Do I need a photo to renew my Singapore PR Re-Entry Permit?
TL;DR ICA's Re-Entry Permit page lists no photograph requirement. A first-time PR application is a separate process with its own checklist; the renewal of the permit that lets a PR travel is not the same thing, and its page asks for no photo.
Two different processes with one name
"PR renewal" usually means renewing the Re-Entry Permit (REP) — the five-year permit that keeps permanent residence alive while you travel. ICA's REP application page, read on 2 September 2026, asks for no photograph. It is an online application against your existing record.
Applying to become a permanent resident is a different application with a longer document list. That process is not carried on this site, and its checklist should be read directly on ICA's pages before assuming anything about photos.
If you want a photo anyway
Some people keep a current ICA-format photo on file for the identity card re-registration at 30 and 55, which does use one. That is the 400 × 514 pixel white-background photo ICA specifies, and it is what the PR page on this site produces. It is not required for the REP.
Re-Entry Permit vs the identity card
| Document | Size | Head in frame (as we compose it) | Background | Max age | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Singapore pr / re-entry permit | 35 × 45 mm | 56–78% | pure featureless white | 3 months | www.ica.gov.sg |
| Singapore nric | 35 × 45 mm | 56–78% | pure featureless white | 3 months | www.ica.gov.sg |
A real case
A PR in his forties renewed his REP online in ten minutes and was surprised there was no upload step at all; the photo he had prepared was never requested. He used it two years later for his IC re-registration at 55, which did ask for one.
Common questions
- Will ICA ask me for a photo when I collect anything?
- The REP is an electronic endorsement; there is no card collection and no photo step on ICA's page for it.
- What about the identity card as a PR?
- The IC is issued and re-registered at 15, 30 and 55 under ICA's photo guidelines — the same rules as the passport photo. That is a separate document.
Related documents
- Singapore pr / re-entry permit — 35 × 45 mm
- Singapore nric — 35 × 45 mm
Sources
Read on the issuing authority's own pages on the dates shown on each document page:
- Singapore pr / re-entry permit: www.ica.gov.sg (read 2026-09-02)
- Singapore nric: www.ica.gov.sg (read 2026-09-06)
SGfoto is independent — not affiliated with or endorsed by any government or issuing authority — and does not guarantee acceptance. Requirements change; the authority's page is the one that counts. Rebuilt 2026-09-16.