Company formation help centre: answers by topic
43 answers
Getting startedDo I need to travel to incorporate?
No. Formation is fully remote. You upload your KYC documents in the client portal after checkout, and we arrange a video call if one is required.
Getting startedHow do I order a company?
Checkout has four steps: choose the jurisdiction, company type and package; give up to three company names; add your contact details; then review and pay. You can save your order and finish later.
Getting startedHow do I choose the right jurisdiction?
Start with what the company will do, where your customers are and whether you need a business account soon. The jurisdiction finder turns four answers into a shortlist of three, with year-1 and year-2 prices. A specialist can confirm the choice before you pay.
Getting startedWhat documents do I need?
A passport and a recent proof of address for every director, shareholder and beneficial owner, a short description of the business and a note on where the money comes from. Some registries and banks ask for certified copies; we tell you if yours do.
Getting startedWhy do you need KYC documents?
Because the law requires it. As a licensed trust or company service provider in Hong Kong (licence TC001305), we must identify who owns and controls every company we form and keep those records. We use your documents only for your order and these checks.
Getting startedWhen do I upload my KYC documents?
After checkout. We email you a secure sign-in link to the client portal, where you upload passports and proof of address. You attach nothing during checkout itself.
Getting startedHow long does it take to form a company?
Each jurisdiction page shows a typical time to form, counted from KYC approval rather than from payment. Complete, clear documents are the quickest route to approval. Registry workload can add a few days.
Getting startedCan I use a company name that already exists abroad?
Usually yes, if the name is available in the registry of your chosen jurisdiction. You give up to three names at checkout, and we check them with the registry before filing.
Getting startedWhat if the country I want is not listed?
Ask anyway. We list 45+ jurisdictions and quote others on request. Choose “other” at checkout or send us a message, and a specialist replies within 1 business day.
Getting startedCan I save my order and finish later?
Yes. Use “Save and finish later” in the order summary and we email you a link that reopens your order on any device. Saved orders are kept for 30 days.
Pricing & paymentWhat is included in the price?
Formation, the government incorporation fee, the registered agent or office for year 1 and the company secretary where the law requires one. Growth and Premium add a bank-account introduction, mail scanning, bookkeeping and more.
Pricing & paymentWhat will I pay from year 2?
The year-2 renewal price shown next to every year-1 price on our site. It is also on your order summary, so you know the running cost before you order.
Pricing & paymentWhich payment methods do you accept?
Card (Visa, Mastercard, Amex), PayPal and bank wire, chosen at the last step of checkout. With a bank wire, filing starts when the funds arrive.
Pricing & paymentWhich currency are prices in?
US dollars. Every price on the site is in USD. If you pay from another currency, your card issuer or bank converts it and sets any conversion fee.
Pricing & paymentWill I get an invoice?
Yes. Invoices are issued by One IBC Limited, the company behind Offshore Company Corp. If you pay by bank wire, the invoice arrives by email with the wire instructions.
Pricing & paymentWhat is your refund policy?
If we cannot incorporate your company, we refund the service fee (minus courier costs). The refund policy page has the full terms.
Pricing & paymentWhen do you pay the government fee?
After your KYC is approved. We pay the registry fee on your behalf when we file. It is part of your package price, not an extra, and your order summary shows it as its own line where the amount is fixed.
Pricing & paymentWhy do some jurisdictions show “Quote” instead of a price?
Because that price is not published yet. Continue at checkout and a specialist sends a fixed, itemised all-in quote within 1 business day. You pay nothing until you approve it.
BankingCan you promise me a bank account?
No, and no provider can: the bank makes the final decision. We introduce you to institutions that fit your profile and prepare the application with you.
BankingWhat is the difference between a bank and a payment account?
A payment or e-money account (EMI) holds and moves money but usually does not lend. It is often the quickest option for e-commerce and service businesses. A traditional bank offers more products and usually asks more questions before opening an account.
BankingWhat do banks ask for?
Expect the company documents, KYC for every owner and director, a description of the business with expected transactions, and sometimes contracts or invoices. A clear, consistent business description helps most.
BankingDo I need to visit the bank in person?
It depends on the institution. Many payment accounts and digital banks onboard fully online, while some traditional banks ask to meet you. We tell you which applies before you apply.
BankingHow long does a business account take to open?
The institution sets the timing, and it varies with your profile and its own checks. We prepare a complete application to avoid back-and-forth, but we cannot promise a date.
