Registering as a foreign company branch

1. Approved business name and transaction number

You need to choose and reserve a business name before you register.

2. Corppass credentials

For corporate service providers (CSPs)

3. Foreign company's details

Required information:

• Country or region of incorporation or registration (home country)

• Foreign business registration number (registration number in home country)

• Date of incorporation in home country

• Legal form of foreign company

• Type of foreign company (with or without share capital)

• Address of registered office in home country

4. Singapore branch's details

Required information:

• Registered office address where ACRA and others can send communications and notices:

  • Must be a Singapore address

  • Does not need to be your place of operation

  • Cannot be a P.O. box address

• Office hours: Must be open and accessible to the public for at least three hours during normal business hours on each business day

• Business email address

5. Each position holder's personal details

Foreign company branch officers and authorised representatives are called position holders.

• Authorised representative: Must appoint one authorised representative who meets local residency requirements. The representative can be held personally responsible if the company does not meet its legal requirements.

• Personal details: Identification type and number, full name and date of birth

6. Each position holder's residential address

All position holders must provide their residential address when they register.

Note: Members of the public can view this address when they buy information about your business.

• You can register a contact address instead to keep your residential address private.

• ACRA will still send all official letters to your residential address.

7. Each position holder's contact address and contact details

You can file a contact address that meets these requirements:

• Must be in the same country as your residential address

• Must be a place where you can receive messages (like an office or CSP's office)

• Cannot be a P.O. Box address

Note: There are no fees to register a contact address.

8. Nominator and controller details

You need to state whether the company is exempt from maintaining these registers from the date of incorporation:

• Registers of Nominee Directors (ROND) and Nominee Shareholders (RONS)

• Register of Registrable Controllers (RORC)

If your company is not exempt, check what you need to prepare to provide these details:

• Nominator details (if your company has nominee directors or shareholders)

• Controller details (if you are able to identify your company's registrable controllers)

• Details of individuals with executive control (if you are unable to identify your company's registrable controllers)

9. Foreign company branch documents

You need to prepare:

• Certificate of incorporation certified as a true copy by an official who holds the original document and has a role equivalent to ACRA in your company's home country

• Latest financial statements prepared in your company's home country (if required)

Note: Certify your certificate of incorporation at least four months before you apply (unless you have ACRA approval).

10. Certified foreign company's constitution

Prepare a copy certified as a true copy by any of these people:

• Official who holds the original document and has a role equivalent to ACRA in your company's home country

• Notary public

• Director, manager or secretary of your foreign company by affidavit (or by statutory declaration if your company was formed within the Commonwealth)

• Registered qualified individual who will lodge your registration documents and has verified your constitution's authenticity

Note: Certify your constitution at least four months before you apply (unless you have ACRA approval).

11. Certified translations for non-english documents, if any

You must provide a certified English translation for any document not written in English.

Translations made outside Singapore must be certified by one of these officials:

• Official who holds the original document and has a role equivalent to ACRA in your company's home country

• Notary public or sworn translator in your company's home country

• Singapore consular officer in your company's home country

Translations made within Singapore must be certified by a person approved by ACRA.

Fees

$300 (one year)

Payment method

Credit card, debit card, or online banking

Processing time

Most registrations are approved soon after payment. Complex applications may take up to 15 working days.

Applications that need extra approval from referral authorities: 14 to 60 days