Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory and is part of the EU, although it is outside the EU Customs area with no obligation to harmonise V.A.T. It is also exempt from the Common Customs Tariff and the Common Agricultural Policy, but is subject to the EU Savings Tax Directive.
Companies are incorporated in Gibraltar under the Companies’ Act 1929 which is based on U.K. company law. There is no special regime for offshore companies and the company used by non-residents for international activities is the non-resident company. A non-resident company cannot be owned or managed and controlled by persons resident in Gibraltar, it cannot trade or carry on business in Gibraltar with Gibraltar residents or remit income to Gibraltar and it must have a Gibraltar resident secretary and keep its Company register there. Providing theses conditions are met a Gibraltar non-resident company is not taxable in Gibraltar.
| Gibraltar offshore company regulations | |
| Type of entity | Non Resident |
| Type of law | Common |
| Corporate taxation | Nil |
| Double taxation treaties available | No |
| Share Capital | |
| Usual currency | GBP |
| Permitted currencies | Any |
| Minimum paid up | GBP 2 |
| Usual authorised | GBP 2,000 |
| Directors | |
| Minimum number | 1 |
| Local resident required | No |
| Records publicly available | Yes |
| Corporate Director allowed | Yes |
| Shareholders / Members | |
| Minimum number | 1 |
| Records publicly available | Yes |
| Location of Meetings | Anywhere |
| Company Secretary | |
| Required | Yes |
| Local or qualified | Yes |
| Accounts | |
| Required | Yes |
| Audit required | No |
| Filing required | Yes |
| Publicly available | No |
| Other | |
| Annual return required | Yes |
| Change of domicile permitted | Yes |
| Availability of shelf companies | Yes |
| Time to incorporate a shelf co | 4-6 working days |
| Time to incorporate a new co | 5-8 working days |
