The Singapore golden visa is the Global Investor Programme, which grants permanent residence to approved business owners who invest S$10 million, S$25 million or set up a family office with at least S$200 million under management. It is a program for large business owners and wealthy families, not for ordinary investors.
Singapore does not use the name golden visa, but searchers use it for the Global Investor Programme, run by the Economic Development Board. The program raised its thresholds sharply in 2023, and the application fee rose in 2025. This guide explains who qualifies, the three investment options, the cost, the family rules, how renewal works, the smaller EntrePass route for founders and the mistakes to avoid. The investment options, applicant profiles and recent changes come from a Singapore advisory page updated on 6 September 2026 and a blog post published on 21 September 2026. The 2023 increase comes from an industry news report dated 3 March 2023. These are secondary sources, and the blog post comes from an insurance adviser, so confirm every figure with the Economic Development Board and the Ministry of Manpower before you plan. If you are an American planning a move, your passport comes first, and our US passport guide covers how to get or renew one.
Is There a Singapore Golden Visa in 2026?
Yes, in the form of the Global Investor Programme, but only for applicants with very large businesses or family offices. It gives permanent residence, not a temporary permit.
Both 2026 sources describe the program as open. The advisory page says approved investors receive permanent residence for themselves and their immediate family, and that thresholds were raised sharply in 2023. The 2023 news report puts numbers on that change: the minimum for Options A and B rose from S$2.5 million to S$10 million and S$25 million, effective 15 March 2023. Compare this with the cheaper European routes in our Greece golden visa and Italy golden visa guides. Singapore sits at the top end of the price range.
Who Is Eligible?
Applicants must fit one of four profiles: established business owner, next-generation owner, founder of a fast-growth company or family office principal. Turnover and ownership tests are strict.
The blog post gives these profiles:
- Established business owners: At least three years of track record, company turnover of S$200 million in the prior year and on average over three years, and at least 30 percent shareholding if the company is privately held.
- Next-generation business owners: Immediate family holds at least 30 percent or is the largest shareholder, turnover of S$500 million, and the applicant is on the management team.
- Founders of fast-growth companies: The founder is one of the largest individual shareholders of a non-listed company valued at S$500 million, backed by reputable venture capital or private equity firms.
- Family office principals: At least five years of entrepreneurial, investment or management experience and net investable assets of S$200 million. This profile is generally limited to Option C.
The advisory page states the established owner test in rounder terms, with average turnover around S$200 million and a meaningful shareholding of roughly 30 percent. The numbers agree on the main points. Treat both as indicative, because the Economic Development Board assesses each case.
What Are the Three Investment Options?
Option A needs S$10 million in a business, Option B needs S$25 million in an approved fund and Option C needs a family office with S$200 million under management. The table compares them.
| Option | Minimum | What you do |
| A: Business | S$10 million | Invest in a new or existing Singapore business |
| B: GIP-Select fund | S$25 million | Invest in an approved fund that backs Singapore companies |
| C: Single family office | S$200 million under management, S$50 million deployed | Set up a family office in Singapore |
The blog post adds that under Option C at least S$50 million must be transferred in and deployed in investments specified by the Economic Development Board, and that by year five the office must add at least five professionals, at least three of them Singapore citizens. The 2023 news report adds that Option A applicants must hire at least 30 employees, at least half of them Singapore citizens, including ten new hires, to be eligible for the Re-Entry Permit after five years. That hiring detail comes from a 2023 report only, so confirm whether it still applies.
What Does It Cost Beyond the Investment?
The application fee is S$20,000, raised in May 2025, and the blog post says hard copies of documents are due within one month of payment. Other costs depend on your structure.
The advisory page says the application fee rose to S$20,000 in May 2025, and the blog post gives the same amount, paid by bank transfer. Neither source gives a full cost list for legal, tax and structuring fees. Ask your adviser for a written estimate before you pay anything. For Option C, the advisory page says tax-side rule changes took effect in August 2026, including a mandatory private banking account and wider source-of-wealth screening, and that a class licensing exemption for single family offices applies from June 2026. If you plan to use that route, ask a Singapore adviser how those rules apply to your office.
Who Can Be Included in the Application?
Approved investors receive permanent residence for themselves and their immediate family, which the advisory page names as the spouse and unmarried children under 21. The blog post does not list family members for Option C.
Because the sources differ on detail, ask the Economic Development Board in writing which family members your option covers. If you have adult children or dependent parents, they may need separate routes. Our visa documents checklist tool helps you keep identity, relationship and financial papers together, and the visa processing time calculator helps you plan around waits.
How Does Renewal Work?
The permanent residence itself does not expire, but the Re-Entry Permit lasts five years and needs renewal. Renewal depends on keeping up your commitments.
The advisory page says the PR granted under the program does not expire, and that the Re-Entry Permit is the part that requires renewal. It says renewal depends on one or more of these:
- Maintaining the qualifying investment.
