Setting up a UK limited company is a simple and affordable procedure, even if you are a non-UK resident. The application process and legal requirements are exactly the same for everyone, regardless of where they live. Below, we will walk you through the important steps to forming a UK company online.
Key Takeaways
- Non-UK residents can easily register a UK limited company without needing to travel or submit physical documents.
- You need a unique company name that isn’t the same as or similar to any existing company name.
- All directors, regardless of residency, must fulfil the same legal responsibilities and duties as UK-based directors.
Registering a UK limited company
To register a UK limited company, you must incorporate a company at Companies House in either England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. Different legal systems govern each of these countries, so your company can only be incorporated in one of these jurisdictions. However, you can base your business anywhere and trade throughout all parts of the UK and overseas.
You must have at least one director (‘officer’) and one shareholder (‘member’). The same person can be appointed to both positions, meaning you can register a company on your own. Alternatively, you can register a company with multiple directors and shareholders.
Your company must have a registered office address in its country or incorporation. This will be your official company address and it must be maintained throughout the lifetime of your firm. However, you can change your registered office at any time, as long as it stays in the same part of the UK.
During the incorporation process, Companies House will create a memorandum of association and attach it to the articles of association. The memorandum of association is a legal statement that all members must sign up to. This indicates their agreement to register the company. The articles of association is a constitutional document that sets out the rules and regulations you’ll need to follow when running the company.
The ‘Model’ articles of association are normally provided by company formation agents and Companies House and are suitable for the majority of private limited companies. However, it is possible to alter the Model version or create bespoke articles if your company has more specific requirements not covered in the Model articles.
There are three different ways to incorporate a limited company in the UK:
- Online through an approved company formation agent like Rapid Formations
- Online via Companies House Web Incorporation Service
- By post using Companies House paper application
The quickest and easiest way to register a UK company is to use a formation agent. Typically, applications are approved in under 24 hours because everything is completed online and delivered electronically.
If you register through a company formation agent, there is no need to travel to the UK, post any physical documents, or sign any paperwork in person. You can simply upload and deliver documents electronically and create a unique online ‘signature’ to authorise the registration.
What you need to know about UK companies
- Governed by the Companies Act 2006 and articles of association
- A unique company name is required. This means that it cannot be the ‘same as’ or ‘too like’ the name of any existing company
- A registered office is required. This serves as the company’s official address. It will be placed on the public record and used by Companies House, HMRC, and other government agencies for the delivery of statutory mail and legal notices
- Must adhere to strict filing and reporting requirements
- Must be registered for Corporation Tax when they begin trading
- Non-UK resident directors are legally required to fulfil the same duties and responsibilities as UK-based directors
- Company details are displayed on public record, including information about all directors, shareholders, secretaries, and people with significant control (PSC)
- Each director, secretary, subscriber, and PSC must provide a service address for Companies House. This address can be located anywhere in the world. It will be used for the delivery of statutory mail
Our company registration packages for non-UK resident directors and shareholders
Our Non-Residents Packages have been designed to make registering a UK company as easy as possible for our non-UK resident clients. They are available from just £99.99 plus VAT and provide the following:
- Ready-to-trade private limited company in under 24 hours
- Wise UK business banking referral
- London Registered Office Service
- London Service Address
- London Business Address
- Free access to our Online Admin Portal
- Digital and printed incorporation documents
- Courier delivery by DHL of your company documents
- VAT registration
- PAYE registration (Non-Residents Plus Package only)
- International business mail forwarding service
- Free scan and email of all official government mail, within one working day
- Free support for the life of your company
- Full Company Secretary Service (free for 12 months – worth £149.99), including filing of your annual confirmation statement and up to 15 changes to your company per year
- Telephone Answering Service (free for 12 months – worth £359.99) including your choice of business telephone number (Non-Residents Plus Package only)
- Four hours of meeting room hire (worth £280.00), perfect for non-residents visiting London (Non-Residents Plus Package only)
Please note: Our package prices do not include the Companies House filing fee of £50.00.
All clients are automatically registered for our free Online Admin Portal, allowing you to manage your company online. You can view and update company details, report changes to Companies House, file and update your Confirmation Statement, maintain statutory records, and download additional copies of your registration documents anytime.
Please note that the information provided in this article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or professional advice. While our aim is that the content is accurate and up to date, it should not be relied upon as a substitute for tailored advice from qualified professionals. We strongly recommend that you seek independent legal and tax advice specific to your circumstances before acting on any information contained in this article. We accept no responsibility or liability for any loss or damage that may result from your reliance on the information provided in this article. Use of the information contained in this article is entirely at your own risk.
