International company formation, turnkey: we choose the country, register your company abroad, open the account and keep the reporting, including the CFC report in Ukraine.
Since 2012 · 50+ jurisdictions · company, account, accounting and CFC reporting in one team · first consultation free
In brief
Pick the situation closest to yours: a short note on the right structure and the first step.
Clients want a contract with a company in the EU or the UK and payment in euros or pounds. First step: we review contracts and payment flows and choose between Poland, Estonia and the UK.
Amazon, Stripe and payment providers require a company with a clear owner and tax numbers. First step: we define the sales markets and VAT registrations; most often this means a US LLC or an EU company.
Contracts are growing and the client wants to work with a foreign company. First step: we calculate taxes in the company's country and in Ukraine, taking into account the CFC rules and tax residency.
Trading with the EU requires a company with a VAT number and a clear supply chain. First step: we review the logistics and choose the country for the warehouse and the buyers.
The company is needed in the country where the owner applies for a residence permit. First step: we link the choice of jurisdiction to the immigration route so that the company and the residence documents work together.
Investors set the form: a Delaware C-Corp or a holding in the EU or the UK. First step: we review the fund's requirements or term sheet and build the structure for the round and the team's options.
The country to register a company abroad is chosen on four criteria: where your clients and money are, what tax will apply to profit and dividends, which bank will open an account, and how the company will look under the CFC (controlled foreign company) rules of Ukraine. Below are the six jurisdictions our clients choose most often. Rates are as of September 2026.
| Jurisdiction and form | Typical use | Corporate income tax, 2026 | Remote registration | Substance and bank | Reporting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poland, sp. z o.o. | Work in the EU market, IT services, trade, a team in Poland | 19 per cent; 9 per cent for small taxpayers with revenue up to 2 million euros and in the first year of business; the Estonian CIT regime is available | Yes: through the S24 system with a qualified electronic signature or by power of attorney | The bank looks at the address, contracts and clients; for an EU VAT number the tax office checks that the business is real | Bookkeeping under Polish rules, JPK VAT files, CIT-8, annual financial statements filed with KRS, e-invoices in KSeF |
| Estonia, OÜ | Online services, IT, small holdings | 0 on retained profit; 22 per cent on distribution, formula 22/78 of the payout | Yes, with an e-Residency card, which is collected in person at a pick-up point. If the management board is abroad, a contact person in Estonia is required | Estonian banks open accounts for non-residents with caution; the account is often opened with an EU payment institution | Annual report within 6 months after year-end, monthly TSD return for months with payouts |
| United Kingdom, Ltd | International contracts, e-commerce, holding | 25 per cent; 19 per cent for profits up to 50,000 pounds, with marginal relief between the thresholds | Yes. Since 18.11.2025 directors and PSCs verify their identity with Companies House through GOV.UK One Login or an authorised agent (ACSP) | A UK registered office address is required; the bank assesses the business's link to the country | Annual accounts, confirmation statement, CT600 return |
| Cyprus, Ltd | Holding, IT, trading, dividend flows | 15 per cent from 01.01.2026, previously 12.5 | Yes, we handle registration remotely; the bank may invite the director to a meeting | For tax residency, management and decisions must take place in Cyprus; an office and a local director are often needed | Mandatory audit, tax return, annual filings with the Registrar of Companies |
| UAE (Dubai and other emirates), free zone company | Trading, consulting, IT, owner relocating to the UAE | 9 per cent on profit above 375,000 dirhams; 0 for a qualifying free zone person on qualifying income | Registration is often remote; a residence visa, Emirates ID and bank account usually require a visit | The 0 rate requires assets, employees and expenses in the free zone, audited financial statements and non-qualifying income within the limit | Corporate tax return, audit for the relief, annual licence renewal |
| USA, LLC (Delaware, Wyoming) | Sales in the US market, Amazon, Stripe, SaaS | A single-member LLC with a foreign owner is transparent for federal tax, and US tax depends on activity in the country; a C-Corp pays a federal rate of 21 per cent | Yes, including obtaining an EIN tax number | A US bank often asks for a visit; payment services work remotely | Annual Form 5472 with pro forma 1120, penalty for failure to file 25,000 dollars; state annual report or franchise tax |
In total we work in 50+ jurisdictions, including Singapore and Hong Kong. Country details: company registration in Poland, company in Estonia, UK company formation, company registration in Cyprus, UAE free zone company, US company: LLC and Corporation, Delaware LLC for non-residents, company in Singapore.
Under Article 39-2 of the Tax Code of Ukraine, the profit of a controlled foreign company is not taxed in Ukraine if Ukraine has a double tax treaty or a tax information exchange agreement with the company's country and one of the following conditions is met:
Profit is also exempt if the total income of all CFCs of one owner for the year does not exceed the equivalent of 2 million euros. The CFC report is filed in every case. Since 2024 the State Tax Service of Ukraine (DPS) receives data on foreign accounts of Ukrainian tax residents under the CRS standard, and the list of partner countries grows every year. That is why we build the structure to be transparent from the start: the foreign bank will report the account to the DPS.
Turnkey company formation abroad covers the whole path from choosing the country to the first filed reports: you get a working company with an account, tax numbers and bookkeeping.
Describe your business and clients, and at a free consultation we will suggest one or two suitable jurisdictions with a calculation of taxes and CFC impact.
Choose a jurisdictionOne operating company is enough while the business has one main market, one or two owners and no outside investors; a holding is needed once there are several companies, intellectual property, partners or a funding round.
