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Living in France does not stop you from owning a Singapore company outright. The filing has to come from an ACRA-registered corporate service provider (CSP), the board needs one Singapore-resident director, and the state charges are S$15 for the name and S$300 for registration. France and Singapore signed a full tax treaty with a 5% dividend rate for substantial company holders. French residents also carry a separate duty to declare accounts held abroad. Checked . This page is a guide we run for partner referrals, not a statement from ACRA, IRAS or any provider.
What should a French founder check before filing?
| Item | Finding for France | Source body |
|---|---|---|
| Treaty | Full convention, MLI changes applied | IRAS |
| Dividend cap | 5% or 15% | Treaty Article 10 |
| Entry | Absent from the visa list | ICA |
| Accounts abroad | Form 3916 with the tax return | French tax office |
| Public documents | Apostille route exists | HCCH |
What is in the France and Singapore tax treaty?
IRAS publishes the convention. It was concluded on , entered into force on and applies from . An earlier convention came before it. The Multilateral Instrument changes entered into force on .
Article 10 lets the paying company's country tax dividends up to 5% of the gross amount when the beneficial owner is a company holding at least 10% of the capital, and up to 15% otherwise. A dividend that a Singapore company pays to a French resident is exempt from any Singapore tax on dividends charged on top of the company's own tax. So the treaty bites mostly on what happens at the French end. Singapore's own corporate rules are in corporate tax in Singapore.
Does a French resident declare a Singapore bank account?
The French tax office says residents declare each account opened, held, used or closed abroad during the year. The form is 3916, filed with the annual income tax return. The stated penalty is 1,500 euros per undeclared account, and 10,000 euros per account where the state has no administrative assistance agreement with France. We did not read whether the higher figure applies to Singapore, so check that too.
The page speaks of personal accounts. It does not say whether the account of a company you own is covered. Put the question to a French tax adviser before the account is opened, not after the first return.
Do French citizens need a visa for Singapore?
France is missing from the ICA list of travel documents that need an entry visa. ICA warns that a visa is no promise of entry and asks all travellers to complete the SG Arrival Card in the 3 days before arrival. Attending meetings is fine. Working in the company is a different matter, and Employment Pass and EntrePass each set their own conditions.
Must a French owner live in Singapore?
No. ACRA sets no residence rule for shareholders. It does require a CSP to file for a foreigner and at least one board member who is ordinarily resident in Singapore. Many French founders ask a local partner or a nominee director to sit there. You will also need a registered address in Singapore.
Do French documents need an apostille?
ACRA's foreigner rules list no certification step. Should your provider ask for certified papers, the Apostille Convention has applied to France since and to Singapore since . An apostille is the formal way to prepare a French public document, for instance an extract from a French company register if a French company will be a shareholder.
What comes after the filing?
Once ACRA approves the filing you hold a UEN. Next comes the bank account: business bank account in Singapore lists what to prepare. We found no bank statement published about French applicants, so we say nothing on that point. For the company form itself, read private limited company. Approval often follows soon after payment, and complex filings can take up to 15 working days.
Want a provider to take over the paperwork? Use the quote form and mention France.
Sources
- IRAS: Singapore and France convention, consolidated text: dates, MLI order, dividend article.
- French tax office: declaring foreign accounts: form 3916 and penalties.
- ICA visa guidelines: the visa list and arrival card.
- HCCH status table: France's entry date.
- ACRA rules for foreigners: CSP and resident director.
- ACRA fee schedule: the S$15 and S$300 charges.
