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If you live in Germany you can register a Singapore company and hold all the shares. ACRA expects a registered corporate service provider (CSP) to submit the filing, one director has to be resident in Singapore, and the government charges are S$15 for the name plus S$300 to register. Germany and Singapore have a full tax treaty. On the German side, the Bundesbank asks residents holding 10% or more of a foreign company to report it once that company is large enough. Checked . Nothing here is advice from ACRA, IRAS or a provider. We are a guide paid by partners for referrals, and the form forwards your request to them.
What should a German founder check before filing?
| Item | Finding for Germany | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Tax treaty | Full agreement plus a protocol | IRAS |
| Dividend cap | 10% or 15% at the source | Treaty Article 10 |
| Entry | Not on the visa-required list | ICA |
| Home-country report | Annex K3 at 10% or more and over 3 million euros of assets | Bundesbank |
| Public documents | Apostille route exists | HCCH |
Does Germany have a tax treaty with Singapore?
Yes. IRAS publishes the agreement on income and on capital. It was concluded on , came into force on and took effect from . A protocol signed on entered into force on , and its terms apply from . Germany also figures among the 86 treaties Singapore notified for the Multilateral Instrument.
Article 10 sets the dividend caps. The country where the paying company sits may tax the dividend, up to 10% of the gross amount if the recipient is a company owning at least 25% of the capital directly, and up to 15% in every other case. A further paragraph lets Germany go above 15% in one narrow situation, so the whole article needs reading. Singapore's side is in corporate tax in Singapore.
Does Germany require a report on a foreign shareholding?
The official source is the Bundesbank's guidance on reporting the level of direct investment. It rests on Sections 64 and 65 of the Foreign Trade and Payments Regulation, read with the Foreign Trade and Payments Act. Residents, individuals included, must report when they hold 10% or more of the shares or voting rights in a non-resident enterprise and that enterprise's total assets are above 3 million euros.
The report is annual and goes through the Bundesbank's reporting portal. It is due by the last working day of the sixth month after the balance sheet date. A new company will normally sit well under the asset line, but it may cross it as it grows. We are not advisers, so ask the Bundesbank or a German tax adviser about your own position.
Do German citizens need a visa for Singapore?
The ICA visa page does not list Germany. The page also warns that a visa is no promise of entry, and it asks every traveller to complete the SG Arrival Card in the 3 days before arriving. Turning up for meetings is allowed. Doing the company's day-to-day work is not, unless you hold a pass: Employment Pass has the salary floor and EntrePass is the start-up route.
Can a German founder keep the board in Germany?
Not entirely. Ownership can stay with you, but ACRA wants at least one director who is ordinarily resident in Singapore. German founders usually seat a local partner or a nominee director there. The company also needs a corporate secretary and a registered office on the island.
A company directed from Germany may attract German tax attention. We found no official figure to quote, so treat that as a question for your adviser.
What about German documents and an apostille?
ACRA's foreigner page lists no certification step, so any request for certified papers comes from the provider's own onboarding. If one does, note that Germany has been party to the Apostille Convention since and Singapore since . An apostille is therefore the formal way to prepare a German public document. Ask the provider whether it wants one at all.
How does the filing run?
Your CSP reserves the name on Bizfile, files the registration, and collects passport and address proof for each officer. ACRA often approves quickly after payment, and complex cases can take up to 15 working days. You then hold a UEN and can apply for the bank account and any pass. ACRA's S$315 is the state part only. If the company will hold stakes in other firms later, see Singapore holding company.
Prefer to have a provider handle it? Send the quote form and mention Germany.
Sources
- IRAS: Singapore and Germany agreement, consolidated text: dates, protocol, dividend article.
- IRAS: treaties notified under the MLI: Germany on the list.
- Bundesbank: guidance on reporting direct investment: the 10% and 3 million euro thresholds.
- ICA: visa guidelines: the visa list and arrival card.
- HCCH: Apostille status table: Germany's entry date.
- ACRA fee schedule: the S$15 and S$300 charges.
