Open a Company in Singapore as a Foreigner: Local Director, Service Provider and the Official Fee
You want a Singapore company, and you are not a Singapore resident. ACRA says foreigners must use a corporate service provider to register a business, and every company needs one director who meets the local residency rules. The registration fee is S$300, and the corporate tax rate is a flat 17%.
A cheap fee that hides two rules for foreigners
Singapore's S$300 fee looks small, but foreigners need a service provider and a local director. The rules mean you must find a resident director before you file. A secretary and a Singapore office address follow.
What it looks like from the outside:
- A service provider required for foreigners to register.
- A director who is a citizen, PR or pass holder.
- A secretary within six months and an office open to the public.
How it feels:
- You worry you will pick a director who is not allowed.
- You fear paying for a package you do not need.
- You feel unsure whom to trust when providers quote very different totals.
You do not have to find the local director alone
We know how hard it is to set up in a country where the first rule is to hire someone local. You want someone who has read the rule on the official page, tells you honestly when a route does not fit, and stays with you until the file is filed.
What we have done:
- 35+ years in immigration and investment migration
- 25,000+ families guided since 1991
- 3rd Generation in the immigration industry
- 2026 Canadian Choice Award winner
What we believe:
- Honesty first: we tell you when a route does not fit, before you move money.
- Checked rules: every figure on this page is read from an official source and dated.
- Your plan, not a template: the right route depends on your goals, your family and your funds.
We believe a Singapore company should start from ACRA's rules, not from a package price.
What you get
| Feature | Benefit | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| A published ACRA fee | ACRA lists S$300 for company registration | You know the official cost before you start |
| A one-share minimum | ACRA sets a minimum of one issued share | You can start with small capital |
| A flat 17% tax | IRAS lists one rate and two exemption schemes | You can plan the first years |
| Fast approval for simple files | ACRA approves most registrations soon after payment | You are not left waiting for weeks |
| One point of contact | We bring in the service provider, director and accountant through our partners | You do not chase several firms |
Where it takes you: a registered Singapore company. A company does not give you a pass to live there: that is a separate step.
Is it right for you?
An honest answer before you move funds.
| A good fit if | Consider another route if |
|---|---|
| You want to run or hold a business through a Singapore company | You want residence in Singapore from the company alone: it gives none |
| You can use a corporate service provider and a local resident director | You want to file yourself from abroad: foreigners need a service provider |
| You can give a Singapore registered office address | You need a guaranteed bank account: banks decide |
| You want one point of contact for the director, secretary and accountant | Your funds cannot be documented |
Not sure Singapore is the best fit? Compare all South East Asia routes, or use Find my program and we match your goals to the right one.
What you need
You need an approved name, a local resident director, a secretary, a Singapore address and a service provider to file. ACRA lists the rest.
What the ACRA and IRAS pages list:
- A corporate service provider to reserve the name and register, for foreigners.
- At least one director and one company secretary. A director is 18 or older, ordinarily resident, and a citizen, a PR or someone who meets the local residency rules. Pass holders check with the pass issuer first.
- A secretary appointed within six months, a real person who is not the sole director.
- A registered office at a Singapore address that is open to the public in business hours.
- Share capital details: a minimum of one issued share.
- Registrable controller and nominee details declared in the filing.
- The fee: S$300.
The routes and rules
ACRA sets the filing rules, and IRAS sets the tax.
| Item | Official figure | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Registration fee | S$300 | Paid by card, debit card or online banking |
| Approval time | Soon after payment | Complex files up to 15 working days; referral cases 14 to 60 days |
| Director | At least one local resident | Citizen, PR or someone who meets the local residency rules |
| Company secretary | Within six months | A real person, not the sole director |
| Corporate tax | 17% of chargeable income | Partial exemption, and a start-up exemption for the first three years |
Tax exemptions. IRAS lists a partial exemption of 75% on the first S$10,000 and 50% on the next S$190,000 of chargeable income. A qualifying new company can use the start-up exemption for its first three years of assessment, with 75% off the first S$100,000 and 50% off the next S$100,000. Investment holding companies cannot claim the start-up exemption.
Passes. An EntrePass can be applied for before incorporation or within six months of setting up.
What it costs, and what waiting costs
The ACRA fee is small. Set it against the cost of a wrong start: a director who does not qualify.
| Item | Official amount |
|---|---|
| Company registration (ACRA) | S$300 |
| Corporate tax (IRAS) | 17% of chargeable income, with exemptions |
| Service provider, director, secretary, accountant | Not official; agreed with the local partner |
| Bank account | Not official; banks decide |
Source: ACRA and IRAS pages, ACRA foreigners guide updated 29 January 2026.
