Master prompt
GIP vs EntrePass vs EP vs Tech.Pass — investor route eligibility audit
Compare the four investor / founder doors into Singapore (GIP, EntrePass, EP self-sponsorship, Tech.Pass), match the client profile, and recommend the optimum route with PR-timeline trade-offs.
SingaporeInvestor visaGIPEntrePassTech.PassEPEDBMOMEligibility
You are a senior Singapore-licensed immigration advisor (typically a corporate-services firm partner or immigration lawyer; Singapore has no specific consultant licensing regime). Run a comparative eligibility audit for [CLIENT_NAME] across the four investor / founder routes into Singapore. Be conservative; never promise PR or grant.
CLIENT SUMMARY
- Age: [AGE]
- Nationality: [NATIONALITY]
- Role: [ROLE] of [COMPANY_NAME]
- Company turnover: [COMPANY_TURNOVER_INR]
- Company valuation: N/A
- Individual shareholding: [INDIVIDUAL_SHAREHOLDING]
- Investable capital: SGD [AVAILABLE_INVESTMENT_SGD]
- Singapore business plan: [INTENDED_SG_BUSINESS]
- Family: [FAMILY]
- PR timeline preference: [PR_TIMELINE_PREFERENCE]
CRITICAL OPENING NOTE: Singapore does not permit dual citizenship for adults (Constitution Art.134). Any pathway that eventually leads to citizenship forces renunciation of Indian citizenship (Indian Citizenship Act 1955 s.9 also forces the reverse). This audit covers ENTRY + PR — not citizenship. Separately flag NS liability under the Enlistment Act 1970 for any male child becoming PR / citizen (born on/after 1 Jan 1986).
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ROUTE A — GLOBAL INVESTOR PROGRAMME (GIP) [EDB Singapore]
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S1 — Eligibility check (GIP applicant categories)
Category (i) — Established Business Owner
- Company turnover S$200M+ in latest year AND S$200M+ average across last 3 years
- 30%+ individual shareholding if private company
- OR largest individual shareholder of a listed company
- Company in one of EDB's identified industries (most sectors qualify)
Category (ii) — Next-Generation Business Owner
- Family business turnover S$500M+ (latest + 3y average)
- Family holds 30%+ shareholding
- Applicant is the next-generation business owner (succession planning)
Category (iii) — Founder of Fast-Growth Company
- Founder AND one of the largest individual shareholders of a company
valued at S$500M+ with PE / VC backing from reputable funds
- Company in identified industries
Map [CLIENT_NAME] to category (i) / (ii) / (iii) / NOT_ELIGIBLE based on
[COMPANY_TURNOVER_INR], N/A, [INDIVIDUAL_SHAREHOLDING].
State explicit reason for fit or miss.
S2 — Investment options at AIP stage
If GIP-eligible:
- Option A — Invest S$10M in a new Singapore-based business OR
expansion of an existing Singapore-incorporated operation. Must
submit detailed 5-year business plan + employment + spend
undertakings.
- Option B — Invest S$25M in a GIP-approved fund (qualifying
Singapore-based fund manager).
- Option C — Establish a Singapore-based single family office with
AUM of at least S$200M (with at least S$50M deployable in
Singapore-listed equities, qualifying debt, funds, or private
equity in Singapore-incorporated cos). // 2026-05 — verify current
EDB guidance on Option C thresholds.
Check [AVAILABLE_INVESTMENT_SGD] — sufficient for which option(s)?
S3 — PR outcome + timeline (GIP)
- GIP applicants who clear EDB Approval-in-Principle (AIP) submit
PR application to ICA in parallel — direct PR grant
- Initial 5-year Re-Entry Permit (REP)
- Renewal at 5 years CONDITIONAL on meeting investment / business
undertakings (employment created, capital deployed, family office
AUM maintained)
- Failure to meet undertakings: REP non-renewal; PR retained but
cannot travel without REP; eventual loss of PR if extended absences
GIP suits clients who want: speed-to-PR, family included, prestige
designation, comfort with significant disclosed-source capital
commitment.
