Incorporating a Subsidiary Company, Representative Office or Branch Office

Understanding key differences between these 3 Business Structures is an important step towards expanding your business venture.

Documents/information required for registration of a Subsidiary Company:
- A certificate of incorporation of the parent company
- An extract from the Registrar of Companies that shows the current registered address and directors of the parent company
- A corporate resolution authorising a specific individual to sign necessary subsidiary documents on behalf of the parent company
- Passport particulars and residential address details of individuals who will act as the directors of the Singapore subsidiary
- Signed Consent to Act As Director by each proposed director
- Registered address details for the Singapore subsidiary
- Memorandum & Articles of Association for the Singapore subsidiary
Documents/information required for registration of a Branch Office:
- A certified copy of the Certificate of Incorporation of the foreign company
- A certified copy of the Constitution of the foreign company
- Particulars of the directors of the foreign company
- A memorandum of appointment and details of at least 1 person resident in Singapore who will act as the authorised representative for the Singapore branch office
- A memorandum executed by or on behalf of the foreign company stating the powers of the local authorised representative
- Details of the registered office address in Singapore
Documents/information required for registration of a Representative Office:
- Copy of the parent Company’s Certificate of Incorporation or Registration Certificate
- Copy of the parent company’s latest annual report and audited accounts
- Duly endorsed undertaking to abide by the Terms and Conditions governing the representative offices in Singapore
Special Notes regarding Representative Office
- The entity of a Representative Office is temporary. To continue operations in Singapore, it must upgrade to a subsidiary company or a branch office after three years
- A Representative Office must be renewed annually during the initial three-year period
- A Representative Office cannot hire more than five employees
- A Representative Office is allowed to import and export sample goods from a parent company using its registration number, but strictly prohibited from involving in any commercial activities
- When its parent company becomes dormant, a Representative Office must be de-registered
VentureHaven is your One-Stop Corporate Services Provider. Contact us for a free consultation about setting up a Subsidiary Company, Representation Company or Branch Office.
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