Global Investor Programme (GIP) — Options A, B and C — Costs and fees breakdown

The Global Investor Programme (GIP) grants Singapore permanent residence to substantial investors through three routes: Option A (invest in a business), Option B (a GIP-select fund) and Option C (a Singapore-based family office). This guide breaks down the investment thresholds, conditions, costs and process for 2026.

Little Big Employment Agency (EA Licence 19C9790) works with a panel of corporate and employment law firms; this article is general information, not legal advice.

What the Global Investor Programme is

The Global Investor Programme is an investor-immigration scheme administered by the Singapore Economic Development Board that offers permanent residence to established business owners, investors and family-office principals who commit significant capital to Singapore. Unlike the PTS route, GIP is designed for high-net-worth individuals who bring investment and, often, economic activity and jobs.

GIP is deliberately selective. Applicants must demonstrate a strong business or investment track record, and approval carries conditions to ensure the capital is genuinely deployed and, in most options, that economic substance is created and maintained in Singapore.

The three investment options

Under the current framework, Option A requires investing at least S$10 million in a new business entity or the expansion of an existing business operation in Singapore. Option B requires investing at least S$25 million in a GIP-select fund that invests in Singapore-based companies. Option C, aimed at family-office principals, requires establishing a Singapore-based single family office with assets under management of at least S$200 million, of which a defined portion must be deployed locally.

These thresholds reflect the programme’s 2023 recalibration, which raised the bar and sharpened the focus on substantive economic contribution. Applicants weighing a family office should read our guide to Singapore trust structures for HNW families alongside the operational view in family office hiring under 13O / 13U / GIP.

Conditions, renewal and substance

GIP permanent residence is granted with a re-entry permit, initially for five years, and renewal depends on meeting the programme’s conditions. These typically include maintaining the investment, and for business and family-office routes, meeting business spending and local employment commitments, such as hiring a minimum number of Singaporeans.

Failure to meet the conditions can affect renewal of the re-entry permit, so GIP is best viewed as an ongoing commitment rather than a one-off purchase of status. Principals should build the hiring and spending obligations into their operating plan from day one.

Costs and fees breakdown

Beyond the headline investment, budget for professional and government costs. Application and processing fees, medical examinations and the issuance of permanent residence documents typically run into the low thousands of Singapore dollars per family. Professional advisory for structuring the investment, preparing the application and setting up the vehicle commonly ranges from S$30,000 to well over S$100,000 depending on the option and complexity.

For the family-office route, ongoing operating costs, including fund administration, tax incentive compliance under the relevant sections of the Income Tax Act, staff and premises, add materially to the picture. Confirm current thresholds, conditions and fees on the EDB website, and note that resulting PR status is issued through the ICA.

Step-by-step: applying under GIP

Step one, select the option that fits your profile, whether operating a business, investing through a fund, or running a family office. Step two, prepare evidence of your business and investment track record. Step three, structure the qualifying investment or family-office vehicle with professional advice. Step four, submit the application to EDB with supporting documents and attend an interview if required. Step five, on approval, complete the investment within the stipulated period and fulfil ongoing conditions to support renewal.

Because GIP overlaps with tax-incentive planning, coordinate the immigration timeline with any 13O or 13U fund application. Getting the sequence right avoids deploying capital before the incentive and residence positions are aligned.

Common mistakes and gotchas

The most damaging mistake is treating GIP as a passive residence purchase; the conditions require genuine, sustained economic activity, and renewal turns on meeting them. Another is under-budgeting the total cost of ownership for a family office, which extends well beyond the AUM threshold. A third is mis-sequencing the investment and tax-incentive applications.

Applicants also sometimes overlook that GIP approval is discretionary and evidence-driven; a thin track record or unclear source of funds will not pass scrutiny. Documenting the origin and legitimacy of wealth thoroughly is essential.

Choosing between Options A, B and C

The right GIP option depends on the applicant’s profile. Established business owners who intend to operate in Singapore gravitate to Option A, deploying at least S$10 million into a business. Investors who prefer a fund route without operating a business consider Option B, at least S$25 million into a GIP-select fund. Family-office principals with substantial wealth choose Option C, a Singapore single family office with at least S$200 million in assets under management.

Each option carries different substance and renewal conditions, so the choice is not purely about the headline figure. Option A and Option C in particular expect genuine economic activity and local hiring, which suits principals who want an operating footprint in Singapore rather than a passive investment.

Worked example: the family-office route

A principal establishing a single family office under Option C commits at least S$200 million in assets under management, with a defined portion deployed in Singapore-based investments. Beyond the AUM, the annual cost of running the office, including investment professionals, a resident director, compliance, fund administration, audit and premises, can readily exceed S$1 million a year. Advisory and setup fees for the structure and the GIP application commonly run into the high tens or hundreds of thousands of Singapore dollars.

The family office is also usually paired with a tax-incentive application under the relevant sections of the Income Tax Act, so the immigration and tax timelines must be coordinated. Approaching them separately risks deploying capital before the incentive and residence positions are confirmed.

Meeting ongoing conditions for renewal

GIP permanent residence comes with a re-entry permit, initially for five years, and renewal depends on meeting the programme’s conditions. For business and family-office routes, these typically include maintaining the qualifying investment, meeting business-spending commitments and employing a minimum number of Singaporeans. Principals should build these obligations into their operating plan from the outset.

Treating GIP as a passive purchase of status is the classic error. The conditions require sustained, genuine activity, and failing to meet them jeopardises renewal. Documenting compliance year by year, from investment records to local hiring, makes renewal straightforward and protects the family’s long-term status.

FAQs

What are the GIP investment thresholds?
Option A requires at least S$10 million in a business, Option B at least S$25 million in a GIP-select fund, and Option C a single family office with at least S$200 million in assets under management, following the 2023 recalibration.

Is GIP a one-off investment?
No. Permanent residence comes with conditions such as maintaining the investment and, for some options, meeting local spending and Singaporean hiring commitments, which affect re-entry permit renewal.

Who administers GIP?
The Economic Development Board administers the programme, while permanent residence documents are issued through the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority.

Can family members be included?
Yes. The principal's spouse and unmarried children under 21 can generally be included, with options to sponsor parents under separate arrangements.

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Need help with this? Call, SMS or WhatsApp +65 8501 7133, or email [email protected]. Little Big Employment Agency (EA Licence 19C9790) works with a panel of corporate and employment law firms; this article is general information, not legal advice.

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