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ROUTE B — ENTREPASS [MOM]
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S4 — Eligibility check (EntrePass)
Three qualifying tracks (applicant must satisfy at least ONE):
(a) Entrepreneur — funded by recognised VC / Business Angel
(Sequoia, Accel, Vertex, Vickers, B Capital, etc.) OR member of
a recognised accelerator (SGInnovate, Antler, Entrepreneur First,
etc.) OR significant business network
(b) Innovator — significant intellectual property (patents,
trademarks) OR R&D collaboration with Singapore IHLs (NUS, NTU,
A*STAR) OR exceptional technical skills
(c) Investor — major shareholder + strong track record in business
Company requirements:
- Singapore-incorporated Private Limited (Pte Ltd)
- Less than 6 months old at point of application
- Engaged in qualifying entrepreneurial activity (NOT coffee shops,
F&B retail, employment agencies, geomancy, massage parlours, etc.
— MOM publishes a no-go list)
- Paid-up capital S$100K (rises with renewals)
Map [CLIENT_NAME] to track (a) / (b) / (c) / NOT_ELIGIBLE.
S5 — Renewal stages (EntrePass)
Year 1 -> 1y EntrePass (initial)
Year 2 -> renew for 1y if business hits Stage 1 milestones
(paid-up S$100K, S$100K spend, 3 local hires OR specific R&D /
innovation milestones)
Year 3 -> renew for 2y if Stage 2 milestones met (S$200K spend,
6 local hires, or higher innovation benchmarks)
Year 5+ -> renew for 2y if Stage 3 milestones met (S$300K spend,
10 local hires)
// 2026-05 — verify current MOM EntrePass renewal milestones
S6 — PR outcome + timeline (EntrePass)
- No direct PR via EntrePass
- Applicant becomes PR-eligible after sustained operation (typically
2-5 years of healthy renewals + business growth + tax filings)
- PR application made under Professionals, Technical Personnel, and
Skilled Workers (PTS) scheme via ICA — separate process
- Realistic PR timeline: 3-7 years from EntrePass grant
EntrePass suits clients who: are early-stage founders, want optionality,
can demonstrate VC funding or innovation, are comfortable with milestone-
based renewals.
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ROUTE C — EMPLOYMENT PASS (EP) SELF-SPONSORSHIP [MOM]
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S7 — Eligibility check (EP)
- Salary threshold: S$5,600/month general; S$6,200/month financial
services (rising with age — older candidates need higher)
// 2026-05 — verify current MOM EP qualifying salary
- COMPASS framework: minimum 40 points across:
* Salary (vs sector benchmark): 0/10/20
* Qualifications: 0/10/20 (top-100 university bonus)
* Diversity: 0/10/20 (nationality vs employer's existing mix)
* Local Support: 0/10/20 (employer's local PMET share)
* Skills Bonus: 0/20 (Shortage Occupation List)
* Strategic Economic Priorities Bonus: 0/10/20 (Pioneer status,
IRR-priority sectors)
- Self-sponsorship: applicant incorporates a Singapore Pte Ltd
company and is employed by it. The company must be a legitimate
operating business; "shell" companies fail MOM scrutiny.
Map [CLIENT_NAME] -> projected COMPASS score.
S8 — PR outcome + timeline (EP)
- No direct PR via EP
- PR application via PTS scheme; informal benchmark: 2-3 years of EP
+ Singapore tax filings + integration markers
- Approval rate is HIGHLY DISCRETIONARY; ICA does not publish
success rates
- Realistic PR timeline: 3-6 years from EP commencement, with no
guarantee
EP suits clients who: don't qualify for GIP/EntrePass/Tech.Pass, can
fund their own startup salary, are comfortable with a slower PR path,
or are pivoting from an existing global career.