ComplianceDo I need an audit in Hong Kong?
Yes. A Hong Kong company files its profits tax return with audited financial statements signed by a certified public accountant. This applies even when the company claims its profits are not taxable in Hong Kong.
Accounting and audit supportSource: Inland Revenue Department, notes to profits tax return BIR51
ComplianceWill my company pay tax?
It depends on where the profits come from, where the company is managed and controlled, and where you live. Hong Kong, for example, taxes only profits arising in or derived from Hong Kong. Your home country may also tax the company or you as its owner (confirm with your specialist).
ComplianceIs an offshore company legal?
Yes, when it has a genuine purpose and is declared wherever the law requires. We offer privacy within the law only: ownership is recorded and disclosed to authorities as required.
ComplianceWho can see who owns my company?
It depends on the jurisdiction. A Hong Kong company keeps a significant controllers register that is not filed with the registry but must be shown to law-enforcement officers on demand. Other places, such as the UK, publish owners on a public register.
Source: Companies Registry, Significant Controllers Register
ComplianceWhat is an economic substance return?
An annual filing in BVI, Cayman and some other jurisdictions that states whether the company carries on a “relevant activity”, such as holding, finance or IP. Companies that do must show enough real activity there (confirm with your specialist).
ComplianceWill my bank report my account to my tax authority?
Often, yes. Under the OECD Common Reporting Standard (CRS), banks in participating countries report accounts of non-residents to their tax authority, which shares the data with the owner’s home country. Plan on your tax office seeing the account (confirm with your specialist).
ComplianceI am a US person. Does FATCA affect me?
Yes. Under FATCA, foreign banks report accounts of US persons to the IRS, and US persons may also need to report foreign accounts and assets themselves. Your bank will ask for a US tax form when you apply.
ComplianceDoes a US LLC owned by a non-US person file anything each year?
Yes, if it is a single-member LLC. The IRS requires a foreign-owned single-member LLC to file Form 5472 with a pro-forma Form 1120 every year, even with no US income, and the penalty for missing it is high. Our filing service is a separate add-on at checkout, or you can use your own accountant.
Source: IRS, About Form 5472
ComplianceWhat does a UK company file every year?
A confirmation statement to Companies House at least once every 12 months, plus annual accounts and a company tax return. The confirmation statement is due even if nothing has changed.
ComplianceWhat does the FATF or EU list notice on some jurisdictions mean?
It means the jurisdiction was on a FATF or EU list at our last review. Banks and business partners may ask more questions of companies from listed places. We show the notice so you can weigh it before you choose.
After incorporationHow do I renew my company?
We remind you before each renewal is due. Pay in the client portal or on the Renew & pay page.
After incorporationWhat happens if I miss a renewal or filing?
Registries charge late fees, and a company that stays in default can be struck off. Contact us as soon as you notice; fixing it early is simpler than restoring a struck-off company.
After incorporationWhat is the client portal?
Your secure account with us. You sign in with an emailed link, upload KYC documents, download your company documents and see upcoming renewals.
After incorporationWhich documents do I receive?
The certificate of incorporation, the company’s constitution and its statutory registers, in your client portal. Certified or apostilled copies are available if a bank or authority abroad asks for them.
After incorporationHow do I change a director or shareholder?
Tell us what is changing and we prepare the resolutions and registry filings. New directors and shareholders go through KYC first.
After incorporationCan I move my existing company to you?
Yes. We take over as registered agent after KYC, and your current agent releases the records. Timing depends on the current agent and the registry.
After incorporationCan you keep my books and prepare accounts?
Yes. We offer bookkeeping, annual accounts and coordination with an auditor where the law requires an audit. Premium includes 12 months of bookkeeping.
After incorporationHow do I close a company I no longer need?
Through a strike-off or deregistration with the registry, once filings and fees are up to date. Closing properly stops penalties building up on a company you no longer use.
After incorporationI received an invoice that looks suspicious. What should I do?
Do not pay it until you have checked it. Compare it with the payment details on our Renew & pay page and contact us through this website. Our invoices are issued by One IBC Limited.
Can’t find it? Ask a specialist, reply within 1 business day.
