Ready-made, or “shelf” companies are companies, which are already registered, or approved for immediate registration. Such companies are available for immediate purchase. These companies have not traded or entered into any dealings or obligations whatsoever. Since incorporation, their documents have been kept motionless “on the shelf” in our office, hence the name. For companies indicated as “Approved”, only their names have been reserved for registration, but they have not commenced their legal existence yet.
The main reasons for considering shelf companies are (A) to save some time if an especially quick turnaround is required; (B) to provide for a somewhat earlier registration date, as might be necessary in some business circumstances; (C) to assist with the sometimes onerous task of designing a new company name.
(!) Please note that due to recent regulatory changes in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), it is no longer possible to register and keep BVI companies on the shelf, as a register of Ultimate Beneficial Owners (UBOs) must now be filed at the time of incorporation, furthermore, all BVI companies must comply with Economic Substance Requirements.
We offer a selection of ready-made shelf companies in Seychelles and Cyprus, which remain available for immediate acquisition under the same principles, please explore our Other Jurisdictions chapter for more information.
(!) Please make sure to read the important notes at the end of this chapter.
This is a list of approved company names available as of today.
COMPANY NAMES
- Approved
Important notes about shelf/approved name companies
1. In the British Virgin Islands (BVI), it is no longer possible to register or maintain ready-made (“shelf”) companies. BVI companies must now be incorporated upon order.
2. Instead of shelf companies, we can offer pre-approved company names. These names have already been cleared by the BVI Registrar of Companies and are available for immediate registration. The registration of an approved company name usually takes one business day.
3. If you are a new client, our standard Know Your Client (KYC) due diligence procedures will apply, and payment must be received before incorporation can be finalized.
4. Please note that approved name company is treated as new registration and it still requires certain post-incorporation steps, such as appointing directors, issuing shares, preparing internal registers and resolutions, and arranging for any required certifications (Notary or Apostille).
5. Certifications (if needed for international use) typically require an additional 1–5 business days. This timeframe does not depend on us, but on the respective notarial and Government offices and their workload.
6. All-in-all, incorporating a BVI company from an approved name is now often just as fast as acquiring a former shelf company, since the process normally takes 1–2 business days plus any additional time for certifications, however, the final preparation of the company before shipment will still take anywhere between one and ten business days, depending on the details of Your order, and on the receipt of the respective Due Diligence information and the payment from You.
7. Unlike in the past with vintage shelf companies, there are no hidden annual fees or backdated renewals to pay. When you incorporate a new BVI company, the first annual renewal is due on the next official renewal date (31 May or 30 November), depending on the company’s incorporation date. After that, renewals will continue on the same cycle each year.
8. We strongly oppose and do not recommend entering into any business transactions in the name of Your offshore company before you have received the original documents!
BVI Company Configurator
Our online company configurator will enable you to submit your desired configuration, provide you with precise cost based on the services you require for your offshore BVI company.