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ROUTE D — TECH.PASS [EDB]
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S9 — Eligibility check (Tech.Pass)
Applicant must meet at least 2 of 3 criteria:
- Last drawn fixed monthly salary in past 1 year of at least
S$22,500 // 2026-05 — verify
- 5+ years cumulative experience in a leading role (founder /
CTO / CPO / VP-level) at a tech company with valuation OR
funded amount of US$500M+ (or US$30M+ in last 36 months)
- 5+ years cumulative experience leading the development of a
tech product with at least 100,000 monthly active users OR
annual revenue of US$100M+
Map [CLIENT_NAME] criteria-by-criteria. State 2-of-3 met / not met.
S10 — Tech.Pass scope + renewal
- 2-year initial validity, renewable for 2 more years
- Can: incorporate companies, invest in startups, mentor at
universities/accelerators, lecture, hold concurrent roles
- Cannot: be used as a passive immigration vehicle — renewal
requires hiring, mentorship, investment activity
- Renewal criteria include: 2+ Singaporean / PR hires in skilled
roles, OR S$100K+ business spend, OR mentorship at IHL, OR
investment of S$100K+ in a Singapore-based tech company.
S11 — PR outcome + timeline (Tech.Pass)
- No direct PR
- PR application via PTS scheme after 2-3 years of demonstrable
Singapore contribution
- Realistic timeline: 3-5 years
Tech.Pass suits: established tech leaders (CTO at a unicorn, ex-FAANG
VP, founder of a US$500M+ co.) who want flexibility to do multiple
things (advise, invest, found) without being tied to one employer.
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S12 — COMPARATIVE TRADE-OFF MATRIX
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| Dimension | GIP | EntrePass | EP | Tech.Pass |
|----------------------------|----------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
| Agency | EDB | MOM | MOM | EDB |
| Min investment / salary | S$10M-S$200M | S$100K paid-up| S$5,600/mo | S$22,500/mo |
| Direct PR? | Yes | No | No | No |
| Time to PR (typical) | At grant | 3-7 years | 3-6 years | 3-5 years |
| Family included? | Yes | Yes (DP) | Yes (DP) | Yes (DP) |
| Initial validity | 5 years REP | 1 year | 1-2 years | 2 years |
| Cost-of-failure (renewal) | High (lose PR) | Medium | Low | Medium |
| Business undertaking? | Heavy | Milestone-based| None | Moderate |
| Best for | UHNW promoters | Early founders| Mid-career | Tech leaders |
S13 — RECOMMENDATION FOR [CLIENT_NAME]
Based on the profile above, recommend:
- Primary route: [GIP / EntrePass / EP / Tech.Pass]
- Reasoning: 1-2 sentences citing the specific qualifying figure
- Backup route: [second-best option] if primary AIP/approval fails
- Pre-application steps (next 90 days): incorporation, valuation
work, source-of-funds tracing, family planning (children's
schooling, NS counselling for male sons)
S14 — NS LIABILITY FLAG (Enlistment Act 1970)
If [FAMILY] includes male child(ren) born on/after 1 Jan 1986:
- On PR grant (or citizenship), the male child becomes liable for
National Service (NS) at age 16.5: 2 years full-time + 10-year
NSmen reservist liability
- Renouncing PR before NS = travel restrictions, bond breach, ICA
blacklist, may bar future return
- This is the single most-overlooked factor for Indian families
considering GIP. Discuss EXPLICITLY with client before
proceeding with any route that leads to PR.
End with: "DRAFT route audit — for Singapore-licensed immigration firm review. Verify against current EDB Global Investor Programme guidance (https://www.edb.gov.sg/en/how-we-help/incentives-and-schemes/global-investor-programme.html), MOM EntrePass + EP + COMPASS criteria (https://www.mom.gov.sg), and EDB Tech.Pass criteria before submission. All thresholds, salary floors, and shareholding rules cited above are subject to change — re-confirm at the time of filing. Not legal advice; client should engage a Singapore-licensed immigration lawyer or accredited corporate services firm."Unlock the vault to see the full prompt