BVI offshore company

Waterfords Solicitors offers BVI offshore company formation and management. The British Virgin Islands is the most popular offshore formation jurisdiction, and have been for the past decade. Its favourable offshore tax incentives for international companies, and well-regulated and legislated corporate environment, make it an ideal jurisdiction for offshore company incorporation.

We can have your BVI company incorporated within 3 days, ensuring your BVI Company is ready for use very quickly. We can provide professional directors and nominee shareholders for your company, and help with opening an offshore bank account.

Read through the jurisdiction overview of the British Virgin Islands below for more information on why the BVI is an ideal location for your offshore company structure. The PDF brochure provides a downloadable introduction to a BVI offshore company. If you are unsure about which jurisdiction is best suited to your needs or would like advice on any of our services, please contact usfor a confidential discussion with no commitment.

Geographical Overview

The British Virgin Islands are a collection of 36 islands in the Caribbean Sea, of which only 16 are inhabited. The islands are located about 80 kilometres east of Puerto Rico, north of the Leeward Islands and adjacent to the US Virgin Islands. The aggregate land area of the island group is 153 square kilometres. The principal islands are Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada and Jost Van Dyke. The population of the British Virgin Islands is approximately 24,000 and the official language is English. The population consists of a mixture of British, Spanish, Dutch, Amerindian and Caribbean racial types; in the last twenty years immigrants in search of work from other parts of the Caribbean have more than doubled the population. Proposals for tough new immigration laws are controversial.

Economic Overview

The BVI have an excellent business infrastructure with good telecommunications. This is coupled with the widespread use of the English language and a legal system largely based on British law, making the island a very convenient and effective business base. The very large numbers of offshore companies, trusts, insurers and mutual funds on the islands are supported by a well-developed and diverse professional services sector. To do business in the BVI (as distinct from establishing an offshore trust or company) a Trade Licence is required from the Trade and Investment Promotion Department. The application form must be accompanied by a financial statement, a police record, two business references (for the individual or the company applying) and financial details of the business being proposed.

Taxation Overview

Taxation in the British Virgin Islands is comparatively simple, most notable for an absence of most major forms of taxation, which has led to the BVI styling itself as a modern offshore financial centre. The majority of the Government’s revenues are obtained directly from annual licence fees for offshore companies incorporated in the jurisdiction. The BVI is also obliged to apply the EU’s Saving Tax Directive of 20%. The BVI introduced its successful International Business Company (IBC) in 1984 in order to attract offshore industry, and by the time the Act was superseded by the BVI Business companies Act in 2004, which effectively removed the distinction between ‘offshore’ and ‘onshore’ companies, well over 600,000 had registered in the jurisdiction.

Key Features

• Flexible IBCs for numerous business purposes
• Low annual fees
• No capital gains, gift or wealth taxes and no death duty
• Modern corporate code
• Excellent communication worldwide
• Minimal red-tape
• Political and Economic Stability
• High
• Legislation
• 1984 IBC legislation has formed basis of other jurisdictions
• Minimal bureaucracy and red tape
• Taxation
• IBC are tax-exempt
• Time
• 3 working days