Brunei Darussalam · residence general
Long-Term Pass (social, business or professional)
By Sam Parks · Last reviewed:
For you if you want a multi-year basis to stay in Brunei: the Long-Term Pass is a newer route with social, business and professional sub-categories - but please read the dated note, because it only took effect at the end of 2024.
- Processing time
- Indicative only. The route is administered by the immigration department and timing varies by sub-category; confirm current timing on the official immigration.gov.bn page.
- Government fees
- Indicative only. Any qualifying criteria and government fees are set by the rules; refer to the official page rather than relying on a figure here.
- Typical duration
- A multi-year pass (reported as up to several years) with multiple entry; it is a long-stay route rather than a settlement status.
- Sponsorship required
- No
- Leads to permanent residency
- No
In short
As of 12 July 2026, the Long-Term Pass (social, business or professional) for Brunei Darussalam is an unsponsored Brunei immigration route. Sources: official Brunei Darussalam government pages, reviewed 12 July 2026.
Cite this: https://visaatlas.org/visas/brunei/long-term-pass#answer
What is the Long-Term Pass (social, business or professional) in Brunei Darussalam?
Long-Term Pass (social, business or professional) is an unsponsored Brunei route. Indicative government fees are Indicative only. Any qualifying criteria and government fees are set by the rules; refer to the official page rather than relying on a figure here; indicative processing time is Indicative only. The route is administered by the immigration department and timing varies by sub-category; confirm current timing on the official immigration.gov.bn page; typical duration is A multi-year pass (reported as up to several years) with multiple entry; it is a long-stay route rather than a settlement status. This route does not lead to permanent residence.
Verified against Immigration and National Registration Department, Ministry of Home Affairs (Brunei Darussalam) on 1 June 2026.
Overview
The Long-Term Pass is Brunei's newer route for eligible foreigners to reside in the country on a multi-year basis, divided into three sub-categories. The social sub-category is for people with family ties to Brunei citizens or permanent residents who do not yet qualify for permanent residence; the business sub-category is for company owners and investors who meet economic-contribution criteria; and the professional sub-category is for foreign experts in fields where Brunei needs skilled professionals, based on government assessment. Honesty box - please read: this is a long-stay pass, not an investment route to permanent residence - Brunei has no golden visa or investment-based PR, and the Long-Term Pass does not, by itself, grant permanent resident status. Because the route is new, treat any detail you read as indicative and confirm on the official Immigration and National Registration Department page.
Recent changes to this route
- Brunei introduces a multi-year Long-Term Pass31 December 2024
Brunei launched a multi-year Long-Term Pass effective 31 December 2024, with social, business and professional sub-categories.
Eligibility
Typical criteria
- ✓You fit one of the three sub-categories - social (family ties), business (owner or investor) or professional (needed expertise).Immigration and National Registration Department, Ministry of Home Affairs (Brunei Darussalam) ↗
- ✓For the business sub-category, you meet the economic-contribution criteria set by the authorities.Immigration and National Registration Department, Ministry of Home Affairs (Brunei Darussalam) ↗
- ✓For the professional sub-category, your expertise is assessed as beneficial to Brunei.Immigration and National Registration Department, Ministry of Home Affairs (Brunei Darussalam) ↗
- ✓You meet the standard documentation and good-character requirements for the pass.Immigration and National Registration Department, Ministry of Home Affairs (Brunei Darussalam) ↗
Common blockers
- !Expecting the pass to grant permanent residence - it is a long-stay route, and Brunei has no investment-based PR.Immigration and National Registration Department, Ministry of Home Affairs (Brunei Darussalam) ↗
- !Applying under a sub-category whose specific criteria you do not meet.Immigration and National Registration Department, Ministry of Home Affairs (Brunei Darussalam) ↗
- !Relying on early reports rather than the current official rules for this new route.Immigration and National Registration Department, Ministry of Home Affairs (Brunei Darussalam) ↗
Typical evidence
- ·Valid passport and the completed application documents.Immigration and National Registration Department, Ministry of Home Affairs (Brunei Darussalam) ↗
- ·Evidence for your sub-category (family ties, business ownership or investment, or professional expertise).Immigration and National Registration Department, Ministry of Home Affairs (Brunei Darussalam) ↗
- ·For business applicants, documents showing the economic contribution claimed.Immigration and National Registration Department, Ministry of Home Affairs (Brunei Darussalam) ↗
- ·Any further documents the immigration department requests.Immigration and National Registration Department, Ministry of Home Affairs (Brunei Darussalam) ↗
Application pathway
Check the route fit
Identify which sub-category - social, business or professional - fits your situation.
