Briefs
Foreigners and landed property.
A foreign person may own a landed house in Sentosa Cove. On the Singapore mainland, they generally cannot. Approval is for living in the house, not for renting it out.
The exception
Under the Residential Property Act, landed housing on the Singapore mainland is reserved. Sentosa Cove is the exception: a foreign person (including a permanent resident) may own landed here, subject to Land Dealings Approval Unit (LDAU) approval.
Owner-occupation
LDAU approval is for owner-occupation. The house cannot be rented out. There is no yield story in these Briefs, and no short-term rental angle.
Duty, sketched
Additional buyer’s stamp duty depends on who buys, and on whether the purchase is a first home. A small set of FTA buyers are treated as Singapore citizens for that duty: Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein (nationality or PR of that country); United States (citizenship only). A US green card is not enough. The purchase must be in a personal name.
The table below is a sketch of published IRAS rates. It is not tax advice, and not an opinion on your facts.
Duty
PR, landed, and the 5% versus 60% gap
A first residential purchase as a Singapore PR is 5% additional buyer’s stamp duty. The same purchase as a foreigner is 60%. Rates depend on who buys, and on whether the purchase is a first home.
If you already own a Singapore residential property, PR second-property ABSD is 30%. A company or other entity pays 65% on any residential purchase. Buy in your own name.
A small set of FTA buyers are treated as Singapore citizens for ABSD: 0% on a first home, if the IRAS conditions are met.
| Buyer | First home | Second | Third and further |
|---|---|---|---|
| Singapore citizen | 0% | 20% | 30% |
| Singapore PR | 5% | 30% | 35% |
| Foreigner (no FTA treatment) | 60% | 60% | 60% |
| Entity (company, not in personal name) | 65% | 65% | 65% |
| FTA buyer treated as a citizen | 0% | 20% | 30% |
FTA treatment (IRAS rules)
- Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein: nationality or PR of that country.
- United States: citizenship only. A US green card is not enough.
- The purchase must be in a personal name. Entity ABSD is 65%.
On this guide price
Worked on S$30,000,000. Illustrative only.
PR, first residential: 5% ABSD is S$1.5 million.
Foreigner, no FTA: 60% ABSD is S$18 million.
Buyer’s stamp duty (BSD) is separate. Confirm the live IRAS rates and your profile with a solicitor before any offer.
This table is a sketch of published IRAS additional buyer’s stamp duty treatment, not tax advice and not an opinion on your facts. Rates and FTA remission follow IRAS. They can change.
On this chapter
Questions that usually follow
- Can foreigners buy landed on the Singapore mainland?
- Generally no. Sentosa Cove is the only landed precinct in Singapore a foreign person may own, subject to LDAU approval for owner-occupation.
- What does LDAU approval allow?
- Owner-occupation. The house cannot be rented out.
- Who is treated as a citizen for additional buyer’s stamp duty?
- IRAS treats a small FTA set as citizens if the conditions are met: Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein (nationality or PR); United States (citizenship only). Confirm the live rules with a solicitor.
A Cove Drive bungalow is currently listed. Foreign buyers may own landed here; they cannot on the mainland.
See the live listing