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Your Essential Checklist: What to Do Immediately After Getting Your Singapore PR Approval (2025 Guide)

March 05, 2025

Congratulations on receiving your Singapore Permanent Resident (PR) approval! This is a significant achievement, and you’re just a few steps away from formalizing your new status. To ensure a seamless transition, your immediate actions should be to carefully review your In-Principle Approval (IPA) letter, promptly complete your medical check-up, arrange for your mandatory MediShield Life health insurance, and then book your in-person appointment with the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) to finalize all formalities.

This guide provides an in-depth, step-by-step walkthrough of the essential actions you need to take after receiving your PR approval. Following these steps carefully will ensure a smooth and stress-free completion of your PR journey.

Step 1: Download Your In-Principle Approval (IPA) Letter

Log in to ICA’s e-Services Portal, select “Enquire Application Status” and login via your SingPass to MyICA Portal. Upon logging in, navigate to “Download Outcome Letter” to retrieve your IPA.

Step 2: Complete Your Medical Check-Up

Download the medical examination form from MyICA portal.

As a prospective PR, you are required to undergo a medical examination to ensure you meet Singapore’s health standards.

Navigating the Medical Examination

Where to Go: You can have your medical check-up done at any licensed medical clinic in Singapore. A quick search for “PR medical check-up Singapore” will give you plenty of options. Some clinics specialize in these examinations and can offer a more streamlined process.

What to Bring: When you go for your appointment, you must bring the medical form that is to be downloaded on ICA’s Portal.

The Examination: The check-up typically includes a physical examination, a chest X-ray, and a blood test for HIV.

Timeline and Report: The medical report usually takes one to three days to be ready. Given the validity of your IPA, it is wise to get this done as soon as possible. Some clinics may offer an express service for an additional fee if you are short on time.

Step 3: Secure Your Government Health Insurance – MediShield Life & CareShield Life Health Declaration (MCLHD) with CPF.

It is a mandatory requirement for all new PRs to be enrolled in MediShield Life, Singapore’s basic national health insurance scheme.

Understanding MediShield Life

What it Covers: MediShield Life provides universal coverage to all Singapore Citizens and PRs, helping to offset the costs of large hospital bills and certain outpatient treatments like chemotherapy and dialysis.

How to Enroll: You will need to complete the necessary registration for yourself and any dependents included in your PR application. Your IPA on ICA’s Portal will provide the details.

Integration with CPF: Your MediShield Life premiums will be paid from your Central Provident Fund (CPF) account. As a new PR, you will soon start contributing to your CPF through your employment.

Step 4: Prepare a Recent Passport-Sized Photograph (Digital)

Ensure it meets ICA’s photo requirements and has been taken within the last 3 months.(https://www.ica.gov.sg/photo-guidelines)

Step 5: Upload all the documents on ICA Portal

ICA will take a few days to review and process the documents uploaded and information declared. No further action will be required.

Upon successful review, you will receive an email to complete payment for the following:

a) $20 per applicant for issuance of the Entry Permit, and
b) $50 per 5-year Re-Entry Permit (REP) issued.

After payment has been completed, you will receive instructions on the next steps to complete formalities either online or in person at ICA.

If you have family members in the application who do not need to come to ICA in person, their status will be granted once those who need to complete formalities at ICA have done so.

You will complete the Finalisation process by downloading your Entry Permit (EP) and Re-Entry Permit (REP) on MyICA Portal. You are also required to make an appointment on the Portal using the Date of Issuance of your IC and collect your IC after 3 working days.

Step 5: Life as a New PR – What Comes Next

After your successful payment to ICA, you will receive a collection slip for your NRIC. A separate appointment is needed to collect this essential identity card. Once you have it, you will need to update your details with banks, your employer, and other relevant institutions.

Re-Entry Permit (REP): Your REP is vital. It allows you to travel out of Singapore and re-enter as a PR. It is typically issued for five years. Always ensure your REP is valid before travelling overseas, as you will lose your PR status if you are outside Singapore with an expired REP.

Central Provident Fund (CPF): As a PR, you and your employer will make monthly contributions to your CPF account, which is a comprehensive social security savings plan for your retirement, housing, and healthcare needs.

National Service (NS): If you have male children who have been granted PR under your sponsorship, they are liable for National Service upon reaching the age of 16.5. This is a mandatory two-year military service.

Navigating these last administrative steps is the final hurdle. This guide ensures that the process is clear and straightforward, allowing you to confidently step into your new role as a Permanent Resident of Singapore.

Beyond the Checklist: Embracing Your New Status

The path from receiving your In-Principle Approval to holding your new blue National Registration Identity Card (NRIC) is a structured one. While these administrative steps are mandatory, they represent the final, manageable hurdles in your residency application.

Beyond these initial formalities lies the true significance of your new status. You are not just completing paperwork; you are laying the foundation for your future in Singapore. This opens the door to deeper integration into society, with access to benefits like the Central Provident Fund (CPF), public housing opportunities, and a greater sense of stability and belonging.

With the administrative tasks soon to be behind you, you can focus on what truly matters. Congratulations on this significant achievement, and welcome to your new home in Singapore.

Frequently Asked Questions About Actions to be taken after getting your Singapore PR Approval

My PR was approved in 2025. Does the new online portal from 2024 change my final in-person appointment?

No, the core steps for your final appointment (medical check-up, document verification at ICA) remain the same. However, since your application was done on the newer, more detailed portal, ensure the physical documents you bring to the appointment are the exact same ones you uploaded. ICA’s verification process will be based on that digital submission.

Now that I have PR, does the stricter EP (COMPASS) framework still matter to me?

While it no longer directly affects your status, it’s insightful to understand the principle behind it. COMPASS signals Singapore’s focus on high-calibre economic contributions. This same principle is applied during the holistic review for your future Re-Entry Permit (REP) renewals, where your employment and economic ties are key factors.

To keep my PR, is there a minimum time I must stay in Singapore each year?

No, this is a common misconception. The ICA has made it clear that there is no fixed minimum stay period. Your Re-Entry Permit (REP) renewal is based on a holistic review of your tangible contributions, such as your employment, CPF payments, and family ties in Singapore, not just your physical presence.

I know MediShield Life is mandatory. Is the scheme I'm joining the same as it was a few years ago?

You are enrolling in the most current version of the scheme, which has been updated. Since 2022, changes have been made to claim limits and coverage details, particularly for cancer treatments. This ensures your coverage is aligned with the latest healthcare policies.

With all the system updates, is the process of finalising my PR status actually more difficult now?

No. While the landscape for applying for PR has become more selective, the process of formalising your status after approval has not become more difficult. The core steps—IPA, medical check-up, and the ICA appointment remain straightforward and have not fundamentally changed.