Frequently Asked Questions
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When you are ready to register your Offshore Company, please click here, select your country and complete the simple order form.
We will handle the process of registering your Offshore Company for you. -
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For most of our Offshore Companies, the Director, Secretary and Shareholders do not need to live in the country they have chosen, and they are also not required to visit the country to register the company.
To begin the process of registering your Offshore Company, please click here, choose your required country and complete our simple order form. -
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- Certificate of Incorporation
- Memorandum and Articles of Association
- Register of Directors
- Register of Shareholders
- Share Certificates
You may receive further documentation depending on the country you choose.
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This will depend on which Offshore Company you choose.
Our most popular jurisdictions are shown belowBelize: 1
Barcelona: 1
British Virgin Islands (BVI): 1
Cyprus: 1
Delaware: 1
Gibraltar: 2
Hong Kong: 1
Ireland: 2
Isle of Man: 1
Marshall Islands: 1
Nevada: 1
Panama: 3
Romania: 1
Seychelles: 1
Spain: 1
Sweden: 1 -
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In most countries anyone can be the officer of your company as long as they are over the age of 16.
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Each country requires different ID Documents. The main ID Documents are:
- Certified Proof of Photographic ID (E.G. Passport Copy or Driving Licence)
- Certified Proof of Address dated within the last 3 months (E.G. Gas/Electricity Bill or a Bank Statement)
By having documents certified, this will confirm that the copied document is a true copy of the original. An Accountant, Solicitor or Notary will be able to assist you with certifying documents.
Please contact us to check whether any further ID documents are required.
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No, for the Offshore Companies listed on our website you are not required to visit the country.
For other countries which are not listed on our website, we would inform you whether a visit was required before we register the company on your behalf.
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No, the Registered Office Address of the company must be in the country where you are registering the company.
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It is your responsibility to ensure that the yearly requirements are filed on time. However, we can assist you where possible to ensure that your company is kept up-to-date.
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A Nominee Officer is where someone else will act as an officer within your company, on your behalf.
Yes, you are able to have Nominee Officers within your Offshore Company. -
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A Nominee Officer is where someone else will be the Officer to your company.
The main reason why someone would choose a Nominee Officer is to protect their identities of the persons actually controlling the company.
By using a Nominee your name would not be displayed on company records as the Director, Secretary or Shareholder. -
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The Nominees will be Officers within your company. However, the person responsible for your company - you (the Beneficial Owner) will have full control.
If your company has a Nominee Director and Nominee Shareholder service, we can provide a Power of Attorney which will ensure you have full control of your company. -
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If you have selected a Nominee Director and Nominee Shareholder Service for your company it is recommended that you also order a Power of Attorney.
The Power of Attorney is usually issued to the beneficial owner of the company and this will show that the Nominees are giving full power to the owner of the company. This will ensure that you (beneficial owner) have full control of your company -
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If your company is trading then it is recommended that you open a Business Bank Account. It is ideal to set up a Business Bank Account for your trading activities.
By opening an Offshore Business Bank Account you will be able to manage your funds, usually with online banking and credit cards. -
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Dependent on which Jurisdiction and which Bank you choose to Bank with, will depend on the requirements needed.
Most Banks will require the following:- Initial Deposit to open the Account
- Fully Completed Bank/Application Forms
- Notarised Passport / ID
- Notarised Utility Bill dated within the last 3 months – this can be a Bank Statement, Gas/Electricity Bill
- Original Reference Letter from a Bank or Attorney
- Full set of Apostilled Company Documents – we can help with this
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Each country is different. However, the main requirement is to renew your company on a yearly basis. By renewing your company this ensures that your company is kept up-to-date with the Company Registrar.
Included in most of our renewal prices are all Government Fees and Registered Office (required for all Offshore Companies). -
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If you no longer require your Offshore Company, you will be required to apply for a dissolution which will remove the company from the Registrar. By dissolving your company, you will not be required to file any yearly requirements and you will no longer be able to trade with your company.
Please contact us if you no longer require your Offshore Company and we will be happy to assist you. -
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If you have changed your name or would simply like to appoint/resign yourself from a company, that’s no problem. We can update the relevant authorities and update your company Registers. Please contact us and we will inform you of the best way forward.
