How long does it take?

Service	Time Frame
Forming a new company in Cyprus	7-10 days
Buying a ready-made Cyprus company	24 hours
Forming a company elsewhere	1-2 days
Opening of bank account in Cyprus	Depends on each bank

Can I form a new Cyprus company online?

Yes, you can and it is a quick and simple process. Just choose the service you want: setting up a new company in Cyprus, or buying a ready-made Cyprus company. You can also set up a new company in any one (or more) of three offshore jurisdictions: BVI, Belize or the Seychelles.

How do I pay you?

Do I have to visit Cyprus to establish a company and/or to open a bank account?

Whether you want to form a new Cyprus company or buy a company off-the-shelf, it can all be done via this website and over the telephone, so you do not have to come here. Once we have your instructions, we will complete the process quickly and irrespective of whether you require nominee services or not. Perhaps you'd like to have your own offices on the island? If so, we can help you do that. You can move to Cyprus with your family and once here become a director (subject to certain conditions) of a Cyprus registered International Business Company (IBC).

Are nominee services essential for you?

Using nominee shareholders is advisable if confidentiality and anonymity are important to you. Having appointed your nominees, you will receive a trust deed, which proves that you are the owner of the shares of your Cyprus company and that the shares are held in trust on your behalf by nominees. You will also be provided with a signed, undated instrument of share transfer, which enables you to transfer the shares at any time either in your name, or in the name of someone else.

Nominee directors are also advisable for tax residency purposes. In order to be considered resident in Cyprus — and take full advantage of the island's very favourable tax regime — the directors of the Cyprus company must be able to prove, at all times, that it is managed and controlled from within the country.

Can a Cyprus IBC open an office in Cyprus?

Yes, although work permits and residence permits are required for non-EU nationals who may wish to live on the island and work at the Cyprus company's office.

Is there a minimum capital requirement for forming an IBC?

There is no minimum capital requirement and no share capital has to be paid into the company's bank account. If the cost of the company's registration and set up fees are in excess of the amount of share capital, then the total cost of those fees is deemed to be share capital.

What do the charges for acquiring a ready-made Cyprus company include?

1. The registrar's expenses
2. One full set of company certificates (Certificate of Incorporation, Certificate of Directors and Secretary, Certificate of shareholders, Certificate of the Company's Registered Office, the Company's Memorandum and Articles of Association)
3. The company's first minutes and its rubber stamp
4. The first year's registered office and company secretary costs

I need a personal bank account: can I open one without forming a Cyprus company?

Yes, you can. See here: personal bank account in Cyprus.

Can I open a bank account in an offshore jurisdiction through Meridian?

Yes, it is possible to open an offshore bank account with a bank located in an offshore jurisdiction. Please contact our specialists on +357 24812050 or email: info@meridian-trust.com.