Asset Holding
Advantages of Anguilla Company Formation
- Excellent reputation of the British Overseas Territory (BOT)
- Fast and easy company registration process
- No taxes to pay or profits to declare
- Strong privacy provisions with non-public registers of directors and shareholders
- Possibile to use foreign names including Chinese
Privacy Score
This score demonstrates how much privacy can be maintained by the company and the rate of disclosure of the corporate information for open public scrutiny. The higher the rate, the more privacy the company can enjoy. All rates are based on the open sources and subjective view of Astra Trust.
85
0
100
Tax Neutrality Index
This score demonstrates the tax burden applicable to the company and the jurisdiction as a whole. The higher the score, the lower are tax rates, and the easier is regulation. All scores are based on the open sources and subjective view of Astra Trust.
94
0
100
Reputation
This score demonstrates the reputation of the company and jurisdiction in the financial and business circles. The higher the score, the more favourable is the treatment by financial institutions, authorities, and counterparties. All scores are based on the open sources and subjective view of Astra Trust.
Very Good
Find out more about Anguilla
Anguilla is a British Overseas Territory and a widely known offshore financial centre located in the northern part of the Caribbean Sea, east of Puerto Rico and the British Virgin Islands.
The British monarch is the head of state, although the country is ruled by the local House of Assembly. The country is a parliamentary dependency and is part of the Commonwealth of Nations and an associated member of CARICOM.
Anguilla is renowned for its captive insurance and thriving financial industry, which has grown substantially in the recent past. The Anguilla offshore financial centre is underpinned by its zero-tax environment, strong reputation for British dependency and developed financial infrastructure. There are many trust companies operating on the island to provide first-class services to their clients.
The Following Types of Entities are Available for Incorporation in Anguilla:
- Business Company (BC)
- Limited Liability Company (LLC)
- Limited Partnership (LP)
Why Set Up Anguilla Company?
As a British Overseas Territory, Anguilla is able to offer the most favourable conditions to international businesses and asset owners. One of the country’s latest achievements is the Commercial Registration Electronic System (CRES), launched in April 2022, which provides facilities for the quickest incorporations and corporate filings. CRES executes the functions of the Anguilla company registry that is now fully digitalised, and comprises the Commercial Registry, the Beneficial Ownership Register and the Customer Due Diligence Register.
Licensing benefits in Anguilla
Apart from regular international trade or asset holding, Anguilla issues offshore licences to businesses that provide money services, such as money transmission, payment instrument operations and currency exchange services. As of 2018, an Anguilla offshore company can be involved in crypto businesses with the adoption of the Anguilla Utility Token Offering Act. This act allows for the licensing of two categories of service providers involved in utility token offerings, namely the utility token offering administrator and utility token offering issuer.
Anguilla company incorporation is suitable for those businesses that would prefer to be incorporated in a British Overseas Territory, but steer clear of the popular British Virgin Islands and the Cayman Islands. See our Anguilla vs BVI companies guide.
Astra Trust can assist with Anguilla company formation and opening a bank account for such a company.
Companies Incorporated in Anguilla are Often Used for the Following Purposes:
Tax Planning
International Trade
Captive Insurance
Tax rates in Anguilla
| Currency | East Caribbean dollar (XCD) |
| Corporate Income Tax | 0% |
| Withholding Tax | 0% |
| Capital Gains Tax | 0% |
| Inheritance Tax | 0% |
| VAT | 0% |
| Exchange Controls | No |
Taxation of Anguilla Company
Local taxes applicable to the company
Anguilla is a classic zero-tax jurisdiction with no direct taxation of any kind on corporations. This means that the effective rate of 0% is applicable to corporate income tax, withholding tax, capital gains tax and other taxes. Instead of these, an Anguilla Business Company (BC) or Limited Liability Company (LLC) pays annual government fees through its registered agent.
Anguilla is the British Overseas Territory (BOT), which means that the companies formed there enjoy an excellent reputation and up-to-date regulation at all levels. Major accounting firms, several law practices, and banks are represented on the island of Anguilla, which boasts a well-developed financial and legal centre.
Other information on Anguilla taxation
Anguilla imposes no corporate income tax, and there is no requirement to file a tax return or annual financial statements. This is not the same as having no filing obligations at all: every Anguilla company must file an annual economic substance declaration and must file and maintain beneficial ownership information with the Registrar. Anguilla company formation nonetheless keeps administrative and taxation expenses to a minimum.