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Depending on your business requirements will depend on which type of company you wish to set up. To help you decide which type of company you require, here is some information on each company we offer:
LTD (Limited) Company
This is the most popular UK Company type as it protects the Shareholder’s personal interests, should the company end up in difficulties, provided they do not give any personal guarantees. As the company is a separate legal entity from the people running the company they will be protected from personal liability for the company’s debts.
LLP (Limited Liability Partnership)
An LLP is a partnership which is registered with Partners / Members, the Partners / Members are the owners of the partnership. This type of partnership is commonly used by Solicitors and Accountants as each partner will have protected limited liability. The partners do not have any responsibility for the partnerships debts. The members of the LLP can agree between themselves how the partnership will be managed and how the capital will be owned and profits shared. These arrangements can be changed simply by an agreement between the members at any time.
LTD (Limited) by Guarantee
Limited by Guarantee Companies are commonly used for charities or companies making no profit. All profits are kept within the company, and are solely used to benefit the company.
PLC Company (Public Limited Company)
This type of company is appropriate for larger businesses where shares are intended to be available to the general public. This is the only type of company which may sell their shares to the public.
Flat Management Company / Property Management Company
A Property Management Company is a particular type of company which will manage a property that has been divided into separate units, each unit being owned separately. In many cases the most important use of the company is to hold the title of the overall property and manage the communal areas of the property. -
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All Company details are simply and quickly entered via our online form. Which we submit to the Company Registrar electronically, click here to start registering your company.
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The process is the same as if you are living in the UK.
The Director, Secretary and Shareholder do not have to live in the UK, they can live anywhere in the world, and are not required to visit the UK to set up a UK Company.
A UK Registered Office is required, however we are able to offer a registered office address in Doncaster, London or Glasgow.
All Company details are simply and quickly entered via our online form. Which we submit to the Company Registrar electronically, click here to start registering your company. You can also select one of our Registered Office facilities whilst in the process of registering your company. -
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Depending what Company type you choose, will depend on how many people you need for your company. The minimum age for a Company Director is 16.
- Limited Company: 1 Person
- Limited by Guarantee or Charity Company: 1 Person
- Flat Management or Property Management Company: 1 Person
- LLP : 2 People
- PLC Company: 2 People
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For a standard Limited Company, the following information is required:
- Company Name
- UK Registered Office Address
- Director Details
- Full Name
- Correspondence/Service Address and Residential Address
- Date of Birth
- Nationality
- Occupation
- Shareholder Details
- Full Name
- Residential Address
- Number of Shares and Value per Share
- Personal Identification Information (for example, first three letters of Mother’s Maiden Name, Town of Birth and Eye Colour)
- Secretary Details (optional)
- Full Name
- Residential Address
- Company Name
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A Corporate Officer is where another company will be appointed as an officer within your UK Company. For example, you register a new company ABC LTD and you appoint your existing company XYZ LTD to be the Shareholder
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The Director is responsible for the management of the company. They must ensure that the company does everything that it is obliged to do by law and that the decisions they make will benefit the company.
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In simple terms, yes, but there are certain rules.
You cannot be a Company Director if:- You are under the age of 16
- You have been declared bankrupt or banned from being a company director by a court
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A Shareholder is the legal owner of the shares within the company. Shareholders are the owners of the company. Shareholders buy the company shares, which represent their ownership of the company and can be awarded the profits as a dividend.
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A Company Secretary is a senior position in a company. The Secretary would be responsible for the administration of a company, and they would ensure that the company complies with relevant legislation and regulations.
A Company Secretary is no longer required in a Limited company. However, you still have the option to add a Company Secretary if you require one. -
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It normally takes 1-3 hours for your company to be registered and ready to trade, our fastest registration time is an unbelievable 6 minutes.
Once registered we will email you all your company documents. -
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With all of our company packages, you will receive an emailed copy of the company documents. It usually takes approximately 1-3 hours for your company to be registered.
Dependent on the company type you have registered, will depend on what documents you receive.
