CYPRUS COMPANY FORMATION

Why you should form a Cyprus company

A Cyprus company formation structure, is an excellent structure for many reasons. Standing at the meeting point of three continents, Cyprus offers a host of benefits as a business location. Favourable taxation, the highest level of professional services and excellent local infrastructure.

Thousands of businesses have decided that a Cyprus company formation structure, is an excellent choice for their corporate structure. As an EU member, Cyprus has established itself as an attractive destination for businesses of all shapes and sizes and one of the best EU locations to form a company.

From entrepreneurs setting up start-ups to large corporate conglomerates, thousands of businesspeople regard this Mediterranean island as a business-friendly, flexible, and welcoming home for their companies.

There's a bounty of great reasons for you to form your company in Cyprus. These include:

• Member of the European Union, one of the largest consumer markets on earth, and close proximity to the MENA region and its population of about 560 million.
• One of the lowest corporate tax rates in Europe at 12.5% on net profits and an extensive network of double tax treaties.
• The opportunity to move one’s tax residency to Cyprus, through the Cyprus non dom programme. Minimum requirements and tax free worldwide dividends for 17 years.
• Generous tax benefits and incentives for a company’s personnel receiving salary in Cyprus. A tax exemption of 50% is being provided for personnel that receives a salary of over EUR 55,000, annually.
• Knowledgeable and skilled core of financial services and legal professionals that can offer you the whole range of professional services required to set up and run cost and tax efficiently, any type of business.
• Excellent infrastructure including reliable and fast Internet connectivity, affordable office spaces, a strong healthcare and educational system, and solid telecommunication networks.
• Island-wide fluency in English.
• Cosmopolitan cities with luxury hotels, high-end restaurants, world-class beaches, and a whole range of recreational activities for the entire family.
• The ability to establish your company's tax residency on the island and make the most of a very flexible and lax tax framework.
• Access to safeguards and multiple benefits offered by the EU's many Directives and regulations.
• An international and cutting-edge hub for the shipping, logistics, and fintech industries with plenty of new payment solution providers (PSPs) setting shop on the island.
• A robust and advantageous IP or patent box regime, with an effective corporate tax rate at just 2,5%.

Cyprus as an international business hub

Considering all the advantages highlighted above, Cyprus has become a preferred international business hub for businesspeople in Europe, northern Africa, the Middle East and beyond.

Besides offering you with many attractive tax benefits and highly trained professionals to cater to all of your corporate and financial needs, the island's prime geographic location and status as an EU member is perfect for organizations looking to make inroads into Europe. Here, companies can also leverage the country's developed telecommunications, transportation, and housing infrastructures to comfortable set up their operations in an idyllic, safe, and enjoyable setting where the sun shines on a daily basis.

As more companies settle down on the island, Cyprus is slowly but surely developing into a regional financial and tech hub where multinational conglomerates, small-to-medium-sized enterprises, and entrepreneurs launching their own start-ups coexist and lend plenty of vibrancy, diversity, and opportunities to the local business environment.

What can you use a Cyprus company for?

One of the great advantages of the Cyprus company is that it is flexible enough for you to use for many different purposes.

You can set up a Cyprus company that covers any of the following types of structures, and more:

• Entities as part of the Cyprus IP box scheme
• Holding companies
• Technology companies
• Investment companies
• Trading companies
• Alternative Investment Funds (AIF) including Cyprus' Registered Alternative Investment Fund (RAIF)
• Startups
• And plenty more!

How we can help with your Cyprus Company

At Meridian Trust, we can help you set up your own Cyprus company from start to finish. This is our bread and butter, something we have been assisting clients with since our inception, more than ten long years ago.

Our range of company registration services includes the following:

• Completion and submission of your company registration documents, including the submission of your company's name to the Registrar of Companies for preliminary approval.
• Coverage of all company registrar's expenses.
• Drafting your company’s memorandum, according to your own requirements.
• Issuing of a full set of company certificates includes the 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.
• Production of the company's first minutes and a company rubber stamp.
• Delivery of nominee services if what you're looking for is privacy and confidentiality. In this case, a trust deed and instrument of share transfer will be made available as well.
• Providing local director management services, essential for your company's tax residential status.
• Assisting with company office substance requirements, for your newly set up Cyprus company.
• Set up your company's registered office and secretarial services for your company's first year of operation.
• Assisting in the opening of a Cyprus bank account if required as well as obtaining a tax number for your new Cyprus Company.
• Taking care of your company’s accounting and bookkeeping needs.
• Ensuring that your company is at all times maintained at a good legal standing with all statutory and legal requirements within Cyprus, such as filing of annual returns and accounts.

Timeline for forming a Cyprus Company

Forming a company in Cyprus is a very easy and straightforward process. A company name application will first need to be submitted with the Companies Registry. Once the name is approved, we are then able to file the company's incorporation documents. The company can be ready in as little as seven working days, provided we submit the incorporation documents under the express registration service. A selection of shelf companies and pre approved company names are also always maintained, for clients to choose from. You may see our list of currently available Cyprus companies and preapproved company names here: Available Cyprus companies and approved company names.

Free Consultation

Let's talk! Fill in the form below and schedule your 30 minute free consultation with one of our corporate lawyers, to discuss any questions you have about forming a Cyprus company.