Build the evidence pack
Gather the evidence your sub-category requires, such as family, business or expertise documents.
Submit through the official channel
Apply for the Long-Term Pass through the official immigration department channel.
After approval
After approval, keep your pass valid and renew it in line with the rules.
After approval: prepare for your next step
For Long-Term Pass (social, business or professional), use the actual decision and the issuing authority’s instructions to establish what has been granted. A successful application, permission to enter, permission to work and a residence document are not interchangeable.
- 1. Check the decision. Confirm the name, passport, status granted, start date and any next action. Resolve an error with the authority before relying on the document for travel or employment.
- 2. Establish the travel step. Read any entry window, activation, collection or in-country registration instruction. For an extension or change of status, do not assume leaving the country is required or safe while a further step remains pending.
- 3. Confirm what you may do. Check whether employment, self-employment, remote work or study is permitted under the status granted. Do not infer unrestricted work rights from the absence of an employer sponsor.
- 4. Organise the household. Check each accompanying person’s permission separately, then arrange healthcare, accommodation, access to money and the relevant local registrations. A tax number or bank account does not by itself prove a right to work.
- 5. Keep the ongoing conditions visible. Record the actual expiry, renewal process, permitted absences and any duty to report changes. An initial grant does not automatically establish permanent residence or citizenship.
Official application links
Where to actually go next
These are the official pages to use for this route. Open them before preparing documents: the forms, fees, appointment systems, and sponsor steps can change without warning.
- Official guidanceApplicantUse official Long-Term Pass (social, business or professional) route page ↗
Use this official page to confirm requirements and follow the government filing route for Long-Term Pass (social, business or professional).
Immigration and National Registration Department, Ministry of Home Affairs (Brunei Darussalam) · verified
Also explored by
Compare Brunei Darussalam with
Related routes
Entry Permit (route toward permanent resident status)
For you if you are working toward settling in Brunei: the Entry Permit is the document the immigration department processes for permanent resident status, so this is the formal route toward becoming a permanent resident.
Permanent Residence (discretionary, long-term)
For you if you intend to settle in Brunei for life: permanent residence confirms a long-term right to live there - but please read the honesty note, because it is discretionary and the official categories set qualifying periods of up to twenty years of residence or marriage.
Work Pass (employer-sponsored employment)
For you if a Brunei employer has offered you a job: the Work Pass is the standard, employer-sponsored route into paid employment, handled by the immigration department's Foreign Work Pass division alongside a valid visa.
Frequently asked questions
What are the three Long-Term Pass sub-categories?+
The Long-Term Pass has a social sub-category for people with family ties to Brunei citizens or permanent residents who do not yet qualify for permanent residence, a business sub-category for company owners and investors who meet economic-contribution criteria, and a professional sub-category for foreign experts in fields where Brunei needs skills, based on government assessment. Each has its own conditions, so confirm which fits you on the official immigration.gov.bn page.
Does the Long-Term Pass make me a permanent resident?+
No. The Long-Term Pass gives you a multi-year basis to stay in Brunei, but it does not by itself grant permanent resident status, and Brunei has no golden visa or investment-based permanent residence. Permanent residence is a separate, slow and discretionary process. So treat the pass as a long-stay route, and check the separate permanent-residence rules on the official page.
Is there a route to Brunei for a skilled professional who does not have an employer sponsor?+
The Long-Term Pass has a professional sub-category for foreign experts in fields where Brunei needs skilled professionals, based on government assessment, and unlike the Work Pass it does not require employer sponsorship. Whether your expertise qualifies is assessed as beneficial to Brunei, so check the current criteria on the official immigration.gov.bn page rather than assuming you qualify.
When did Brunei's Long-Term Pass come into effect, and is it settled enough to rely on?+
Brunei's Long-Term Pass took effect on 31 December 2024 as a newer multi-year residence route with social, business and professional sub-categories, so it is recent. Because the route is new, details such as validity, criteria and fees may still be settling, so confirm the current rules on the official Immigration and National Registration Department page rather than relying on early reports.
How long is the Brunei Long-Term Pass valid for?+
It is a multi-year pass, reported as valid for up to several years, with multiple entry, and it is a long-stay route rather than a settlement status. Because the route is new, confirm the current validity on the official immigration.gov.bn page.
Need tailored advice?
We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.
Find a regulated advisor in BruneiHow we verified this
We check every figure on this page against the primary government source, record the date it was last checked, and re-check it on a regular schedule. Rules change, so always confirm time-sensitive details with the official source before you rely on them. Visa Atlas is an information-only publication and does not give legal advice.
Primary source: Immigration and National Registration Department, Ministry of Home Affairs (Brunei Darussalam)
Last checked: 1 June 2026