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Business Bank Accounts for British Virgin Isle (BVI) Company

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PSenghani

New member
Apr 21, 2021
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UAE
#1
Hi all, totally newbie to off shore companies and banking so any assistance is much appreciated.

I've formed a company in the BVI with a group of friends and we are exploring how to open a bank account for it. We will be using the company to invest in private companies mainly on the tech space. Can anyone recommend any banks or EMIs where I wouldn't physically have to go to the branch. I am based in the UAE.

Thanks in advance for the advice.
 
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#5
Without any economic relationship to Cyprus it will be very hard to get accounts opened there.

Beside of what mentioned here in the past it was possibly to get BVI company banked with OCBC - they change internal compliance frequently. Maybe @Outlander can mentioned if his BVI company account with OCBC is still up and running.

We had last call with OCBC 2 weeks ago and so far they are not open for new Offshore Accounts for such entities but maybe change in future again.

Beside of that you are left alone to the typical shell banks in Belize, Dominica and Puerto Rico. Bank of Asia BVI with some EMI as correspondence bank should be work as well and if you are serious about investment take a look at VP Bank BVI.

However if nothing works I can only repeat myself and recommend you a company structure that grants you a Residence Visa like the Dubai Company Formation. You have beside of the Company Formation with the Residence Visa already created an additional nexus in the country of incorporationa - in this case the UAE. Of course it can be helpful and make things easier when it comes to CRS reproting.
 
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#6
You can open at OCBC Singapore but the KYC is very strict now.
1. Your nationality matters (US, EU, Australia passports are very difficult)
2. You should have business somewhere else before opening your new BVI company
3. You must have good business relations with Singapore (proved by documents/transactions with several Singaporian companies)
4. If you have personal account/business account in Singapore before, very helpful
5. The banker who supports you is important. Some are very patient and helpful, some just reject you if any uncomfortable evidence
This is case by case and most of applications are rejected at early state
 
#7
#9
PSenghani said:
Hi all, totally newbie to off shore companies and banking so any assistance is much appreciated.

I've formed a company in the BVI with a group of friends and we are exploring how to open a bank account for it. We will be using the company to invest in private companies mainly on the tech space. Can anyone recommend any banks or EMIs where I wouldn't physically have to go to the branch. I am based in the UAE.

Thanks in advance for the advice.
Click to expand...

What is your country of citizenship? (And that of your partners). That makes a difference, as other posters have said. I might have a few ideas for you.
 
#11
Contact @Gediminas he can help you with that matter

However, I am not sure if BVI company is the best set-up to invest into tech companies. BVI company has to have substance in BVI to be able to use it as holding company. This is new BVI regulations.
There are other structuring possibilities you can use. You can set-up Liechtenstein holding company for these investments. Liechtenstein is in Europe , in EEA and you don't pay tax there. It looks much better than BVI.

Sorry, but being UAE resident with BVI company is almost impossible set-up to have bank account :)
 
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#12
Konstanz said:
Contact @Gediminas he can help you with that matter

However, I am not sure if BVI company is the best set-up to invest into tech companies. BVI company has to have substance in BVI to be able to use it as holding company. This is new BVI regulations.
There are other structuring possibilities you can use. You can set-up Liechtenstein holding company for these investments. Liechtenstein is in Europe , in EEA and you don't pay tax there. It looks much better than BVI.

Sorry, but being UAE resident with BVI company is almost impossible set-up to have bank account :)
Click to expand...
actually it's posible in Panama and BVI with banco popular bvi
 
#13
Cetme308win said:
actually it's posible in Panama and BVI with banco popular bvi
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I never said it's impossible but it's close to impossible. Also banking in Panama or BVI is not so convenient as having account in Europe.
As I said there are better set-ups for investments into tech companies.
Anyway, @Gediminas is helping with such cases as discussed here. Open bank accounts for BVIs.

I noticed that banco popular is in Virgin Islands (US), not British Virgin Islands. I don't believe such account to be opened in Panama too.
 
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#16
Some simple but sometimes very powerful step to take is to ask the agent or law firm that helped you with the setup. If they are good connected they can help.
 
#17
Admin said:
Some simple but sometimes very powerful step to take is to ask the agent or law firm that helped you with the setup. If they are good connected they can help.
Click to expand...
I agree 200% with you adding as well that work fantastically with agents with local presence in the jurisdiction you wanna bank
 
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