Bottom line (as of 2026-05): US nationals and nationals (plus permanent residents) of the four EFTA countries — Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein — pay zero ABSD on their first Singapore residential property purchase under Singapore’s free trade agreements. They are treated identically to Singapore Citizens for stamp-duty purposes, meaning only Buyer’s Stamp Duty (BSD) applies. The remission is not automatic: you must apply through the IRAS myTax Portal after stamping and produce your passport and Sale & Purchase Agreement as proof of citizenship or permanent residency.
Most foreigners buying property in Singapore face a 60% Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty — a bill that easily exceeds S$1.2 million on a S$2 million condo. Yet a specific group of buyers sidesteps this entirely, paying only the same progressive BSD that any Singapore Citizen would pay on a first home. If you hold a US, Swiss, Norwegian, Icelandic or Liechtenstein passport (or hold permanent residency in one of those four EFTA countries), Singapore’s free trade agreement network means the 60% surcharge is legally remitted to zero for your first purchase. Understanding exactly who qualifies, how to claim the remission and what happens on a second property could save you hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Singapore’s ABSD regime was introduced in December 2011 and has been tightened repeatedly since. As of 2026, foreigners buying any residential property pay 60% ABSD on top of BSD — one of the highest property-transaction levies in Asia. The rate was raised from 30% to 60% in April 2023 specifically to cool foreign demand in the private residential market.
Two free trade agreements carve out exceptions to this rule (as of 2026-05):
- US-Singapore FTA (USSFTA), in force since January 2004: the “national treatment” obligation requires Singapore to accord US nationals the same tax treatment as Singapore Citizens when purchasing residential property.
- Singapore-EFTA FTA (ESFTA), in force since January 2003: the same national-treatment obligation applies to nationals and permanent residents of the four EFTA member states — Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
The legal instrument implementing these remissions is the Stamp Duties (Free Trade Agreements) (Remission of ABSD) Rules 2013, gazetted as S214/2013. IRAS administers eligibility; the Ministry of Finance (MTI) oversees the treaty-level policy.
A parliamentary reply by the Ministry of Finance (as of 2026-05) noted that over the five-year period 2018–2022 an average of approximately 250 transactions per year were granted ABSD remission under the two FTAs, representing roughly 2.5% of all property transactions attracting ABSD, with about S$150 million remitted per year.
What Are FTA Exemptions?
Editorial analysis for this section is being prepared.
Eligible Nationalities
Editorial analysis for this section is being prepared.
How the Exemption Works
Editorial analysis for this section is being prepared.
Application Process
Editorial analysis for this section is being prepared.
Conditions & Requirements
Editorial analysis for this section is being prepared.
Dual Citizenship Considerations
Editorial analysis for this section is being prepared.
Comparison with Non-Exempt Foreigners
Editorial analysis for this section is being prepared.
Practical Tips for FTA Buyers
Editorial analysis for this section is being prepared.
What the remission covers (as of 2026-05)
FTA-eligible buyers are treated as Singapore Citizens for stamp-duty purposes on their first residential property. In practice this means:
- First property: 0% ABSD. Only BSD is payable at progressive rates: 1% on the first S$180,000, 2% on the next S$180,000, 3% on the next S$640,000 and up to 6% on the portion above S$3 million. On a S$2 million condo, BSD is approximately S$54,600 — compared to S$1,254,600 if the 60% ABSD applied.
- Second property: 20% ABSD, identical to the SC-second-property rate. The FTA benefit does not extend beyond the first purchase.
- Third and subsequent properties: 30% ABSD, same as Singapore Citizens.
Who exactly qualifies
| FTA | Country | Who qualifies |
|---|---|---|
| USSFTA | United States | US citizens (passport holders) only — US green-card holders and visa holders do not qualify |
| ESFTA | Switzerland | Nationals and permanent residents |
| ESFTA | Norway | Nationals and permanent residents |
| ESFTA | Iceland | Nationals and permanent residents |
| ESFTA | Liechtenstein | Nationals and permanent residents |
Dual citizens who also hold Singapore Citizenship are treated as Singapore Citizens outright and do not need to invoke the FTA route. Dual nationals holding, say, both a US and a UK passport must claim the FTA via the US passport — the UK passport alone would trigger the full 60% rate.
