Setting Up in Singapore
1. Sole-Proprietorships
- A sole-proprietorship is a business owned by one person or one company. There are no partners. The sole-proprietor has absolute say in the running of the business.
- https://www.acra.gov.sg/components/wireframes/howToGuidesBasic.aspx?Pageid=1774
2. Partnership
- A partnership is a business firm formed by two to twenty partners. Once there are more than twenty partners, the partnership must be registered as a company under the Companies Act, Cap. 50.
- https://www.acra.gov.sg/components/wireframes/howToGuidesBasic.aspx?Pageid=1775
3. Limit Liability Partnerships : LLPS
- A Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) is a vehicle for doing business in Singapore. An LLP gives owners the flexibility of operating as a partnership while having a separate legal identity like a private limited company.
- This means that the LLP is seen as a body corporate and has a legal personality separate from its partners. The LLP has perpetual succession, which means any change in the partners of an LLP will not affect its existence, rights or liabilities.
- The partners of the LLP will not be held personally liable for any business debts incurred by the LLP. A partner may, however, be held personally liable for claims from losses resulting from his own wrongful act or omission, but will not be held personally liable for such wrongful acts or omissions of any other partner of the LLP.
- An LLP is required to keep accounting records, profit and loss accounts and balance sheets that will sufficiently explain the transactions and financial position of the LLP. In the event the LLP does not do this, the LLP and every partner shall be prosecuted and the penalty may be a fine or imprisonment, or both. In addition, the LLP shall submit to the Registrar an annual declaration of solvency or insolvency (i.e. being able or unable to pay its debts respectively) which will be made available to the public.
- https://www.acra.gov.sg/components/wireframes/howToGuidesBasic.aspx?Pageid=1777
4. Company
- A company is a business entity registered under the Companies Act, Chapter 50. It has a legal personality i.e. it has rights to own properties, has perpetual succession and can sue or be sued in its own name. It usually has the words 'Pte Ltd' or 'Ltd' as part of its name.
- https://www.acra.gov.sg/components/wireframes/howToGuidesBasic.aspx?Pageid=1776
5. Foreign Company
- A branch of a foreign company can be registered via BizFile+ using SingPass or CorpPass upon the approval of its name.
- The person registering the branch of a foreign company is advised to engage a registered filing agent (e.g. law firm, accounting firm or corporate secretarial firm) to submit an online application on your behalf.
- https://www.acra.gov.sg/components/wireframes/howToGuidesSummary.aspx?pageid=1048