Offshore Companies

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British Virgin Islands

BVI Business Company

General Info

Procedures to incorporate

BVI Company Formation services with TBA have never been so simple!

Business Company’s (BC´s), are companies incorporated in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), under the International Business Companies Act, 2004 (all companies previously incorporated under the International Business Companies Act, 1984, automatically became subject to the BVIBC Act from 1st January 2007).

BVI Business Company are a very popular and widely used offshore companies because of their administrative ease, flexibility, taxation exempt status and the fact that they are widely accepted and understood by the international financial community. BVI BC’s may not own real property in the BVI, other than the lease of an office, and may not carry on banking or trust business (unless licensed under the Banks and Trust Companies Act, 1990) or insurance or re-insurance business (unless licensed in the BVI to carry on that business). Otherwise, BVI BC’s may engage in any activity that is not illegal under the laws of the BVI subject to any restrictions in their Memorandum of Association.

Offshore Incorporation

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Language: The official and spoken language is English.

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Currency: US Dollar.

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Exchange Control: None.

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Type of Law: Common Law, based on English Common Law with local modifications and local statutes.
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Principal Corporate Legislation: The Companies Act (Cap. 285), BVI Business Companies Act, 2004 “The BVIBC Act”. (All companies previously incorporated under the International Business Companies Act, 1984, automatically became subject to the BVI BC Act from 1st January 2007.) BVI Business Companies (Amendment) Act, 2012.
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Procedure to incorporate: Submission of the Memorandum and Articles of Association and a Certificate from the Registered Agent confirming compliance with the requirements of the ordinance.
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Restrictions on Trading: Cannot trade within the British Virgin Islands or own real estate there. Cannot undertake the business of banking, insurance, assurance, reinsurance, fund management, collective investment schemes, trust management, trusteeship, the rendering of investment advice or any other activity that would suggest an association with the banking or insurance industries. Cannot offer its shares for sale to the public.
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Powers of Company: A company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands has the same powers as a natural person.
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Language of Legislation and Corporate Documents: English.
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Shelf Companies Available: Yes.
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Language of Name: Latin Alphabet. Any name in a language other than English must be accompanies by a translation to ensure that the name is not restricted. The BVI Business Companies (Amendment) Act, 2012 provides detailed guidance on the use of foreign character names in the naming of the BVI Business Company.

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Registered Office Required: Yes, must be maintained in the British Virgin Islands, and must be maintained at the office of a licensed management company.

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Time to incorporate: Two days.

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Name Restrictions: Any name that is identical or similar to an existing company, or any name that suggests the patronage of the Royal Family or the Government of the British Virgin Islands. The BVI Business Companies (Restricted Company Names) Notice 2013 brings the number of restricted words or phrases whose use is restricted to 217.
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Names Requiring Consent or License: Bank, building society, savings, loans, insurance, assurance, reinsurance, fund management, investment fund, trust, trustees, Chamber of Commerce, university, municipal or their foreign language equivalents.
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Suffixes to denote Limited Liability: Limited, Corporation, Incorporated, Société Anonyme, Sociedad Anónima or their relevant abbreviations.
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Disclosure of Beneficial Ownership to Authorities: No.

Compliance

+ Share Issue

The normal number of shares issued is 50,000 with all of the shares having a par value, this being the maximum share issue for the minimum duty payable upon incorporation and annually thereafter. The shares may be expressed in any currency. The minimum number of shares issued is one share of no par value or one share of par value.

+ Taxation

A Business Company does not pay any tax on its world-wide profits to the British Virgin Islands authorities.

+ Double Taxation Agreement

The British Virgin Islands has treaties with Japan and Switzerland, although they have limited benefit and are not applicable to offshore business.

+ License Fees

The government incorporation fee for a BVIBC with par value and no-par value shares which is authorised to issue up to 50,000 shares is US$450. If the authorised number of shares exceeds 50,000 the incorporation fee is US$1,200.

Effective 1 July 2021 certain Registry fees in the BVI will increase – the main changes are as follows:
– A US$75 fee will be introduced for filing the first register of directors, required to be filed within 21 days of appointment. There was previously no Registry fee associated with this filing on incorporation.
– The Registry will only issue digital certificates as standard going forward: an additional US$50 fee will be payable where an original paper certificate is required. This applies to the certificate of incorporation, as well as certificates of good standing and other Registry certificates (dissolution, discontinuation etc).

+ Classes of Shares Permitted

Registered shares, shares of no par value, preference shares, redeemable shares and shares with or without voting rights.

+ Directors

The minimum number of directors is one. Directors may be natural persons or bodies corporate. They can be of any nationality and need not be resident. A copy of the Register of Directors must be held at the Registered Office and any changes to the Register must be sent to the Registered Office within 15 days of the change. Failure to do so may result in a fine of US$10,000.

+ Company Secretary

A company secretary is not a requirement under the Act, but a secretary is normally appointed to facilitate signing obligations.

An imprint of the Company Seal must be held at the Registered Office. Failure to do so may result in a fine of US$10,000. If the Minute Books containing records of meetings of members and directors are not held at the Registered Office the address at which these books are held needs to be provided.

+ Shareholders

The minimum number of shareholders is one.

A copy of the Register of Members must be held at the Registered Office and any changes to the Register must be sent to the Registered Office within 15 days of the change. Failure to do so may result in a fine of US$10,000.

Packages and Prices

British Virgin Islands

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Standard
Package

The cheapest option company formation, payment government fees, registered office, local registered agent, Client Due Diligence (CDD) full and free tax and legal assistance, and much more, to keep your entity fully compliant.

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Business
Package

A special package with all services as included on the Standard Package, plus our Bank Account opening services with an internationally known financial institution, offering you online banking, multi-currency account, debit cards and all other major banking services you may need.

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Premium
Package

A package with all services as included on the Business Package plus full Nominee Services (Nominee Members and Managers) providing you the highest degree in terms of confidentiality and anonymity.

How can we help you?

Should you have any question, our Business Development Managers team will be ready to guide and assist you!