A freelancer, agency or online store usually needs one company in the country of its clients or payment provider. Accounting is simpler, the bank sees a clear structure, and one CFC report is filed in Ukraine.
A holding above the operating companies keeps intellectual property and shareholdings separate from operating risks, collects dividends in one place and lets partners come in at holding level. Within the EU, the Parent-Subsidiary Directive allows dividends to be paid without withholding tax when its conditions are met. Under the CFC rules dividends count as passive income, so we check the exemption conditions for the holding before registration. More: international holding for an online business.
US venture funds usually invest in a Delaware C-Corp: it has share classes, well-developed corporate law and standard round documents such as the SAFE. An LLC suits an owner-run operating business: tax transparency and simple management, while funds rarely invest in LLCs. Converting an LLC into a C-Corp is possible, but it requires a separate procedure and tax analysis, so it is better to choose the form for the financing plan from the start.
The option pool is usually created at the level of the parent company that the investors join. In a Delaware C-Corp this is a stock option plan approved by the board of directors. In Estonia, receiving shares under an option is not treated as a fringe benefit and is not taxed if the option is exercised at least three years after grant; transferring the option before exercise is always taxed. For employees in Ukraine we calculate the taxes on receiving shares in advance.
We do not use nominee directors or shareholders in our structures: beneficial ownership registers and banks see the real owner, and the structure has to stand up to that.
Usually, in our experience, company formation abroad takes from a few working days to 4–6 weeks, and the whole path to a working account and tax numbers takes from 3 weeks to 3 months. The timeline depends on the case, the details, the authorities and force majeure.
| Jurisdiction | Company registration | Account and tax numbers |
|---|---|---|
| Poland, sp. z o.o. | 1–3 weeks, faster through S24, longer with notarised articles | Account 2–6 weeks, VAT registration 3–8 weeks |
| Estonia, OÜ | 1–5 working days with an e-Residency card in hand; the card is applied for in advance and takes several weeks | Account 2–8 weeks |
| United Kingdom, Ltd | 2–10 working days including identity verification | Account 2–8 weeks, VAT once turnover requires it |
| Cyprus, Ltd | 2–4 weeks | Account 4–10 weeks, often with a meeting at the bank |
| UAE, free zone | 2–6 weeks | Visa and Emirates ID 2–4 weeks, bank 4–12 weeks |
| USA, LLC | 3–10 working days | EIN for a foreign owner 2–6 weeks, account after the EIN |
The short official timelines of registers cover only the review of a completed application. They exclude collecting documents, apostille and translations, identity checks of directors, bank KYC and answers to compliance requests. If your deadline is firm, for example a contract or a marketplace expects the company by a certain date, tell us at the consultation: we will choose the country and the order of steps to meet the date.
We calculate the cost of company formation abroad for each case: it depends on the country, the structure and the scope of support after registration.
We work under a contract. After the consultation we send a quote with the scope of work and timelines by stage.
Company formation abroad is made up of dozens of details at the register, the bank and the tax office, and clients have trusted them to us for years for five reasons:
For fourteen years we have registered companies, opened accounts and handled tax and immigration matters in 50+ jurisdictions. We know the requirements of registers, banks and authorities from our own cases.
We handle the correspondence with the register, the bank and the tax office and answer their requests. From you we need documents and decisions.
We work through remarks from the register, an authority or the bank at no extra charge until the company and the account are up and running. If a licence is needed, we work through an accredited partner, and we remain responsible to you.
The company, account, accounting, taxes, CFC reporting and immigration are handled by one team of lawyers, accountants and tax advisers together with partners in the jurisdictions. There is no need to look for separate contractors.
The scope of work, timelines and confidentiality are set out in the contract. We disclose data about you and the company only to the extent the procedure requires.
Company formation abroad with us goes through eight stages; we need documents and decisions from you, and we do the rest.
To register a company abroad, each owner and director provides a passport, proof of address and information on the source of funds, and the future company needs a business description.
We arrange translations, apostille and notarisation ourselves. The exact list for the country and the bank comes after the consultation: banks and registers ask for different things.
Banks most often refuse companies that lack a clear business model, a link to the country of registration and a documented source of money.
The decision to open an account belongs to the bank. Our task is to give it a complete and consistent package that leaves compliance with as few questions as possible.
After registration the company files its reports every year in its own country, and the Ukrainian owner files a controlled foreign company report with the DPS.
We keep these deadlines in one calendar with the company's reporting so that the figures in the country of registration and in Ukraine match. More: CFC reporting and international accounting services.
PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries: Cyprus, taxes on corporate income; Estonian Tax and Customs Board: income tax, rate 22/78; PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries: Poland, taxes on corporate income; GOV.UK: When you need to verify your identity for Companies House; PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries: United Arab Emirates, taxes on corporate income; IRS: Instructions for Form 5472; FinCEN: Beneficial Ownership Information Reporting; Tax Code of Ukraine, Article 39-2 (controlled foreign companies). Content reviewed and updated on 25.09.2026.
Frequently asked Questions:
Maksym Stepanenko
Managing Partner, Crystal Tax
Managing international client projects since 2012: corporate structuring, taxation, immigration, company registration, bank accounts and compliance, DUNS and NCAGE registrations. Practising in 50+ jurisdictions, advising in Ukrainian and English.
How we work
In the first consultation we review your task and name suitable structure and country options.
Before work starts we fix the scope, stages and estimated timing of each step.
One responsible specialist runs your project. We reply within one business day via Telegram, WhatsApp or email.
Most procedures run remotely. Where the law requires an in-person visit, we plan it in advance.