Join The Discussion
Comments (115)
Good morning, I know there was a problem for South Africans to open a listed company in the UK. Is that still the case.
Dear Roy,
Thank you for your kind comment.
Please could you get in touch with our Support team directly. They will be able to assist with our requirements further.
Thank you in advance.
Kind regards,
The Rapid Formations Team
Hi, thanks for this informative article . My question is , if I want to register a company in uk as a nonresident do I have to have a up running business in my country . Any help will be appreciated .
Thank you for your kind enquiry, Rangana.
There is no requirement for you to have a business up and running in your own country in order to set up a UK limited company as a non-UK resident.
We trust this information is of use to you.
Kind regards,
The Rapid Formations Team
Can a non UK resident be a director of a UK company limited by guarantee without share capital (a charity setup) ?
What are the differences between one registered in Scotland and in England?
Thank you for your kind enquiry. There is no limitation on the residence of directors of limited by guarantee companies, so a non-UK resident can be a director of one.
In relation to the differences between registration in Scotland and England – the two main differences are that the company will be governed by Scots law in relation to matters such as monies owed to creditors and how that money can be recovered, etc. Also, you must have a registered office address based in the same jurisdiction of the company, so you would require a registered office address based in Scotland for a company registered in Scotland, and a registered office address based in England or Wales for a company registered in England.
We can provide address services in both England and Scotland should required.
We trust this information is of use to you.
Regards,
Rachel
Hello, can you please confirm that as EU national (non-resident) I can open a limited company in the UK without National insurance number? When I google the requirements, it comes up as one of them. How can this be avoided?
Thank you for your kind enquiry, Irina.
There is no obligation for a non-UK resident to provide a National Insurance Number when opening a UK limited company. I think the confusion lies in that one of the security questions shareholders must provide can be in relation to details about the individual’s National Insurance Number, but the individual can change this question to a different topic if they do not possess one.
Please don’t hesitate to give us a call on +44 7871 9990 if you have any other queries about opening a limited company in the UK as a non-UK resident – we will be happy to help you and can answer any questions you have.
Kind regards,
Rachel
Hi,
We want to register a company in UK to expand our business in UK market! What are the pros and cons for a frequent traveler to UK? Will they give us visit visa if we tell them about our UK ltd in our visa application?
Best regards
Danny
Thank you for your kind enquiry, Danny. In relation to visitor visas, we do not believe there is a benefit in informing the border patrol in the UK of your UK limited company, as this would imply you were working when in the UK, whilst you are likely to be on a tourist visa. This would imply you have obtained the wrong visa and may lead to you being denied entry in the UK.
We would suggest you seek specialist advice regarding UK visas prior to travel, as we are not experts in this area.
I trust the above information is of use.
Regards,
Rachel
Hi,
I am currently a sole trader in UK. It is worth becoming a limited company if I earn less than 85k?
Furthermore, is your fee a one off payment or a monthly fee?
Thank you,
Paola
Thank you for your kind enquiry, Paola.
With regards becoming a limited company, the benefits are mainly that you will protect your own assets (e.g. money in your personal bank account, property etc.) should your business fail, as the debts of the limited company will not be your own. The other main benefit is that it is ordinarily much easier to be taken seriously by customers, banks, business partners etc – than being a sole trader, as the general public normally like to deal with more established businesses, to reduce the risk to themselves. We would recommend you make the judgement based on the above, and the fact that you will probably need to pay an accountant to file your accounts for around £1,000 per year.
With regards our fees – to form a company our fees are one offs, however, if you are using ongoing services such as our address services or Full Company Secretary Service, these are renewable on a 12 monthly basis for the prices listed on our website.
I trust this information is of use to you. If you are interested in forming a company today, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us on +44 20 7871 9990, send us a live chat message, or email us at info@rapidformations.co.uk – and we will be happy to answer any questions you have.
Kind regards,
Rachel
I’m currently studying in the UK on a student visa, will I be able to open a company?
Thank you for your query, Sly.
Yes, there is no restriction on opening a UK limited company based on visa status – indeed, people who have no right to work in the UK are still able to open a UK limited company.
I trust this information is of use to you.
Regards,
Rachel
Hi,
I Need a quick feedback from you that I have a friend in UK and I am non UK and my friend has a limited company office and business on there and he is British citizen. I wanted to make papers for shareholder for 50/50. Is there possibility to make shareholder of 50 percent there and how many days we need to make papers in UK. And he has a bank account for his business. Can I be signatory power also this bank account after making the share papers. Pls advise ASAP. Thanks for your kind help.
Best regards
Moein
Thank you for kind enquiry, Moein.
