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SingaporePermanent residence by investment

Singapore PR by investment in Singapore

The Global Investor Programme is a route to permanent residence in Singapore for owners of established businesses, heirs to family companies, founders of fast-growing startups and holders of substantial personal wealth. The applicant invests in a new or existing business, in a selected investment fund, or sets up a family office in Singapore. The programme is administered by Contact Singapore, a division of the Economic Development Board (EDB).

Visa term
Leads directly to PR; PR is renewed as long as the investment is maintained
Threshold
A qualifying investment at a multi-million level; source of funds checks
Processing time
Usually several months because of due diligence
Work
As a PR — full rights to work and run a business

Source: edb.gov.sg — Global Investor Programme, permanent residence for investment

Who can apply

You must fit one of the four EDB profiles and choose investment Option A, B or C — except for the Family Office Principals profile, which only has access to Option C.

Established Business Owners
  • At least 3 years of entrepreneurial and business experience
  • A company with an annual turnover of at least S$200 million in the most recent year and on average over the 3 years before the application
  • At least a 30% stake in the company if it is private (for a listed company — one of the largest individual shareholders)
  • The company operates in one of the industries on the EDB's approved list
Next Generation Business Owners
  • The applicant's family owns at least 30% of the company or is its largest shareholder
  • That company's turnover is at least S$500 million in the most recent year and on average over the 3 years before the application
  • The applicant is part of the company's management (for example, the board of directors)
  • The company operates in one of the industries on the EDB's approved list
Founders of Fast Growth Companies
  • The applicant is the founder and one of the largest individual shareholders of a privately held company
  • The company's valuation is at least S$500 million
  • The company has received investment from venture capital or private equity funds
  • The company operates in one of the industries on the EDB's approved list
Family Office Principals
  • At least 5 years of entrepreneurial, investment or management experience
  • Net investible assets of the applicant or their family of at least S$200 million
  • Bank deposits, capital market products, fund units and life insurance premiums count towards the total; real estate does not
  • Only investment Option C — setting up a family office — is available

What it costs

Application processing fee (EDB)20 000 SGD
Option A — investment in a new business or the expansion of an existing one in Singapore10 000 000 SGD
Option B — investment in an EDB-selected investment fund (GIP-select fund)25 000 000 SGD
Option C — assets under management of a Single Family Office in Singapore, of which at least S$50 million must be deployed in Singapore200 000 000 SGD
Total government feesThe sum of the mandatory rows in the table. the “Option B — investment in an EDB-selected investment fund (GIP-select fund)” branch replaces the “Option A — investment in a new business or the expansion of an existing one in Singapore” line — 25 020 000 SGD; the “Option C — assets under management of a Single Family Office in Singapore, of which at least S$50 million must be deployed in Singapore” branch replaces the “Option A — investment in a new business or the expansion of an existing one in Singapore” line — 200 020 000 SGD.10 020 000 SGD

Documents to gather

The full list depends on the applicant's profile and the investment option chosen; below are the documents the EDB requires in every case.

  • Notarised copies of the passport pages and of the birth certificate showing the names of both parents
  • Marriage or divorce certificate — where applicable
  • Form 4 (application for entry permit to Singapore) with a passport photograph
  • Audited financial statements of the company for the last 3 years — for the profiles based on turnover or business valuation
  • Documents on the applicant's stake in the company and a chart of the ownership structure
  • A detailed 5-year business plan — for Options A and C
  • The applicant's Curriculum Vitae
  • Confirmation of net investible assets from an audit firm, a bank, a law firm or a trust company — for the Family Office Principals profile
  • A copy of the payment instruction for the S$20,000 EDB fee

How the process runs

Assessment of a GIP application takes about 12 months where the document package is complete, and includes checks on the origin of funds.

  1. 1

    Filing the application

    The applicant sends the completed GIP forms to the EDB — online and in hard copy.

  2. 2

    Interview at the EDB

    The EDB invites the applicant to an interview about the application.

  3. 3

    Approval-in-Principle

    valid for 6 months

    If the applicant meets the criteria, the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) issues an Approval-in-Principle.

  4. 4

    Meeting the investment condition

    within 6 months of the AIP date

    The applicant makes the investment under the chosen option — A, B or C — within 6 months of the date of the AIP letter.

  5. 5

    Confirming the investment

    The applicant provides documentary evidence of the investment and signs an Investment Undertaking setting out the terms of the transaction.

  6. 6

    Final Approval

    The EDB verifies the investment documents, after which the ICA issues the Final Approval letter; for Option C you must confirm the deployment of at least S$50 million in EDB-specified investments no later than 12 months from the date of the Final Approval.

  7. 7

    Formalising permanent residence

    within 12 months of the date of the Final Approval

    The applicant must formalise Singapore permanent resident (PR) status within 12 months of the date of the Final Approval letter.

Who you can bring with you

Only a spouse and minor children may be included in the application — the criteria are the same for all four profiles.

Spouse
Included in the application as a dependant and receives PR together with the applicant.
Unmarried children under 21 on the date of the application
Included in the application as dependants. Sons who obtain PR as dependants (including dependants of the main applicant's spouse) are liable for Singapore National Service.
Parents and unmarried children over 21
Not included in the GIP application as dependants. They may obtain a Long Term Visit Pass, the validity of which is tied to the validity of the applicant's Re-Entry Permit.