Anguilla operates a consumption tax on domestic supplies of goods and services, subject to a registration threshold based on annual turnover. It does not apply to a Business Company that carries on its activities outside Anguilla, and financial services are in any event among the exempt supplies.
Anguilla operates a residence programme for individuals who meet certain criteria.
No currency control is applicable in Anguilla. Anguilla’s official currency is the East Caribbean dollar.
Corporate Legislation in Anguilla
The legal system, including the Business Companies Act 2022, is based on English common law and modern statutes. This provides flexibility for corporate structuring as the jurisdiction recognises trusts, and shareholder agreements can be regulated by English law.
The court of final appeal is the Privy Council in London. Judicial precedents established in England and other common law countries can be recognised in Anguilla’s courts. Consequently, Anguilla offshore company formation offers not only the opportunity to benefit from relaxed regulation but also the possibility of using English law for the company’s structure.
Anguilla’s government is constantly updating its legislation. The latest update took effect on 1 July 2022, when the Business Companies Act 2022 came into force, repealing and replacing the Companies Act, the International Business Companies Act and the Protected Cell Companies Act.
Anguilla’s Legislation Regulating Offshore Financial Services Includes The Following Acts:
Incorporation Process Of Anguilla Company
Stage 1
Contact us for more information and quotes. We answer within three hours!
Stage 2
Fill in a form, provide us with the required documents and make a payment.
Stage 3
Receive the scanned incorporation documents within two days, and hard copies by courier in up to seven days.
Required Documents To Incorporate In Anguilla
For Anguilla company registration the following KYC documents are required:
- Certified copy of proof of ID for all directors, shareholders and beneficial owners
- Certified proof of address for all directors, shareholders and beneficial owners
- KYC form provided by your personal manager in Astra Trust
For more information click below to receive certification instructions and requirements.
Documents And Services You Receive After Anguilla Company Formation
The Costs of Company Incorporation Include Services as Follows:
- Company name search in the Register of Companies for availability
- Revision of KYC and CDD documents
- Payment of Government Fees
- Necessary filings to the Registrar of Companies through the Commercial Registration Electronic System (CRES)
- Drafting of activation corporate documents on incorporation of the company
- Registered office services for 1 year
- Registered agent services for 1 year
- Filing of beneficial ownership information with the Registrar
- Compliance Fees
- Full administrative support 24/7 from your personal manager in Astra Trust
The Company Registration in Anguilla Package Includes the Following Company Documents:
- Certificate of Incorporation issued by the Registrar of Companies
- Articles of Incorporation stamped by Registrar of Companies
- By Law stamped by the Registrar of Companies
- Resolution of appointment of first directors
- Register of directors
- Register of shareholders
- Minutes of first meeting of directors
- Share Certificate for each shareholder
Need More Help To Setup Your Offshore Company in Anguilla?
Just get in touch with us to receive a full and qualified response.
Company Name In Anguilla
The company name can be in any language, including Chinese. Under the Business Companies Act 2022, the company’s name shall end with the following words:
- “Limited”;
- “Corporation”;
- “Incorporated”.
Alternatively, the abbreviations “Ltd.”, “Corp.” or “Inc.” may be used.
The act also allows the use of foreign names in the last part of the company’s name instead of the abovementioned words. The following words or their abbreviations may be used:
- “Sendirian Berhad” or “Sdn Bhd”;
- “Société à Responsabilité Limitée” or “SARL”;
- “Sociedad Anonima” or “S.A.”;
- “Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung” or “GmbH”;
- “Besloten Vennootschap” or “B.V.”;
- “Naamloze Vennootschap” or “NV”.
The proposed company name can be checked for availability by Astra Trust within 1-2 working days.
The company name cannot suggest any connection to His Majesty, the Royal Family, the Government or any department thereof in the United Kingdom or elsewhere. It also cannot be a name that is prohibited by the laws and regulations of Anguilla.
Board Of Directors And Shareholders Of Anguilla Company
Anguilla offshore company shall at all times have one or more directors, to be compliant with the legislation. Directors can be both, individuals or legal persons. The directors can be of any nationality and residency without restrictions. The legislation of Anguilla allows sole corporate directors to be appointed to the company.
The company must have at least one shareholder, which can be either an individual or a corporation, of any nationality and residency.
Nominee services are allowed in Anguilla. Astra Trust can provide nominee services and assist with all corporate matters to ensure that your company complies with all legal requirements in Anguilla.