We can provide you with a Transfer of Shares service, so your friend can transfer 50% of the shares to yourself. There is no requirement for UK limited company shareholders to be located within the UK, so there are no issues there. You can order our Transfer of Shares service here: https://www.rapidformations.co.uk/transfer-of-shares/
With regards becoming a signatory power to the bank account; this will be dependent on which bank is used for the business bank account. Some banks in the UK do not allow business bank accounts for companies which have non-UK shareholders – I would suggest you clarify this with the bank in question prior to proceeding if this may cause an issue for you.
I trust this information is of use to you.
Kind regards,
Rachel
Hi
Thanks for comprehensive information for setting up a company . Following may be clarified
1. As a non IK resident like from India , Pakistan or Bangladesh what documents do I need to register a ltd company in non resident package online .?
2. Will I get a business bank account also for transfer of payment etc . What is transfer or payment limit ?
3. is there an limit for non taxable amount transfer or payment like I learnt £ 85 k limit in one the comment.
4. How to close a company ?
Hi Abdullah
Thank you for your kind question.
As part of our assistance with the incorproation of a new entity we are required to collect certain information on the UBO (Ultimate Beneficial Owner). As such we may request further documents/information to identify the UBO. However, please note this information is not published publicly.
With regards to the bank account, as part of the non-resident incorporation package that we offer, you would receive a referral to the bank Transferwise. For any queries regarding the payment limit or non-taxable transfer amounts we would advise that you contact the bank directly to discuss this in further detail.
Finally, there are many ways to close a company. The most common is through the dissolution procedures which we can assist with for a fee of £49.99 plus VAT. This involves filing a statutory form with Companies House authorising the dissolution of the company.
I trust that the above information is of use to you.
With kind regards,
John
Hi, if I well understood, a Limited Company can have a single person involved – no matter her/his nationality/residency – acting both as Shareholder and Director? I am asking this because usually when you think of a company, more than one individual is involved while for this type of company even just one individual could be enough, correct? Thank you.
Thank you for your enquiry, Frank.
I can confirm you understood correctly, the legal minimum requirement to form a UK company is one shareholder and one director – and this can be the same person.
I trust this information is of use to you.
Kind regards,
Rachel
Hi, I am australian resident, Can I form a Private Company LTD for export /import purpose in uk .
Thank you for your kind enquiry, Htunmyint.
Yes, residents of any country can form a UK private limited company – including Australia. There is no restriction on residency and you do not have to reside in the UK to form a limited company.
You may wish to consider forming your company with our Non-Residents Package, which is specifically tailored for non-UK residents such as yourself. You can find out more information about this package here: https://www.rapidformations.co.uk/compare-packages/#non-residents
I trust this information is of use to you.
Kind regards,
Rachel
Hi, great info, however i have one question,
We are setting a limited company in UK being one director in UK and the other in other european country.
Will he have any problem being a director? Or he should have national insurance number in UK/ permission to work in UK etc?
Thank you
Thank you for your question.
There is no legal requirement for a director to possess a National Insurance number in the UK, or have permission to work in the UK. Therefore, he should not have any problem being appointed a director.
Please see our blog on who can be appointed as a company director, for more information: https://www.rapidformations.co.uk/blog/appointing-new-company-director/
I trust this information is of use to you.
Kind regards,
Rachel
Hi there,
Thank you for the information. Can I ask, if I set up a Limited company in the UK but as a director reside in another European country (this is an online business, trading in the UK), does the company need to be VAT registered before it hits the £85K threshold?
Many thanks for your help in advance.
Hi Marlena
Thank you for your question.
The same VAT rules applies to all UK companies, regardless of the residency of the company officers or shareholders. VAT registration is a requirement for businesses in the UK when their taxable income for the previous 12 months exceeds £85,000 or is expected to exceed that figure within the next 30 days, or they receive goods in the UK from the EU worth more than £85,000.
I trust this comment is of some assistance. For further reading, please have a look at this article: https://www.rapidformations.co.uk/blog/vat-registration-the-pros-and-cons/
Kind regards,
Graeme
Thanks for your blog. For beginners like me, it is very useful.
I’m glad you found my blog informative, Katherine.
Rachel at Rapid Formations.
If I am to run an online business without holding inventory in UK, would I be able to use get a UK bank account and eventually use a payment gateway that supports UK?
Dear Rumaiz,
An online business with no inventory in the UK may be able to open a UK bank account; however, this may be dependent on whether members of the company are a UK company. Most banks have more stringent rules when it comes to opening bank accounts for non-UK residents.
