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If you hold a US passport, Singapore asks you for no entry visa and no residency to own a company. What it does ask is a registered corporate service provider (CSP) to file, and a resident director on the board. ACRA charges S$15 for the name and S$300 to register. The US side is where it gets heavier: IRAS lists no full tax treaty with the United States, and the IRS has its own forms for foreign companies. Checked . This is an independent guide, not ACRA, IRAS or a provider, and the form below sends your request on to providers.
What is different about registering from the United States?
| Item | US nationals | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Visa to enter | None for business or social visits | Singapore embassy, Washington |
| Tax treaty | Limited DTA and EOI Arrangement only | IRAS |
| Filing a company | CSP, plus one resident director | ACRA |
| Your US duties | Form 5471 and FBAR may apply | IRS |
| Documents | Apostille route available | HCCH |
Is there a tax treaty between the US and Singapore?
Not in the usual sense. The IRAS list of avoidance of double taxation agreements shows two entries for the United States: a Limited DTA and an Exchange of Information Arrangement, both in force. Neither is a full income tax treaty. IRAS does not say on that list what the limited agreement covers, so open the PDF it links before you rely on it. In practice you plan for Singapore tax and US tax side by side. Singapore's side is explained in corporate tax in Singapore.
Do US citizens need a visa for Singapore?
No. The Singapore embassy in Washington states that US passport holders, regular, official and diplomatic, need no visa for business or social visits. The page does not give a number of days. Officers decide the stay when you arrive and the e-Pass records it. ICA does not list the United States among the countries that need an entry visa, and you must submit the SG Arrival Card within 3 days before you land.
A visit is not a right to work. If you plan to run the company day to day and draw a salary, you need a work pass. Employment Pass sets a salary floor of S$5,600 a month at the youngest age band for new applications now, and S$6,000 from 1 January. MOM charges S$105 to apply and S$225 to issue.
Which US forms does a Singapore company trigger?
Two come up most often, and both come from US agencies, not from Singapore.
- Form 5471. The IRS describes it as the information return for US persons who are officers, directors or shareholders in certain foreign corporations. Whether you must file depends on your ownership and role. Penalties for missing it are the IRS's to set, so we give no figure.
- FBAR (FinCEN Form 114). Required when the total of your foreign financial accounts exceeded 10,000 US dollars at any time in the year. Signing authority over a company account counts. Filing is electronic, due 15 April with an automatic extension to 15 October.
A Singapore provider is not a US tax adviser. Ask a US-qualified accountant before you open the Singapore account, so the forms are ready for the first year.
How does a US founder meet the Singapore director rule?
ACRA says every local company needs a director who is ordinarily resident in Singapore. You can be that person if you hold a Singapore pass of the kinds ACRA lists. Otherwise you appoint a local partner or a nominee director supplied by a provider. A nominee must tell the company about the arrangement, as nominee director in Singapore explains. You also need a company secretary, a registered office open to the public at least 3 hours a day, and share capital of at least S$1.
Do US documents need an apostille?
If your provider wants certified copies of US documents, an apostille is the official route. The Hague Conference table shows the Convention in force for the United States since and for Singapore since . The Singapore Academy of Law handles apostilles on Singapore documents. We did not find an ACRA rule that requires one for incorporation, so confirm with your provider first.
What are the steps?
- Pick a provider and give it the name options, business activity and shareholder details.
- The provider reserves the name (S$15) and files the registration (S$300).
- You supply passport and address proof for each officer.
- ACRA approves most filings soon after payment; complex ones take up to 15 working days.
- Take the UEN to the bank. Banks set their own rules for US persons, and we did not find a published rule to quote, so ask each bank directly. Business bank account in Singapore lists what to ask.
- Hand the company's accounts to your US adviser for the forms above.
Need a hand? Use the quote form and say you are a US person so providers answer on that basis.
Sources
- IRAS: list of DTAs, limited DTAs and EOI arrangements: US entries.
- Singapore embassy in Washington: visa and entry requirements: visa-free rule for US passports.
- ICA: visa guidelines: visa list and arrival card.
- IRS: Form 5471: who it covers.
- IRS: FBAR: threshold and dates.
- ACRA: foreigners registering a business: CSP and resident rules.
- ACRA: service and transaction fees: fees.
- HCCH: Apostille status table: US date.
- MinLaw: Apostille Convention in force for Singapore: Singapore date.
- MOM: Employment Pass eligibility: salary floor and fees.
