If you’re a foreign business in Singapore, you’ll often encounter acronyms and terms when managing your company – ACRA, UEN, NRIC, CorpPass, SingPass AGM, Form C-S/C – the list goes on!

It can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re focused on running your operations. But there’s one key that unlocks simplified government transactions: CorpPass.

In this article, I’ll explain what CorpPass is, how to register, and its convenience for your essential business tasks in Singapore.

What is CorpPass?

CorpPass is your company’s digital identity for interacting online with the Singapore government. Short for Singapore Corporate Access, it’s your all-in-one login for essential transactions. 

After incorporating your business in Singapore, setting up a CorpPass should be one of your first steps, just like opening a bank account.

With CorpPass, you can:

• File your corporate taxes with IRAS (Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore)

• Apply for work permits and passes through MOM (Ministry of Manpower)

• Manage trade licenses and permits with Singapore Customs

• Access various government services on a single platform

CorpPass is mandatory for foreign businesses operating in Singapore, whether you have a branch office, a subsidiary, or are simply interacting with government agencies from overseas.

How to register for your CorpPass account

Step 1: Ensure your company is registered with a valid UEN/registration number

Before starting the CorpPass registration, your business must be registered in Singapore and have ACRA issued a Unique Entity Number (UEN). For foreigners, it’s important to understand how to incorporate in Singapore.

Step 2: A Registered Officer (RO) to create the company’s first CorpPass account

This can be the corporate secretary or the local nominee director who will register online through SingPass.

Visit the CorpPass website and click ‘Register as a CorpPass Admin’. They’ll start the process of setting up your company’s accounts.

You might not be based in Singapore as a foreign owner, so pick the person within your company best suited for this role.

Step 3: Provide your details to the RO to grant you sub-admin rights to CorpPass

• As a foreigner, you cannot register directly for CorpPass.

• You must provide your full name, email address, nationality, and passport number to the RO to grant you sub-admin rights.

• Once granted, you can access government e-services such as CPF, IRAS, etc.

• As a sub-admin, you can also assign to other users.

Refer to the guide on how to assign to other users.

Note: A SingPass account is only issued to residents in Singapore (PR, Citizens, Work Pass holders). Foreigners not residing in Singapore are not eligible for a SingPass account.

That said, foreign ID CorpPass users must activate their pre-registered SingPass foreign user account within 30 days of CorpPass account creation. They will also need to set up the SingPass app.

Activate your account using the guide or watch the video tutorial.