With most of our company types, you will receive:- Certificate of Incorporation
- Memorandum of Association
- Articles of Association
- Minutes of the First Meeting of Directors
- Fully Completed Company Register – Legal Requirement
- Share Certificate(s) – usually required to open a bank account
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The Certificate of Incorporation is issued to every company once it has been registered. The Certificate of Incorporation confirms that your company has been registered with the Company Registrar. It confirms your Company Name, Company Number and the Date which your company was registered. You usually require a Certificate of Incorporation when opening a Business Bank Account.
This document is proof that your company exists. -
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The Memorandum is a short statement made by each Shareholder/Subscriber confirming their intention to form a company and become a Shareholder/Subscriber of that company.
The Memorandum is created automatically on our system.
The Articles are basically the rules of your company. The standard model articles are suitable for most company types.
As standard all companies are registered with the standard model articles, however you are able to provide your own articles.
Most companies are required to have Memorandum and Articles. -
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A company register is a legal requirement and every UK Company must ensure they have a Company Register.
The company register is a document which confirms all your company information including Director and Shareholder details. A completed register will be emailed to you once your company has been registered. -
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A Share Certificate is a document that shows how many Shares the Shareholder holds. A completed Share Certificate will be emailed to you once your company has been registered.
If you are opening a Business Bank Account, a Share Certificate will be required. -
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As soon as your company has been registered and you have received your company documents, you are able to trade with your company straight away.
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Every UK Company is required to have a Registered Office Address in the UK. This is the address where the post for your company will be sent to. This address is shown on public records.
If you do not have a UK Address or do not want your own address to show on Public Records, we are able to offer you a Registered Office Address service. By using a Registered Office Address service, this will give you a stable address for your company and will prevent unwanted visitors and junk mail at your home/business address.
Why not take advantage of one of our London Registered Offices in Mayfair, giving the impression that your business is based in London. -
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General Business Correspondence - includes all Government post (Companies House and HMRC) to be forwarded onto you
All Letters - includes all letters to be forwarded onto you -
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A Nominee Officer is where someone will act as the Officer to your company. The main reason why someone would choose a Nominee Officer is to protect their identities of the persons actually controlling the company. By using a Nominee your name would not show on public records as Director, Shareholder or Secretary.
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Every Director within a UK Company is required to provide a Service Address and a Residential Address.
The Service Address will be displayed on Public Records, the Residential Address will be kept confidential. The Service Address can be the same as the Residential Address.
If the Director wishes to prevent their private address from being displayed on public records, they can enter a different address as their Service Address. CFS can offer the use of our address as a Service Address. -
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Fraudulent Activity is a growing problem with UK Companies. People can fraudulently amend company details in order to obtain money or to attack your company Bank Account.
Fraudsters are easily able to change your company details, without you knowing, by illegally filing paper forms, for example, to resign and appoint directors. No signature checks are made on paper forms.
The Fraud Protection Service will stop any paper forms being submitted, and you will receive an email alert every time a change to your company is filed electronically.
CFS highly recommends this service as it protects your company from Fraudsters. -
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Yes, you can change your company name at any time. To change your company name, please view our Additional Services.
Please Note: If you would like to change your company name to include a Sensitive Word, different requirements will apply. Please click here to view a list of the Sensitive Words -
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You must register for VAT if the turnover of your VAT taxable goods and services within the UK for the previous 12 months exceeds the Registration threshold of £82,000, or if you expect to go over the threshold in the next 30 days.
If your company does not exceed the Registration Threshold you can voluntary apply to be registered for VAT. -
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If you have made any changes to your company, Companies House should be informed.
It is very simple to make changes and you are able to view our Additional Services page to make changes to your company for a very small charge.
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Every UK Company must file a Confirmation Statement and Accounts on a yearly basis. By filing your Confirmation Statement and Accounts, this will keep your company in Good Standing.
Confirmation Statement
A Confirmation Statement must be filed to keep Companies House up-to-date about any changes which have occurred within your company. The Confirmation Statement is due on the Incorporation Anniversary day of your company.
