From 1 Sep 2019 onwards, new security measures will be introduced for Registered Filing Agents’ (RFA) filing access to the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority’s (ACRA) online business registration and filing portal known as BizFile+. Existing RFAs will only be allowed to perform filing on behalf of their clients after adding them onto the RFA’s client lists in BizFile+.

Transition Period for RFAs to Maintain Client List

From 15 May 2019 till 31 Aug 2019, existing RFAs should maintain a list of all clients for whom they are authorised to perform filing transactions in BizFile+. The client list is to be submitted via the BizFile+ transaction, ‘Maintenance of Client List by FA’. Clients can be added or removed either individually or in bulk using the bulk upload function. ACRA will notify any client that is added or removed by RFAs after the transition period has ended. The notification will be sent to the registered office address of the clients.

Restriction of RFA’s Filing Access Effective 1 Sep 2019

From 1 Sep 2019, an RFA will only be able to file for clients listed in the RFA’s client list in BizFile+. However, transactions where the business entity UEN has yet to be issued (e.g. name applications, incorporation of companies and registration of the various business entities etc.) will not be affected by this change in filing access. Once the UEN has been issued, an RFA is required to add the client’s UEN onto their client list first in BizFile+ before any further transactions can be performed on the client’s behalf.

RFAs should promptly remove clients who have ceased to engage their services from the client lists in BizFile+. Clients can remove a RFA’s filing access if they have been wrongly added by the RFA, in which case the RFA will receive a notification from ACRA via email.

FAQs ON CHANGES TO BIZFILE+ FILING ACCESS FOR REGISTERED FILING AGENTS

Existing Filing Agents Registered Before 1 May 2019

  1. What will happen to my filing access from 1 Sep 2019?

    From 1 Sep 2019, all RFAs will only be able to file for clients listed in the RFA’s client list in BizFile+. However, transactions where the business entity UEN has yet to be issued (e.g. name applications, incorporation of companies and registration of the various business entities etc.) will not be affected by this change in filing access. Once the UEN has been issued, an RFA is required to add the client’s UEN onto their client list first in BizFile+ before any further transactions can be performed on the client’s behalf.

  2. Will I be able to start maintaining my client list before 1 Sep 2019?

    Yes. From 15 May 2019 till 31 Aug 2019, existing RFAs will be given a transition period to start maintaining a list of all clients for whom they are authorised to perform filing transactions in BizFile+. During this period, RFAs will still be given access to perform filing for all their clients when they are in the process of uploading their client list. The client list is to be submitted via the BizFile+ transaction, ‘Maintenance of Client List by FA’.

  3. Do I have to change my filing access rights via “Change in particulars of Filing Agent” before I can start to maintain client list?

    There is no need to do so. During the transition period, RFAs that are registered before 1 May 2019 will still be given access to perform filing for all their clients when they are in the process of uploading their client list. There is no need to amend filing access from “File for ALL clients” to “Maintain Client List” to start maintaining client list.

    From 1 Sep 2019, the “File for ALL clients” option will be removed from BizFile+. RFAs will only be able to file for clients listed in the RFA’s client list in BizFile+. However, transactions where the business entity UEN has yet to be issued (e.g. name applications, incorporation of companies and registration of the various business entities etc.) will not be affected. Once the UEN has been issued, an RFA is required to add the client’s UEN onto their client list first in BizFile+ before any further transactions can be performed on the client’s behalf.

  4. Will I still be able to add or make changes to my client list from 1 Sep 2019?

    Yes. RFAs will still be able to add or remove clients from 1 Sep 2019. RFAs will not be able to perform filing for their clients until they have been added onto RFA’s client list in BizFile+ from 1 Sep 2019. However, transactions where the business entity UEN has yet to be issued (e.g. name applications, incorporation of companies and registration of the various business entities etc.) will not be affected. Once the UEN has been issued, an RFA is required to add the client’s UEN onto their client list first in BizFile+ before any further transactions can be performed on the client’s behalf.

  5. What should I do if my client is no longer engaging my services?

    RFAs should ensure that they keep their client list updated and remove entities which have ceased to engage their services from the client lists in BizFile+.

