Representative Office

Apply for Representative Office

Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG)

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Application Details

Foreign entities that are keen to explore opportunities in the region may wish to set up a Representative Office (RO) in Singapore.

Foreign entities from the manufacturing, international trading, wholesale, trade and trade-related business sectors that are keen on exploring the viability of doing business in Singapore or are interested in using Singapore as a launch pad into the Asia Pacific, may wish to set-up a Representative Office (RO). By setting up an RO, it allows a foreign entity to assess the business environment in Singapore before deciding to set up a permanent establishment.

An approved RO of a foreign commercial entity may operate in Singapore for a validity period of one year only from its commencement date. An extension of RO will only be granted on a case-by-case basis and is subjected to approval. Each RO may only operate for up to a maximum of three years. ROs which decide to continue their presence in Singapore thereafter should register their operations with the Accounting & Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) of Singapore.

All new applications of foreign commercial entities must fulfill the following criteria:
i) Sales Turnover of the foreign entity must be US$250,000 or more;
ii) No. of years of establishment of the foreign entity must be 3 years or more and
iii) Proposed No. of staff for RO should not be more than 4 people.
iv) All foreign entities should have CORPPASS Account prior to RO application. The nominated CORPPASS Admin staff should have a valid NRIC/FIN number.
v) For those foreign entities without any staff with NRIC/FIN number., please engage a local 3rd party proxy to apply for RO application on your behalf.

New applications must be accompanied by the following documents:-
i) Softcopy attachment (in English or an official English translation*) of the foreign entity’s Certificate of Incorporation or Registration Certificate (as applicable) - *translation must be performed by a professional translation services company;
ii) Softcopy attachments of the foreign entity’s latest Audited Accounts and 
iii) Write up on the purpose of setting up an RO and to elaborate on the RO activities to be conducted in Singapore (in official letterhead) and to be signed off by the Parent Organization Authorized Personnel.

FAQ

1.    Purpose/Restrictions
1.1.    What is the purpose and objective of Representative Office (RO)?
An RO is a temporary facility provided to foreign companies to study the business environment in Singapore. A Commercial RO must comply with activities which is limited to only market research and feasibility studies such as:
•    Collect information about markets, competitors or customers.
•    Conduct research on the demand for the product or service; potential customers' needs and price expectation.
•    Gather information on regulatory requirement related to establishing a permanent entity in Singapore.
•    Cultivate trade contacts and handle product enquiries.
•    Participate in exhibitions and trade shows.

The RO must not render any direct or indirect revenue generation activities on behalf of its parent organization or provision of service.

1.2.    Can an RO of Foreign Commercial entity remain as RO indefinitely even when the RO is strictly a Cost/Service/Support Centre or conducting activities within the RO scope?
No. An approved RO of a Foreign Commercial Entity may operate in Singapore for a validity period of one year only from its commencement date. An extension of RO will only be granted on a case-by-case basis and is subjected to approval for up to a maximum of three years.

Parent companies which intend to remain as Cost/Service/Support Centres (after being ROs here) are required to register their business/operations with the Accounting & Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) at http://www.acra.gov.sg/ even if they do not intend to carry out commercial transactions.

1.3.    My company was registered with Enterprise Singapore as a Representative Office (RO) in the past. Can I apply to re-register as RO?
No. If you wish to have a presence in Singapore, you are required to incorporate an entity with the Accounting & Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) of Singapore. For more information, please visit their website http://www.acra.gov.sg/.

1.4.    Must the assigned Chief Representative be stationed in Singapore?
The assigned Chief Representative should be stationed in Singapore as he/she is responsible for the RO matters in Singapore. The Chief Representative is to be contactable (via email or phone) for EnterpriseSG to reach out whenever required.

1.5.    Can companies apply to re-register as RO if they have registered with Enterprise Singapore as a RO in the past?
No. If companies wish to have a presence in Singapore, they should incorporate an entity with the Accounting & Corporate Authority (ACRA) of Singapore. For more information, please visit their website at http://www.acra.gov.sg/.

2.    Industry Sectors under Enterprise Singapore
2.1.    Which are the sectors under the purview of Enterprise Singapore?
Enterprise Singapore registers Representative Offices (ROs) from the manufacturing, international trading, wholesale, trade and trade-related business sectors.
Other sectors such as banking, finance, insurance, legal, etc. come under the charge of other statutory authorities in Singapore. The ROs registered by Enterprise Singapore must comply with all the Terms and Conditions governing it.

