Short answer: Foreigners can buy condominium and apartment units in Singapore without approval. Landed homes, including those at Sentosa Cove, need approval from the Singapore Land Authority. Every residential purchase by a foreigner attracts 60% Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty (ABSD) on top of Buyer's Stamp Duty, unless a free trade agreement or married-couple remission applies.
Updated 27 September 2026. Rules checked against SLA, IRAS, MAS and HDB on this date. The 60% foreigner ABSD rate has applied since 27 April 2023.
What property can foreigners buy in Singapore?
The Residential Property Act restricts what a "foreign person" can buy. SLA defines a foreign person as anyone who is not a Singapore Citizen, a Singapore company, a Singapore limited liability partnership or a Singapore society. Singapore PRs count as foreign persons under this Act.
| Property type | Can a foreigner buy it? |
|---|---|
| Condominium unit or flat unit in a private development | Yes, no approval needed |
| Strata landed house inside an approved condominium development | Yes, no approval needed |
| Commercial shophouse, commercial or industrial property, registered hotel | Yes, no approval needed under the Act |
| Landed house (terrace, semi-detached, bungalow), vacant residential land | Only with SLA approval |
| Townhouse or cluster house not in an approved condominium development | Only with SLA approval |
| Landed home at Sentosa Cove | Only with SLA approval |
| HDB flat | No. HDB requires buyers to be Singapore Citizens or PRs |
| Executive condominium | No, until the EC is fully privatised |
ECs and HDB flats are not restricted by the Residential Property Act itself. Foreigners are shut out by HDB's own eligibility rules. An EC becomes open to foreigners only after privatisation, which is 10 years after TOP for older ECs and after the 15th year for ECs on sites tendered from 8 May 2026. See can foreigners buy an executive condo.
Can foreigners buy landed property or a house at Sentosa Cove?
Only with approval from SLA's Land Dealings Approval Unit. SLA assesses each application case by case. The factors it names include being a Singapore PR for at least five years and making an exceptional economic contribution to Singapore, judged partly on employment income taxable in Singapore. Approval comes with conditions, and an assessment generally takes about 30 working days once SLA has all documents.
Sentosa Cove is often described as the place where foreigners can buy landed homes. SLA's own list still places landed homes at Sentosa Cove among the properties that need approval.
How much stamp duty does a foreigner pay?
A foreigner pays 60% ABSD on any residential property, whether it is the first or the fifth. It is charged on the higher of price or market value and is due, with BSD, within 14 days of signing (30 days after receipt in Singapore if signed overseas).
| Price | BSD | ABSD at 60% | Total stamp duty |
|---|---|---|---|
| S$1,500,000 | S$44,600 | S$900,000 | S$944,600 |
| S$2,500,000 | S$94,600 | S$1,500,000 | S$1,594,600 |
| S$3,000,000 | S$119,600 | S$1,800,000 | S$1,919,600 |
Figures are SG Properties calculations from the IRAS BSD tiers in force since 15 February 2023, assuming price equals market value. On a S$2.5 million condo, stamp duty alone adds about 64% to the price. See our ABSD guide for all buyer profiles and remissions.
Are any foreigners exempt from the 60% ABSD?
Two groups can pay less.
- Free trade agreement nationals. Nationals and PRs of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, and nationals of the United States, get the same stamp duty treatment as Singapore Citizens. A US citizen buying a first home pays 0% ABSD, and 20% on a second.
- Foreigners married to a Singapore Citizen. A married couple that includes a Citizen, buying jointly in both names only, with neither spouse owning residential property, can get full ABSD remission on their first home. IRAS also confirms a Citizen and foreign spouse can get the 60% refunded on a second home if they sell their first home within its deadline.
Joint purchases with other buyers pay the highest rate among them on the whole price. A foreigner buying with a Citizen who is not their spouse therefore pays 60% on the entire property.
Can foreigners get a home loan in Singapore?
Yes. MAS's loan limits apply to individual borrowers and do not set different limits by nationality. Each bank decides whom it lends to and what income evidence it accepts.
| Rule | Limit |
|---|---|
| Loan-to-value, first housing loan | 75% (55% if tenure is over 30 years or runs past age 65) |
| Loan-to-value, second housing loan | 45% (or 25%) |
| Loan-to-value, third and later | 35% (or 15%) |
| Minimum cash down payment | 5% on a first loan at 75% LTV; 25% on second and later loans |
| Total Debt Servicing Ratio | 55% of gross monthly income |
| Stress-test interest rate | Higher of 4% or the actual thereafter rate |
Banks must apply a haircut of at least 30% to variable income and rental income when working out TDSR. Foreigners working in Singapore do not contribute to CPF, so the down payment and stamp duty come from cash. For how the ratios work, see TDSR vs MSR and LTV limits explained.
What does it cost to sell within a few years?
Seller's Stamp Duty applies to anyone, foreigner or local, who sells within the holding period. For homes bought on or after 4 July 2025 it is 16% if sold within one year, 12% within two, 8% within three and 4% within four. See our SSD guide.
How does PR status change the cost?
| Buyer status on the purchase date | 1st home ABSD | 2nd home ABSD | ABSD on a S$2,000,000 first home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foreigner | 60% | 60% | S$1,200,000 |
| Singapore PR | 5% | 30% | S$100,000 |
| Singapore Citizen | 0% | 20% | S$0 |
ABSD depends on your status on the purchase date. IRAS does not reduce ABSD if you become a PR or Citizen afterwards. PRs still count as foreign persons for landed property under the Residential Property Act.
FAQ
Can a foreigner buy an HDB flat?
No. HDB's eligibility rules require the buyer to be a Singapore Citizen or PR. The Residential Property Act does not restrict HDB flats, but HDB's own rules do.
Do foreigners pay ABSD on their first property?
Yes, 60%, unless they are nationals covered by the free trade agreements or qualify for the married-couple remission with a Citizen spouse.
Can a foreigner buy a landed house at Sentosa Cove without approval?
No. SLA lists landed residential property at Sentosa Cove among the property types that need its approval.
Can a foreigner use CPF to buy property?
CPF Board exempts foreigners (people who are not Citizens or PRs) from CPF contributions, so they have no CPF savings to use. PRs do contribute.
Does a foreigner need approval to buy a condo?
No. Condominium units and strata landed houses inside an approved condominium development can be bought without approval under the Residential Property Act.
This page explains the rules. It is not financial, tax or legal advice. Check your own case with IRAS, SLA or a lawyer.
Sources
- SLA, Foreign ownership of property (updated 20 August 2025): who is a foreign person, restricted property types, approval criteria
- IRAS, Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty (ABSD)
- IRAS, Foreigners Eligible for ABSD Remission under Free Trade Agreements
- IRAS, Remission of ABSD for a Married Couple
- IRAS, Buyer's Stamp Duty (BSD)
- MAS, Loan Tenure and Loan-to-Value Limits and Calculating TDSR
- MAS, Extension of the Holding Period of SSD and Higher SSD Rates (3 July 2025)
- HDB, Couples and Families eligibility
- CPF Board, Who should receive CPF contributions
Ask a question
Questions about a project, prices, ABSD, loans or timing? We reply by email within one working day and, if you'd like, introduce you to a licensed agent for viewings or buying.
Get new launch updates
Prices, preview dates and sales results for Singapore new launches, when they are officially released. Free, and you can unsubscribe any time.