The Confirmation Statement can be filed though our Additional ServicesAccounts
The Accounts are simply a record showing the income and expenditure of your company. Depending on whether your company has traded or has not traded (dormant), will depend on which Accounts you need to file. If your company has traded within the last year you will be required to file Trading Accounts. If your company has not traded within the last year you will be required to file Dormant Accounts. The Accounts for your company are due at the end of the Incorporation Anniversary month.
Dormant Accounts can be filed through our Additional Services -
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If you do not file your company Accounts, your company will eventually be struck off the register by Companies House. You could also be fined of up to £5,000 for failure to file your Accounts.
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You have 9 months after the Accounting Reference Date to file your Company Accounts. If your Accounts are filed late Companies House could issue you with a late filing penalty, this could be up to £5,000.
If you have filed your Accounts late and Companies House has issued a late filing penalty to your company, we can assist you with paying the outstanding penalty. -
Q. How do I know when I need to file my Confirmation Statement (Annual Return) and Company Accounts?A.
When your Confirmation Statement and Accounts are due to be filed, we will send you an email reminder notifying you of the Confirmation Statement and Accounts filing dates. The email also states what you will be required to do to file your Confirmation Statement and Accounts. Should you not receive our email please be aware that this is a free service we offer but ultimately it is the directors responsibility to file on time and no responsibility will be held by CFS for late filing.
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Your company documents are not automatically recognizable outside of the UK. To allow your documents to be recognized outside the UK you will be required to Apostille your company documents.
Please visit our Additional Services to view our Apostille services -
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To be eligible for an apostille, a document must first be issued or certified by somebody (i.e. a Notary) who is recognised by the authority that will issue the apostille. The authority then affixes a printed form which contains a stamp or seal with a serial number to authenticate the document.
The document is then recognised as being a genuine document in countries who are participants to the Hague Convention. -
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To have your documents Apostilled, all you need to do is order the service and specify the company documents you would like to be included, such as your Certificate of Incorporation or Fully Completed Company Register. We will then proceed to have your company documents legalised/apostilled.
By having your company documents Legalised/Apostilled they will be recognised as being genuine documents outside the UK.
Please visit our Additional Services to view our Apostille services
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UK Companies that have not traded or are otherwise no longer needed may apply to be struck off/dissolved from the Company Registrar. By dissolving your company, you will not need to file any yearly requirements and you will not be able to trade with your company.
Please visit our Additional Services, you can view the dissolution service under 'Restore / Close (Dissolve) a UK Company' -
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Companies House usually dissolves companies due to the none filing of the yearly requirements. On a yearly basis UK Companies are required to file Annual Return and Accounts, failure to file these documents on time could incur a late filing penalty and your company dissolved from the Company Register.
If you require your company to be active again, we can assist with restoring your company back to the Register. We will file all outstanding requirements with Companies House and will monitor the whole process from start to finish.
If your company has incurred a late filing penalty for the none filing of the yearly requirements, we can assist you with paying the penalty.
Please visit our Additional Services to view our Restoration and Late Penalty services -
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If your company is in Good Standing and is up to date with the yearly requirements, we can assist you with obtaining a Certificate of Good Standing from the Registrar of Companies. This certificate is an official certificate and will confirm that your company is in Good Standing, the certificate can also contain information about the Directors and other information about your company (this is optional).
Please visit our Additional Services to view our Certificate of Good Standing services
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If you have Voluntary applied to dissolve your company from the Register, and you would like written confirmation from Companies House, we can assist you with obtaining a Certificate of Dissolution. This certificate confirms that your company has been dissolved and also the date which the company was dissolved from the register.
Please visit our Additional Services to view our Certificate of Dissolution services
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A Certificate of Incumbency is similar to a Certificate of Good Standing, it confirms all your company information and also states when your Annual Return and Accounts are next due to be filed.
A Certificate of Good Standing is obtained from Companies House; however a Certificate of Incumbency is obtained and created by a Company Formation Agent such as CFS International Formations LTD.
Please visit our Additional Services to view our Certificate of Incumbency services -
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If your company is trading overseas and paying taxes overseas, then you will not be required to pay corporation tax in the UK. However, to qualify for this you will be required to mark your company as exempt from paying corporation tax in the UK. We can assist with making your company exempt.
