Vanuatu can be a suitable option for establishing an offshore or other type of company. The jurisdiction offers various tax and other incentives, as well as guarantees the confidentiality of business management. If you are considering the option of establishing a company in Vanuatu, this can be done in one of the following forms.
Main forms of legal and business presence
If you want to expand your business by establishing your legal presence in Vanuatu, you can do so in one of the following forms:
International company (offshore) - a business entity that can be established by foreigners to conduct business outside this country. The financial liability of the founders (shareholders) may be limited by (i) shares – only within the amount of their contributions and (ii) a guarantee – within the specified amount of funds. There are no requirements regarding the authorized capital. This form of legal entity is not suitable for banking, insurance, trusts, as it does not meet the conditions for obtaining the relevant licenses.
Limited Liability Company – a commercial entity in which the shareholders bear limited liability within the limits of ) the price of the shares held (for a limited liability company) or a guarantee – a certain established amount (limited liability company). This company can be either private - where there are certain restrictions on the transfer of shares and there must be no more than 50 shareholders, and public - where shares can be freely offered to the public, mainly for raising funds.
Exempt company - a legal entity that is exempt from certain requirements for filing annual reports and is not audited. It is also exempt from public disclosure requirements – there are no public records for exempt companies.
General Partnership – a business entity that can be formed by at least two persons who have full liability for all the results of the company’s activities.
Limited Partnership – a business entity that can be formed by at least one partner who has unlimited liability for all the results of the company’s activities and at least one partner who has limited liability for all the commitments of the company. The number of partners must not exceed 20.
Overseas Company – a foreign company can re-register in Vanuatu and continue to operate here. In this case, it is necessary to find two Vanuatu residents who will be responsible for accepting notices.
Registration requirements and steps
Registration of a company in Vanuatu may require the following general steps:
Identifying the main business objectives for a future enterprise
Choosing a company name for a future company.
Arranging the registered office and representation of a future commercial company.
Collecting data on shareholders and beneficial owners.
Electing the company's management.
Preparing and formalizing the constitution of the entity.
Submitting the set of documents to the Companies Registry for the establishment of the legal entity.
Registration for tax and social security purposes.
Opening a bank account for a future commercial vehicle.
Obtaining additional licenses (required for specific types of activities).
These steps are preliminary. The specific stages and set of registration documents may vary for each individual case.
Legal and Regulatory Framework
This jurisdiction offers a number of benefits for entrepreneurship. It provides favorable tax conditions and provides a framework in which running a business is relatively easy.
The local legal system is based on English law. The main legal acts regulating the establishment and maintenance of legal entities in Vanuatu are the Companies Act, the Vanuatu International Companies Act, the Partnership Act.
The main government bodies that can regulate issues related to the operation of commercial vehicles are the Vanuatu Investment Promotion Authority, the Financial Services Commission, the Ministry of Customs and Inland Revenue.
Advantages of the jurisdiction
Opening a company in Vanuatu can be promising in view of these potential benefits:
Comparatively fast and inexpensive registration procedure
Tax haven
Meetings of the vehicle's shareholders can be organized outside the country
Confidentiality of data on controlling persons (it can only be accessed on the basis of a court order)
No requirements for mandatory financial accounting
Zero exchange control
Vanuatu Tax System
If you are considering the option of registering a company in Vanuatu offshore, the following tax highlights may help during the evaluation:
Corporate tax – 0%
Personal income tax – None
Value added tax – 0% or (12.5% for residents)
Withholding tax – None
Capital gains tax – None
How our experts can help
Let's assume you are evaluating the establishment or purchase of a company in Vanuatu. In this case, the lawyers of "Smart Startup UK" are ready to put this option into practice by providing legal support for the following aspects of business registration in Vanuatu:
Request and collect all data and documents for opening a business in Vanuatu;
Choose the name and in the interests of the client, all negotiations are conducted by us with local authorities and banks;
We arrange the legal address, accounts and employees, as well as all necessary documents for applying for the future company;
We provide comprehensive legal support for the further functioning of the new legal entity in Vanuatu.
The portfolio of specialists of "Smart Startup UK" is formed by more than 8,000 cases in the field of registration and support of international business. Our lawyers will apply this experience to the goals of your project.
CREATE A COMPANY
Company name check and reservation
Company registration, including government fees
Obtaining an administrative identification number
Registering the company with government agencies
Writing a company charter
A set of company charter documents in electronic form
Bank contribution for the company's authorized capital
Obtaining a foreign investment permit
Opening an account at: ANZ BANK Vanuatu, Pacific Private Bank
Opening a personal bank account
Apostille and translated corporate documents
Obtaining a residence permit
Free consultation
Assistance with online trading and opening on an account at viva.com for online trading
Accounting services - 12 months
Accounting services
Annual renewal 1900 Euro (paid from the second year)
*Within 35 days
IMPORTANT! We can provide you with the initial share capital (if the amount is over 5000 Euro) for registering your company in the form of a loan from our company.
Please, if you are interested, make an inquiry to us.
What is the procedure!
1. You submit an application for company registration using the application form.
2. We check whether the company name for registration is available and eligible for registration.
3. Choose a bank that meets your company's needs from a list of Smart Startup UK partner banks.
4. We send you a proforma invoice for payment to be paid to our bank account + the amount for the initial capital of your company.
5. You receive all the necessary company documents for reconciliation.
6. You receive details of your newly opened bank account.
7. Within the specified period (for Vanuatu it is 35 days) you receive all the services included in the package.
8. You can manage all the services included in the package through our platform, as our team works 24/7 and you can get help from us within up to 30 minutes. We have built an internal ticket system for our customers, through which we process each of your support requests.
All services such as management, accounting, bank account opening requests, licensing, tax return filing, tax payment and more are carried out through your account on our platform, making it easier to manage your business!