  6. Will my clients be notified when I add or remove them from my client list?

    From 1 Sep 2019, ACRA will notify any client that is added or removed by RFAs. The notification will be sent to the registered office address of the clients. There will not be any notifications during the transition period from 15 May 2019 to 31 Aug 2019 as this is a one off exercise for RFAs to update their existing clients onto the client list in BizFile+.

  7. How can I maintain my client list in BizFile+?

    The client list is to be submitted via the BizFile+ transaction, ‘Maintenance of Client List by FA’. RFAs can add or remove their clients individually or in bulk using the bulk upload function.

    This transaction can be found in BizFile+ under the eServices for ‘Corporate Service Providers’

  8. What do I need to prepare before I perform the ‘Maintenance of Client List by FA’ transaction?

    You will need to have the UEN(s) of the clients that you would like to add or remove from your client list.

  9. Can a company have more than one RFA servicing them?

    Yes. It is possible for a company to engage the services of more than one RFA. As such, there is no restriction on RFA adding a client that is already in the client list of another RFA.

  10. Who can perform the ‘Maintenance of Client List by FA’ transaction?

    This transaction can be performed by any of the authorised position holders such as the directors, secretaries, owners or partners of the RFA. In addition, the registered qualified individual of the RFA may also do so. The lodger should do so using ‘Individual’ login profile.

  11. Which profile should I select to perform the ‘Maintenance of Client List by FA’ transaction?

    Please select ‘Individual’ profile to perform this transaction. ‘CSP’ profile should be selected when the RFA is performing transactions on behalf of their clients.

  12. Who can I add into my client list?

    Only clients that are engaging the RFA’s services should be added onto the RFA’s client list. If the entity is no longer engaging the services of the RFA, then this entity should not be added onto the RFA’s client list.

  13. Is there a need for me to tag my Qualified Individuals to the clients added onto my client list?

    Clients that are added onto RFA’s client list will be automatically tagged to all appointed qualified individuals. There is no need to do any additional tagging. All qualified individuals and employees appointed under the RFA will be granted filing access to the clients added onto RFA’s client list.

  14. We are not the appointed secretary of our client’s company but we have been engaged to perform certain BizFile+ transactions on behalf of them. Can we add this company into our client list?

    Yes. RFA will only be able to file for clients listed in the RFA’s client list in BizFile+. As such, the client must be added onto the client list before the RFA can perform transactions on its behalf. However, transactions where the business entity UEN has yet to be issued (e.g. name applications, incorporation of companies and registration of the various business entities etc.) will not be affected. Once the UEN has been issued, an RFA is required to add the client’s UEN onto their client list first in BizFile+ before any further transactions can be performed on the client’s behalf.

  15. What should I do if I uploaded the wrong client into my client list?

    RFAs should verify all the UENs of their clients properly before adding them onto their client list. If an error has been made, RFAs should promptly remove the wrongly added client from their client list.

  16. Can client remove themselves from RFAs’ client lists?

    From 1 Sep 2019 after the transition period for RFAs has ended, clients can remove a RFA’s filing access if they have been wrongly added by the RFA, in which case the Qualified Individuals of the RFA will receive a notification from ACRA via email.

  17. How can a client know which RFA(s) they are tagged to?

    From 1 Sep 2019 after the transition period has ended, clients can view their entities’ RFAs via their dashboard in BizFile+. They can remove the filing access of RFAs have which added them wrongly or are no longer acting for them.

    Newly Registered Filing Agents After 1 May 2019

  18. Do I have to maintain client list before I can perform filing for my clients?
    RFAs that are newly registered after 1 May 2019 will be required to add their clients onto their client list in BizFile+ before they can perform filing for their clients. Only RFAs that are registered before 1 May 2019 will be given a transition period till 31 Aug to maintain their client list. However, transactions where the business entity UEN has yet to be issued (e.g. name applications, incorporation of companies and registration of the various business entities etc.) will not be affected. Once the UEN has been issued, an RFA is required to add the client’s UEN onto their client list first in BizFile+ before any further transactions can be performed on the client’s behalf.

 



 

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