Please visit our Additional Services to view this service, it is available under 'HMRC Tax / VAT Services' -
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Yes, we can provide you with a service which will provide you with a London Telephone Number for your company. Any calls which are made to the London Number would be redirected to a contact number of your choice.
We can also provide a service where we would answer telephone calls on your behalf, and forward any messages onto you. This service provides a number in Doncaster, however at your request this can be amended.
Please visit our Additional Services to view our Telephone Services -
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Your company is not required to have an Accountant. However, it is recommended to have an Accountant if your company is trading as they can prepare your Trading Accounts and also do other duties which are required for a Trading Company.
We can refer you onto an Accountant free of charge if you require Accountants assistance. -
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A Certificate of Residence is usually required when you are trading overseas. The UK is in a number of double tax treaties with other countries which aim to ensure that people who are liable to tax on income and gains both in the UK and another country are not taxed twice on the same income and gains. The Certificate of Residence usually needs to be provided to the authorities in the second country you are trading in. The Certificate of Residence confirms that the UK Company is paying taxes in the UK and is not required to pay taxes in another country.
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If you wish to appoint another Shareholder within your company or add more shares into your company, you will be required to increase the share capital.
We can add/increase the shares within your company and update Companies House with the relevant changes.
These changes can be made using our Additional Services -
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If your company is trading then it is recommended that you open a Business Bank Account.
For Directors which are resident within the UK, we can refer you onto a UK Bank and they will arrange a Banking Appointment at your nearest Branch for you. This will allow you to open a UK Business Bank Account for your Company.
The referral is offered whilst you are in the process of incorporating your new UK Company.The Bank do usually request that you have hard copies of your company documents so they can check all your company details, we can provide you with a hard copy of your company documents.
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The Registered Office Postage Deposit is a minimal amount to cover the postal costs of sending your Registered Office post to your overseas forwarding address.
The postal costs will be deducted from this deposit as they occur. Only the exact postage charge is deducted we do not add on any additional amounts for handling or administration.You will only be charged once for the Registered Office postage deposit no matter how many times you order our Registered Office service. When the deposit gets low we will contact you to add an additional amount. On Registered Office renewal any balance or amount left will automatically be carried forward to the next year.
The Postage Deposit is included in our All Letters Registered Office Services, if you are resident outside the UK and require the use of one of our Registered Offices you will be asked to pay a 30.00GBP Postage Deposit.
On your Registered Office Account you will be able to track any postage payments and your balance.
The Postage Deposit is only applicable to clients that choose our All Letter service, or clients that are located outside the UK.
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A PSC is a person who has significant control over a company. It is usually a Director or Shareholder within the company, however depending on the company circumstance the PSC could be a different person. For example, if you are using our Nominee Director and Shareholder service you would be required to provide details of the ultimate beneficial owner (PSC).
For more information, please click here.
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A Confirmation Statement is a yearly requirement that must be filed for all Limited Companies and Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs). The Confirmation Statement replaced the previous requirement to file an Annual Return in June 2016. The purpose of the Confirmation Statement is to confirm that important company data registered at Companies House is accurate and up to date. At least one Confirmation Statement should be filed every 12 months, even if the business is dormant.
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Yes, it is possible for a UK Company to have different Share Classes. Click here to find out more
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You can change a Shareholder directly on our Additional Services
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A registered office is an official address of an incorporated company and is on the public record at Companies House. It is important for our goverment and clients to see where legal letters go and for an official to go in person for representations.
This address can be different to your companies trading address.
Our services can be viewed here.
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When you are ready to register your Offshore Company, please click here, select your country and complete the simple order form.
We will handle the process of registering your Offshore Company for you. -
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Each country requires different ID Documents. The main ID Documents are:
- Certified Proof of Photographic ID (E.G. Passport Copy or Driving Licence)
- Certified Proof of Address dated within the last 3 months (E.G. Gas/Electricity Bill or a Bank Statement)
By having documents certified, this will confirm that the copied document is a true copy of the original. An Accountant, Solicitor or Notary will be able to assist you with certifying documents.
Please contact us to check whether any further ID documents are required.
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It is your responsibility to ensure that the yearly requirements are filed on time. However, we can assist you where possible to ensure that your company is kept up-to-date.
