules have now changed as the letter of consent is not applicable if you want to work in a company not partly and/or completely owned by you. You can apply for a Letter of consent if you fulfill the following criteria.
- Sole proprietor of the Singapore-registered business
- Partner of the business
- Company director with at least 30% shares in the company
If you wish to work in Singapore whilst on the dependant pass, in a company that is not yours (as above), you will need to apply for an employment pass instead.
How do you apply for a letter of consent?
- You need to send an online application/request
- You will receive the decision of your request within one week. If approved, you can go head and apply for the letter of consent on the Ministry of Manpower portal.
- You can check your application status after 21 days of applying. However, do note that it can take longer for approval if any other information is required from your end.
- When approved, you will be able to log into the employment pass online portal and print out your final letter of consent.
How long does it take to get a Letter of Consent?
The entire process can take up to 4 weeks, excluding any extra time needed for clarifications.
CAREFUL!
You can only apply for a letter of consent if your dependant pass is valid for longer than 3 months. So, if your dependant pass validity is less than 3 months, you will first need to apply to renew that first. After you receive your renewed pass, you can submit an application for the letter of consent. Just because your visa depends on someone else’s work status doesn’t mean that you have to lose your chance of working in Singapore too.
Applying for a visa can be extremely complicated and time consuming.
But we are here to make it easier for you.
From applying to appealing, at Doerscircle, we have a single solution for all the worries you may have during the Letter of Consent application and journey.