2.2.    If the foreign company's business is outside the purview of Enterprise Singapore, who should they turn to if they wish to register a representative office in Singapore?
For the banking, finance, financial exchanges and insurance sectors, they may approach the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). For more details, please visit MAS' website at http://www.mas.gov.sg/.

For foreign law practice applying for a representative office, they may approach the Ministry of Law (MinLaw). For more details, please visit MinLaw's website at https://www.mlaw.gov.sg/.

All other foreign entities may register/incorporate a branch office/company with the Accounting & Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA). For more details, please visit ACRA’s website at http://www.acra.gov.sg/.

2.3.    Do Foreign Government Trade Promotion Agencies, which are interested in setting up Representative Offices, need to register with Enterprise Singapore?
Yes. Enterprise Singapore is the authority to approve the establishment of a Foreign Government Trade Promotion Representative Office. 

You are required to attach (i) an official letter outlining (a) the functions/activities of your parent organization, (b) your proposed RO activities, and (c) your proposed RO Chief Representative name and staff strength; and (ii) the latest Audited Accounts of the parent organization, if available. Enterprise Singapore reserves the rights to request for additional information and/or supporting documents, when necessary.

2.4.    Do Charitable organizations, Foundations, Voluntary/Welfare/Social Service/Humanitarian/ Religious Groups, etc. fall under the purview of Enterprise Singapore?
No. Charitable organizations, Foundations, Voluntary/Welfare/Social Service/Humanitarian/ Religious Groups are not eligible to apply for an RO. Alternatively, they may approach the Accounting & Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) to register an entity.

3.    Application/ Registration Fee and Payment Mode
3.1.    How do I apply for an RO?
To apply for an RO, applicant is required to create a Corppass Account via Corppass before they can access to the RO application page. Applicant may refer to Section 5 on the creation of Corpass account.

3.2.    What are the criteria for applying an RO?
•    Sales Turnover of the Foreign Entity must be US$250,000 or more.
•    No. of Years of Establishment of the Foreign Entity must be 3 years or more.
•    Proposed no. of RO Staff Representative should not be more than 4.

3.3.    The foreign company does not meet the turnover of >US$250,000. Can it use its group financial statement to apply on behalf?
No. The foreign company cannot use the group's consolidated accounts to apply.

3.4.    What is the registration fee of an RO?
A registration fee of S$200 (net) is payable for each new online application which is valid for one (1) year.  The registration fee is non-refundable even if the application or renewal is unsuccessful or withdrawn.

3.5.    What are the modes of payment available?
Only Debit or Credit Card (Visa, Master, Amex) is accepted when making payment.

3.6.    Will there be any receipts issued?
The receipt will be emailed to applicant via the system once payment has been processed.

3.7.    How long will take to approve my RO application?
Processing time will usually take about fourteen (14) working days from the time you submit your RO application. We may contact you via the GoBusiness portal if more clarifications are required.

3.8.    Should I fill in proxy or applicant company details under contact details?
The contact details in the "Account Registration Details" page must be the contact details of the person who is submitting the application.

If the submitter of the RO application is not a staff from the applicant company, he/she has to select "Proxy User" as the User Type. A Proxy User is responsible to complete the online application and is required to declare that all the particulars & supporting documents are correct.  Therefore, the Proxy User should be from a Service Provider.

4.    Supporting Documents
4.1.    What are the documents required during the application process?
Applicant is required to provide the following documents upon submission of application:
•    Softcopy attachment (in English or an official English translation*) of the foreign entity’s
Certificate of Incorporation or Registration Certificate (as applicable)
*translation must be performed by a professional translation services company 
•    Softcopy attachments of the Foreign Entity’s latest Audited Accounts.
•    Write up on the purpose of setting up an RO and to elaborate on the RO activities to be conducted in Singapore (in official letterhead) and to be signed off by the Parent Organization Authorized Personnel.

4.2.    Do I need to provide all supporting documents in English, if they are in other languages?
Official English translation of the parent company's Certificate of Incorporation (applicable to new applications only) is required. English translation of Annual Reports/Audited Accounts is required only upon Enterprise Singapore's request.

4.3.    Would Enterprise Singapore accept translation by in-house (non-native) staff?
All official English translation for the parent company’s Certificate of Incorporation must be done by a Professional Translation Company.

