EntrePass vs family office in Singapore
These two show up in the same searches because both are ways a foreigner moves money or activity to Singapore. They are not the same route, and one is not a step toward the other.
| EntrePassFounder work pass | Family office13O / 13U tax schemes | |
|---|---|---|
| What it actually is | A work pass for a founder | A tax-exemption scheme for a family fund |
| Who administers it | Ministry of Manpower, with Enterprise Singapore input | Monetary Authority of Singapore |
| Core requirement | ACRA company, at least 30% held by you, venture-backed or innovative, plus 1 of 5 qualifying criteria | S$10m AUM (13O) or S$50m (13U) in designated investments |
| Team required | None set out in MOM’s published criteria | 2 (13O) or 3 (13U) investment professionals, at least 1 non-family member |
| What you get | A renewable work pass to live and work in Singapore while you run the company | Exemption from Singapore tax on the fund’s qualifying investment income |
| Route to PR | Not addressed in MOM’s published EntrePass eligibility criteria | Not granted by 13O or 13U either; PR comes separately through the GIP family office route |
Indicative EntrePass criteria verified against the Ministry of Manpower, 13O/13U figures verified against MAS, both as of July 2026. Conditions apply and change; confirm with a specialist.
What the EntrePass is actually for
The EntrePass is a work pass for foreign entrepreneurs starting a private limited company registered with ACRA that is venture-backed or built on innovative technology. You are generally expected to hold at least 30 percent of that company, and you also need to meet one of five qualifying criteria (funding raised, incubator or accelerator support, a past exit, registered IP, or a research collaboration). It suits someone building and running an operating business in Singapore, not someone parking or structuring wealth. See the full EntrePass eligibility requirements and the EntrePass and Employment Pass overview.
What a family office is actually for
A Singapore family office is a company that holds and manages one family’s own investments, structured to qualify for tax exemption on its investment income under Section 13O (from S$10 million in assets) or Section 13U (from S$50 million). It is a tax and structuring scheme administered by MAS, not a work pass, and it does not by itself grant anyone the right to live in Singapore. See the full family office setup guide and the 13O vs 13U comparison.
Why people search for both together
A wealthy founder googling how to move to Singapore often finds both terms in the same results, because both routes are aimed at people with money and ambition, not because they are competing options for the same decision. Running an operating startup and structuring family investment wealth are different jobs. Some people genuinely do both, at the same time or years apart, but each application stands on its own published criteria; neither route counts toward or unlocks the other.
Which one fits you
If you are building and running an operating company, do not yet have S$10 million or more sitting in a structurable investment fund, and you or the business meet the shareholding and qualifying-criteria test, the EntrePass is the relevant route. If you are structuring existing family wealth of S$10 million or more and want tax exemption on the investment income, with Permanent Residency for the family a possible next step through the separate Global Investor Programme, the family office route is what applies. If neither fits, for example you would take a salaried managerial role instead, the Employment Pass covered in our founder routes overview may be the simpler path.
Frequently asked questions
Is EntrePass a step toward setting up a family office in Singapore?
No. They are separate applications to separate regulators for different purposes. An EntrePass does not count toward, or substitute for, a family office’s asset or investment-professional requirements, and setting up a family office does not require an EntrePass.
Can I hold an EntrePass and also set up a family office?
The two are assessed independently by different regulators, so nothing in either published criteria set rules out the other on paper. Whether both genuinely fit your situation is a case-by-case question, best confirmed with a specialist, since we do not give personalised immigration or tax advice.
Not sure which route is actually yours?
We match you with an independent specialist who can look at your business, your assets and your goals, and confirm whether EntrePass, a family office structure, or both, actually fit.
Get matchedSources
EntrePass criteria are drawn from the Singapore Ministry of Manpower's EntrePass eligibility page (mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permits/entrepass/eligibility, last updated 2 December 2024, re-fetched 2026-07-19). Family office scheme figures are drawn from the Monetary Authority of Singapore's Fund Tax Incentive Scheme for Family Offices page (mas.gov.sg, last updated 07 Jan 2026, re-fetched 2026-07-19), and Global Investor Programme figures from the Singapore EDB GIP factsheet (edb.gov.sg, updated 5 May 2025). All are indicative and change over time. This page is general information, not immigration, financial, tax or legal advice, and Singapore Family Office Guide holds no corporate-service or immigration-advisory registration itself.