Open a Foreign Company in Great Britain

Open a foreign company in the United Kingdom: registration of an overseas company was made less complicated after October 2009 with the Overseas Companies Regulations 2009. The Government does not require an overseas company to register automatically in order to be able to trade in the Great Britain.

It only requires incorporation, if the limited company has a physical presence in the United Kingdom, such as a physical office or branch that customers and clients can visit. This is called a "UK establishment".

When is a foreign company not required to be incorporated? If a foreign company does not have a UK establishment but occasionally carries out business in the United Kingdom at temporary locations, or through an expert who works independently on behalf of the private company, there is no requirement for it to register. Furthermore, if a limited company is established in Northern Ireland, there is no need for it to also register in England, Wales, or Scotland, and vice versa.

What is the process for opening a private company in the UK? When a foreign company opens an establishment for the first time, it must send Companies House a filled-out copy of a specific form, which is a registration of an overseas company opening an establishment application. Accompanying this, must be the government fee. Without the fee, the application will be disregarded by Companies House.

It must also send a copy of constitutional documents held by the organisation, such as the articles of association and memorandum. If not already in English, a certified translation must accompany this.

A copy of the company’s most recent set of accounts (also with a translation if not already in English) should also be sent if the company is required to deliver accounts, although the accounting requirements differ according to whether the company is originally from an EEA country, or a non-EEA country.

How can we help with the registration of foreign companies in the United Kingdom? Coddan offers a service to assist with the registration of foreign entities in the UK. We will ensure that your application and supporting documents comply with UK law before they reach Companies House.

The provision of the registered office address and the government fee are included in the overall fee that your company pays to Coddan. Registration should take between 3-4 weeks, and when complete, we send you a laminated copy of the certificate of registration.