Belize is a preferred location for setting up an offshore company because of its very advantageous taxation principles and the laws related to financial privacy for foreign investors.
Our Belize company registration experts highlight the main characteristics and advantages of the limited liability company in Belize.
The process of opening a LLC in Belize is also detailed in the video below, presented by our company formation agents:
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The characteristics of a LLC in Belize
The limited liability company is a type of business entity established by one or more individuals. There are no restrictions on the nationality of the company owners and there are no requirements for LLC managers in Belize to have a certain nationality.
Foreign investors may choose the name of their company in any language, if it does not infringe an existing company name and if they observe the local requirements for company names and for prohibited names.
An advantage of the LLC in Belize is that there are no requirements to disclose the identity of the company founders/beneficial owners. This type of information is not recorded in the Companies Registry and it is not made available to the public.
Belize laws allow for a great degree of financial privacy for limited liability company owners and there is no foreign exchange control in 2024.
The following list contains the main steps for opening a Belize LLC. Our agents can help you during each of these phases and can streamline the process and the necessary submissions with the Belize authorities. The steps are as follows:
- Choose and confirm the company name: the new LLC needs to have an original name this is why we recommend to propose three alternatives and verify them with the Companies Registry; the final name will also contain an abbreviation.
- Prepare the company documents: during this step, we will help you draw up the company’s constitutive documents, the Articles of Association and the Memorandum.
- Submit the document for registration: once duly drawn up, the constitutive documents are submitted with the Companies Registry for the formation of the new LLC.
- Opening a bank account in Belize: once the company is incorporated, our team can help you open a bank account in Belize.
Investors should remember that the personal information of all shareholders will be required for the LLC incorporation process in 2024. Certified passport copies for the shareholders and beneficial owners will be needed. When preferred, investors can choose the nominee director and nominee shareholder services.
More information about the management conditions for this type of company can be provided by our Belize offshore company formation agents.
Entrepreneurs who open an LLC can apply for temporary residence in Belize based on their commercial investment in the country. Temporary residency in Belize is ideal for those who cannot or will not remain in the country permanently due to their commitments in other countries. Our team can help you with information about the conditions for both temporary and permanent residency.
Upon request, if you are already a permanent resident, we can also present in detail the current requirements for citizenship in Belize by registration. Citizenship is also available through marriage to a Belizean national (not automatically after marriage, after at least one year), and those who have Belizean relatives (parents or grandparents, in some cases). Our team can give you details.
Taxation, accounting, and reporting for a Belize LLC in 2024
Exemption from taxes is one of the main reasons why foreign investors choose to open an offshore company in Belize and choose the limited liability company. The tax rates in Belize vary according to the type of business the company is engaged in and some types of income are exempt, as described in the Income and Business Tax Act.
LLCs in Belize are required to keep accounting records, however, they may be stored in any location, not necessarily in the country.
If you are a foreign investor and wish to know more about how to open an offshore company in Belize you can reach out to one of our local experts. We can help you if you plan to open an LLC in Belize in 2024. Some foreign investors may not be able to travel to Belize during the first half of the year and our team can help you with detailed information in how we can assist you in opening a company even if you cannot be present in the country. While some of the documents for incorporation need to be duly signed, the process can be handled through a power of attorney which essentially delegates part or all responsibility for incorporation to one of our agents.
When opening a business in Belize, it is useful to keep in mind that the Companies and Corporate Affairs Registry imposes fees for many types of activities related to opening a company and other business forms. We briefly list some of these fees below and do keep in mind that these can be subject to change:
- Company name registration: $25;
- Change in particulars statement: $100;
- Cessation of business name: $100;
- Company registration when the capital is below 50,000 is $150 when registering using a registered agent and more when performed by a verified natural person who performs the registration himself/herself.
Our lawyers in Belize assist investors who wish to open an LLC and require additional information about laws, compliance, and other essential issues. Our areas of practice focus on corporate and offshore company creation, but we also offer legal guidance and advice in many areas, such as tax law, employment and real estate law, intellectual property matters, or debt collection.
If you are interested in making your stay a permanent one, our agents can also answer questions about Belizean immigration. The residence process is one that takes into account the foreign national’s lawful stay in the country prior to the needed applications, as well as his financial situation and the ability to support oneself. Our team can give you more details about these requirements.
Contact our Belize company formation agents for complete details on the company setup process, the requirements, and conditions for foreign investors in Belize.