One of the best-governed countries on Earth
Clean, efficient government, low crime, and courts built for commerce have made Singapore the place much of Asia's wealth calls home.
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Singapore
Permanent residence in Asia's financial capital, one of the best-governed countries on Earth, for business owners, founders, and family office principals.
- Population
- 6 million
- Language
- English, Malay, Mandarin, Tamil
- Currency
- Singapore dollar (SGD)
- Time zone
- SGT (UTC+8, no DST)
- Capital
- Singapore (city-state)
- GDP per capita
- ~US$90K
Asia's financial capital
Singapore's banks anchor the fortress tier: Reaching an account there takes a foreign legal process, in a foreign court, under foreign law.
Permanent residence from the start
The Global Investor Residency grants permanent residence on approval, with a 5-year re-entry permit, to business owners, founders, and family office principals.
Foreign income generally untaxed
If you become a tax resident, foreign income you receive is generally exempt, Singapore doesn't tax capital gains, and personal rates top out at 24%.
A base for business across Asia
Changi Airport puts most of Asia within a few hours, and English is the language of business, law, and daily life.
A city in a garden
Chinese, Malay, Indian, and Peranakan cultures meet in the hawker centers and shophouse streets, and the Botanic Gardens are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
One Route into Singapore
Each route below is a live client engagement we have advised. Figures and timelines reflect the current state of each program; we update them whenever policy moves.
Global Investor Residency
ResidencyPermanent residence for investors with a major business record who invest S$10M in a Singapore business, S$25M in a GIP-select fund, or set up a family office that deploys S$50M in Singapore. Spouses and children under 21 join the same application.
Several routes, several ideal profiles. Which is right for you? The Freedom Consult is where we figure out your ideal path forward, and whether Singapore is even the right country.
Get my BlueprintA Taste of Singapore
How much do you need to invest for Singapore permanent residence?
How much do you need to invest for Singapore permanent residence?
S$10M in a Singapore business, S$25M in a GIP-select fund, or a family office managing S$200M that deploys S$50M in Singapore, through the Global Investor Residency. Each route also needs a major business record.
How long does it take to get Singapore citizenship?
How long does it take to get Singapore citizenship?
Permanent residents 21 and older can apply after 2 years. Approval is at the government's discretion, and Singapore requires you to give up your other citizenships.
Can I buy property to get residency in Singapore?
Can I buy property to get residency in Singapore?
No. Property doesn't count toward the Global Investor Residency.
How does Singapore tax new residents?
How does Singapore tax new residents?
Only if you become a tax resident, after 183 days in a calendar year. Foreign income you receive is then generally exempt, and capital gains aren't taxed. If you're a US citizen, you file US taxes too. We review your position before you move.
Can my family come with me?
Can my family come with me?
Yes. Your spouse and unmarried children under 21 receive permanent residence on your application. Parents and older children can join on a Long-Term Visit Pass.
Will I have to give up my US citizenship?
Will I have to give up my US citizenship?
Not for permanent residence. Singapore requires it only if you later become a Singapore citizen.
Eight Factors, Against the US Baseline
The dimensions that decide whether a place is workable once the visa lands.
English
The language of business
English is the language of government, law, business, and school, so you can live and work without a language barrier.
Cost of living
Among the highest in Asia
Housing and cars cost more than in most major US cities, while hawker food and public transport cost far less.
Taxes
Low, and territorial in practice
Personal rates top out at 24%, capital gains aren't taxed, and foreign income received by residents is generally exempt.
Quality of life
Efficient and green
Clean streets, parks across the island, and a food culture of its own, in a city that works the way you'd expect.
Safety
Among the safest
Singapore ranks among the safest countries in the world, with very low crime and strict, consistent enforcement.
Travel connectivity
A global hub
Changi Airport has nonstop flights to the US, Europe, and Australia, and most of Asia is a short flight away.
Infrastructure
World-class
Public transport, utilities, and internet are among the best anywhere, across the whole island.
Healthcare
Excellent and costly
Private hospitals are among Asia's best. Permanent residents can use the public system too, and private insurance adds faster access to specialists.
Content on Singapore
Deeper coverage of Singapore from the Freedom Files library: Long-form articles and video deep dives.
Aug 8, 202611 min readWhy Balaji Srinivasan Gave Up His US Citizenship for Singapore (and What the Wall Street Journal Missed)
Tech founder and investor Balaji Srinivasan spent 20 years building a half-billion-dollar portfolio in America, then traded his US passport for Singaporean citizenship in 2023. The Wall Street Journal came after him for it. Here is what Singaporean citizenship really grants and takes away, what renouncing US citizenship costs under the exit tax and covered expatriate rules, and the three lessons his sequence teaches any American building a plan B abroad.
United States- Citizenship
Sep 1, 202613 min readOffshore Banking for Americans in 2026: How to Open a Foreign Bank Account Legally (FBAR, FATCA, and CRS Explained)
The price of doing offshore banking wrong can reach $165,000 per account, per year. Here is how Americans open foreign bank accounts 100% legally in 2026: What an offshore account is, why wealthy investors bank abroad, the FBAR, FATCA, and CRS rules that define the game, the 5 reasons it might be wrong for you, and the 6 steps to open an account that fits your profile.
- United States
- Tax