CRS and TINs: How to Complete the Tax Residency Self-certification and What Information Is Exchanged

A tax residency self-certification is a declaration that the account holder signs, or confirms online, when opening an account. It lists every country or territory in which the holder is tax resident and the Tax Identification Number (TIN) for each. The bank uses it to decide whether the account is a "reportable account" that must be reported to the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) and then exchanged by IRAS with other jurisdictions.

Applies to: Singapore (the CRS / FATCA reporting side); passages on mainland China are marked as such, and FATCA additionally applies to US persons. Tax outcomes depend on individual facts; seek professional advice in the relevant jurisdiction.

Three concepts: CRS, FATCA and self-certification

As a "Reporting Singaporean Financial Institution" (Reporting SGFI), a bank must file the previous year's report, or a nil return, with IRAS by 31 May each year (IRAS CRS Overview). For the applicant, this means the self-certification is not an optional attachment; it is the starting point for the bank's statutory reporting obligations.

What goes on the self-certification form

Paragraph 10.5.6 of the IRAS CRS e-Tax Guide (fifth edition, 11 August 2026) provides that a valid individual self-certification must be signed or "otherwise positively affirmed" by the account holder, be dated, and contain the following:

Paragraph 10.5.7 explains that an online affirmation must be retained in a form the bank can evidence (such as a voice recording or digital footprint), so ticking "confirm" in an app carries the same weight as a signature on paper. Paragraph 10.5.8 requires an individual who is tax resident in more than one jurisdiction to declare all of them. Paragraph 10.5.9 explains that, until 31 December 2026, dual residents may rely on the tie-breaker rules in a tax treaty; from 1 January 2027, dual residents who resubmit their details because of a change in circumstances or a bank review can no longer rely on the tie-breaker rules and must declare every jurisdiction of tax residence.

How to fill in the TIN: Singapore, mainland China and "no TIN"

The OECD document on Chinese TINs is relatively old, so before completing the form you may wish to check the CRS TIN Guide on the IRAS website, which compiles TIN information for the jurisdictions committed to exchange. If you have no TIN, state the reason truthfully using the options on the form and have ready any supporting documents the bank may request; do not make up a number or substitute your passport number.

What information is reported and exchanged

Paragraphs 12.2.1–12.2.2 of the IRAS e-Tax Guide list the items that must be reported for each reportable account. For a personal bank account, they are:

1. Identity information: name, address, date of birth, jurisdictions of tax residence and the corresponding TINs.
2. Account information: account number, and the name and identifying number of the reporting bank.
3. Balance: the balance or value of the account at the end of the calendar year; if the account was closed during the year, the fact of closure.
4. Income: for depository accounts, the total interest for the year; for custodial accounts, also dividends, other income and gross proceeds from the sale or redemption of financial assets.
5. New from 1 January 2027: whether a valid self-certification has been obtained, the account type and whether it is a new or pre-existing account, and whether it is a joint account and the number of joint holders.

What is reported is aggregated information such as the year-end balance and annual income, not a line-by-line transaction history. CRS information is exchanged with those of the account holder's jurisdictions of tax residence that have a competent authority agreement with Singapore (IRAS account holder page). For mainland Chinese tax residents: since 1 July 2017 mainland China has applied the Administrative Measures on Due Diligence for Non-resident Financial Account Tax Information as the rules under which mainland financial institutions implement the CRS; exchanges between Singapore and mainland China take place under the two sides' competent authority arrangements (applies to: Singapore / mainland China).

Consequences of not providing, omitting or misstating information

In practice, a self-certification that conflicts with other account-opening information (address, pass, place of work) is one of the common reasons banks raise further questions; see Declined applications and document requests. Once the account is open, you should tell the bank promptly if you relocate, leave Singapore or become tax resident somewhere new (see Account upkeep after opening).

Tax residence ≠ pass ≠ nationality

Individual tax residence in Singapore is determined by facts of presence. According to IRAS (updated 27 April 2026), a foreigner may be treated as tax resident if they stayed or worked in Singapore for at least 183 days in the previous calendar year, resided in Singapore for three consecutive years, or had employment spanning two calendar years with a combined stay of at least 183 days (excluding company directors and certain others); citizens and PRs who normally reside in Singapore are generally tax resident.

The basic point is this: an EP is not an exemption from the CRS, and a pass only shows that you may live or work in Singapore. The self-certification should truthfully reflect every jurisdiction in which you are tax resident under that jurisdiction's own law. If you are unsure, check with a tax professional in the relevant jurisdiction before completing the form.

The Singapore tax position, and a reminder for mainland China

Singapore (applies to: Singapore): IRAS states that interest earned by individuals on deposits with approved banks and licensed finance companies in Singapore is not taxable (except where derived through a partnership, among other cases), and that foreign income received in Singapore by individuals, including foreign income remitted into a Singapore bank account, is generally not taxable (except where received through a Singapore partnership, among other cases). This is only the Singapore tax treatment; your jurisdiction of tax residence may impose its own reporting and tax obligations.

Mainland China (applies to: mainland China): under Ministry of Finance and State Taxation Administration Announcement No. 3 of 2020, a mainland resident individual who derives overseas income must file and pay tax between 1 March and 30 June of the following year. The fact that interest on a Singapore account is not taxed in Singapore does not change the filing obligation in mainland China; for the specific treatment, consult a mainland tax professional.

This page explains only the reporting mechanics at account opening and does not provide tax planning advice. If you would like this interpreted in light of your own circumstances, you can register your request through the contact details on this site.