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A Nominee Officer is where someone else will act as an officer within your company, on your behalf.
Yes, you are able to have Nominee Officers within your Offshore Company. -
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Dependent on which Jurisdiction and which Bank you choose to Bank with, will depend on the requirements needed.
Most Banks will require the following:
- Initial Deposit to open the Account
- Fully Completed Bank/Application Forms
- Notarised Passport / ID
- Notarised Utility Bill dated within the last 3 months – this can be a Bank Statement, Gas/Electricity Bill
- Original Reference Letter from a Bank or Attorney
- Full set of Apostilled Company Documents – we can help with this
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Depending on your business requirements will depend on which type of company you wish to set up. To help you decide which type of company you require, here is some information on each company we offer:
LTD (Limited) Company
This is the most popular UK Company type as it protects the Shareholder’s personal interests, should the company end up in difficulties, provided they do not give any personal guarantees. As the company is a separate legal entity from the people running the company they will be protected from personal liability for the company’s debts.LLP (Limited Liability Partnership)
An LLP is a partnership which is registered with Partners / Members, the Partners / Members are the owners of the partnership. This type of partnership is commonly used by Solicitors and Accountants as each partner will have protected limited liability. The partners do not have any responsibility for the partnerships debts. The members of the LLP can agree between themselves how the partnership will be managed and how the capital will be owned and profits shared. These arrangements can be changed simply by an agreement between the members at any time.LTD (Limited) by Guarantee
Limited by Guarantee Companies are commonly used for charities or companies making no profit. All profits are kept within the company, and are solely used to benefit the company.PLC Company (Public Limited Company)
This type of company is appropriate for larger businesses where shares are intended to be available to the general public. This is the only type of company which may sell their shares to the public.Flat Management Company / Property Management Company
A Property Management Company is a particular type of company which will manage a property that has been divided into separate units, each unit being owned separately. In many cases the most important use of the company is to hold the title of the overall property and manage the communal areas of the property. -
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The process is the same as if you are living in the UK.
The Director, Secretary and Shareholder do not have to live in the UK, they can live anywhere in the world, and are not required to visit the UK to set up a UK Company.
A UK Registered Office is required, however we are able to offer a registered office address in Doncaster, London or Glasgow.
All Company details are simply and quickly entered via our online form. Which we submit to the Company Registrar electronically, click here to start registering your company. You can also select one of our Registered Office facilities whilst in the process of registering your company. -
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With all of our company packages, you will receive an emailed copy of the company documents. It usually takes approximately 1-3 hours for your company to be registered.
Dependent on the company type you have registered, will depend on what documents you receive.
With most of our company types, you will receive:- Certificate of Incorporation
- Memorandum of Association
- Articles of Association
- Minutes of the First Meeting of Directors
- Fully Completed Company Register – Legal Requirement
- Share Certificate(s) – usually required to open a bank account
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Every UK Company is required to have a Registered Office Address in the UK. This is the address where the post for your company will be sent to. This address is shown on public records.
If you do not have a UK Address or do not want your own address to show on Public Records, we are able to offer you a Registered Office Address service. By using a Registered Office Address service, this will give you a stable address for your company and will prevent unwanted visitors and junk mail at your home/business address.
Why not take advantage of one of our London Registered Offices, giving the impression that your business is based in London. -
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Every UK Company must file a Confirmation Statement and Accounts on a yearly basis. By filing your Confirmation Statement and Accounts, this will keep your company in Good Standing.
Confirmation Statement
A Confirmation Statement must be filed to keep Companies House up-to-date about any changes which have occurred within your company. The Confirmation Statement is due on the Incorporation Anniversary day of your company.
The Confirmation Statement can be filed though our Additional ServicesAccounts
The Accounts are simply a record showing the income and expenditure of your company. Depending on whether your company has traded or has not traded (dormant), will depend on which Accounts you need to file. If your company has traded within the last year you will be required to file Trading Accounts. If your company has not traded within the last year you will be required to file Dormant Accounts. The Accounts for your company are due at the end of the Incorporation Anniversary month.
Dormant Accounts can be filed through our Additional Services
