What documents does a foreigner need?

Identity documents

For every shareholder and director, you’ll need a valid passport (for foreigners). Clear, in-date, and matching the names you’ll use on the company. This is the foundation of the whole process, so getting clean copies ready up front saves time.

Proof of address

Each individual involved typically needs a recent proof of residential address — something like a utility bill or bank statement showing your name and home address, usually dated within the last few months. This is standard due diligence and applies to owners and directors wherever they live.

KYC and due diligence

Corporate service providers in Singapore are required to run KYC (know-your-customer) checks on everyone involved. This is normal and applies everywhere reputable. Expect to confirm your identity, your address, and sometimes the nature and source of your business. It’s a sign you’re working with a proper provider, not a red flag — the cheap setups that skip this are the ones that cause problems later.

Company details to decide

Beyond documents, you’ll need to have decided a few things: your proposed company name (which gets checked with ACRA), what the business will do, who the shareholders and directors are and their shareholding split, your registered address arrangement, and your initial paid-up capital. Having these settled before you start makes the filing quick.

What makes it go smoothly

Clean, current documents and clear answers. The delays almost always come from blurry scans, expired documents, mismatched names, or vague answers about the business. If you prepare proper copies and know your basic details, incorporation is usually faster than people expect. A good provider will give you an exact list tailored to your situation so nothing’s missing.

See our incorporation service, or the full foreigner setup guide.