How do you register a company in Singapore as a foreigner?
A private limited company is incorporated with ACRA through its online filing system, and a foreign owner can hold all of the shares. The binding condition is local presence: the company needs at least one director who is ordinarily resident in Singapore and a registered local address.
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How it works
Incorporation covers a name approval, a constitution, the register of shareholders and directors, and the appointment of a company secretary within the statutory period. Filing is normally done through a registered filing agent when the owners are not local, because agents have access to the system and can also supply the resident director role.
Commonly mixed up with
Company registration and a work pass are often treated as one step. Owning a Singapore company does not by itself give you the right to work in Singapore.
How do you register a company in Singapore as a foreigner?
| Knowledge, Singapore | Business and finance |
|---|---|
| Short answer | A private limited company is incorporated with ACRA through its online filing system, and a foreign owner can hold all of the shares. The binding condition is local presence: the company needs at least one director who is ordinarily resident in Singapore and a registered local address. |
| How it works | Incorporation covers a name approval, a constitution, the register of shareholders and directors, and the appointment of a company secretary within the statutory period. Filing is normally done through a registered filing agent when the owners are not local, because agents have access to the system and can also supply the resident director role. |
| Commonly mixed up with | Company registration and a work pass are often treated as one step. Owning a Singapore company does not by itself give you the right to work in Singapore. |
| Last reviewed | 2026-08-08 |
Short questions
- Can a foreigner own 100 percent?
- Full foreign ownership of a private limited company is permitted.
- Do I need to be in Singapore?
- Incorporation is done online, and the resident director requirement stands regardless.
- What is a company secretary?
- A statutory officer that must be appointed within the period ACRA publishes.
- Is the register public?
- Company details are on the public register and can be searched.
- Where are the rules?
- ACRA publishes incorporation requirements and filing duties.
Sources
More in this track
- How does a foreign owner open a corporate bank account in Singapore?
- When does a Singapore company have to register for GST?
- How is a Singapore company taxed on its profits?
- Can you get an Employment Pass to run your own Singapore company?
- What are an employer's CPF duties in Singapore?
- What does a company need for a registered office in Singapore?
- What must a Singapore company file every year?
- When does a business in Singapore need a MAS licence?
- What changes when you hire locally instead of relocating staff to Singapore?
These pages explain how the rules work and link the authority that owns them. They are not legal, tax or immigration advice, and amounts and thresholds change, so open the source before you act.
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