Company registration · British Virgin Islands
Company registration in the BVI a simple vehicle for holding shares
- Support
- from $1 900
- Registration time
- 0%
- Corporate income tax
- 0%
The most widely used offshore form in international deals: English law, no corporate tax and a fast incorporation.
The difficult part is the bank account, and we say so before you start.
Registration
from $1 900
Turnkey work by BRIDGES. Government fees and duties appear as a separate line in the estimate at actual rates.
See packages0%
Corporate income tax
2-5 days
Incorporation with the registry
English law
A familiar framework for deals
Who it suitsBVI
Who the BVI suits
Working on the company structure- 01Holding shares in operating companies
- 02Joint ventures between international partners
- 03Ownership of vessels, aircraft and other assets
- 04Structures prepared for a sale or a deal
- 05Groups that need a neutral jurisdiction between partners
Does not suit
- Operating trade with European clients
- You need a VAT number or EU market access
- You are counting on anonymity: a beneficial ownership regime applies
- You expect a European bank account to open easily
Company forms4
Which company to open
The business company is the standard vehicle; the other forms serve narrower needs.
- 01BVI Business Company · BC — the main form
Holding shares, ownership of assets, joint ventures.
Fast incorporation, low state fees, familiar to lawyers worldwide.
A registered agent on the islands is mandatory.
- 02Segregated Portfolio Company · SPC
Funds and multi-project structures.
Risk separation within a single legal entity.
More complex administration and reporting.
- 03Limited Partnership · partnership
Investment structures and joint projects.
Transparent for tax at partner level.
Requires a general partner.
- 04Trust · trust arrangement
Succession planning and asset protection.
Separation of assets from personal property.
Tax consequences are assessed for the beneficiaries.
Packagesfrom $1 900
Three ways to launch
The scope is built from real scenarios. The main variable is what happens after incorporation.
01 · 3-7 days
Company
from $1 800
Holding shares and owning assets
- Name check and preparation of the constitution
- Incorporation through a licensed agent
- Registered agent and office for the first year
- Full set of corporate documents
- Assessment of the economic substance position
02 · 6-12 weeks
Company and settlements
from $4 200
A structure that needs to move money
- Everything in the Company package
- Selection of a bank or payment institution for the profile
- Certificates and apostille for the submission
- Preparation of the business description and contracts
- Support with correspondence through to the result
03 · from 4 weeks
Deal structure
by project
A joint venture or a pre-sale holding
- Everything in the Company and settlements package
- Shareholders agreement and share classes
- Nominee arrangements where the structure requires them
- Accounting records and the substance report
- Coordination with the counterparty’s lawyers
Registry fees, agent fees and apostille costs appear as separate lines in the quote.
TaxesBVI
Taxes in the BVI
There is no corporate tax, but there are obligations.
Taxes in the BVI
BVI
- 0%
- Corporate income tax
- from $1 800
- BRIDGES fee
- 2-5 days
- Incorporation with the registry
- English law
- A familiar framework for deals
- Corporate income tax
- Not charged.
- Capital gains and dividends
- Not taxed in the islands.
- VAT
- There is no value added tax.
- Economic substance
- Companies carrying on relevant activities must demonstrate management and resources and file an annual report.
- Accounting records
- Mandatory to keep, with an annual financial return provided to the registered agent.
- Tax at home
- Controlled foreign company rules in the beneficiary’s country of residence apply in full.
Annual upkeep
- Annual government fee
- Registered agent and office
- Annual financial return
- Economic substance report
- Register of beneficial owners
- Accounting records
- Certificates for the bank
- Changes to the company
Registry fees, agent fees and apostille costs appear as separate lines in the quote.
Bank
The bank account after incorporation
This is the hardest part of a BVI project and the first thing we assess.
- 01What the bank looks at
The jurisdiction of the company, what it owns, the source of capital and the economic rationale for the structure.
- 02Which documents are needed
The corporate set with certificates and apostille, beneficiary profiles and evidence of the source of funds.
- 03Where the account is opened
In jurisdictions that work with offshore holdings, and with payment institutions for operating flows.
- 04What we do
We assess the odds early, choose the institution and run the submission through to the result.
A European bank will usually refuse a BVI company outright. If settlements are essential, another jurisdiction is the better answer — and we will say so.
Stages3-7 days
How the work runs
Timelines are split by who is responsible.
- 01Consultation and structure
Purpose, assets, substance, settlements.
One meeting - 02Quote and contract
We fix the scope of work and the amount.
1 day - 03Agent compliance
Verification of the beneficiaries and collection of the set.
2-7 days - 04Incorporation
Filing with the registry and issue of the documents.
2-5 days - 05Preparation for settlements
Apostille, business description, choice of institution.
1-2 weeks - 06Account and launch
Submission and account opening.
The institution sets the timing
Result: The outcome is a clean holding vehicle under English law with full documents, a defensible substance position and settlements arranged where they are needed.
ComparisonBVI
BVI or Cayman Islands
| BVI | Cayman Islands | |
|---|---|---|
| Direct taxes | none | none |
| Typical use | holding shares | funds and venture deals |
| Upkeep cost | lower | higher |
| Investor perception | a familiar holding vehicle | the standard fund vehicle |
| Economic substance | requirements apply | requirements apply |
| Opening an account | difficult | difficult |
| Who it suits better | simple ownership of shares | raising capital from investors |
If the task is to hold shares, the BVI is cheaper. If investors are coming into a fund, Cayman is the expected form.
TeamBRIDGES
Company team
Questions
Registration questions
Does a BVI company pay tax?+
There is no corporate income tax in the islands. Tax obligations arise in the beneficiary’s country of residence.
How long does incorporation take?+
Two to five days with the registry once agent compliance is complete.
What are the economic substance requirements?+
Companies carrying on relevant activities must show management, personnel and expenditure appropriate to the activity, and file an annual report.
Do I have to keep accounting records?+
Yes, records are mandatory and an annual financial return is provided to the registered agent.
How hard is it to open a bank account?+
Very. European banks generally refuse; we work with institutions that accept offshore holdings.
Is the owner visible?+
There is no public register, but beneficial ownership information is held and available to the competent authorities.
Can a BVI company trade?+
Legally yes, but counterparties and banks make operational trade impractical. It is a holding vehicle.
Do I have to declare the company at home?+
Yes. Controlled foreign company rules apply in full.
Why do deals use BVI companies so often?+
English law, flexible share structures and documents that lawyers around the world recognise instantly.
Can the company be redomiciled?+
Yes, redomiciliation into and out of the BVI is available.
BVI or Cayman?+
The BVI for holding shares, Cayman for funds and raising investment.
What does upkeep cost?+
The government fee, the agent, records and, where applicable, the substance report. We set it out three years ahead.
A company for your task
Tell us what the company will do: we will check whether the country fits and show the launch and upkeep budget before the contract.
- Other jurisdictionsA comparison of countries for company registration.
- A company in the Cayman IslandsThe standard vehicle for funds and venture deals.
- Corporate accountsHow an account is opened and what the bank checks.
- BelizeRegistration: 3-7 days · from $950
- Cayman IslandsRegistration: 1-2 weeks · from $4 500
- GibraltarRegistration: 5-10 days · from $2 400
Company registration
Want a company in the BVI?
Write to us, we will set it up. We will choose the form, calculate the launch and the annual upkeep, register the company and help open the account.
