United Arab Emirates
Mainland, free zone and offshore companies, corporate tax and VAT registration, visas and bank accounts.
Learn moreInternational Business Setup from India
Company formation and ongoing compliance in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, Panama, Seychelles, the Cayman Islands and Delaware — planned together with the Indian FEMA, ODI and tax consequences.
One advisor for both sides of the border
Indian entrepreneurs set up abroad for many good reasons: to serve customers in the Gulf or the United States, to hold overseas investments, to raise capital from international investors, to source from China through Hong Kong, or to protect and pass on family wealth. What most overseas service providers cannot do is tell you what the structure means back in India.
We do both. Our team handles the formation with licensed registered agents and corporate service providers in each jurisdiction, and we personally manage the Indian side: the Overseas Investment Rules and Form FC filings through your bank, the LRS limits, the POEM risk, transfer pricing between your Indian and foreign entities, treaty relief on dividends and Schedule FA disclosures. The result is a structure that works in both countries and stands up to scrutiny.
The Indian side of an overseas structure
For Indian resident promoters, setting up abroad is only half the job. Depending on how the entity is owned and funded, you may need to comply with the Overseas Investment Rules, 2022 (Form FC filing through your AD bank, a Unique Identification Number and an Annual Performance Report), the Liberalised Remittance Scheme limit of USD 250,000 per person per financial year, Place of Effective Management (POEM) rules that can make a foreign company tax-resident in India if it is controlled from here, transfer pricing on transactions with your Indian business, and Schedule FA disclosure of foreign assets in your Indian return. We build these into the plan from the start.
Compare the jurisdictions
A summary to start the conversation. Rates and timelines are indicative and depend on activity, licence type and the completeness of your documents.
| Jurisdiction | Typically used for | Headline tax position | Formation time |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Arab Emirates | Trading, services, Gulf and Africa markets, holding, residence visas | 9% CT above AED 375k; 0% qualifying free zone income; 5% VAT | 1–3 weeks |
| Saudi Arabia (KSA) | Contracting, engineering, IT and services for Vision 2030 projects | 20% CIT (foreign share); 15% VAT; 5–20% WHT | 6–10 weeks |
| Hong Kong | China sourcing, Asia trading, regional holding | 8.25% / 16.5% on HK-source profits; no VAT, CGT or dividend WHT | 1–2 days |
| Panama | International holding, family foundations, asset protection | 0% on foreign-source income; USD 300 annual tax | 3–7 days |
| Seychelles | Low-cost holding and trading vehicle | 0% on foreign-source income; fixed annual fees | 1–3 days |
| Cayman Islands | Investor-backed holding companies, funds, listing vehicles | No income, capital gains or withholding tax; substance rules apply | 3–5 days |
| Delaware (USA) | US customers, SaaS, e-commerce, venture funding, US subsidiary | 21% federal CIT (C-Corp); LLC pass-through; USD 300 / franchise tax | 1–3 days (+EIN) |
Jurisdiction guides
Saudi Arabia
MISA licence, LLC or branch, ZATCA registration, Saudization and RHQ programme.
Learn moreHong Kong
Limited company in 1–2 days, company secretary, audit and profits tax, bank account support.
Learn morePanama
Corporations and Private Interest Foundations under a territorial tax system.
Learn moreSeychelles
IBC formation, registered agent, nominee services and bi-annual accounting records.
Learn moreCayman Islands
Exempted companies, SPCs, partnerships and CIMA-registered funds with economic substance compliance.
Learn moreDelaware, USA
LLC and C-Corp formation, EIN, registered agent, Form 5472/1120 and franchise tax.
Learn moreIndia
Entity formation for Indian promoters and Indian subsidiaries, branches and liaison offices for foreign investors.
Learn moreFoundations — UAE & Panama
DIFC, ADGM and RAK ICC foundations and Panama Private Interest Foundations for succession, family asset holding and protection.
Learn moreHow we choose the right jurisdiction with you
- 1
Objective
Market access, holding, fundraising, asset protection or residence — each points to a different set of jurisdictions.
- 2
Indian permissibility
We check the activity and structure against the Overseas Investment Rules and confirm the funding route (ODI by an Indian company or LRS by individuals).
- 3
Tax in both countries
Local corporate tax, withholding on repatriation, treaty relief in India, POEM exposure and transfer pricing on intra-group dealings.
- 4
Bankability and cost
A company you cannot bank is of little use. We consider bank appetite, substance requirements and the realistic annual cost of each option.
- 5
Set-up and maintenance
We form the entity with our licensed partners, complete the Indian filings and put every recurring obligation on your compliance calendar.
Questions Indian founders ask before setting up abroad
Can an Indian resident own a foreign company?
Yes. An individual invests under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (up to USD 250,000 a year) and an Indian company under the Overseas Direct Investment rules; both need Form FC through the bank, a Unique Identification Number before the first remittance, and an annual performance report every 31 December. The foreign company is then reported in Schedule FA of the Indian return.
Will my foreign company be taxed in India?
Only if its place of effective management is in India — that is, if the key management and commercial decisions are actually taken here. A UAE, Hong Kong or Delaware company with a real manager, board meetings and decisions abroad keeps its foreign residence; one run from a Mumbai laptop does not. Transfer pricing applies to any dealings between the two entities.
Which jurisdiction is cheapest to run?
For most Indian service and trading businesses the UAE free zones win on cost and banking; Hong Kong for China-facing trade; Delaware for a US customer base or venture funding; Panama, Seychelles and the Cayman Islands for holding and asset-protection structures where substance requirements are met. Our comparison table above gives the headline numbers.
How long does it take?
UAE free zone: two to ten working days after documents; Saudi Arabia: four to eight weeks with MISA licensing; Hong Kong: one to two weeks; Delaware: two to three days for the entity and two to four weeks for the EIN and bank; Panama and Seychelles: one to two weeks. Attesting Indian corporate documents adds two to four weeks in every case.
Do you handle the Indian side too?
That is the point of the engagement — ODI or LRS filings, POEM safeguards, transfer pricing documentation, Schedule FA and the treaty position are done by the same team that sets up the foreign company, so nothing falls between two advisors.
Not sure which jurisdiction fits?
A 30-minute conversation is usually enough for us to narrow it to one or two options with indicative costs.