Rachel at Rapid Formations
Hi, husband wants to open a barber shop in UK. He is a very talented barber. We have never been to UK. What kind of visa he should get and is it possible to open a small business for a foreigner. Thanks
Dear Alimaa,
Unfortunately, we are unable to advise on visas. You will need to contact UK Visas and Immigration: https://www.gov.uk/contact-ukvi-outside-uk
Good luck and kind regards,
Rachel
A friend own a limited company in the uk and I would like to invest in his company and be his partner, can I do this from overseas. I don’t intend in getting involved in the running the business in any way, just a silent partner. Do I need an investor visa and do I have to stay in the UK
Hi Mohamed,
You can invest in a UK company even though you do not live or work in the UK. There will likely be some UK tax implications if you receive income from the company. This guidance may be useful to you: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/non-residents-and-investment-income-hs300-self-assessment-helpsheet
You don’t need an investment visa unless you plan to invest more than £2 million.
I’m afraid I cannot give you anymore information than that because we are not accountants, so I would urge you to speak to a professional advisor before investing in your friend’s company.
All the best.
Hi Rachel,
A client has been approached to sell the shares in a UK Company he owns to a EU Registered Company that is owned by a Non-resident UK National. What, if any, tax clearances are required?
Many thanks
Hi Mark,
I’m afraid we are unable to answer this query. You will have to consult an accountant for specialist advice.
Best wishes.
Hi,
If a non-UK resident forms a UK limited company, he needs to get the National Insurance Number?
Dear Mafalda,
I’m afraid we cannot answer this query – There are many variables that affect whether or not you will require a National Insurance Number. Please address your query to Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) using this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs/contact/national-insurance-enquiries-for-non-uk-residents
Best wishes.
Hello Rachel
I am an Australian citizen thinking about joining a friends business as a company director. I do not have a working visa nor am I eligible to apply for a working visa. If I was to become a company director would I be eligible to apply for a visa? I’m not sure if this is your area of expertise but just thought I’d ask.
Many thanks
Daz
Hi Daz,
Thanks for your message. I’m afraid we cannot advise on your situation – you should contact UK Visa and Immigration for help and guidance.
Best wishes.
Hi,
I am a contractor working under my own limited company. I would like to know if i can participate in IT project bids. Also if i can get other larger projects and hire new employees to work under my limited company.
My intention for long term is to build a large IT company. So is this the way i should proceed?
Hello,
Thanks for your message.
You can certainly hire employees through your company at any time, but I’m afraid we are unable to address the other queries. Please contact a specialist business advisor for expert guidance.
Best wishes
Hi Rachel,
Thank you for that wonderful article.
I do have a question for you – I want to create a UK Ltd Co. (sole proprietorship). However, I am unable to find UK banks that can create a bank account for a Denmark citizen. There is no HSBC or Standard Chartered branch in Denmark.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Thanks & Regards,
TJ
Hello,
Thank you for your message.
Have you tried Barclays International? They may be able to help. If not, you can open a business bank account in Denmark. To do so, you will have to get your company formation documents legalised to authenticate them for your Danish bank.
Take a look at this article about document legalisation: https://www.rapidformations.co.uk/apostilled-documents/
Best of luck
Hi,
Is it possible for non UK resident (from middle east) to open limited company and being a shareholder and director in the same time? Is it difficult to open a bank account by this person?
Dear Ali,
Yes, this is perfectly acceptable. It is more difficult for a non-UK resident to open a business bank account in the UK – we would advise contacting Barclays in the first instance. If you are unable to get a UK account, you may be able to open a business bank account in your country of residence by getting your UK company formation documents legalised for overseas use.
Kind regards
HI,
We are a US LLC company looking to expand operations in the UK. We most do online says and our inventory will be houses in the UK.
As a US entity how can i structure a company in the UK. Would my US entity be a parent owning 100% of the UK Ltd. What are my options in terms of structuring. I don’t want the UK gov to tax we on my worldwide income.
Thank
Dear Ron
Thank you for your message.
I’m afraid we cannot advise on your situation as we are not accountants or business advisors. Please consult a specialist for the best structure for your business and taxation requirements.
Kind regards
Hi there,
I’m interested in purchasing a .uk domain, however the process involves having a UK address and company. If I was to purchase the ‘non residents pack’ would I be able to use the address and successful purchase UK domain names for business ventures?
I look forward to your response
Kind Regards
Lachlan
Dear Lachlan
Thank you for your message.
I cannot confirm if the UK address will be acceptable for the use of a .uk domain name. I can only suggest you contact the domain provider to ask this question.
Kind Regards
Hi,
Can an EU citizen (non-UK resident) register as self-employed in the UK?
Many thanks,
Dear Cristina
Thank you for your message.
