1. Validate Your Corporate Name and Share Structure

Your first step is to submit your proposed subsidiary name for approval via the ACRA BizFile+ portal. The name must be unique and avoid restricted industry terms. As Singapore imposes zero capital controls, you can incorporate with a minimum paid-up capital of just S$1, and you may denominate your corporate shares in any major currency, including USD, GBP, EUR, or SGD.

2. Appoint Your Resident Nominee Director

Singapore law strictly mandates that every Pte Ltd must have at least one director who is ordinarily resident in the country. If your executive team is managing the subsidiary remotely from overseas, you must appoint a professional nominee director. Engage Mezzanine Enterprise’s nominee director services to fulfil this requirement and build your company's good standing.

3. Establish a Registered Commercial Address

You must register a physical Singapore business address to handle all official government correspondence. Virtual P.O. Boxes are legally prohibited. If you do not intend to lease physical commercial office space immediately, you can leverage a professional registered address and mailroom service provided by Mezzanine Enterprise to satisfy this statutory requirement.

4. Execute Incorporation and File Your Register of Registrable Controllers (RORC)

As you do not have local SingPass digital credentials, work with a  licensed Registered Filing Agent like Mezzanine Enterprise to submit your incorporation paperwork. Upon successful registration, you are legally required to establish a Register of Registrable Controllers (RORC) within 30 days, which identifies your ultimate beneficial owners (UBOs) and must be lodged electronically with ACRA’s central database.

5. Open Your Corporate Bank Account and Appoint a Corporate Secretary

Once ACRA approves your subsidiary, you can initiate your corporate bank account application. Be prepared to provide local Tier One banks with comprehensive commercial documentation, including proof of source of wealth and parent company standing.

At the same time, you must formally appoint a resident Corporate Secretary within six months of your incorporation date to manage your ongoing statutory compliance and annual filings. You can easily appoint a Corporate Secretary to fulfil this requirement with Mezzanine Enterprise.