Appointing a Singapore Nominee Director: Guide for Indian Entrepreneurs

As in India, Singapore law requires every company to have a resident director as a local point of contact with authorities. But if you don’t have one, meeting this requirement can be complex and overwhelming. This guide explains how Indian entrepreneurs can appoint a nominee director in Singapore, ensuring full compliance and a hassle-free incorporation process.

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Why Indian Entrepreneurs Need a Nominee Director in Singapore: Key Takeaways

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Mandatory for Foreigners

Singapore law requires every company to have a local resident director. Foreigner business owners can fulfill this requirement by engaging a Nominee Director.

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Regulatory Role

A Nominee Director ensures legal compliance with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA), Singapore’s registrar of companies.

How We Help

We provide a reliable Nominee Director with limited authority, protecting your business while ensuring full regulatory compliance with Singapore legislation.

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In this guide, we will cover all the essentials to appoint a Nominee Director for your Singapore company from India:

Singapore’s Resident Director Requirements
Steps to Appointing a Singapore Nominee Director
Testimonials from Indian Entrepreneurs
FAQs

Singapore’s Resident Director Requirements

According to the Companies Act, every company in Singapore must appoint a resident director within 6 months of incorporation. Indian entrepreneurs have three options:

Option 1: Become a Resident Director Yourself

Indian entrepreneurs can relocate to Singapore and act as the Resident Director of their own company by obtaining one of the following work passes:

Employment Pass (EP) – For specialized foreign professionals with a job offer in Singapore.
EntrePass – For startup founders with an innovative business plan.
ONE Pass – For high-achieving business leaders and investors.

This route requires visa approval, relocation, and ongoing residency compliance.

Option 2: Appoint a Local Director

Many Indian entrepreneurs stay in India and appoint a local director in Singapore. Unlike the corresponding position in India, Singapore Director is required to be a Singapore citizen or permanent resident of Singapore with a local address. Foreign business owners can hire a Singapore local director (Nominee Director) who will ensure compliance with Singapore’s regulations.

Option 3: Let CorporateServices.com Handle Your Nominee Director Appointment

CorporateServices.com provides a fully compliant Singapore Nominee Director, minimizing your exposure to audits, penalties, and compliance risks. We also draft all necessary agreements at no extra cost and offer ongoing compliance management — leveraging deep local expertise so you can expand with confidence.

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Curious about why so many Indian entrepreneurs choose Singapore for their business?

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Steps to Appointing a Singapore Nominee Director With Us

Companies must undergo a four-step process to appoint a Singapore Nominee Director with us:

Step 1: Complete the KYC Due Diligence

In compliance with Singapore law, we will conduct a Know Your Customer (KYC) due diligence check on your company before starting our services. At this stage, you will be required to provide all necessary documentation, which we will review and analyze.

Step 2: Sign the Service Agreement

After a successful KYC process, we will sign the service agreement, which includes specific clauses for nominee director services. These clauses protect your company by ensuring that the Nominee Director cannot undertake any harmful actions while also safeguarding the Nominee Director from liability for decisions made by the executive directors.

Step 3: Sign the Board Resolution

You will sign a board resolution appointing our Nominee Director as a non-executive director. Simultaneously, our Nominee Director will sign the Consent to Act as Director, formally accepting the role.

Step 4: Register the Nominee Director with ACRA

We will then register the Nominee Director with Singapore’s Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA), finalizing the appointment process.

Though the steps are few, each carries a degree of complexity. Let CorporateServices.com handle the entire process for you so you can focus on growing your business.

Don’t just take our word for it — see what our clients have to say

Join the growing community of financially savvy Indian entrepreneurs who have established successful businesses in Singapore — with CorporateServices.com guiding them every step of the way.

Abhishek Bhattacharjee

Very supportive team and seamless experience in setting up a business in SG. Very prompt turn around time in terms of query resolution and providing relevant...

Varun Chadha

Thank you for the efficient incorporation of our new company. In my experience with your team, all communications have been clear, thorough, and accurate...

Razib Khan

Great experience with your team. I have been working with you for over two years now and I have two companies incorporated, the third one is in the process of registration...

FAQs about Appointing Singapore Nominee Director from India

In India, a resident director must have stayed in the country for at least 182 days in a financial year. In Singapore, however, a resident director must be a Singapore citizen, permanent resident in Singapore, or hold an EntrePass, Employment Pass, or ONE Pass with a local address. Since many Indian entrepreneurs incorporating in Singapore do not meet these criteria, they often appoint a nominee director to fulfill Singapore’s legal requirements.

No, Singapore does not issue a Director Identification Number (DIN) like India. Instead, directors are identified using existing personal identification numbers:

NRIC (National Registration Identity Card) – For Singapore citizens and permanent residents
FIN (Foreign Identification Number) – For foreigners with valid work passes or residency permits
Passport (ID) for foreigners

These numbers serve as primary identifiers for taxation, corporate governance, and administrative processes in Singapore.

A Nominee Director has the same authority as a Company Director unless that authority is contractually limited. CorporateServices.com contractually prohibits our nominee director from participating in the management and operations of your company. The Nominee Director will not come to your office, cannot participate in any policy meetings, and will not engage in any negotiations on the company's behalf. He or she is simply a figurehead director appointed to comply with Singapore’s requirements. This eliminates any operational risk from hiring a Nominee Director.

To remove a Nominee Director, the board of directors must pass a resolution approving the removal. The company must then file a "Change in Company Officers" transaction through BizFile+ (ACRA’s online system) within 14 days of the removal. A suitable replacement must be selected prior to initiating the process. In our CSP platform, the director can be removed using the dedicated service request. This method is typically used when an Indian entrepreneur wishes to become the local director after company incorporation.

Next Step: Incorporate Your Singapore Company With Us

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Let CorporateServices.com focus on the details, so you can focus on success.

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Author

Jacqueline Low

Jacqueline has been in the corporate services industry for over 25 years. She has helped thousands of entrepreneurs and business clients understand and navigate the various statutory and regulatory requirements, avoiding expensive mistakes.