Set up with our partners in Singapore
We arrange the steps through partners in Singapore, so you deal with one point of contact. We arrange the registered service provider, the local resident director, the secretary, the company filing, the accountant, the bank introduction and relocation steps. We introduce you, the partner delivers, and each partner holds the local licence for what it does. We give no investment, legal or tax advice. Local partners may pay AIA for introductions.
Also from AIA: Canada, Europe and citizenship
Many founders plan a second move. Take the Canada immigration assessment, or read our Canada immigration programs. If you want a European base, see residence by investment in Europe, and for a passport, see citizenship by investment.
Your path in three steps
Three steps from your first answers to your company.
- Step 1: Tell us your plan. Use Find my program, or write to us with your business, your shareholders and where you live.
- Step 2: We do the heavy lifting. We bring in the registered service provider, the local resident director and the secretary through our partners in Singapore, and prepare the filing.
- Step 3: Your company is registered. ACRA approves most files soon after payment, and you appoint the secretary within six months.
Processing time depends on the authority and on how complete your file is.
Status: what changed and when
Reviewed 22 October 2026. Sources: ACRA and IRAS pages.
| What | Status |
|---|---|
| Registration fee | S$300 (ACRA) |
| Foreigners | Must use a corporate service provider; at least one local resident director (ACRA, updated 29 January 2026) |
| Tax | 17% flat with a partial exemption and a start-up exemption (IRAS) |
What could change: the fee, the residency rules and the tax schemes. What we do about it: we re-read the official pages before each update and show the date.
After you have the company
You keep the company in order with ACRA and IRAS filings. ACRA lists the dates.
- Secretary: appoint one within six months of registration.
- Office: keep a Singapore address open to the public in business hours.
- Tax: register for your estimated chargeable income and file with IRAS.
Two possible futures
A year from now, you may still be comparing packages while the rules shift. You hold a quote, a number from one adviser that contradicts another, and no date on any of it.
Or your company is registered in Singapore, your tax number is in place, and you know every deadline. You feel in control, and you chose on facts you could check.
The cost of staying put: routes and rules change, and each change can add cost or close a door.
Your ultimate success:
- Registered: your company exists on the registry's terms
- On time: you met each filing deadline
- Prepared: you know the bank step and its limits
- In control: you decided on your terms, with the facts
Which route fits your family?
Answer eight short questions and the finder ranks all 17 residence programmes against your goals, funds and family. You see your shortlist and the cost for your family first, and a form only if you want it emailed with a fact sheet.
Why clients choose Amir Ismail & Associates
35+ years of hands-on immigration experience and 25,000+ successful cases. 3rd generation in the immigration industry. We bring in qualified local partners in each country, so you deal with one accountable team from first question to filing.
One point of contact
We qualify your case first, then bring in the right local partner. You deal with us throughout.
A strategy built for your family
We match routes to your goals, funds and family, not a template.
Application accuracy
Document and source-of-funds review that prevents costly errors and refusals.
Timely updates
We track rule, fee and regulator changes across every program for you.
End-to-end support
From your first question to your permit in hand, we guide every step.
Proven track record
2026 Canadian Choice Award winner, trusted since 1991.
What our clients say
Real reviews from clients we have guided across borders.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to register a company in Singapore?
ACRA charges S$300 for registration. A service provider is required for foreigners, and a local director, a secretary and an accountant add their own fees, which are not official figures.
How long does it take?
ACRA says most registrations are approved soon after payment, complex files take up to 15 working days, and referral cases 14 to 60 days.
Can I register the company myself from abroad?
ACRA says foreigners must engage a corporate service provider to reserve the name and register.
Do I need a local director?
Yes. Every company needs at least one director who meets the local residency rules: a citizen, a PR, or a holder of a pass that allows it.
Does a company give me residence in Singapore?
No. A company does not give you a pass. For a family office route to permanent residence, see the Singapore Global Investor Programme.
What is the company tax rate?
IRAS lists a flat 17% of chargeable income, with a partial exemption and, for qualifying new companies, a start-up exemption for the first three years of assessment.
Do I need a Singapore address?
Yes. The registered office must be a Singapore address that is open to the public in business hours. It does not need to be where you operate.
Can you open a bank account for me?
We introduce you to a bank through our partners in Singapore. Banks decide, and we cannot promise an account.
What does AIA charge?
We agree the scope and the price with you after a short call. The ACRA and IRAS figures above are the authorities’ own.
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Last reviewed: 22 October 2026 · Last updated: 22 October 2026
