Can a foreigner buy a property in Singapore?

Buying property in Singapore as a foreigner is attractive if you intend to live in Singapore for the long term. The nation’s good governance, political stability, transparency, efficiency and ease of doing business make it.

Who’s Considered a Foreigner?

You’re considered a foreigner if you are not:

• a Singapore Citizen

• a Singapore company,

• a Singapore limited liability partnership or

• a Singapore association.

Singapore Permanent Residents (PRs) are also considered foreigners.

Types of Private Property a Foreigner can buy

Only in certain areas and with special permission. You will need to write to the Land Dealings Approval Unit and apply online on SLA’s website when looking to purchase the following:

• Vacant residential land

• Terrace house

• Semi-detached house

• Bungalow/detached house

• Strata landed house which is not within an approved condominium development under the Planning Act (e.g. townhouse or cluster house)

• Shophouse (for non-commercial use)

The approval is on a case-by-case basis. As SLA puts it, applicants stand a better chance if they can show proof that they have made an "exceptional economic contribution to Singapore”.

Taxes

Buyer's Stamp Duty (BSD) is tax paid on documents signed when you buy or acquire property located in Singapore. On top of BSD, foreigners are required to pay additional buyers' stamp duty, also known as ABSD.

Since April 2023, an ABSD rate of 60% applies to foreigners buying residential property in Singapore.

However, there is an exemption for nationals or PRs from:

• USA

• Switzerland

• Liechtenstein

• Norway

• Iceland