4.4.    Do I need to obtain certification or notarization by a competent person (lawyers) on all supporting documents, including the Certificate of Incorporation?
This is unnecessary as we do accept photocopies of supporting documents.

4.5.    Are Audited Accounts required for renewal application?
No. Audited Accounts are not required for renewal. However, Enterprise Singapore has the prerogative to request for your parent organization's latest Audited Accounts, if necessary.

4.6.    Why does Enterprise Singapore still require the latest Audited Accounts when the turnover and net profit/loss figures are also sought?
The latest Audited Accounts are required to allow Enterprise Singapore to process the new application and for verification purposes.

4.7.    My company is newly incorporated and we are unable to provide the latest Audited Accounts. Can I still register for RO?
You may submit your application together with the Ultimate holding/parent company's/major share holders' latest Audited Accounts for consideration.

4.8.    My company (in my home country) is not required to file audited account. Can I still register for RO?
Yes, applicant has to provide (i) a copy of the latest Unaudited Accounts/Financial Statement and (ii) their Tax Authority’s public info on exemption of Audited Accounts applicable to the applicant company.

4.9.    The Parent Organization has changed name before the new application is approved. What documentation should company provide?
Company needs to provide the previous and current Certificate of Registration.

5.    Corppass
5.1.    What is Corppass?
Corppass is the authorisation system for entities to manage digital service access of employees.

5.2.    How do I register for Corppass Account if I do not have any FIN/NRIC numbers?
All foreign entities should have CORPPASS Account prior to RO application. The nominated CORPPASS Admin staff should have a valid NRIC/FIN number.  For those foreign entities without any staff with NRIC/FIN number, please engage a local 3rd party proxy to apply for RO application on your behalf.

5.3.    Who do I contact if I have any issues during the Corppass account registration process or have more questions on Corppass-related matters?
You may contact Corppass Support helpdesk for assistance.
•    Corppass Support:
Email: support@corppass.gov.sg
Helpdesk: +65 6335 3530 (Mon to Fri, 8am-8pm; Sat, 8am-2pm; closed on Sun & Public Holidays
•    For further support: FAQs / User Guides

6.    Name and Address/Leasing premises of RO
6.1.    What would happen if the name of the RO/parent company is the same as that of a local company?
Enterprise Singapore will seek the advice of the Accounting & Corporate Regulatory Authority
(ACRA) before accepting the name for registration.

6.2.    Can the RO apply for a name, which is different from its parent company?
No. The name of the RO must be the same as the parent company.

6.3.    What do I have to do if my parent company's name has been changed?
You have to notify Enterprise Singapore through GoBusiness portal at http://www.gobusiness.gov.sg/ within one month after the change. The notification of name change must be accompanied by a copy of the parent company's Certificate of Change in name (in English or official English translation).

6.4.    Is an RO allowed to sign a lease for its local office premises?
Yes, as long as leased space is meant only for the RO's use.

6.5.    Can an RO register its local address at a residential/private (non-approved office) apartment and use it as its office premises?
You will have to seek Urban Redevelopment Authority’s (URA) approval for changing of the use of private residential property.

The Housing & Development Board (HDB) does not allow ROs to use HDB residential address as its business address since the business would not belong to the Home Office applicant.

6.6.    How do I seek approval from URA?
You have to seek URA's written approval (either online/email is acceptable). Kindly seek approval in writing, despite the URA's website indicating that no approval is required. User has to email to URA and request official letter from them.

6.7.    What happens if an RO leases part of its premises to another establishment? What kind of action(s) will Enterprise Singapore take against it?
The RO should not lease its office to other establishment(s) for a fee. This breaches Enterprise Singapore's Terms and Conditions. A RO failing to comply with the stipulated Terms and Conditions may be de-registered.

6.8.    Can I pay a Corporate Secretary for usage of their office address as the RO's address?
Yes. As long as the address is an office address, RO can use the Corporate Secretary's address as the RO's address.

7.    Currencies to be used in completing the Form
7.1.    Must the RO provide the figures for Authorised Capital, Paid-up Capital, Sales Turnover and Business Spending in Singapore according to the currencies stated in the application form?
Yes.

