How Much Is a PR Card?

The short answer on the card fee

The PR identity card, the physical card issued to a permanent resident, carries a modest fee, generally in the region of tens of dollars. It is not an expensive item on its own. Because fees are updated from time to time, confirm the exact amount on the ICA website rather than relying on a fixed figure.

Importantly, the card fee is only one of a few small fees paid around the time your PR is finalised, so the card cost is best understood as part of the wider set of approval fees rather than a single standalone charge.

The card is one of several small fees

When your PR is approved and finalised, you pay a handful of modest fees rather than just one. These typically include a fee for the entry permit that formalises your PR, a fee for the re-entry permit that lets you travel and return, and a fee for the identity card itself.

So the identity card fee sits alongside these. Individually each is modest, generally in the tens of dollars, but together they make up the approval-stage cost, which is worth budgeting for as a whole.

The full fee picture

To budget properly, look at the whole journey rather than the card alone:

Fee	Approximate amount
Application fee (on submission)	Around one hundred dollars per applicant.
Entry permit (on approval)	A modest fee, in the tens of dollars, per person.
Re-entry permit (on approval)	A modest fee, in the tens of dollars, per person.
Identity card (the PR card)	A modest fee, in the tens of dollars, per person.

Confirm the current figures on the ICA website, since they change from time to time. The identity card is the smallest part of the overall cost of obtaining PR.

Fees apply per person

Most of these fees, including the identity card fee, apply per applicant. So a family finalising PR together pays the card and other approval fees for each member, not a single household charge.

If you are applying as a family, budget for each person’s card and associated fees. They are still modest individually, but they multiply across a household, so factor that into your planning.

Renewing the card later

The PR identity card has its own validity and renewal cycle, and renewing or re-registering it when due carries a fee, again modest. This is separate from the re-entry permit, which is renewed on its own schedule and has its own fee.

So over the years you may pay small fees to keep both your identity card and your re-entry permit current. Neither is expensive, but they are ongoing, minor costs of holding PR, worth noting alongside the initial fees.

What the card fee does not include

The card fee covers the identity card itself, not the larger financial aspects of PR. It does not include the ongoing effects such as CPF contributions or, if you buy property, higher stamp duty. Those are far more significant than any card or approval fee.

So do not mistake the modest card fee for the cost of PR overall. The card is cheap; the meaningful financial impact of PR lies in CPF and property costs, which are covered in the wider question of what PR costs.

Where to confirm the exact amounts

Because fees are updated periodically, the definitive amounts, for the identity card and every other fee, are on the official ICA website. Use this guide to understand what each fee is for, then check the official figures before you budget or pay.

Treat any specific dollar figure you see elsewhere as approximate. The ICA website is the authority on current fees, and it lists them clearly.

Common misconceptions about the card cost

A few beliefs about the PR card cost mislead people:

Do not be misled by

The idea that the card is expensive; it is a modest fee in the tens of dollars.
The idea that the card fee is the cost of PR; the meaningful costs are CPF and property.
The idea that a single fee covers a family; most fees apply per person.
The idea that there are no later fees; the card and re-entry permit have renewal fees.
The idea that a figure you saw online is current; confirm with ICA.

The medical examination cost

Around the time of application, PR applicants are generally required to undergo a medical examination, and its cost is borne by you. This is separate from the card and government fees, and the amount depends on the clinic and the tests required, so there is no single fixed figure.

So when budgeting for the card and approval fees, include the medical examination too. Each applicant who requires one incurs the cost, so it adds up for a family, though it remains a one-off expense rather than an ongoing one.

The card cost in context of PR's value

It is worth keeping the modest card fee in perspective against what PR provides: the freedom to live and work here without an employer-tied pass, CPF savings, and a foundation for citizenship. Against that value, the card and approval fees are trivial.

So do not let the card fee loom large in your thinking. It is one of the smallest costs in the whole picture, and the genuine financial considerations of PR lie elsewhere, in CPF and property, not in the price of the card.

The bottom line on how much a PR card costs

To sum up: the PR identity card carries only a modest fee, generally in the tens of dollars, and it is one of several small fees paid around approval, alongside the application fee, entry permit and re-entry permit. Most fees apply per person, and the card has a renewal fee later.

So the card itself is inexpensive; budget for the whole set of approval fees, per person if applying as a family, and remember that the significant costs of PR are CPF and property, not the card. Confirm current amounts on the ICA website.

Frequently asked questions

How much is a PR card in Singapore?

The PR identity card carries a modest fee, generally in the region of tens of dollars. It is one of several small fees paid around approval, so confirm the exact amount on the ICA website, as fees change.

Is the card fee the main cost of PR?

No. The card fee is small. The meaningful financial impact of PR is ongoing, mainly CPF contributions and, if you buy property, higher stamp duty, which far exceed any card or approval fee.

What other fees come with the card?

On approval you typically pay modest fees for the entry permit, the re-entry permit and the identity card, on top of the application fee paid at submission. Most apply per person.

Do families pay the card fee for each member?

Yes. The identity card fee and other approval fees generally apply per applicant, so a family pays them for each member rather than as a single household charge.

Is there a fee to renew the card?

Yes, a modest one. The PR identity card has its own renewal cycle with a fee, separate from the re-entry permit, which is renewed on its own schedule and has its own fee.

Where do I confirm the exact card fee?

On the official ICA website, which lists current fees. Treat any figure seen elsewhere as approximate, since fees are updated from time to time.