Trips, renewal and the grace period

Minimum presence requirements for renewing PR

Once PR is granted, a Re-Entry Permit (REP) is issued for 5 years — without a valid REP, PR status is lost when leaving Singapore. The investment condition of the chosen option must remain fulfilled in every case. In the 5th year of PR the REP is renewed for a further 5-year term if two additional conditions are also met — the economic one and the residence one: for Option A the company employs at least 30 staff (at least half of them Singapore citizens), including a minimum of 10 new hires since the application; for Option B the S$25 million investment in the fund is maintained; for Option C the S$50 million deployment in EDB-specified investments is maintained and the family office has hired at least 5 new employees (at least 3 of them Singapore citizens); and under all three options the PR holder and all dependants who obtained PR through the application must reside in Singapore for more than half of the time. If only one of these two additional conditions — economic and residence — is met, the REP is renewed for 3 years. The renewal application is filed through the ICA's electronic system no later than 3 months before the current REP expires; once it has expired the REP is not renewed, and without a valid REP, PR status is lost when leaving the country.

How it differs from the routes next to it

The comparison is built from the official terms of the routes themselves — the source links sit on their own pages.

Singapore PR by investmentONE Pass for top professionalsWork visa for professionals
Visa termLeads directly to PR; PR is renewed as long as the investment is maintained5 years; renewable for 5 years if the income is maintained or a company with ≥5 local employees is runUp to 2 years initially; renewal for up to 3 years
GroundsInvestment in business/fundsHigh incomeProfessionals/managers
MoneyA qualifying investment at a multi-million level; source of funds checksFixed salary ≥30,000 SGD/month; the employer is a large companyMinimum salary 5,600 SGD/month (6,200 in the financial sector), higher for older candidates
WorkAs a PR — full rights to work and run a businessWork for several employers, own businessWork only for the sponsoring employer
ResidenceMinimum presence requirements for renewing PRNo strict minimum number of daysNo explicit minimum number of days

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

A direct grant of PR — the key feature

Route to citizenship

Citizenship after several years of PR

Frequently asked questions about Singapore PR by investment

Who can apply for the Global Investor Programme?
The applicant must fit one of the four EDB profiles: Established Business Owners — at least 3 years of entrepreneurial experience and a company with a turnover of at least S$200 million a year; Next Generation Business Owners — the family owns at least 30% of, or is the largest shareholder in, a company with a turnover of at least S$500 million; Founders of Fast Growth Companies — the founder of a company valued at S$500 million or more that is backed by venture capital funds; Family Office Principals — at least 5 years of experience and net investible assets of at least S$200 million. The applicant's company (except for the Family Office Principals profile) must operate in one of the industries on the EDB's approved list.
How much must be invested under the GIP?
There are three options. Option A — at least S$10 million in a new business or the expansion of an existing one in Singapore. Option B — S$25 million in an EDB-selected investment fund (GIP-select fund). Option C — a Single Family Office in Singapore with at least S$200 million of assets under management, of which a minimum of S$50 million must be transferred to Singapore and deployed in EDB-specified instruments. The Family Office Principals profile has access only to Option C.
How long does the process take and how much does it cost to apply?
Assessment of the application takes about 12 months where the document package is complete — the period includes due diligence checks. The application processing fee is S$20,000; it is paid in a single transfer before the forms are filed and is not refunded regardless of the outcome.
What does the applicant's family receive?
A spouse and unmarried children under 21 at the time of the application are included in the application as dependants and receive PR together with the applicant. Parents and children over 21 are not included in the GIP application, but may obtain a Long Term Visit Pass tied to the validity of the applicant's Re-Entry Permit. Sons who obtain PR as dependants are liable for Singapore National Service.
How is the status renewed after PR is obtained through the GIP?
Once PR is granted, a Re-Entry Permit is issued for 5 years. The investment condition of the chosen option must remain fulfilled in every case. To renew the REP in the 5th year of PR for a further 5-year term, two additional conditions must also be met — the economic one (for Option A — employ at least 30 staff, including 10 new hires, with at least half being Singapore citizens; for Option B — maintain the S$25 million investment in the fund; for Option C — maintain the S$50 million deployment in EDB-specified investments and hire at least 5 new family office employees, at least 3 of them Singapore citizens) and the residence one (the applicant and all dependants who obtained PR through the application reside in Singapore for more than half of the time). If only one of these two additional conditions is met, the REP is renewed for 3 years. The application is filed through the ICA's electronic system no later than 3 months before the current REP expires.
In which industries must the applicant's company operate?
For the Established Business Owners, Next Generation Business Owners and Founders of Fast Growth Companies profiles, the company must operate in one of the industries on the EDB's approved list: aerospace engineering, alternative energy and clean technology, automotive, chemicals, consumer goods, electronics, energy, engineering services, healthcare, infocomm products and services, logistics and supply chain management, marine and offshore engineering, media and entertainment, medical technology, nanotechnology, natural resources, safety and security, space, shipping, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, precision engineering, professional services, creative industries, sports business, and family offices and financial services.

Other ways to move to Singapore

Every route in one list — migration programmes: Singapore.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 8 August 2026.