Company formation in the British Virgin Islands
The BVI Business Company is the most widely used holding vehicle in the world, and for good reason: flexible, cheap to maintain and instantly understood by lawyers everywhere. Use it as a holding layer, not as an operating account.
Corporate tax
0%
Formation time
2–3 days
Common vehicle
BVI Business Company
Best suited to
Holding & JV layers
Why the BVI still dominates holding structures
BVI company law is deliberately flexible: no minimum capital, no requirement for local directors, straightforward share classes and a court system familiar to international counsel. There is no corporate income tax, capital gains tax or withholding tax. For joint ventures, shareholder agreements and group holding above licensed operating companies, it does the job with minimal friction.
Incorporation and annual obligations
- One director and one shareholder minimum; corporate directors allowed.
- Registered agent and registered office in the BVI are mandatory.
- Register of directors filed privately with the Registry; beneficial ownership reported through the agent.
- Annual financial return filed with the registered agent within nine months of financial year end.
- Economic substance notification each year; relevant activities face a substantive test.
Where the BVI is the wrong choice
Operating revenue in gambling, payments, forex or crypto is difficult to bank through a BVI company, and no BVI licence exists for those activities. Founders who incorporate here first and look for a licence afterwards usually restructure within a year. Put the licence and the client money in a jurisdiction built for it and hold the shares through the BVI.
Company formation, banking and licensing handled together
We form the entity, prepare the due-diligence file the way an onboarding committee reads it, and take the licence application through to grant where one is required. Ownership chart, licence scope, AML/KYC policy and expected flows by corridor are prepared before any bank sees the file.
Frequently asked questions
Is a BVI company confidential?
Shareholder details are not on a public register, but beneficial ownership is reported to the authorities through your registered agent and shared with competent authorities on request.
Does a BVI company need accounts?
There is no public audit filing, but records must be kept and an annual financial return is filed with the registered agent. Failure to file leads to penalties and eventual strike-off.
Can a BVI company hold a licensed subsidiary?
Yes, and that is the most common use. Regulators will look through to beneficial owners, so the ownership chain has to be explainable in a single diagram.
Considering British Virgin Islands for your structure?
We will confirm in writing whether it fits your regulator and your banks. Reply within 2 hours.
Other jurisdictions