We are not accountants so cannot say for certain if you would be eligible or not, you would need to speak to a UK accountant for clarification on your individual situation.
Kind Regards
Hi,
I would like to set up a subsidiary in UK. My company is registered in Kabul and is working since 2004. Our main business is construction, water supply, industrial and import/export.
We are awarded a multi-million USD project funded by KfW in which huge amount of water supply equipment is to be imported from Europe.
How long does it take to set up the company and what legal documents do you need?
Can the subsidiary work the same as the parent company in UK?
Can the subsidiary bid for projects in Europe including UK? Get contracts and implement projects?
With opening an offshore bank account, can we make payment to the suppliers and receive our payments?
Is there any taxes to be charged over money transaction in the bank apart from the normal taxing procedure?
Can we send one of our senior colleague to run the company?
Pls advice.
Latify
Chairman, Mumtaz Construction Group +93 799361048
Dear Latify
Thank you for your message.
Please let me answer your questions as far as we are able.
1) Setting up a UK company – the process takes around 3 working hours to complete. The only documents we may require would be Identification documents for all shareholders owning more than 25% if you decide to use one of our address services.
2) As far as we are aware there are no restrictions on where your subsidiary can work and bid for contracts.
3) As far as we are aware there are no restrictions on using an offshore bank account for general business purposes though you would need to check with your bank for any charges levied on the transactions you undertake.
4) There are no specific restrictions on non-UK persons running a UK company.
Kind Regards
Hi have two questions:
I already have a company in BRAZIL and I’d like to open one branch in UK. Can My company be the shareholder or must be me?
As non-uk(my company or me) shareholder, I’ll pay the same taxes on dividends as UK citizens? or just taxes over profit?
Dear Diego
Thank you for your message. Please see my answers below:
1) Your non-UK company can be a shareholder in the UK company, there are no restrictions to this.
2) We cannot comment on the tax implications as we are not accountants.
Kind Regards
Dear Rachel,
I have gone through most of your answers above, which are very helpful.
I am a on tier 2 student visa and want to register a private limited company, which I could later run from my own country. Can you please guide me on following:
– Is there any restriction from HRMC for a non-resident student to form a company?
– Does the fee you mentioned is one-time? Do the services cover for whole company life?
– Since most of my future business and clients will be in my own country, would it still be required to file a tax return and account statement in UK?
– What else will be required, apart from apostille certificate, to open up a company later in another country?
– Are there any reporting obligations to HRMC before setting up a company in another country?
Looking forward to your support
Regards
Saeed Rehman
Dear Saeed
Thank you for your message. Please see my answers below:
1) There are no restrictions on who can run a UK company except for previously disqualified individuals, and there are no specific restrictions on non-UK citizens.
2) Fees – the setup costs are one off fess however any address services you would purchase are renewable annually.
3) In terms of what returns and accounts are required you would need to discuss this with an accountant. As we are not accountants.
4) We cannot advise what will be required for you to open a company in a non-UK company, you would need to get advice from a formation agent in the country you are thinking to open your next company in.
5) We cannot advise on what will be required for HMRC as we are not accountants.
Kind Regards
As a non UK resident, if I incoporate a Limited Company in the UK, what will be the tax residency status of the company (tax resident or not) ? What tax will apply to the company offshore revenue streams ?
Thanks
Dear Olivier
Thank you for your message. We cannot advise on the tax residency status as we are not accountants.
Kind Regards
Hi Rachel,
Thanks for nice article.
if there is a company registered in UK as a Private limited and then There is another private limited company registered in India but as an “Entity” of a company in UK.
What does it mean? is the “Entity” company is subsidiary or is a separate company with separate books?
what would be legal relation between both these companies? and how each others’ profit/losses affects each other?
Looking forward to hear from you.
Cheers,
Hi there – I live in France – If I set up a Ltd in the UK, can I still pay myself a salary in France ?
If yes, will I pay national insurance charges in the UK, or in France (I know I will have to pay income tax in France).
Thanks
Dear Ms L
Thank you for your message.
You can pay yourself a salary in France but you will likely be subject only to French tax rules
Kind regards
hi my name is vishal and i work as a travel agent . we have a registered company in India .we deal with tourists from Australia and new Zealand. we have a new business plan and for that we need to register a company in UK. we don’t have any contacts in UK to register it . so could you please help me to know if i can get it registered over there while have no address in UK to get it registered on .
Dear Vishal
Thank you for your message.
You can incorporate a company in the UK as a non-resident. You can form the company with any of our packages to form a Limited company and we offer address and mail forwarding services which will allow you to have the company registered at. Every company must have a “Registered Office” in the UK and we offer this. Please have a look at this page: https://www.rapidformations.co.uk/additional-services/london-registered-office/
If you have any further questions, please let us know at info@rapidformations.co.uk
Kind Regards
How does application or renewal of visa for working in uk be affected if I am an employee in my own Ltd company.
