SGSingapore · Asia's Gateway JurisdictionCompany Formation in Singapore
Set up a Singapore Private Limited Company (Pte Ltd) via ACRA's BizFile+ — 100% foreign ownership, a 17% headline tax with substantial partial exemption, and a 90+ treaty network. Partner-led formation, banking introductions and compliance, end to end.
- 100% foreign ownership on Pte Ltd, branch & RO
- BizFile+ incorporation in 1–3 working days
- English common law · ACRA / IRAS / MAS aligned
Speak with a Singapore formation specialist
Tell us about your business and vehicle preference — a senior advisor replies within one business day.
Filings coordinated across ACRA, IRAS, MAS & MOM · banked across Singapore's Tier-1 institutions
Asia's benchmark corporate domicile
Singapore — Asia's regional headquarters jurisdiction — a mature Companies Act regime, a digitised regulator and a tax system built for genuine substance, not just a mailbox.
100% Foreign Ownership
Across the great majority of activities — no local partner required for a standard Pte Ltd, branch or representative office.
17% Tax, Lower in Practice
Partial Exemption applies a tiered exemption on the first S$200,000 of chargeable income — well below the 17% headline for SMEs.
90+ Double Tax Treaties
The broadest DTA network in Asia, plus 0% capital gains tax and 0% dividend withholding tax to most jurisdictions.
English Common Law
A mature Companies Act 1967 regime, a digitised regulator (ACRA) and an English-language commercial environment.
The right vehicle for every entry strategy
Pte Ltd is the right answer for almost every foreign-owned setup. Branch and representative offices are for narrow cases. Select a structure to see it in full.
Private Limited Company (Pte Ltd)
Singapore's flagship limited liability vehicle under the Companies Act 1967, incorporated through ACRA's BizFile+ portal. Minimum 1 shareholder, minimum 1 director (must be Singapore-resident — citizen, PR or EntrePass / Employment Pass holder). Minimum paid-up capital S$1. Used for the vast majority of foreign-owned setups across financial services, trading, tech, consultancy and holding structures.
- Minimum 1 shareholder, 1 Singapore-resident director
- Minimum paid-up capital S$1
- Incorporated via ACRA's BizFile+ portal
- Right vehicle for the vast majority of foreign-owned setups
A Singapore base is a regional gateway
A Singapore holding or operating entity sits at the centre of a 680M+ market — the reason most regional and global groups choose it as their Asia-Pacific headquarters jurisdiction.
- Strategic ASEAN gateway — 680M+ regional market access
- English-language commercial & legal environment
- World-class banking sector for cross-border treasury
- 90+ DTA network reaching most regional trading partners
- Diagram: Singapore at the centre, connected to Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam and India.
One partner, from ACRA to compliance
Avyanco runs Singapore setup as a coordinated cross-regulator engagement — ACRA, IRAS, MAS (where regulated), MOM — under one client partner.
Vehicle scoping first
Pte Ltd / branch / RO — the right vehicle depends on activity, liability appetite and regional intent. Wrong choice creates expensive restructures later.
Resident director coverage
Singapore-resident director is statutory. We provide nominee director arrangements drafted with proper protective documentation where the founder is non-resident.
Documentation built right
Constitution, Form 45, BizFile registration, IRAS setup and corporate compliance pack prepared to ACRA standards from day one.
Tax positioning
Partial Exemption, Start-Up Tax Exemption (SUTE), GST registration timing and DTA access positioned at structuring — not retrofitted at the first tax return.
Banking introductions
Introductions to DBS, OCBC, UOB and international bank partners with the right KYC pack — Singapore banking is rigorous but accessible with the right preparation.
Ongoing compliance
Annual ACRA return, IRAS Form C-S / Form C filing, GST returns, company secretary services and AGM coordination run on a single retainer.
Your Pte Ltd in five considered steps
Five steps. Standard Pte Ltd incorporation completes in 1 to 3 business days via BizFile+ for fully-prepared applications; banking and ongoing setup runs in parallel.
Pre-Incorporation Scoping
Confirm Pte Ltd is the right vehicle, scope shareholder + director structure (Singapore-resident director mandatory), choose share capital, reserve company name through BizFile+, draft Constitution.
ACRA Incorporation via BizFile+
Incorporation application submitted through ACRA's BizFile+ portal. Certificate of Incorporation, Business Profile (BizFile) and UEN (Unique Entity Number) issued — typically same-day or within 1–3 business days for ready applications.
Statutory Appointments & Compliance Setup
Company Secretary appointed within 6 months (Singapore-resident, qualified). Registered office address fixed (Singapore physical address, not a P.O. box). First AGM and financial year-end scoped. IRAS Corporate Tax file activated.
