Set Up a Singapore Company Without Visiting: The Singapore Side of a True Story (2026)

Published: 20 October 2026 · Reviewed by Ray Tay, Co-Founder & Managing Director, VIVOS PTE. LTD. (ACRA Filing Agent FA20240323 · MOM EA Licence 24S2425)

You can set up a Singapore company without visiting Singapore in 2026: foreigners must use a corporate service provider (CSP) to reserve the name and register, and ACRA approves most registrations soon after payment. The company still needs a director who meets local residency rules, a company secretary within six months and a Singapore registered office.

Key facts (as of October 2026)

Foreigners file through a CSP; when a CSP files, the other position holders do not need to endorse (ACRA, checked 9 October 2026).
Fees: S$15 name application + S$300 registration (ACRA, updated 29 January 2026).
Timing: most approved soon after payment; complex applications up to 15 working days (ACRA, updated 24 September 2026).
Officers: one director who meets local residency rules and a company secretary within six months (ACRA, checked 9 October 2026).

By Ray Tay · Published 20 October 2026 · Last reviewed 9 October 2026 · Reviewed by Ray Tay, VIVOS

The true story, in 76 seconds: Set Up a Singapore and Hong Kong Company Without Flying In (2026).

How do you set up a Singapore company without visiting?

Through a CSP, in five steps. ACRA says foreigners “must engage a Corporate Service Provider (CSP) to reserve a name and register a business structure” (ACRA, checked 9 October 2026). A corporate service provider files with ACRA on a company’s behalf; VIVOS Pte. Ltd. files as an ACRA Registered Filing Agent (FA20240323).

Registering a Singapore private company from abroad through a CSP (checked 8 October 2026)
Step	What happens	Fee or time
1. Reserve the name	The CSP applies for the company name in Bizfile	S$15
2. Prepare the details	Financial year end, officers’ and shareholders’ details and addresses, share capital, controllers, constitution	Your preparation time
3. File	The CSP files; other position holders need not endorse	Not applicable
4. Pay	Registration fee	S$300
5. Approval	Notice of incorporation, unique entity number (UEN) and business profile in Bizfile	Most soon after payment; complex up to 15 working days; referral authorities 14 to 60 days

Sources: ACRA Bizfile guide and ACRA fees.

Who can be the local resident director?

A Singapore citizen, a permanent resident, or a valid Employment Pass, Personalised Employment Pass or Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass holder. ACRA: “Every business must have at least one local resident in Singapore”; for a company, that is at least one director. Employment Pass holders first need a Letter of Consent from the Ministry of Manpower (ACRA, checked 9 October 2026).

What else must be in place locally?

Company secretary: within six months of registration; a natural person who is a Singapore citizen, permanent resident or meets local residency rules, and not the sole director (ACRA, checked 9 October 2026).
Registered office: a Singapore address for ACRA’s notices and the company’s records, open to the public during normal business hours. It need not be where the business operates.

What did the Singapore company do in this story?

It is the ASEAN half of a two-company plan. A textile trader from Europe wanted a Singapore company to buy from mills across ASEAN and a Hong Kong company to buy from factories in Taiwan and mainland China, and was about to book flights to both. After one joint call with our Singapore and Hong Kong teams, one checklist and one set of documents, VIVOS Pte. Ltd. and VIVOS Corporate Services (HK) Ltd. incorporated both companies the day after we had all the information. The trip: saved.

Do you need to come to Singapore later?

Not to incorporate. ACRA notes: “If foreigners want to move to Singapore to run their business, they need a work pass.” A bank account is a separate step that follows each bank’s own checks. If the company will pay or be paid by a Hong Kong sister company, plan those payments first: Singapore and Hong Kong have no comprehensive tax treaty.

Frequently asked questions

Can a foreigner set up a Singapore company without visiting Singapore?

Yes. ACRA says foreigners must engage a corporate service provider (CSP) to reserve a name and register a business structure, and when a CSP files the registration, the other position holders do not need to endorse it. Most registrations are approved soon after payment. In this VIVOS client story, the Singapore company was incorporated the day after VIVOS had all the information, with no trip.

Who can be the local resident director of a Singapore company?

Someone who meets ACRA’s local residency rules: a Singapore citizen, a Singapore permanent resident, or a valid Employment Pass, Personalised Employment Pass or Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass holder. Employment Pass holders must first seek a Letter of Consent from the Ministry of Manpower before taking up the role (ACRA, checked 9 October 2026).

What are ACRA’s fees and processing times for a new company?

S$15 to apply for the company name and S$300 to register the company (ACRA, updated 29 January 2026). ACRA says most registrations are approved soon after payment; complex applications may take up to 15 working days, and registrations that need approval from referral authorities take 14 to 60 days (ACRA, updated 24 September 2026).

Does a Singapore company need a company secretary from day one?

Not from day one, but soon: ACRA requires a company secretary within six months of registration, and the position cannot stay empty for longer than that. The secretary must be a natural person who is a Singapore citizen, permanent resident or meets local residency rules, and cannot be the sole director (ACRA, checked 9 October 2026).

Running both sides?

Read the full guide: set up a Singapore and Hong Kong company without flying in, the Hong Kong side, Hong Kong company incorporation without visiting, why Singapore and Hong Kong have no tax treaty and the series hub. More on Singapore: how fast you can incorporate and the resident director rule for foreign founders. Next: Series 3, 2027 Rule Changes, starts Wed 21 Oct 2026 with the UAE e-invoicing deadline. Free consultation: vivos.com.sg/contact-us or WhatsApp +65 8827 7870.

Sources

ACRA, Registering a local company via Bizfile (updated 24 September 2026) and ACRA, Service and transaction fees (updated 29 January 2026): checked 8 and 9 October 2026.
ACRA, Requirements and eligibility (rules for foreigners) and ACRA, Company directors and other key officers: checked 9 October 2026.
Hong Kong Companies Registry, FAQ: Incorporation (Hong Kong side of the story): checked 8 October 2026.

Reviewed by Ray Tay, VIVOS. Facts checked 8 October 2026. General information, not tax advice. VIVOS PTE. LTD. · UEN 202416468C · ACRA Registered Filing Agent FA20240323 · MOM EA Licence 24S2425 · 14B Stanley Street, Singapore 068733. Hong Kong counterpart: VIVOS Corporate Services (HK) Ltd., BR 80545137. Group companies: VIVOS (M) Sdn. Bhd. (Malaysia) 202501057568 (1658974-A) · VIVOS Corporate Services L.L.C. (UAE) Commercial Licence No. 1638200.