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If you live in Saudi Arabia, you can own all of a Singapore private company, but you cannot file it yourself. ACRA says foreigners must use a registered corporate service provider (CSP), and the board needs one locally resident director. Government fees are S$15 for the name and S$300 to register, S$315 in total. Checked . The site you are reading, SingaporeCompanySetupGuide.com, has no tie to ACRA or to any provider. It earns referral fees, and the form below sends your request to firms that may suit you.
What is different for a Saudi founder?
Four checks matter most: entry rules, the tax treaty, document authentication and the route for your money. The standard steps are in register a company as a foreigner.
| Topic | Position for Saudi Arabia | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Filing | Registered CSP files; one resident director | ACRA |
| Entry visa | Saudi Arabia is not on ICA's visa-required list | ICA |
| Tax treaty | Full DTA plus a Limited DTA, both in force | IRAS |
| Apostille | In force for Saudi Arabia from | HCCH |
| Saudi rules on holding a foreign company | Not found on an official page | None |
Does a Saudi passport need a visa for Singapore?
On the ICA visa guidelines page, the list of countries whose passport holders must hold an entry visa does not include Saudi Arabia. That is a statement about the list, not a promise of entry: ICA can still refuse entry, and you must submit the SG Arrival Card within 3 days before you arrive. Rules can differ for other travel documents, so ICA asks people with doubts to write to it with a copy of the passport. Visiting does not give you the right to work. A founder who wants a salary from the company needs a pass, covered in Employment Pass.
What does the Singapore and Saudi Arabia tax treaty cover?
IRAS shows two arrangements with Saudi Arabia. One is a full treaty to avoid double tax, in force, modified by the Multilateral Instrument (MLI), with no arbitration provision. The second is a Limited DTA, also in force, which the MLI has not modified. IRAS does not print withholding rates on that list, so we give none. Open the treaty PDFs that IRAS links, or ask a tax adviser, before you decide whether to pay dividends, fees or interest to Saudi Arabia. Singapore's own tax is described in corporate tax in Singapore.
Are Saudi documents accepted in Singapore with an apostille?
Saudi Arabia joined the Apostille Convention by accession on , and it took effect on , according to the HCCH status table. Singapore's own date is . A Saudi public document, such as a company certificate for a corporate shareholder, can therefore carry an apostille instead of going through consular legalisation. ACRA's foreigner pages do not list this as a requirement. Your provider decides what it wants, so ask before you pay for any stamp.
Does Saudi Arabia restrict owning a company abroad?
We found no official Saudi page that sets out a rule on a resident holding a Singapore company, so we say nothing about one. Ask a Saudi lawyer or accountant whether you must report the holding, and keep the share register and company accounts ready in case someone asks.
Who can be the resident director?
The seat has to be held by someone ACRA accepts as resident: a citizen, a permanent resident or a holder of a listed pass. A Saudi owner with no contact in Singapore usually rents a nominee, and nominee director in Singapore lists the duties that person carries. The company also needs a local office address and a secretary. See registered address in Singapore.
What are the steps from Saudi Arabia?
- Pick a CSP and send the name you want, your activity and the shareholder details.
- The CSP applies for the name on Bizfile at S$15.
- You send passport copies and address proof for each officer, scanned.
- The CSP files the registration and pays S$300.
- You receive the UEN and the certificate, then open the bank account. See business bank account in Singapore. Bank rules for Saudi nationals are not published by ACRA, so ask each bank.
If you later move to Singapore to run the firm, the Employment Pass floor for new applications is S$5,600 a month at the youngest age band, and the company must pass COMPASS. EntrePass asks the holder to own at least 30% of the company. See EntrePass.
If you later move to Singapore to run the firm, the Employment Pass floor for new applications is S$5,600 a month at the youngest age band, and the company must pass COMPASS. EntrePass asks the holder to own at least 30% of the company. See EntrePass.
Prefer to hand the work over? Use the form on this page, say you are in Saudi Arabia, and quotes come back in writing.
Sources
- IRAS: Saudi Arabia in the treaty list: Saudi Arabia treaty status.
- ICA: who needs a visa: visa-required list and arrival card.
- HCCH: members of the Apostille Convention: Saudi Arabia dates.
- MinLaw: Singapore and the Apostille Convention: date Singapore joined.
- ACRA: what foreigners need: why a CSP and a local director are needed.
- ACRA: fee schedule: the two government charges.
- MOM: Employment Pass eligibility: salary floor.
- MOM: EntrePass eligibility: 30% holding.