Dear Kus
Thank you for your message.
We are not experts on visas so cannot comment on the effect of a limited company on a visa.
Kind Regards
Hi,
I would like to create a limited company to work as a contractor in the UK, but my landlord won’t let me register the limited company at my (his) flat. What other options for the address do I have? Thanks.
Dear Mr M
Thank you for your message.
You can register the company at another address. We provide services which would stop your address from appearing on the Companies House record namely a Registered Office and a Director’s Service Address. You would still require to give your residential address to Companies House but they would not make it available to the public. The above services cover all of the Company and you as director’s Companies House and HMRC mail which would be forwarded to you.
We also offer a Business Address service if you would like us to receive the rest of your company mail at our offices and forward on to you.
Please see below the links to our address pages for the full explanation of each service.
Registered Office – https://www.rapidformations.co.uk/additional-services/london-registered-office/
Service Address – https://www.rapidformations.co.uk/additional-services/service-address/
Business Address – https://www.rapidformations.co.uk/additional-services/business-address/
Kind Regards
Hello, I would like to set up a business in the UK too. But I would like to know if there is an minimum amount of money that you should have to be able to do it. Thanks.
Dear Akbar
Thank you for your message.
There is no requirement to have certain amount of funds to open company in UK. You can order your company online on our website.
Kind Regards
We have a business (Pty LTD) in South Africa and wish to open up a company of the same company in the UK. What steps do we need to follow? Can we use the address of a residential property we bought 20 year’s ago as the address for the business? How easy is it to set up a business account? With time we will relocate to the UK, with my husband still working half the month in SA.
Dear Natascha
Thank you for your message.
You can use the residential address you have held for 20 years, there is no requirement for the company’s registered office to be business premises. In terms of a bank account I would think it will be difficult to open a UK account without being here and I would direct you to our article on this matter for some advice https://www.rapidformations.co.uk/blog/business-bank-accounts-for-non-uk-residents/
Kind Regards
Hello
We are interested to open a business in the Uk. We are all EU residents. I do have a UK personal bank account.
How difficult it is to get loan for the business in the UK with substantial cash in hands already.
Best Regards
M
Dear Mario
Thank you for your message.
I could not say how easy it would be to borrow funds for a UK business for non-residents, each bank looks at an application for loan funding on its own merits so I would suggest you contact the bank you would like to work with directly for some guidance. I would think however you would need to form the company first before a bank could give an assessment of the chances of the company being able to achieve loan funding.
Kind Regards
James
Hello Rachel,
I am interested in some of your services – but I first need to know: I am a non-UK citizen living in London, I am on a work visa and employed by another company. On the side I would like to form my own limited company – can I register my home address in the UK as my business address for post and billing? My business will be based online initially and I don’t require an actual office.
I would love to hear back from you:)
Hello Ed,
Thank you for your message.
You can register your company at your home address. The only restriction in future would be that if you left the UK your company’s “Registered Office” address would always need to be in the UK.
Kind regards
Hi regarding my previous question about registering a dormant company using the same name as my online shop here in china for when I return to the UK.
If I register a dormant company in the UK using the same name as my online shop name here in china which is up and running. Will companies house think my company is not dormant if they see my online shop? Even though i am based here in china.
Thankyou
Hi Mark
Thanks for your message.
Companies House will not be concerned that there is a business with the same name as a company/business name is available to be registered in any country so you could have the same company name in every country of the world if you wanted and no individual country’s company authority would be concerned by this.
Hi I am a South African female. I would like to register a limited company in the UK and open a small business and trade. Will that entitle me to residency.
Many thanks
Dear Jacinta
Thank you for your message.
We are not able to give advice on residency though I do not think that opening a UK company will automatically entitle you to residency in the UK.
Kind regards
Thanks
Hi, I am a UK expat who lives in china and I am interested in registering a dormant company.
I have an online shop which I sell products which are sourced from here in china. I will be returning to the UK to live next year and would like to register a UK dormant company in the name of my online shop for when I return. As i do not want the company name to be taken.
Would their be any problem in registering a dormant company as my online shop is up and running here in china. It is not dormant?
Thankyou
Dear Mark
Thank you for your message.
You can register a company in the UK from where you are and you can register it as dormant with HMRC by responding to their letter which they will send around 3 weeks after the company is formed. With regard to filing information with Companies House even if the company is dormant then you still require to file the Annual Return and Annual Accounts with Companies House. They can both be filed online if you set up an account with Companies House.