Banking & Tax Registrations
Singapore corporate bank account opening (separate KYC — see banking note). GST registration with IRAS if annual taxable turnover exceeds or is expected to exceed S$1M. CPF account where Singaporean / PR staff are hired.
Visas & Operations
Employment Pass (EP) / EntrePass / ONE Pass via Ministry of Manpower (MOM) for foreign directors and key staff. Dependant's Pass for spouses + children. Ongoing accounting, annual filing of Form C-S / Form C with IRAS, annual ACRA filing.
What you'll need
- Passport copies of all directors, shareholders and ultimate beneficial owners
- Proof of residential address for all directors and shareholders (last 3 months)
- Proposed company name (3 options recommended for ACRA reservation)
- Business activity / SSIC code(s)
- Share capital and shareholding structure
- Singapore-resident director particulars (we provide nominee where required)
- Registered office address in Singapore (we provide where required)
- Constitution (Avyanco prepares — Model Constitution or bespoke)
Trusted by founders & regional groups
4.8 / 5 from 735+ Google reviews
We had an excellent experience working with this company for our ADGM company setup in Abu Dhabi.
I have been dealing with Akshta for more than a year now and she has been very professional.
In so far as the emigration process can ever be made easy, Avyanco achieves exactly this.
We are very satisfied with Avyanco's support for Nanasu Realty — especially across AML compliance, accounting, and company setup.
I've used the services of Avyanco twice over the past 3 years for visa processing, and they have never failed to impress me.
I had an excellent experience with Avyanco Business Setup Consultancy for both my company formation and family dependent visa process in the UAE.
Your Singapore engagement team
Partner-led Singapore practice — five partner-level advisors with hands-on Pte Ltd, branch and regulated-entity setup experience.
Vikas Dhingra
Chief Financial Officer · Tax & Structuring
Chandy Joseph
Sales Director · UAE Company Setup
Ishan Naruka
Head of Growth · Free Zones & Expansion
Pritesh Mehta
Head of Operations · Visas & PRO Services
Astha Joshi
Team Manager · Business Development
Dhirendra Khadka
Business Development Manager · Tax & Company Formation
Singapore Company Formation — Frequently Asked Questions
01Can I own 100% of a Singapore Pte Ltd as a foreign founder?
Yes — Singapore permits 100% foreign ownership across the great majority of activities. Specific licensed sectors (some financial services, telecoms, media, defence) have their own ownership rules and licensing regimes. Avyanco confirms the rule against the specific activity at the scoping stage.
02Do I need a Singapore-resident director?
Yes — Singapore's Companies Act 1967 requires at least one ordinarily-resident director (a Singapore citizen, Permanent Resident, or holder of an EntrePass / Employment Pass / Dependant's Pass with appropriate employment authorisation). Where the founder is non-resident, Avyanco arranges a nominee director with proper protective documentation (director duties, indemnity, scope-limitation deed) to preserve the founder's operational control.
03What is the corporate tax rate in Singapore?
The headline Corporate Income Tax rate is 17% on chargeable income. However, Partial Tax Exemption (PTE) applies a tiered exemption — currently 75% on the first S$10,000 and 50% on the next S$190,000 of normal chargeable income — bringing the effective rate well below 17% for SMEs. New qualifying start-ups can access Start-Up Tax Exemption (SUTE) for their first 3 YAs. Singapore applies no tax on capital gains, no dividend withholding tax to most jurisdictions, and operates a 90+ Double Taxation Agreement network.
04How long does Singapore company formation take?
ACRA's BizFile+ portal typically incorporates a Pte Ltd within 1 to 3 business days of full document submission for a ready application. Where additional regulatory clearance is required (e.g., name uses restricted terms, or the activity is licensed by MAS or another regulator), incorporation can take 14 days to several weeks. Singapore corporate bank account opening is a separate process and typically takes 4 to 10 weeks depending on profile.
05Do I need to register for GST?
GST registration with IRAS is mandatory when annual taxable turnover exceeds S$1 million (retrospective basis), or is expected to exceed S$1 million in the next 12 months (prospective basis). Voluntary registration below the threshold is available for businesses that prefer to reclaim input GST. The standard GST rate is 9% as of 1 January 2024.
06Can Avyanco help me open a Singapore bank account?
We prepare incorporation documents and a Singapore-bank-standard KYC pack and introduce clients to DBS, OCBC, UOB and international bank partners (HSBC, Standard Chartered, Citi, JP Morgan). Each bank runs its own independent KYC and AML review under MAS guidelines — we cannot guarantee acceptance, but well-prepared applications close at one of the panel banks within the standard window.
Ready to set up your Singapore company?
Speak to an Avyanco partner about a Pte Ltd, branch or representative office scoped to your regional strategy — from ACRA incorporation to ongoing IRAS compliance.
+971 58 828 8968 · Mon–Fri, 9am–6pm GST