If you are looking for a really great jurisdiction to set up an offshore company, take a good look at Vanuatu. The country’s government is making considerable efforts to develop the local economy, so the destination is gaining more and more popularity as an offshore center. Vanuatu offers not only great tax benefits to non-resident entrepreneurs but also has a flexible legal framework that provides all the usual perks associated with offshore jurisdictions.
We would like to invite you to our portal where you can read the full text of the article on Vanuatu offshore company setup and take advantage of our knowledge base of articles on international business and banking, tax optimization, investment (including foreign real estate and citizenship-by-investment programs), and much more. You can also book a free individual session with our specialist to talk about your needs and see which options and products can meet them. We can open a company or an account for you in any appropriate offshore jurisdiction at a reasonable fee, and you will not have to make much effort to get a fully operational company or bank account.
Company Establishment in Vanuatu
If you form a company on your own, you will need to study the local laws that govern the company formation process, such as the Banks Act, the Companies Act, the International Companies Act, the Stamp Duty Act, the Insurance Companies Act, and the Trust Companies Act.
Vanuatu offers a tax break that has no analogs in any other offshore jurisdictions: your company will be exempted from taxes for 20 years. Namely, you will not need to pay a stock exchange gain tax, a capital transfer tax, a corporate tax, a turnover tax, an income tax, or an inheritance tax.
Here are the company legal forms you can establish in Vanuatu:
- International Company, which is the most popular legal entity when it comes to offshore operations
- Offshore Limited Liability Company
- Exempted Company
- Local Company
- Fund
- Limited Liability Company
- Unlimited Liability Company
- Registered Segregated Portfolio Company
- Protected Segregated Portfolio Company
If you are not sure which legal form to choose, feel free to get in touch with our experts and discuss the activities you are going to engage in. It will help you make the right choice and seamlessly conduct your future operations.
International Company
Let’s discuss the main features of the International Limited Company which is the most widespread legal form registered in Vanuatu:
- It can issue shares which may limit the company’s liability
- As for the type of shares, bearer and preferred shares are allowed in addition to ordinary ones, and these can be with par value or without it.
- There is no minimum authorized capital threshold set, and the default value that will be registered is USD 1,000.
- This company type is abbreviated to Ltd.
- An International Limited Company can have only one shareholder which may be an individual or a legal entity. The nationality is not restricted in any way.
- This kind of company can be managed by only one director who can be a national of any country, an individual or a legal entity.
- You cannot hire a professional director to manage the company.
- You will need to hire a local registered agent and get a local registered address.
- The company’s constitution (that consists of the Memorandum and Articles of Association) is required to be registered by a special local commission.
- You can register an International Limited Company in Vanuatu within 7 working days or even less.
- You can name your company in any language. However, if the language is other than English, you will need to submit a certified translation into English.
- If the company name contains such words as trust, investment fund, bank, reinsurance, finance, buildings society, insurance, trustees, assurance, or fund management, you will be required to obtain special approval or an appropriate license.
- You will have enough confidentiality as the personal information on the founder and other company representatives will not be disclosed to third parties.
- You are not required to hold the annual meeting of shareholders unless you want to, and you can choose any place across the globe for this event.
- The International Limited Company has its limitations: it cannot own or trade property in Vanuatu.
- The company is required to pay an annual state fee of USD 300.
Cost of Vanuatu Offshore Company Establishment
Let’s look at the cost of company incorporation and maintenance in Vanuatu:
- The company incorporation costs 2,300 US dollars.
- The fee payable for the local registered agent’s services and keeping a registered office on an annual basis amounts to 2,000 US dollars in the first year and 3,000 US dollars afterward.
- You will have to pay an annual company renewal fee required by the state: 300 US dollars for an International Company and 450 US dollars for an Exempted Company.
Company Registration Procedure: Steps to Take
If you want to set up a company in Vanuatu without much administrative hassle, please take the following steps:
- Contact our expert using the above link and tell him or her that you would like to establish an offshore company in Vanuatu. We will discuss your situation to make sure that we can help you and that Vanuatu is a suitable choice for your needs, and give individual recommendations after we analyze all factors.
- Pay the cost of our services using any method that is convenient to you, from bank transfer or PayPal to cryptocurrency.
- As soon as we receive your payment, we will start collecting the required documents. The principal company members (that is, director, shareholder, and beneficial owner) will be required to submit the following documents:
- A good copy of your international passport
- A proof of residence (a recent bank statement or a utility bill that is no older than 90 days)
- Provide the name of your offshore company.
- We will take all the administrative steps. As soon as the procedure is over, we will send the original company documents to the address you provide by courier service. You may as well visit Vanuatu to receive them in person.
Interested? Contact us right now even if you have some doubts – we will help you make sure Vanuatu is the destination for you or propose other excellent jurisdictions!