Kind Regards
hi I’m an Indian citizen and I got job(seaman) in UK. It’s a 15 months contract and I can renew it if I want.. Can I start a small garment business or a startup company in UK..? Any legal issues..? Please help with your valuable reply, thanks
Dear Shefin
Thank you for your message.
You can set up a UK company for your garment business if you want. I am not aware of any legal issues which will affect you. Any of our packages would help you set up the company and you will be ready to trade in around 3 working hours.
Kind Regards
Hello, I was wondering what you thought the benefits were to opening a company in the UK as opposed to in Swtizerland? We are an Italian company looking to move operations. Thankyou
Hi Luise
Thank you for your message.
Unfortunately I cannot compare the benefits of companies in different countries as we only operate in the UK so I am only able to discuss the merits of UK companies.
Kind Regards
Hello Rachel,
I, non-UK-resident, do intend to settle an establishment of my Ltd. in another EU member state, immediately after incorporation in UK, continuing run my business out of there. After relocation a company will not be involved into the business activity within UK.
Q1. I wondered your Non-Residents Package doesn’t contain necessary UK notarization of Certificate of Incorporaton etc. being required by Trade Register of the destinated country. Do you ofer such notarizatons? If yes, how much is an additional fee? If not, do I have to procure them in UK by myself, whatsoever?
Q2. Do you assist with giving notificaton to the Company’s House about relocaton of business activity abroad, and therefore, applying for tax exemption from HRMC?
Thank you.
Regards,
Michael
Hi Michael
In answer to your first question, if you are a non-UK resident opening a UK limited company, you may need your company documents legalised before they can be used overseas. We can notarise and apostille your Certificate of Incorproation to allow their use in other countries. This official authentication is provided by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO), and will ensure the documents are verified for use in all countries which are party to the 1961 Hague Convention. This service is often required if you wish to open a business bank account in a foreign country or open a new branch of your business overseas. The cost of an Apostille Certificate is £90.00 plus VAT.
In answer to your second question, we can assist you with the change of the company’s addresses at Companies House. With regards HMRC and tax exemption, we can provide you with a free introduction and consultation with an accountant, however, we are unable to advise on tax exemption matters.
Hi,
I am a British citizen.I wish to start a limited company with a non UK resident. What is the minimum amount to start the company? Can my partner obtain a work permit / residency accordingly? Does that mean I will have more responsibilities and liabilities since I live here in the UK? Does your company provide such services to help us start the business?
Thanks
Hi,
I have a UK Ltd company running for 7 years. I became non-resident 3 years ago, but I still operate the company from another country in EU. What happens to the assets in the company (cash, computers etc) in case of my death? I am the sole shareholder and just realised I’m mortal 🙂
Many thanks
Thank you for your message.
I am afraid we cannot advise on accounting issues such as yours, you would need to speak to an accountant or solicitor about what would happen in the scenario you have mentioned.
Kind Regards
i am not from UK, i want to do online business for which i need a business name in UK and Bank account for transaction of online selling.
How much i need to spend in total for this set up and can i do this business without trveling to UK in future.
I do not want Office and Staff, just every thing online No address required can i do this with all my conditions
Dear Sameer,
Thank you for your message.
You can set up a UK company as a non-resident and there will be no problems with this.
Opening the bank account is much more difficult for non-residents and I would suspect if you want an account based in the UK that you would need to come here to get it opened and our banking relationships do not cover non-UK resident requirements. Please see the attached link for further information https://www.rapidformations.co.uk/blog/business-bank-accounts-for-non-uk-residents/
In terms of your costs to set up a UK company it depends upon what you require. Do you require to have any of our address services –such as a Registered Office as all companies must have a Registered office in the UK. Also, do you need to register the company for Vat? Also, do you want your documents printed and posted to you or sent by e-mail.
We do offer a Non-Residents Package which covers most items that our non-resident customers require and you may wish to look at this option https://www.rapidformations.co.uk/compare-packages/#non-residents-package .
Kind Regards
I am an Indian Citizen, living in India. I would like to start a company in London, for HR consultancy. can you guide me with your fees and process like what docuemnts you need.
my company name is CONTINENTAL MERCANTILE CORPORATION LTD. can you try to get this name registered there and let me know the details. once the company is done, I can come down to open a bank account. I will need your address to form the company.
thanks
Dear Sir/Madam,
please advise if I formed the non-UK residents limited company, is this allow me to get a residency Visa to live in UK.