- Meeting business or employment milestones, for Options A and B.
- The family living in Singapore for a sufficient share of the period.
The page says the Re-Entry Permit renews on evidence of substance. That means the program expects real activity in Singapore, not a passive holding. Plan the business, the hiring and the family’s presence from the start, and keep records that prove each point.
How Long Does It Take?
Neither source gives a firm processing time for the Global Investor Programme. The blog post says the investor visa process “typically” takes around 8 weeks in its FAQ, but it gives that figure only as a general estimate.
The advisory page says assessment is case by case and states no timeline. Plan for a longer process, because the Economic Development Board reviews turnover, ownership and source of wealth. A realistic plan allows time for preparing audited accounts, shareholder records and tax documents before you even file. Ask your adviser what timing they have seen for your option, and do not commit funds on the basis of a quoted number alone. A written timeline from a licensed adviser, with the steps and the documents each step needs, is far more useful than a single headline figure.
What Is the EntrePass Route?
EntrePass is a separate Ministry of Manpower pass for tech founders, with small fees and no large investment, but it is not the Global Investor Programme. It suits start-up founders, not wealthy investors.
The blog post describes it this way:
- Company: A registered private limited company that is venture-backed and owns innovative technology.
- Extra conditions: The applicant meets at least one of several tests, such as raising at least S$100,000 in a single funding round, backing from a recognized incubator, a successful past exit, registered intellectual property or a research collaboration in Singapore.
- Fees: S$105 to apply and S$225 to issue each pass.
- Timeline: About 8 weeks, according to the blog post.
The blog post says EntrePass offers a similar pathway to permanent residence, but it does not give conditions, so treat that as unconfirmed. If you are a founder with a small team, this is the realistic path to explore. For comparison, see how work and business routes work in our US business visa and Canada business visa guides.
Does It Lead to Citizenship?
The sources disagree: the blog post mentions potential future citizenship, while the advisory page covers permanent residence only. Do not plan on a passport.
The blog post says the program grants PR with potential future citizenship. The advisory page does not address citizenship at all. Singapore decides naturalization case by case, and permanent residence is only a step. For a US citizen, a second passport would not remove US tax reporting. Speak with a cross-border tax adviser before you restructure a business or move assets.
How Do You Spot a Singapore Golden Visa Scam?
Be careful with any agent who offers Singapore residence for a small investment, because the minimum is S$10 million. The Economic Development Board decides applications.
Be careful when a seller:
- Promises a Singapore golden visa for a payment far below S$10 million.
- Says the old S$2.5 million threshold still applies.
- Guarantees approval or a processing date.
- Offers a family office structure without checking the S$200 million requirement.
- Asks you to pay a fee to a personal account.
Only the Singapore authorities decide applications. Verify the program name, the amount and the agent with the Economic Development Board before you transfer funds.
What Mistakes Cause Problems?
Using outdated thresholds, ignoring hiring and substance requirements and assuming citizenship cause most problems. Check each point first.
- Planning around the S$2.5 million threshold that ended in March 2023.
- Mixing up the Global Investor Programme with EntrePass.
- Underestimating the turnover and shareholding tests.
- Ignoring the Re-Entry Permit renewal conditions.
- Forgetting the new source-of-wealth and banking rules for family offices.
- Planning on citizenship.
- Forgetting US tax reporting duties.
- Relying on secondary sources instead of the Economic Development Board.
When unsure, use the official source and a Singapore adviser. For other countries, compare our guides to the Germany golden visa, the UK golden visa, the Canada golden visa, the US golden visa, the UAE golden visa, the Thailand golden visa and the Japan golden visa.
FAQs
Is there a Singapore golden visa?
Not by that name. The Global Investor Programme grants permanent residence to qualifying business owners and family offices, according to 2026 sources.
How much is the Singapore golden visa?
At least S$10 million for Option A, S$25 million for Option B, or a family office with S$200 million under management for Option C.
What is the application fee?
S$20,000, raised in May 2025, according to both a September 2026 advisory page and a September 2026 blog post.
Can my family join me?
Yes. The advisory page says approved investors receive permanent residence for themselves and immediate family, naming the spouse and unmarried children under 21.
Does Singapore PR expire?
The advisory page says PR under the program does not expire, but the five-year Re-Entry Permit needs renewal on evidence of substance.
Is there a cheaper route for founders?
EntrePass is a separate pass for venture-backed tech founders, with fees of S$105 to apply and S$225 to issue, per a 2026 blog post.
Conclusion
The Singapore golden visa is the Global Investor Programme, open to large business owners and family offices with investments from S$10 million and strict turnover tests. It gives permanent residence, but renewal of the Re-Entry Permit depends on real activity in Singapore. Smaller founders should look at EntrePass instead. Confirm every figure with the Economic Development Board, plan for substance and avoid anyone who sells a cheap shortcut.
Sources
Last checked: November 2026
