Singapore
Corporate Tax Rate: 0-17%. Tax is calculated based on the company's net profit (losses), the effective tax rate is usually much lower.
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Standard GST (VAT): 9% from 2024 onwards.
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Preferred Business Form: Private Limited Company or Exempt Private Limited Company, provided the number of shareholders is less than 50.
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Local Director: at least 1 required
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Remote Company Formation: Available
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Remote Account Opening: Available
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Audit Requirements: Audit is not required for small companies and small groups. A company is considered small if it meets at least two of the following three conditions:
  • The total annual revenue does not exceed 10 million Singapore dollars;
  • Total assets at the end of the financial year do not exceed 10 million Singapore dollars;
  • The number of full-time employees at the end of the financial year does not exceed 50 people.
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Open Register: it is possible to purchase an extract from the register at here
Hong Kong
Corporate Tax Rate: The first HK$2 million of income is taxed at a rate of 8.25%, after that 16.5%.
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Standard GST (VAT): 0%, only applicable to certain types of goods.
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Preferred Business Form: Private Limited Company or Exempt Private Limited Company, provided the number of shareholders is less than 50.
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Local Director: Not required
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Remote Company Formation: Available
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Remote Account Opening: Not available
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Audit Requirements: Mandatory
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Open Register: it is possible to purchase an extract from the register at here
Corporate Tax Rate: 25% (15% for certain industries and in free economic zones)
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Standard GST (VAT): 13%.
China
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Preferred Business Form: Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprise Limited Liability Company.
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Local Director: Not required
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Remote Company Formation: Available
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Remote Account Opening: Not available
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Audit Requirements: Mandatory
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Open Register: it is possible to view basic company information at here
India
Corporate Tax Rate: 34.94%
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Standard GST (VAT): 18%
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Preferred Business Form: Private Limited Company
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Local Director: at least 1 required
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Remote Company Formation: Available
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Remote Account Opening: Not Available
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Audit Requirements: Mandatory statutory audit
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Open Register: Not available
Turkey
Corporate Tax Rate: 25%
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Standard GST (VAT): 20% (1% and 5% for some goods)
United Arab Emirates (UAE)
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Corporate Tax Rate: 9%
Preferred Business Form: Limited Liability Company
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Local Director: Not required
Standard GST (VAT): 5%
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Remote Company Formation: Available
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Preferred Business Form: Mainland company or a company in a free economic zone, depending on the industry and objectives
Remote Account Opening: No, a resident visa is required for partners before opening a bank account.
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Local Director: Not required
Audit Requirements: Mandatory if total assets ≥ 35 million Turkish Lira, annual net sales ≥ 70 million Turkish Lira, or number of employees ≥ 175.
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Remote Company Formation: Available
Open Register: No
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Remote Account Opening: No, partners of the company need to obtain a resident visa before initiating the bank account opening process.
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Audit Requirements: Not mandatory
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Open Register: Not available
Each free zone maintains its own register with basic information, and mainland companies can be verified on the Department of Economic Development's website without disclosing director and shareholder details.
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Bahrain
Corporate Tax Rate: 0%
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Standard GST (VAT): 10%
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Preferred Business Form: WLL (With Limited Liability)
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Local Director: Not required
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Remote Company Formation: Available
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Remote Account Opening: No, partners need to obtain a resident visa before starting the bank account opening process.
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Audit Requirements: Mandatory from the 2nd year
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Open Register: Information available at here
Portugal
Corporate Tax Rate: 21% (14.7% in Madeira and Azores)
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Standard GST (VAT): 23% (22% in Madeira, 18% in Azores)
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Preferred Business Form: Limited Liability Company
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Cyprus
Local Director: Not required
Corporate Tax Rate: 12.5%
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Standard GST (VAT): 19% (5-9% for some goods)
Remote Company Formation: Available
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Preferred Business Form: Limited Liability Company
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Local Director: Required
Remote Account Opening: Not available
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Remote Company Formation: Available
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Audit Requirements: Only if two out of three conditions are met: annual turnover is €3,000,000, total assets are €1,500,000, and average number of employees is 50.
Remote Account Opening: Available
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Audit Requirements: Required
Open Register: Available at Portuguese Trade Register
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Open Register: No, limited essential information is available upon request.
Indonesia
Corporate Tax Rate: 22%
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Standard GST (VAT): 11%
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Preferred Business Form: Perseroan Terbatas/PT (Limited Liability Company)
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Local Director: Required
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Remote Company Formation: Available
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Remote Account Opening: Not available, an investor KITAS for one of the shareholders is necessary.
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Audit Requirements: Mandatory if company assets exceed 50 billion rupiahs.
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Open Register: Not available
Thailand
Corporate Tax Rate: 20% (15% for income up to 3 million baht)
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Standard GST (VAT): 10%
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Preferred Business Form: Foreigners can fully own a company, but permission from the Board of Investment Promotion takes time. Setting up a local company with a local shareholder (51/49) is advisable
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Local Director: Required
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Remote Company Formation: Available
Vietnam
Corporate Tax Rate: 20%
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Standard GST (VAT): 10%
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Remote Account Opening: Available
Preferred Business Form: Limited liability company
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Local Director: Required, at least 1 local legal representative
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Audit Requirements: Mandatory
Remote Company Formation: Available
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Remote Account Opening: Not Available
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Open Register: Not available
Audit Requirements: Mandatory
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Open Register: Not available
Kazakhstan
Corporate Tax Rate: 20% (3% for activities under the simplified regime)
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Standard GST (VAT): 12%
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Preferred Business Form: Limited Liability Partnership (LLP)
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Local Director: Not required
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Remote Company Formation: Available
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Remote Account Opening: Not available
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Audit Requirements: Not mandatory, conditions apply
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Open Register: Accessible during registration at here
Philippines
Corporate Tax Rate: 25%
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Standard GST (VAT): 12%
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Preferred Business Form: Export-oriented enterprise or domestic market enterprise
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Local Director: At least half of the Board of Directors must be locals, minimum 2 locals
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Remote Company Formation: Available
Malaysia
Corporate Tax Rate: 24% (3% for specific activities and companies registered in Labuan under certain conditions)
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Standard GST (VAT): Sales tax - 10%, service tax - 6%
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Remote Account Opening: Available
Preferred Business Form: Company Limited by Shares
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Local Director: Required
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Audit Requirements: Mandatory
Remote Company Formation: Available
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Remote Account Opening: Available
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Open Register: Not available
Audit Requirements: Generally mandatory, but companies with turnover below 100,000 ringgit have no requirements
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Open Register: Basic information available for purchase at here
Mauritius
Corporate Tax Rate: Global Business Company - 15%, Authorized Company - 0%
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Standard GST (VAT): 15%
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Preferred Business Form: Global Business Company - Tax-resident in Mauritius, suitable for various activities; Authorized Company - Non-resident, limited suitability for certain activities
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Local Director: At least 2 for Global Business Company, no requirements for Authorized Company
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Remote Company Formation: Available
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Remote Account Opening: Available
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Audit Requirements: Necessary for tax-resident companies in Mauritius
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Open Register: Not available
Level 17, Frasers Tower, 182 Cecil Street, Singapore, 069547
Phone: +65 90180716
Email: contact@bestconsulting.sg