Registered Agent and Registered Office Requirements
Every Anguilla company must at all times have a registered agent licensed in Anguilla and a registered office located at the agent’s address. This is a continuing statutory requirement: a company that ceases to have a licensed registered agent is not in good standing and may ultimately be struck off the register.
Only firms licensed by the Anguilla Financial Services Commission may act as registered agent. A company cannot file directly with the Registrar or hold a registered office in its own name. All incorporation and post-incorporation filings are submitted through the agent’s authorised access to the Commercial Registration Electronic System (CRES).
What the registered agent is responsible for
- Filing the articles of incorporation and obtaining the certificate of incorporation
- Filing the register of directors and register of members with the Registrar
- Collecting and holding beneficial ownership information, and filing it within 14 days of incorporation or continuation
- Maintaining the company’s statutory registers and constitutional documents at the registered office
- Filing the annual return and the annual economic substance declaration
- Paying annual government fees on the company’s behalf
- Conducting customer due diligence and acting as the company’s primary compliance contact with the Financial Services Commission
Because the agent holds the company’s due diligence file and files on its behalf, the standard of that relationship determines whether the company stays in good standing. A company whose agent resigns, loses its licence, or fails to file will accrue penalties and, in time, be struck off — usually without the beneficial owner being aware until a bank or counterparty requests a certificate of good standing.
Changing registered agent
A company may transfer to a new licensed agent at any time. The incoming agent files the change with the Registrar and the outgoing agent transfers the statutory registers and due diligence file. Astra Trust acts as registered agent for Anguilla companies and can take over the administration of an existing company, including companies not currently in good standing.
Share Capital of an Anguilla Company and Types of Companies
There are several types of companies that can be incorporated in Anguilla. They differ by organisational structure, corporate regulation requirements, taxation, capital and company type. In terms of share capital, there are a few types of companies that can be incorporated in Anguilla:
- Company limited by shares
- Company limited by guarantee
- Company limited by shares and guarantee
The standard authorised share capital of the company limited by shares is usually USD 50,000 or in another currency, with a denomination of USD 1 per share.
The issued share capital to shareholders can be of any amount, starting from 1 share and up to all 50,000 shares.
The authorised share capital can be both par value and no par value.
Companies in Anguilla can issue different classes of shares, as defined in their statutory documents.
Bearer shares cannot be issued or transferred by an Anguilla company. Section 37 of the Business Companies Act 2022 prohibits both the issue and the transfer of bearer shares and bearer share certificates, replacing the custodial arrangements that applied under the former International Business Companies Act. Confidentiality is instead maintained through the non-public status of the company’s registers and, where appropriate, nominee shareholding arrangements.
Privacy of an Anguilla Company
Anguilla is considered a highly confidential jurisdiction.
Information on registers of directors, shareholders and beneficial owners is not available to the public. The certificate of good standing or company search certificate does not show information about directors and members of an Anguilla company.
Corporate registers are maintained by the registered agent at the company’s registered office, and copies of the register of directors and register of members are filed with the Registrar. These filings are not open to public inspection. The Financial Services Commission of Anguilla may inspect the company’s corporate registers.
Information about the company may only be disclosed by the authorities of Anguilla to authorities of other countries and only upon official legal request from such authorities.
Anguilla’s legislation protects the privacy of companies incorporated under its laws. The penalty for unauthorised disclosure for FSC employees is a fine of USD 10,000, imprisonment for twelve months, or both.
The privacy of an Anguilla offshore company can be further enhanced by the appointment of a director and nominee shareholder. Astra Trust can provide directorship and nominee services upon request.
Economic Substance Requirements In Anguilla
A Business Company in Anguilla is subject to economic substance requirements. This means that the company must file economic substance returns with the Registrar of Companies for each relevant financial year on an annual basis.
Where a company is engaged in a relevant activity, it must ensure that it has an adequate presence on the island, employs a number of employees and is managed in Anguilla.
Relevant activities include the following:
- Banking
- Insurance
- Fund management
- Financing and leasing
- Distribution and service centre
- Shipping
- Intellectual property business
- Headquarters
- Holding company
Companies that carry on none of these activities do not need to meet the substance test, but must still file a nil declaration confirming that no relevant activity was carried on.
The Economic Substance requirements for offshore Anguilla holding companies are much less restrictive, with only partial application of the original substance requirements.
