Until 1967, the British Virgin Islands (BVI) were a colony of the United Kingdom. Since then, the British Virgin Islands (BVI) has gained acclaim among MNCs and wealthy people alike as a prime location for doing international business. The legislation in the British Virgin Islands is quite accommodating to companies, providing them with access to a wide range of specialized banking options. Since it is simpler to establish a corporation in the BVI, it has become a popular choice for entrepreneurs throughout the world.
For the last three decades, BVI has been almost associated with the establishment of offshore companies. If you're on the fence about forming a corporation in the British Virgin Islands, read on for an explanation of why you should and how to do so. Consider these reasons that it may be beneficial to form a BVI corporation:
Tax Burdens That Are Relatively Low
Because of the British Virgin Islands' (BVI) Territorial Tax System,
International Business Corporations (IBCs) that are incorporated there but conduct their operations elsewhere are not subject to BVI income tax. Income, gains, customs charges, sales, profits, inheritance, dividends, and interests are not taxable to businesses. IBCs are only subject to taxation by the government of the British Virgin Islands (BVI) if they have a physical presence on the islands or if they employ people from the territory. The BVI has Tax Information Exchange Agreements (TIEA) in place with various nations despite not having a withholding tax of its own. The British Virgin Islands (BVI) must share tax information with other countries in accordance with a TIEA.
Easy to Establish a Business
Unlike in some other offshore jurisdictions, BVI company formation is a comparatively simple process. When compared to other financial centers that need residence, the British Virgin Islands (BVI) is a preferable jurisdiction in which to establish an IBC since it only requires the naming of a single shareholder and director. The formation of a business in the British Virgin Islands does not need annual shareholder meetings. Any amount of shares up to 50,000 may be issued in exchange for cash or other considerations by a firm. You are exempt from filing yearly returns and having your finances reviewed. Establishing and maintaining a BVI business structure is simple since the territory no longer requires yearly reporting or tax filings. As a result, they are cheaper to use. Due to the high quality of the BVI's legal personnel, establishing a company couldn't be simpler.
Stress on Confidentiality in Business Transactions
The BVI has a solid reputation for protecting the confidentiality of client records. Currently, there are no laws that prevent a company's registered agent from disclosing who the company's beneficial owner is. The Register of Directors is the sole document pertaining to this issue that is open to the public. If a business agent in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) receives a valid legal request, such as a TIEA from another country, then they must reveal the beneficial ownership of the firm in question. The use of Trust Structures as IBC firm owners is another way in which the BVI may help maintain privacy. An IBC is owned by one of the trusts for whose trustee services are provided by the BVI VISTA Trust.
Fees for Forming a Company and Renewing It Each Year
Businesses may save money on yearly filings and taxes by establishing themselves in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), but they must pay a charge every year to maintain their good standing. Government costs for forming and managing an IBC that issues less than 50,000 shares per year rose from US$350 per year.
Contrasting Business Organizations and Trust Arrangements
As one of the world's most adaptable financial hubs, the BVI provides a broad range of corporate and trust structures. Newly formed IBCs in the British Virgin Islands may register with any of the following names or suffixes.
- Limited/Ltd
- Corporation/Corp
- Incorporated/Inc
- Societe Anonyme/Sociedad Anonima (S.A.)
The BVI is a popular option for Chinese, Hong Kong, and Taiwanese offshore customers since they allow the registration of BVI companies with names written in Mandarin Chinese.