Short answer: Yes. A founder from France, the Netherlands or elsewhere in the EU can register a Singapore private limited company, but ACRA requires foreigners to engage a registered corporate service provider, and the company needs at least one director who is ordinarily resident in Singapore (Companies Act s145(1)). Tax treaties differ by country, and home-country tax rules sit outside ACRA.
Last checked against ACRA, IRAS, MOM pages on 31 October 2026. Rules change, so confirm before you act.
What does a Singapore company need?
| Requirement | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|
| A registered corporate service provider | Foreigners must engage a CSP to reserve the company name and register the company. | ACRA |
| A director who is ordinarily resident in Singapore | At least one director who is ordinarily resident in Singapore (Companies Act s145(1)). See our guide to the resident director rule. | ACRA · Companies Act s145 |
| A company secretary | Appointed within six months of incorporation. A real person whose principal or only place of residence is in Singapore (s171(1)), and not the sole director. | ACRA · Companies Act s171 |
| A Singapore registered office | A Singapore address to which communications and notices can be sent (Companies Act s142). | Companies Act s142 |
| At least one shareholder | ACRA says every company must have at least one shareholder, and the minimum number of issued shares is one. | ACRA |
What does it cost?
ACRA charges fees for the name application and for registration, set out on ACRA's site. For AAA's packages, what each includes and current fees, see our pricing page. Source: ACRA.
How does registration work from France or the Netherlands?
Your corporate service provider files the registration through Bizfile using Corppass. With AAA, we work with you on the documents and identity verification before we file. ACRA says most registrations are approved soon after payment, and complex applications may take longer. Source: ACRA.
Home-country rules that sit outside ACRA
How France or the Netherlands taxes a company or shareholding held abroad, and what reporting applies to you, depends on your own position. Ask a French or Dutch tax adviser before you incorporate. AAA does not give French, Dutch or other EU tax or legal advice. The tax administrations publish their own information: impots.gouv.fr for France and the Belastingdienst for the Netherlands. For another EU country, start with that country's tax authority.
Tax agreements: France and the Netherlands
Tax agreements are made country by country, so what applies to a founder from France differs from one from the Netherlands. IRAS publishes the Singapore-France convention for the avoidance of double taxation (concluded 15 January 2015, in force from 1 June 2016) and the Singapore-Netherlands convention (concluded 19 February 1971, in force from 3 September 1971). IRAS says each has been modified by the Multilateral Instrument (MLI). How either applies depends on your facts, so take tax advice. Source: IRAS list · IRAS: Singapore-France · IRAS: Singapore-Netherlands.
If you are from another EU country, check the IRAS list of tax agreements for your country. For Singapore's own company tax rules, see our corporate tax guide and IRAS. There are also separate guides for German founders and UK founders.
If you plan to move to Singapore
If you want to move to Singapore to run the company, ACRA says you need a work pass, and MOM decides pass applications. Read our guide to starting a company on an EP, EntrePass or Dependant's Pass, and check MOM's passes and permits pages. AAA does not apply for work passes or give immigration advice.
Questions to settle before you start
- Who will be the director who is ordinarily resident in Singapore (Companies Act s145(1)), and will you be moving to Singapore yourself?
- Who will hold the shares, and in what proportions?
- Who will be your company secretary, a named individual whose principal or only place of residence is in Singapore (s171(1))?
- Will you or the company need advice in your home country on tax or reporting before you incorporate?
Frequently asked questions
Can an EU citizen register a Singapore company?
Yes. ACRA says foreigners must engage a corporate service provider to reserve the name and register, and the company needs at least one director who is ordinarily resident in Singapore (Companies Act s145(1)).
Do I need a Singapore resident director?
Yes. The company must have at least one director who is ordinarily resident in Singapore (Companies Act s145(1)). See our resident director guide for who ACRA says qualifies.
How much does it cost to incorporate?
ACRA charges fees for the name application and for registration. For AAA's current packages, see our pricing page.
Do French or Dutch tax rules apply to me if I own a Singapore company?
That depends on your own position, so ask a French or Dutch tax adviser before you incorporate. AAA does not give French, Dutch or other EU tax or legal advice.
Is there a tax treaty between Singapore and France or the Netherlands?
Yes, for each. IRAS publishes a Singapore-France convention (concluded 15 January 2015, in force from 1 June 2016) and a Singapore-Netherlands convention (concluded 19 February 1971, in force from 3 September 1971), both modified by the Multilateral Instrument. How they apply depends on your circumstances, so take tax advice.
Does AAA apply for work passes?
No. AAA does not apply for work passes or give immigration advice. MOM decides pass applications.
Sources
- ACRA: Step 1, requirements and eligibility (last updated 29 Jan 2026)
- ACRA: ways to set up foreign businesses in Singapore (engage a CSP)
- ACRA: Step 4.6, registering a local company via Bizfile
- ACRA: Step 4.3, choosing company directors and other key officers (last updated 29 Jan 2026)
- ACRA: Step 2, choosing a business structure
- Companies Act 1967, s145 (directors)
- Companies Act 1967, s171 (company secretary)
- Companies Act 1967, ss142 and 143 (registered office)
- MOM: passes and permits
- IRAS: list of DTAs, limited DTAs and EOI arrangements
- IRAS: Singapore-France avoidance of double taxation convention
- IRAS: Singapore-Netherlands avoidance of double taxation convention
- IRAS: corporate income tax rate, rebates and tax exemption schemes
- impots.gouv.fr (French tax administration)
- Belastingdienst (Dutch Tax Administration): individuals
- AAA Corporate Services: published packages and pricing
This guide is general information, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Rules change, so confirm current requirements with ACRA, MOM and IRAS and your own advisers.
Related guides
- How to Register a Singapore Company as a Foreigner (2026 Guide)
- Resident Director in Singapore: Who Qualifies? (2026)
- Open a Singapore Company from Germany (2026 Guide)
Talk to AAA Corporate Services
AAA Corporate Services Pte. Ltd. is a Singapore corporate services firm for incorporation, company secretarial, accounting and tax. Tell us your plans and we will explain the registration steps and documents. Fees are published, include ACRA fees where stated, and carry no GST.
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