Reporting Requirements in Anguilla
For offshore companies that do not conduct business activities in Anguilla, there is no legal requirement to file accounts or tax returns in Anguilla. The company must nonetheless maintain adequate financial records, file an annual return, file an annual economic substance declaration, and file and keep current its beneficial ownership information with the Registrar. Beneficial ownership information must be filed within 14 days of incorporation or continuation in Anguilla.
Key Features of Anguilla Company
General Information
- Jurisdiction – British Overseas Territory
- Entity type – BC
- Corporate Tax – 0%
- VAT -0%
- Currency – XCD and USD
- Currency Exchange Control – No
- Legal framework – Common Law
- Recognition of Trust – Recognised
- Court of Final Appeal – The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC)
Business Activity Restrictions
- Business Activity Restrictions – No. Subject to standard licensed types of activities.
- Economic Substance Requirements – Applicable
Requirements to Directors
- Register of Directors – Publicly not accessible. Stored in Registered Office
- Minimum Number of Directors – 1
- Corporate Director – Available
- Local director – Not required
- Nominee Director – Available
Requirements to Secretary
- Secretary – Not required. Optional.
- Local Secretary – Not required.
Requirements to Shareholders
- Register of Shareholders – Publicly not accessible
- Minimum Number of Shareholders – 1
- Corporate Shareholder – Available
- Annual General Meeting – Not required
- Location of Meetings – Anywhere in the World
- Nominee Shareholder – Available
Share capital
- Minimum Authorized Share Capital – USD 1
- Standard Authorized Share Capital – USD 50,000
- Minimum Issued Share Capital – USD 1
- Currency of Share Capital – USD or any other
Reporting Requirements
- Preparation of Accounts – Financial records must be maintained. No filing of financial statements.
- Filing of Annual Return – Required
- Publicity of Annual Return – Not public
- Audited Accounts – Not required
Other features
- Redomiciliation to/from Jurisdiction – Permitted
- Shelf companies – Not available
Frequently Asked Questions regarding Anguilla Company Formation
Why should I consider Anguilla for company formation?
Anguilla offers numerous advantages for offshore company formation, including zero corporate tax, confidentiality, ease of doing business, and a straightforward regulatory environment.
What types of companies can be formed in Anguilla?
The most common types of companies that can be formed in Anguilla include International Business Companies (IBCs), Limited Liability Companies (LLCs), and partnerships.
What are the requirements for Anguilla company formation?
To form a company in Anguilla, you typically need a unique company name, at least one director, a registered office address in Anguilla, and relevant identification documents for shareholders and directors.
What are the ongoing compliance requirements for an Anguilla company?
Ongoing compliance for an Anguilla offshore company includes maintaining a registered office, filing annual returns, and ensuring proper record-keeping with the registered agent. There is no requirement to file financial statements.
Is there a confidentiality provision for Anguilla offshore companies?
Yes, Anguilla provides a high level of confidentiality for offshore companies. The identities of shareholders and directors are not publicly disclosed.
How long does the Anguilla company formation process take?
The company formation process in Anguilla is generally quick, often taking between 1 to 5 business days, depending on the complexity of the application.
How do I choose a service provider for my Anguilla company formation?
When selecting a service provider, consider their experience, reputation, range of services offered, and customer reviews to ensure you receive quality assistance throughout the formation process.
Can the Anguilla company open a corporate bank account after incorporation?
Yes, the company can have corporate bank accounts after it is formed and is in the good standing.
What is the tax implication of forming a company in Anguilla?
Offshore companies in Anguilla are exempt from paying corporate taxes, income taxes, and capital gains taxes, making it an attractive option for international business operations.
Can foreign nationals own an Anguilla offshore company?
Yes, foreign nationals can fully own and control an offshore company in Anguilla without any local partner or shareholder requirement.
What are the ongoing compliance requirements for an Anguilla company?
Ongoing compliance for an Anguilla offshore company includes maintaining a registered office, filing annual returns, and ensuring proper record-keeping with the registered agent. There is no requirement to file financial statements.
Is there a minimum capital requirement for forming a company in Anguilla?
No, Anguilla does not impose a minimum capital requirement for offshore companies. However, it is advisable to have sufficient capital to support your business activities.
Do I need to visit Anguilla to set up my company?
No, it is not necessary to visit Anguilla for company formation. Most processes can be completed remotely through a registered agent or service provider.