Property types covered
The remission applies to all residential properties: private condominiums, apartments, landed property (subject to separate Residential Property Act approval for foreigners buying restricted landed property), executive condominiums after their five-year minimum occupation period, and HDB flats (where foreigners are otherwise ineligible — the FTA does not override HDB eligibility rules). In practice the vast majority of FTA-remission transactions involve private non-landed apartments and condominiums.
Joint purchases
If a US citizen buys jointly with a non-FTA, non-SC, non-PR spouse, the ABSD is computed at the highest applicable rate among all purchasers. A US-citizen / UK-national couple buying their first property together would pay 60% ABSD on the full purchase price because the UK national is a foreigner without FTA protection. Buyers in this situation typically structure the purchase in the FTA-eligible spouse’s name alone — consult a licensed conveyancer before doing so.
How to claim the ABSD remission — step by step (as of 2026-05)
- Confirm eligibility before signing. Review your passport and, if relying on ESFTA permanent-residency status, gather evidence of that status. For US nationals, only a US passport suffices — a US driver’s licence or social-security card does not. Engage a conveyancer early; they will advise on the exact documentary checklist.
- Sign the Option to Purchase (OTP) or Sale & Purchase Agreement (SPA) as normal. The OTP and SPA are standard residential-property contracts. No FTA-specific wording is required in the document itself.
- Pay BSD at e-Stamping. Your solicitor stamps the instrument via the IRAS e-Stamping portal at the SC first-property ABSD rate of 0%. BSD is collected at this stage.
- Apply for ABSD remission via IRAS myTax Portal. Post-stamping, access the “Stamp Duty — Appeals, Refunds and Remissions” section. Submit:
- Copy of your passport (and ESFTA permanent-residency document if applicable)
- Copy of the stamped SPA
- Completed declaration form confirming first-property status
- Retain all documentation. IRAS may audit FTA remissions. Keep the confirmation letter, passport copies and SPA for at least five years after the transaction.
- Plan for your second purchase. If you later buy a second residential property in Singapore, budget for 20% ABSD (SC second-property rate as of 2026-05) on top of BSD. The FTA does not apply to subsequent purchases.
Recommended professional: always engage a licensed conveyancer (advocate & solicitor admitted to the Singapore Bar) and, for financial structuring, a Monetary Authority of Singapore-regulated financial adviser. The ABSD remission is a tax matter — licensed property agents cannot provide legal or tax advice.
For a deeper dive into BSD and ABSD calculations, the complete stamp duty guide covering BSD, ABSD and SSD walks through every buyer profile with worked examples, and the ABSD calculation guide shows the exact arithmetic for different property values. If you are comparing costs across buyer types, the ABSD Singapore complete guide consolidates all current rates in one place.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which nationalities get ABSD exemption?
Is the exemption automatic?
Do US citizens pay any ABSD?
Which EFTA countries are covered, and does the remission include permanent residents?
The four EFTA member states covered by the Singapore-EFTA FTA (ESFTA) are Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Unlike the USSFTA (which covers nationals only), the ESFTA extends the remission to both nationals and permanent residents of all four countries. A Norwegian permanent resident — even one who does not hold a Norwegian passport — is therefore eligible, provided they can document their permanent-residency status to IRAS’ satisfaction (as of 2026-05).
What happens if I buy jointly with a spouse who is not FTA-eligible?
ABSD on a joint purchase is charged at the highest applicable rate among all purchasers. If a US citizen buys jointly with a British national (who is neither a Singapore Citizen, Singapore PR nor FTA-eligible), the full 60% foreigner ABSD rate applies to the entire purchase price. The FTA benefit is not apportioned. Many couples in this situation choose to purchase in the name of the FTA-eligible spouse alone, though this carries its own legal, financial and estate-planning implications that require independent advice from a licensed conveyancer (as of 2026-05).