Why form an Offshore Company in the BVI?
The British Virgin Islands is one of the most popular jurisdictions when it comes to opening an offshore company in a tax haven, being always ranked as one of the top 3 jurisdictions with most offshore companies formation.
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BVI offshore companies are versatil, and can be used for several purposes, from asset protection, international tax planning, crypto related businesses,
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The BVI has a territorial tax system, and companies formed in the BVI tax residency depends on place of management instead of jurisdiction of formation.
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EU Status: The BVI is not a black-listed jurisdiction
BVI BC Highlights
Entity type: Business Company (“BC”).
Location: the Caribbean.
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Regulation:
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The Economic Substance (Companies and Limited Partnership) Act 2018
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BVI Business Companies Act 2004
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Director:
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Minimum 1 director required.
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Director does not have to be resident in the BVI.
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Director can be a person or a company.
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Directors’ information is not publicly available.
Officers: Officers can be Non-Residents. Only the Registered Agent has to be in the BVI.
Taxation: BCs are exempt from all types of taxation in the BVI provided they don’t engage in business in the BVI. There is no withholding tax on payments made to Non-Residents or Non-BVI persons.
Capital Control: There are no capital controls in the BVI.
EU Status: not a black nor grey listed jurisdiction.
Accounts, audits and Accounting: the preparation of accounts is not required, nor audit is mandatory, nonetheless the company must keep records to demonstrate its financial position.
Formation time: 24 hours after formation and AML/ATF forms have been submitted correctly.
BVI Offshore Company Formation and Management
We provide company formation and management related services. These services include, but are not limited to:
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Offshore Company Formation in the BVI
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Offshore Bank Account in the BVI
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Professional Intermediary Services
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Registered Agent and Address
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Nominee Shareholders
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Nominee Directors
What are the uses of a BVI Company?
The BVI is a very popular jurisdiction for:
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Offshore trading company.
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Holding Company.
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Asset Protection.
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Yatch Registry
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Investment Funds.
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Access to financial products and markets.
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International Tax Planning.
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VPN Company.
A company in the BVI is used for several purposes, these include using it as a trading company providing any type of trading business activity and being able to receive payments from basically any jurisdiction without having a problem related to the receiving entity's jurisdiction of incorporation. For example, payments from Google can be received via a BVI company with a BVI bank account.
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Cryptocurrency: BVI companies can be registered in Crypto trading platform like Binance without being a problem the jurisdiction of formation. Rejection to trade in these platform might be subject to other external factors not related to country of incorporation. Read our BVI banking section below to know more about crypto banking in the BVI.
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BVI companies are also used for regulated business activities like digital assets products or services, financial asset products, hedge funds,
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Holding Company: BVI companies can be used to hold shares of another offshore company, hold assets, etc. In this case, it is recommended that the company is not a tax resident in BVI to avoid Economic Subtance Requirements.
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Yacht Registry.
Payment Gateway Processing Platforms for companies in the British Virgin Islands
Our payment processing platforms options allow our clients to obtain a payment gateway for their BVI Companies. These options allow you to integrate a payment gateway to your business website, and/or to send payment links so your clients can pay you using their card. Clients don't need to have a BVI local ID card or proof of address to open these account, they must only have a bank account in BVI compatible with the Payment Processor, which we also provide.
Contact us to learn more about these options.
How to form an Offshore Company in the British Virgin Islands?
Forming an offshore company in the British Virgin Islands is quite an easy and straightforward process. Company is formed in about 24 hours.
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Procedure: you contact us and we arrange everything. First, we confirm that the proposed structure is a set up that would work in all of its facets or stages, as opening the company is the easiest step. We need to make sure your type of business will be accepted by the registered agent to act as such, that the bank will also onboard your business, foresee the minimum initial banking deposit, confirm if your intended business partners are able to work with BVI companies, and ultimately we confirm if this entity meets your banking, privacy, and asset protection requirements.
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We make sure and advise if your intended business purpose or company use would fall under the Economic Substance Requirements, and how to legally avoid that.
Formation questionnaire: ​we fill the company formation questionnaire in accordance with your objectives.
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Documents required: to form a company in the BVI you would need a certified copy of your passport and utility bill to confirm your identity and address, in addition to your Curriculum Vitae in PDF.
What is needed to open an offshore company in the British Virgin Islands?
To open an Offshore Company in British Virgin Islands will need the following documents from the company owner.
Certified proof of address.
Certified Passport Copy
Professional Reference Letter
Price to open a BVI Offshore Company
Open a BVI offshore company for just US$ 2,300
What you will receive:
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Certification / Notarization of your documents.
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Filling out Company Formation Form and Paperwork
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BVI Company Formation and Government Fees.
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Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association.
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Certificate of Incorporation.
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Appointment of First Director.
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Registered Agent and Address for a year.
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Corporate company seal.
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Share Certificates.
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Written Resolution of the Directors.
BVI Company Yearly Maintenance Requirements
These are the basic yearly maintenance requirements for a BVI Company"
Renewal of Registered Agent and Address.
Payment of BVI Govenment Annual fee (US$550)
Professional Reference Letter
Economic Substance Requirement in the BVI
Economic Substance Requirements are rules which require companies formed in the BVI, and engaged in "relevant activities" to have economic substance in the BVI. To have economic substance in the BVI, the company must, basically, be managed in the BVI, have employees in the BVI, premises (appropriate office space depending on the relevant activity), and yearly expenditure (yearly expenses in the BVI).
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Relevant Activities include, but are not limited to: Headquarter business, Distribution and Service Center Business, Banking Business, Insurance business, Shipping companies, Fund Management, Intellectual Property (IP) Businesses, among others.
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Each relevant activity has its own legal definition of what activities fall under each Relevant Activity. For example, a BVI company that provides Consulting Services to a foreign affiliate may fall under the Distribution and Service Center Business Activity.
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Failure to comply with Economic Substante Requirements rules can bring the owner several type of monetary penalties, and also jail time in the event the owner provides false information.
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The purpose for this is to avoid using the BVI company to reduce artificially the taxable base of a foreign company (base erosion). The BVI does this to comply with international standards and not be a black-listed jurisdiction.
Offshore Bank Accounts in the BVI
As part of our full coverage services, we also offer bank account opening in the BVI for companies formed in the British Virgin Islands, and to companies formed in any other jurisdiction.
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Our services include direct introduction to our banking partner in the BVI, filling all bank application form, credit card application, online banking, etc.
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If a bank account in the BVI is not the best option for your BVI company, we can introduce you and open bank account in other jurisdiction that meets you security, trustability, business practices, and minimum deposit requirements
Some Banking Options for BVI registered entities
Business Bank Account in the BVI
Minimun Initial Deposit: US$25,000.
Bank Opening Fee: US$500
Card: issued under %110 backed credit.
BVI Traditional Bank
US EMI Account
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This option includes US banking details and debit cards
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Minimum initial deposit: 0
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Must be a Start-Up
Singapore based USD and SGD Account
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Singapore based account in USD and SGD
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Allows crypto transactions
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Opening fee: USD 1,000
UK EMI Account
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High risk tolerance, including high risk business lines.
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Account Review: €2,000
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Monthly Fee: €500
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SEPA Transfers.
EU EMI Account
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Located in Lithuania
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€450 opening fee.
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€ Monthly fee.
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Hong Kong based Multicurrency Account
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Global Currency accounts available in US, UK, EU, CAD, JPY, HK, AUS, NZ, SG.
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Debit cards available.