Dear Rachel,
As non-UK residents we (3) are about to set up a limited company in the UK and start business there. We will all be shareholders, but there will only be one director out of us. We all are full-time emloyees in the EU , we pay NI and personal income tax in our home country and that will not change after launching the UK business. We are all planning to take out dividends , but is there a minimum amount criteria for the company to pay salary for the director? If it is, and if the director gets under Ł 10.000 salary p.a. does he need to pay NI as well considering he pays it in his home country already?
Thank you,
Zoltan
Dear Zoltan
Thank you for your message.
We are not able to give advice on remuneration and tax issues and would advise that you speak to an accountant about these matters.
Kind Regards
Hello,
I have registered a company in the UK but because of recent changes in the visa, I might have to leave UK.
How is it possible to keep running the business (which is online in nature) whilst still being the Director? What implications it might have while filing tax returns etc? I have got a partner (UK resident) whom I can nominate as a Director if that could make things easier?
Looking forward to your reply.
Thanks,
Neil
Hi Neil
Thank you for your message.
There is no issue with you continuing as director of your company when you leave the UK. The only requirement for your company which must be in the UK is the Registered Office so as long as you have an address for that, all other details can be outside of the UK. There is no need to make your partner a director.
In terms of tax return implications, I cannot advise on this and would say that you should speak to an accountant about this.
Kind Regards
Thanks Rachel for yuor reply.
I have another question for you, ltd no VAT UK, buy from french supplier, in this case I have to pay VAT to the seller of the French ?
Sorry Rachel, I’m a little confused about this subject.
Thanks.
Good morning Rachel,
ltd no VAT (81k) I buy in uk computer and pay 20 % VAT, sell it the same computer in France , what should I do with VAT ?
Regards
Hi Salvio
Thanks for your message.
From your information I see you are not registered for vat so you therefore will not charge vat on anything you sell irrespective of where you are selling it.
You can only charge vat if you are registered to do so.
Kind Regards
Hello Rachel,
Is there a minimum capital for non-UK residents who want to setup a Limited Liability Company?
Hi Leonard
Thanks for your question.
I can confirm that the minimum requirement is the same for UK and non-UK residents setting up a Limited Liability Company. You would only need to register 1 share in any new company and the value of the share can be as little as £0.000001 if you would like.
Kind Regards
Hi There…
I am a director of a limited company running for 3 years in UK and I am a single shareholder. I am looking to expand my company and bring another director on board as shareholder, however the issue here is that the new shareholder I would like to employ is a non-British, currently with student visa..
Any suggestion please?
Kind Regards
Hi Jenna
Thanks for your question.
A company’s directors and shareholders can live anywhere in the world so you can add the person to your company by completing an Annual Return either online or by post if you wish to update Companies House with the details now.
Kind Regards
I want to form new company , what documents are required for forming a new company as i am a non uk resident.
Dear Harpreet
Thank you for your message.
You do not require to provide any documents prior to opening a new limited company. Once the company has been formed, we would require Identification documents for any shareholders who hold more than 25% of the company’s shares. We would specify the documents required once the company has been formed.
Thanks,
Rachel
Hi,
I’m a British Expat and lives in another EU Country and here I’m allowed to register a Business Name without registering VAT, Tax, or a Company.
Are there a way to register a Business Name in the UK without any Tax/VAT commetmint, just to make sure no one else will regsiet this name?
I’m planning to come back home within the next two years to settle and want to have the business name booked, is that possible? if Yes please tell me how.
Thank you
Hag
Hi Hag,
You can register the company and then keep it dormant until you are ready to begin trading. There will still be some filing commitments for the company during this time however.
You can find more information about dormant companies here.
I am from UAE and I am currently running a few business in Dubai and other parts of UAE. I am planning to starting a business in UK for trading Scrap Materials like Aluminium. But initially it would be ok if I can settle with a Virtual Office Concept and later on develop the office as needed. I would be the only investor into this business. Thanks in advance …
Hi Rejoy, you should have no problems doing this as you don’t have to be based in the UK. However, you will have to ensure your company’s Registered Office address is in the UK. A UK registered office is an option that we can provide for an affordable annual fee.
Hope that helps!
I am from the UK, but currently reside in Jersey, Channel Islands. Due to the Residency Law I am unable to register as self employed. I am planning on setting up an online business within the next 12 months, will I be able to set up the business as a Private Limited Company in the UK based on the information you have provided in this article? Also is it possible to set up as a sole trader? Cheers in advance for any more advice you can provide.
Hi Dan,
You can certainly register a private limited company in the UK while residing in Jersey – no problems there.
You may be correct about issues with registering as a sole trader. Our recommendation would be to discuss the details of that with Citizens Advice Bureau in Jersey, who should be able to advise you fully of any restrictions which may apply in your specific circumstances.
Thanks for your comment.