Cost calculator: what a company costs over time
Starter package, published prices, government fees included. Accounting, audit and tax filing are extra where required; your quote itemises them.
| Jurisdiction | Year 1 | Each year after | 3-year total |
|---|---|---|---|
 Seychelles | US$1,290 | US$1,090 | US$3,470 |
 Hong Kong+ Hong Kong audit from US$1,400 a year | US$1,690 | US$1,190 | US$4,070 |
 British Virgin Islands | US$1,925 | US$1,450 | US$4,825 |
 Singaporeincl. resident director | US$4,490 | US$3,490 | US$11,470 |
Free guides
2026 Jurisdiction Comparison
Tax, audit, registers, banking access and 3-year cost for 12 jurisdictions.
Bank account readiness checklist
What banks and EMIs ask non-resident owners, and how to prepare.
Annual compliance calendar
Every recurring deadline for HK, SG, UK, BVI, Cayman, Belize and Seychelles.
Holding structure primer
How holding, operating and IP companies fit together, with worked examples.
Glossary
- Annual return
- A yearly filing that confirms a company’s basic details with the registry.
- Apostille
- A certificate that makes a public document valid in other countries that joined the Hague Apostille Convention.
- Articles of association
- The company’s internal rules, such as how directors are appointed and shares are issued.
- Audit
- An independent check of a company’s financial statements by a licensed accountant.
- Beneficial owner (UBO)
- The individual who ultimately owns or controls a company, directly or through other entities.
- Branch
- A foreign company’s registered presence in another country. It is not a separate company.
- C-Corporation
- A US corporation taxed at company level, and the usual choice for venture investors.
- Certificate of good standing
- A registry document confirming the company exists and is up to date with filings.
- Certificate of incorporation
- The registry document that proves the company was formed, with its number and date.
- Company secretary
- The officer who keeps statutory records and filings up to date. Required in some places, such as Hong Kong.
- Confirmation statement
- The UK filing that confirms company details to Companies House at least every 12 months.
- CRS
- Common Reporting Standard: automatic exchange of financial account information between tax authorities.
- Director
- A person appointed to manage the company, with legal duties to it.
- Economic substance
- Rules requiring real activity in a jurisdiction for companies that earn certain types of income there.
- EIN
- US Employer Identification Number, needed for US tax and banking.
- EMI
- Electronic money institution: a regulated provider of payment and e-money accounts.
- Exempted company
- Cayman company type for business carried on mainly outside Cayman.
- FATCA
- US law under which foreign financial institutions report accounts held by US persons to the IRS.
- FATF
- Financial Action Task Force: the global anti-money-laundering standard setter, which lists higher-risk jurisdictions.
- Form 5472
- A US information return filed by certain foreign-owned US companies, including single-member LLCs.
- Foundation
- A legal entity without shareholders that holds assets for a purpose or for beneficiaries.
- IBC
- International Business Company, used in Seychelles, Belize and others.
- Incumbency certificate
- A document from the registered agent that lists a company’s directors and shareholders.
- KYC
- Know your customer: identity, address and source-of-funds checks.
- LLC
- Limited liability company. In the US, a flexible entity whose tax treatment depends on its owners.
- LLP
- Limited liability partnership: partners share the profits with limited personal liability.
- Memorandum of association
- A founding document that records the company’s name, shares and first members.
- Nominee director or shareholder
- A professional who acts as director or holds shares for the owner, disclosed to the registry and authorities as required.
- Notarisation
- Certification by a notary that a signature or a copy of a document is genuine.
- Proof of address
- A recent utility bill or bank statement showing your name and home address.
- PSC register
- The UK register of people with significant control over a company, kept by Companies House.
- Registered agent
- Licensed provider that must be appointed in offshore jurisdictions.
- Registered office
- The official address where the company receives legal and registry mail.
- Resident director
- Locally resident director required by some jurisdictions, such as Singapore.
- Share capital
- The value of the shares a company issues to its shareholders.
- Shelf company
- A company formed earlier with no activity, ready to transfer to a new owner.
- Significant controllers register
- Hong Kong register of people with significant control, kept by the company and shown to law enforcement on demand.
- Source of funds
- Where the money used to fund the company or a transaction comes from.
- Source of wealth
- How a person built their overall wealth, such as salary, a business sale or an inheritance.
- Strike-off
- Removal of a company from the register, on request or for missed filings.
- TCSP
- Trust or company service provider. In Hong Kong, providing company services requires a TCSP licence from the Companies Registry.
- Territorial tax
- A system that taxes only profits sourced in the country, as in Hong Kong.