International Company Formation from India

It means registering a company in another country, such as an LLC in the USA or a Pte Ltd in Singapore. For an Indian founder, it also includes reporting the investment to the RBI under FEMA and keeping both countries compliant after registration.

Yes. An Indian company can invest under the ODI route within its financial commitment limit. A resident individual can invest within the Liberalised Remittance Scheme limit of USD 250,000 a financial year, in an operating business. Both routes go through an Authorised Dealer bank.

We handle company formation in 47 countries across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Oceania and Africa. The USA, UK, UAE, Singapore and Canada are the most popular with Indian founders. The full list, with company types and starting prices, is in the country directory above.

In most of the 47 countries, yes. Registration is done remotely with notarised or apostilled documents. A few markets, such as Germany, need a notary appointment, and some banks ask to meet directors before opening an account.

No. You can own a foreign company as an individual. Many founders still invest through an Indian private limited company because the limits are higher. We compare both routes in your free consultation.

In most of our 47 countries, yes. Some markets and regulated activities set local ownership rules or licence conditions, so we check your activity against them before anything is filed.

Most countries, including the USA, the UK and UAE free zones, do not ask for one. Singapore needs at least one director who lives in Singapore, and a few other markets have similar rules. We tell you upfront if your country does.

A person or firm with a local address that receives official and legal post for your company. Every US state requires one for an LLC or a corporation, and many other countries ask for a local registered address.

A subsidiary is a separate company with its own liability. A branch is part of your Indian company, so the parent carries its debts and risks. Most founders choose a subsidiary because it keeps liability abroad.

Yes. Shareholders and directors can live in different countries. Each person gives identity and address documents, and the share held by an Indian resident is reported under FEMA.

An LLC is flexible and its profits usually pass through to the owners for US tax. A C Corp pays 21% federal corporate tax and can issue shares to investors, which is why startups raising capital prefer a Delaware C Corp.

Delaware suits companies that plan to raise venture capital, because investors know its corporate law. Wyoming suits small LLCs that want low running costs.

A UK Ltd is a company limited by shares and registered at Companies House. It gives you a trusted European base at a low cost.

A company licensed by a UAE free zone authority, such as RAKEZ, DMCC or DIFC. It allows full foreign ownership, and qualifying income can be taxed at 0%.

An international business company, or IBC, is an offshore company used mainly to hold shares, IP or investments, in places such as the BVI. Economic substance rules apply, and ODI rules limit some structures, so it needs a genuine business purpose.

No. Every company is registered under the law of one country. Groups that trade in several countries form a company in each, often owned by one holding company.

A few countries allow a company to redomicile, but many do not. It is usually simpler to choose the right country at the start, or to form a new company and move the business across.

ODI is Overseas Direct Investment, reported to the RBI through your bank on Form FC. APR is the Annual Performance Report, due by 31 December. FLA is the Foreign Liabilities and Assets return, due by 15 July.

The form used to report an overseas direct investment to the RBI through your Authorised Dealer bank. Once it is processed, the investment gets a Unique Identification Number, or UIN.

Under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme, a resident individual can send up to USD 250,000 in a financial year. That limit covers all your LRS remittances, not only the investment in your company.

Under the Overseas Investment Rules 2022, an Indian company can make a financial commitment of up to 400% of its net worth, as per its last audited balance sheet.

A late submission fee applies, and until the filing is regularised you cannot make further overseas investments or transfers. Filing on time is far cheaper than fixing it later.

Individuals can invest only in an operating business abroad, so a pure investment holding structure usually goes through an Indian company. We check your structure before any money leaves India.

It can be, if its key decisions are made in India, under the Place of Effective Management rules. Dividends you receive are taxed in India, with credit for foreign tax under the relevant DTAA.

Yes. Resident individuals report foreign assets, including shares in a foreign company, in Schedule FA of their income tax return.

The USA for US customers and investors, the UK for a low cost European base, the UAE for Gulf trade and Singapore for an Asian hub. We recommend one on a free call after hearing your plan.

Among our published prices, a UK private limited company is the lowest, starting from ₹25,000, followed by a Wyoming LLC from ₹35,000 and Singapore, Hong Kong, Ireland or Kenya from ₹45,000. Government fees are extra and quoted before you pay.

Not fully. The UAE charges 9% corporate tax on taxable profit above AED 375,000. A qualifying free zone company can pay 0% on qualifying income if it meets the conditions.

Singapore law asks every company to have at least one director who lives in Singapore. Founders meet it with a local hire, a relocating team member or a nominee director service.

Yes. Foreign investors register with the Ministry of Investment, known as MISA, and then complete the commercial registration.

The UK is the lowest cost. Ireland and Estonia suit online and tech businesses, while Germany and the Netherlands suit companies selling into mainland Europe.

Yes. Many founders start with one company and add others as they grow, often under a holding company. Each one is reported under FEMA when Indian residents own it.

Often, through our partner network. Tell us the country and the activity, and we confirm what is possible before you pay anything.

For an individual: PAN, passport, recent address proof and a photograph. For an Indian company: certificate of incorporation, MOA and AOA, a board resolution and audited financials. Some countries ask for more, and we send a checklist for yours.

Many registries accept scanned copies. Others, and many banks, ask for notarised or apostilled copies. We tell you exactly which copies each country needs, so nothing is done twice.

Send us three. We run a global company search on the official register and reserve the first one that is available.

Usually, if the name is free on that country's register and meets its naming rules. It is worth checking trademark rights in that market too.

The certificate of incorporation or registration, the constitutional documents, share certificates, the tax ID where it applies and the statutory registers.

Often, yes. Some banks and payment platforms open accounts remotely for founders based in India, while others ask directors to visit. We prepare the application and tell you what to expect.

Through your Authorised Dealer bank, after the ODI filing, as an overseas investment remittance. The bank reports it to the RBI for you.

A company with a local bank account can apply to payment providers in that country. Approval depends on your activity, your website and your documents.

A US information return that foreign owned US companies file with the IRS each year. Missing it can lead to a $25,000 penalty.

India has tax treaties with many countries, including the USA, UK, UAE and Singapore. They let you claim credit in India for tax paid abroad, so the same profit is not taxed twice in full.

Usually an annual return to the registry, accounts and a tax return abroad, plus the FLA and APR in India. Our compliance calendar lists every date for your structure.

It depends on the country and size. Small companies in the UK and Singapore are usually exempt from audit, while some other countries ask for audited accounts every year.

It keeps collecting annual fees and filing duties, and penalties build up. A formal dissolution closes it properly, and we handle the India side of the exit too.

There is no single global business licence. Each country issues its own, such as a UAE free zone trade licence or a MISA licence in Saudi Arabia. We tell you which ones your business needs before you register.

Our starting prices run from ₹25,000 for a UK company to ₹2,50,000 for Saudi Arabia, with most countries between ₹45,000 and ₹1,25,000. Government fees are quoted separately, in writing.

A Wyoming LLC starts from ₹35,000 and a Delaware C Corp from ₹45,000. State fees are quoted separately. Yearly costs include the registered agent, the state report and Form 5472.

A UK Ltd or US LLC is usually registered within a few working days once your documents are ready. Free zone companies and markets that need a licence take two to six weeks. Germany, China and Saudi Arabia take longer.