Guide
Singapore landed for foreigners.
Sentosa Cove is the only landed precinct in Singapore a foreign person may own, subject to LDAU approval for owner-occupation. Mainland landed is generally closed to them. The approval requires the owner to live in the house, so it cannot be rented out.
The Sentosa Cove exception
Sentosa Cove is the exception to Singapore’s restriction on foreign ownership of landed homes. Under the Residential Property Act, foreigners generally cannot buy landed property on the mainland, but a foreign person may buy a landed house in the Cove with approval from the Land Dealings Approval Unit (LDAU), part of the Singapore Land Authority (SLA).
Landed property here means a house on its own plot, which covers bungalows, semi-detached houses and terraces. Condominium apartments are treated differently, and foreigners can buy them across Singapore without LDAU approval.
The mainland
The mainland restriction applies everywhere, including prime districts such as 10, 11 and 15. A foreigner looking for a landed home in Singapore will in practice find that Sentosa Cove is the only option.
How Cove landed compares with mainland landed beyond the ownership rules is covered in Sentosa Cove and mainland landed.
Permanent residents and citizens
Under the Residential Property Act, a Singapore permanent resident (PR) counts as a foreign person and needs LDAU approval to buy a landed house in the Cove.
A Singapore citizen does not apply to the LDAU and is not bound by its owner-occupation condition. Whether a citizen may rent out a Cove house is a separate question for a solicitor.
Owner-occupation and approval
LDAU approval is given on condition that the owner lives in the house, so it cannot be rented out. A buyer who wants a rental investment should look at other types of property.
The SLA’s published estimate for processing is about 30 working days once all documents are submitted, and complex applications take longer. The SLA encourages buyers to obtain approval in-principle, a preliminary approval that can be sought before a specific house is chosen, before signing any contract, so that a deposit is not lost if approval is refused.
For Sentosa Cove, the SLA states that the land area of the property must not exceed 1,800 square metres. The purchase steps, including when to apply, are in Buying in Sentosa Cove.
Stamp duty
Additional buyer’s stamp duty (ABSD) is an extra tax on residential purchases, and its rate depends on who is buying and how many homes they already own. On the IRAS schedule for purchases on or after 27 April 2023, a PR pays 5% on a first residential property and a foreigner pays 60% on any residential property.
Under Singapore’s free trade agreements, some foreign buyers pay ABSD at the same rates as Singapore citizens. This covers nationals and permanent residents of Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, and citizens of the United States, but not US green card holders. The purchase must be made in the buyer’s own name.
The full rate table is on the Cove Drive listing. Tax rules change, so confirm the rates and conditions with your solicitor before making an offer. This guide is not tax advice.
On this chapter
Questions that usually follow
- Can foreigners buy landed property in Singapore?
- Sentosa Cove is the only landed precinct in Singapore a foreign person may own, subject to LDAU approval for owner-occupation. Mainland landed is generally closed to them.
- Can foreigners buy landed in Sentosa Cove?
- Yes, with approval from the Land Dealings Approval Unit. Condominiums are a different category, and foreigners can buy them across Singapore without that approval.
- Is a Singapore PR treated as a citizen for landed?
- No. Under the Residential Property Act a PR counts as a foreign person and needs LDAU approval to buy a landed house in the Cove. Stamp duty is assessed separately, at the PR rates set by IRAS.
- What does LDAU approval allow?
- It allows the buyer to own the house and live in it. The house cannot be rented out.
- How does a foreign person buy a house in Sentosa Cove?
- The steps are enquiry and viewing, a written offer, LDAU approval for the landed purchase (ideally approval in-principle before signing), then the option to purchase and completion through a solicitor.
- Where are the stamp duty rates?
- On the Cove Drive listing page, which shows the published IRAS rates for each type of buyer.
- How long does LDAU take?
- The SLA’s published estimate is about 30 working days once the documents are complete. Complex applications take longer, and the SLA encourages buyers to obtain approval in-principle before any contract is signed.
