Offshore company formation
Jurisdiction selection, ownership structure, corporate documents and maintenance.
Learn more →Set up a company abroad without unnecessary complexity
Offshore and International Company Formation
Offshore company formation means setting up a company in another country for a specific purpose: a holding company, international trade, IT services or asset holding. Offshora selects a jurisdiction based on the business, the bank and the owner's tax residency, prepares documents for the agent or the registry and supports the business after registration.
How the process works
From your task to an operating company
1
Choosing a countryBusiness, clients, residency and banks
2
Documents and termsRegistration scope and the cost of ongoing support
3
RegistrationPreparing and filing the corporate package
4
SupportRenewal, reporting and changes
Transparent scope of servicesSeparate bankability assessmentJurisdiction comparisonPartner program
Services
What does your business need?
From the initial choice of jurisdiction to ongoing corporate support. Clear stages and a proposal tailored to your task.
Ready-made offshore companies
Selecting an existing structure and checking its corporate documents before purchase.
Learn more →Aged companies
Checking whether acquiring a previously established legal entity is possible and makes economic sense.
Learn more →Registered address and virtual office
Selecting a registered address, arranging mail handling and ongoing support.
Learn more →Banking support
Assessment of bankability, documents and the payment route.
Learn more →Business structures
IT, trading, asset holding, holding companies and cross-border services.
Learn more →Jurisdictions
Popular offshore jurisdictions
The choice of country depends on the bank, the annual obligations and the real business purpose. For a full comparison, see the offshore jurisdictions section.
ClassicBritish Virgin Islands
International holding companies, corporate projects, investment structures →ClassicBelize
Foreign structures and selected international projects →ClassicPanama
Holding companies, international contracts, corporate tasks →ClassicNevis
Corporate structuring and asset holding →ClassicCayman Islands
Investment and holding structures →AsiaHong Kong
International trade and business with Asia →AsiaSingapore
Regional business and work with international clients →EuropeUnited Kingdom
IT, consulting, export of services and international contracts →EuropeAustria
A European operating GmbH and local business →EuropeAndorra
Local presence and European projects →How we work
Four clear steps
01
Describe your task
The owner's country of residence, the business, turnover and markets.
02
We compare the options
We shortlist countries based on taxes, banks and maintenance costs.
03
We agree on the terms
We fix the scope of the service, the stages and the required documents.
04
We launch the process
We prepare the registration package and the subsequent corporate actions.
Before registration
What to check before registering an offshore company
The country of registration determines the corporate law, the register and the annual obligations. The owner's taxes are determined by the owner's own country of residence. So a conversation about offshore company formation starts with questions about the business.
- Where the clients and counterparties operate and which banks the payments will go through.
- Who the owners and directors are and in which countries they pay taxes: the CFC rules depend on this.
- Which annual obligations the structure is prepared to bear: a return to the agent, an annual return to the registry, accounting.
- Whether an account is needed right away or the company will only hold assets and shares.
Classic offshore companies have annual obligations too. A company in the British Virgin Islands files an annual financial return with its registered agent within 9 months after the end of the financial year, unless it falls under the statutory exemptions. A private company in Hong Kong files form NAR1 with the Companies Registry every year within 42 days after the anniversary of incorporation. For details, see the pages on a BVI offshore company and a Hong Kong offshore company.
After the review of October 9, 2026, the EU list of non-cooperative jurisdictions contains eight territories, and none of the ten countries in our catalog is on it. The British Virgin Islands and Panama are listed in Annex II, where the Council of the EU monitors the commitments of cooperating countries.
If you need a structure faster than a new registration takes, see ready-made offshore companies. The bank opens an account under its own rules, so we assess how bankable the structure is in advance: see the page on bank account preparation.
Knowledge base
Get the facts before you incorporate
Country reviews, pairwise comparisons and practical guides on the owner’s taxes, the bank and the company’s annual obligations. Full knowledge base →
Jurisdiction reviews
Cyprus, Estonia, Georgia, the UAE, US states and islands with IBCs: the corporate form, reports, beneficial owners and the bank.
All reviews →Jurisdiction comparisons
Ten pairs of countries in one table each: the agent, reporting, beneficial owners, taxes and the bank’s questions.
BVI vs Belize · Offshore vs onshore
All comparisons →Practical guides
Choosing a country, the total cost over 24 months, a bank account, KYC, CFC rules and annual maintenance.
How to choose a jurisdiction · What an offshore company costs
All guides →Solutions by industry
SaaS, IT agencies, online stores, crypto projects and consultants: a jurisdiction that fits the business model.
All industries →For partners
Refer clients and earn a reward
A separate program for webmasters, consultants and professional intermediaries.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about offshore company formation
Is it legal to register an offshore company?
Yes, registering a company abroad is legal. The owner must still comply with their own country's rules on tax residency, controlled foreign companies (CFCs), beneficial ownership disclosure and reporting.
Can I buy a ready-made offshore company with a bank account?
You can buy a ready-made company. The account does not automatically pass to the new owner: the bank checks the owner and beneficial owners again under its own rules. So before the purchase we separately check the company's documents and the bank's position; for details, see the page on ready-made offshore companies.
Which offshore jurisdiction suits IT, trading or a holding company?
There is no universally best country. For a holding company, corporate law and reporting requirements matter; for trading and IT, where the clients are, which banks handle the payments and where decisions are actually made. A comparison of ten jurisdictions is on the offshore jurisdictions page.
How much does it cost to register an offshore company?
The price consists of the government fee, the services of an agent or company secretary, a registered address, KYC checks and annual renewal. An example of a government fee: the Hong Kong Companies Registry charges HK$1,545 for electronic registration of a private company, with services charged separately. We prepare an estimate for the first year and renewal once we receive your request.
Can an offshore company be registered remotely?
The procedure depends on the country and the agent. In some jurisdictions documents are signed and certified remotely; in others the deed of incorporation is executed by a notary, as in Andorra. The bank or payment service carries out its own identification of the owner.
Get started
Tell us what kind of offshore company you need
Describe the business, the clients' countries and the owners' tax residency. We will select a jurisdiction and send an estimate for registration and the first year of maintenance.
Or write to us directly: info@offshora.com