7.2.    Why are some figures such as Authorised Capital, Paid-up Capital and Sales Turnover required to be stated in US currency and others like Business Spending in Singapore currency?
Enterprise Singapore requires the currency in US Dollars where the money earned/turnover is at the parent company's country. This is to facilitate the applicant to simply state the currency with which the transaction was carried out. Enterprise Singapore requires the currency in Singapore Dollars where the money spent by the RO is in Singapore.

7.3.    Can a foreign company use its country's currency when declaring turnover and net profit figures?
No. The foreign currency must be converted into US currency at the rate standing at the time of completing the form.

8.    Staffing strength/Representatives
8.1.    Can a distributor/agent, a service provider, a secretary or a friend/3rd party of the foreign company/organization represent the RO as the appointed representative/staff?
No, the appointed representative must be either a staff from the HQ of the parent company/organization or a Singapore employee of the parent company/organization. The appointed representative's main function is to represent the parent company/organization.

8.2.    How do foreign expatriates obtain Employment Passes (EPs)?
Employment Pass application forms can be obtained from the Ministry of Manpower. For more details, please visit MOM's website at: http://www.mom.gov.sg/.

8.3.    Do I need to put all staff name in proposed/existing representative section?
Yes, you will need to put all the staff name and their designation.

8.4.    Can Commercial RO employ a foreigner as Secretarial/Clerical staff?
No. Secretarial/clerical staff must be employed locally (can be PR or Singaporean).

8.5.    When I employ subsequent representatives, must approval be obtained from Enterprise Singapore before approaching MOM to apply for EP?
Yes. You are required to submit a Profile Amendment application via the portal with the names and designation of the additional representatives. 

8.6.    Can the Chief Representative salary be paid in his own country or in Singapore?
The salary arrangement is between the company and its staff.

9.    Upgrading/Closure/De-Registration of an RO and Rejection of Applications
9.1.    Will Enterprise Singapore de-register the RO if its parent company is dormant?
Yes. Enterprise Singapore will de-register the RO.

9.2.    Will Enterprise Singapore give reasons for rejecting RO application?
Enterprise Singapore reserves the right not to provide any reason for rejecting an RO application.

9.3.    What would happen if the RO did not confine its activities to just market research and feasibility studies? Or conduct activities beyond the allowable scope?
ROs failing to comply with the stipulated Terms and Conditions may be de-registered.

10.    Renewal Notification
10.1.    Will there be any notification to remind me to renew my RO?
An email reminder will be sent to the Account Registration two (2) months before the expiry date of your RO.

RO will be required to apply as a New application in GoBusiness portal each time they submit for a renewal as the Renew function in the portal is not applicable for RO.

Enterprise Singapore will proceed to de-register the RO of there is no response from the RO or its HQ within seven (7) days from the date of email reminder. Please note that it is the responsibility of the company to submit your RO application at least seven (7) days before the expiry date of the current approval.  Application is subjected to approval and on a case-by-case basis.

10.2.    Are there any possibilities to extend my RO beyond the stipulated 3 years? Will there be any exception?
There will be no further renewal extension of RO status after the maximum period of 3 years.

11.    Unique Entity Number (UEN)
11.1.    What s UEN and will there be a UEN issued to my RO?
The Unique Entity Number (UEN) is the standard identification number of an entity.  An RO will have a UEN as its identification number.  All entities in Singapore, including Representative Offices (ROs) registered with Enterprise Singapore, will be issued with a UEN.  For more information on UEN, please visit http://www.uen.gov.sg/.

Additional Information

Fees
Annual Fee: $200
Processing Time: 14 working days (estimated)
The registration fee is non-refundable even if the application or renewal is unsuccessful or withdrawn.

Documents Needed

All new applications must be accompanied by the following documents:

• Softcopy attachment (in English or an official English translation*) of the foreign entity's
  Certificate of Incorporation or Registration Certificate (as applicable)
  *translation must be performed by a professional translation services company
• Softcopy attachments of the foreign entity's latest Audited Accounts
• Write up on the purpose of setting up an RO and to elaborate on the RO activities to be conducted in Singapore (in official letterhead) and to be signed off by the Parent Organization Authorized Personnel.

Requirements

All new applications of foreign commercial entities must fulfill the following criteria:

• Sales Turnover of the foreign entity must be US$250,000 or more
• No. of years of establishment of the foreign entity must be 3 years or more
• Proposed No. of staff for RO should be not more than 4 people