Brunei Darussalam · Spouse visas
Brunei Darussalam Spouse of a citizen
First stay: 5 yrs
Long Term Social Visit Pass — Family of a Brunei Citizen or Permanent Resident
Checked against official sources on , some details partly verifiedChange log
Key facts
Spouse of a citizen is a spouse visas route for Brunei Darussalam. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source.
- First stay
- 5 yrs
Time and long term
Permanent residenceAfter 15 years of marriage
This pass is for family members who do not yet qualify for permanent resident status. A foreign spouse of a Brunei citizen can be put forward for permanent resident status once a first marriage reaches 15 years. A foreign spouse of a stateless permanent resident needs a first marriage of 20 years. In each case the couple lives in Brunei, the Brunei spouse applies and is alive when the application is received, and the foreign spouse holds a valid travel document and medical insurance.
Immigration and National Registration Department, Brunei DarussalamImmigration and National Registration Department, Ministry of Home Affairs
What you'll need
Who can apply2
- Applicant is a foreign national with family ties to a Brunei citizen or permanent resident.
- Applicant does not yet meet the criteria and conditions to apply for Brunei permanent resident status.
Steps1
- Application forms are obtained from the Visa, Visit and Diplomatic Division, Level 2, Immigration and National Registration Headquarters, or a branch office.
After you arrive5
- The pass has been available since 31 December 2024 and allows residence of up to five years.
- A foreign wife of a Brunei citizen husband can apply for permanent residence after 15 years of first marriage, with valid travel document and medical insurance.
- A foreign husband of a Brunei citizen wife can be put forward for permanent residence after 15 years of a first marriage, with no other marriage tie, and the wife applies for him.
- A foreign spouse of a stateless permanent resident needs a first marriage of 20 years before the permanent resident spouse can apply.
- The Brunei spouse who applies must be alive when the Immigration Department receives the application, and the couple must live in Brunei.
When you become tax resident
How Brunei Darussalam decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
Up to 5 years at first
- Tax residence
Individuals are not taxed on personal income, so no individual residence test applies.
- Foreign-source income
Foreign-source income of individuals is not taxed either.
All tax rules for Brunei Darussalam Tax records checked
Full official text
Pass of up to five years with a multiple-entry visa for foreigners with family ties to a Brunei citizen or permanent resident who do not yet qualify for permanent residence. 1 2 3
Requirements
- Applicant is a foreign national with family ties to a Brunei citizen or permanent resident. 1 2
- Applicant does not yet meet the criteria and conditions to apply for Brunei permanent resident status. 1 2
- Application forms are obtained from the Visa, Visit and Diplomatic Division, Level 2, Immigration and National Registration Headquarters, or a branch office. 1
- The pass has been available since 31 December 2024 and allows residence of up to five years. 2
- A foreign wife of a Brunei citizen husband can apply for permanent residence after 15 years of first marriage, with valid travel document and medical insurance. 3
- A foreign husband of a Brunei citizen wife can be put forward for permanent residence after 15 years of a first marriage, with no other marriage tie, and the wife applies for him. 3
- A foreign spouse of a stateless permanent resident needs a first marriage of 20 years before the permanent resident spouse can apply. 3
- The Brunei spouse who applies must be alive when the Immigration Department receives the application, and the couple must live in Brunei. 3
Stay
- Residence of up to five years with a multiple-entry visa, in force since 31 December 2024.
- First stay: up to 60 months, decided case by case.
Official sources
- Long Term Pass categories (social, business and professional visit passes) · Immigration and National Registration Department, Brunei Darussalam · checked 2026-10-10
- Brunei introduces Long-Term Pass to boost investment and skilled workforce (6 March 2025) · Department of Councils of State, Brunei Darussalam · checked 2026-10-11 · published 2025-03-06
- Guidelines and eligibility conditions for permanent resident status applications (updated 31 December 2024) · Immigration and National Registration Department, Ministry of Home Affairs · checked 2026-10-10 · published 2024-12-31
Spouse of a citizen and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse of a citizen | – | 5 yr | – |
| Spouse of a permanent resident Thailand | – | 3 mo, renewable | – |
| Spouse of a citizen Japan | – | 5 yr, renewable | Yes |
| Spouse of a stay permit holder Indonesia | – | – | No |
| Spouse of a citizen United Arab Emirates | – | – | – |
Questions people ask
How long can I stay on the Spouse of a citizen?
Residence of up to five years with a multiple-entry visa, in force since 31 December 2024.
Does the Spouse of a citizen lead to permanent residence in Brunei Darussalam?
Time on the Spouse of a citizen counts toward permanent residence in Brunei Darussalam, which the rules allow after 15 years of marriage.
More in Brunei Darussalam
Spouse and partner visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-12 against 3 official sources. Status: partly verified; the page marks the facts an official source does not fully confirm.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Long Term Pass categories (social, business and professional visit passes) · Immigration and National Registration Department, Brunei Darussalam · checked 2026-10-10
- Brunei introduces Long-Term Pass to boost investment and skilled workforce (6 March 2025) · Department of Councils of State, Brunei Darussalam · checked 2026-10-11
- Guidelines and eligibility conditions for permanent resident status applications (updated 31 December 2024) · Immigration and National Registration Department, Ministry of Home Affairs · checked 2026-10-10
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.