Singapore offers a route to Permanent Residency for substantial investors through the Global Investor Programme (GIP), administered by the Economic Development Board (EDB). For families building a long-term presence in Asia, a residency strategy often sits alongside a Singapore family office and a Variable Capital Company (VCC) structure.
The Global Investor Programme (GIP)
The GIP grants Permanent Residency to eligible investors who make a qualifying investment in Singapore. Broadly, the programme has included options such as:
- Establishing or expanding a business in Singapore meeting EDB criteria.
- Investing in an approved fund that invests in Singapore-based companies.
- Setting up a Singapore-based single family office with assets under management above EDB thresholds.
Exact investment amounts, eligibility criteria, and conditions are set by EDB and are periodically updated. Confirm the current requirements directly with the Singapore EDB Global Investor Programme.
Where the VCC fits
For the family-office route, a VCC can be part of how the family office structures and holds its investments — an onshore, regulated, ring-fenced vehicle eligible for Section 13O/13U tax incentives. See our single-family office page and the VCC structure guide.
A coordinated approach
Residency, family office, and fund structuring are best planned together: the residency programme sets the qualifying investment, the family office provides the operating substance, and the VCC provides the investment vehicle.
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Frequently asked questions
How can investors gain Singapore Permanent Residency through investment?
Singapore's Global Investor Programme (GIP), administered by the Economic Development Board (EDB), offers a route to Permanent Residency for eligible investors who make a qualifying investment — for example establishing or growing a business, investing in an approved fund, or setting up a Singapore-based single family office meeting EDB criteria.
How does a VCC or family office relate to residency by investment?
Some GIP options involve establishing a Singapore-based single family office with assets under management above EDB thresholds. A Variable Capital Company can be part of how that family office structures and holds its investments. Eligibility, amounts, and conditions are set by EDB and should be confirmed directly.