Jurisdictions

Belize
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Why incorporate in Belize?

Belize (formerly British Honduras) is a scenically beautiful, independent country located on the Caribbean seaboard of Central America.

The government of Belize is fully committed to the ongoing development of Belize as a leading offshore jurisdiction. Through regular consultations with the private sector, the government ensures that its policies and legislation continue to meet the needs and interests of the international financial community in an environment which engenders trust and confidence.

The Belize International Business Company (IBC) is the most popular form of offshore corporate structure. An IBC is formed under the International Business Company Act 1990 and generally must conduct its trading and business outside Belize. However, Belize’s legislation also allows an IBC to carry on a number of activities within Belize. Belize offshore companies are used for a variety of tax planning and international investment purposes.

  • Quick and efficient incorporation. A Belize IBC can typically be incorporated within 1 – 2 days
  • Relatively low cost to incorporate when compared to other IBC jurisdictions
  • Belize Corporate legislation offers a high degree of privacy making it one of the most secure and confidential offshore jurisdictions
  • No corporate tax barring annual government fees (US$100), which must be paid by due date
  • Offshore activities are exempted from exchange control
  • Belize IBCs are not require to submit accounts, annual returns or conduct audits
  • A Company Secretary is also not required
  • Directors do not need to be present in order to open a bank account for a Belize IBC
  • The administrative capital of Belize is Belmopan, but the major commercial centre is Belize City, which is located on the eastern coastclose to the major international airport
  • A member of the British Commonwealth, the United Nations and Non-Aligned Movement
  • Enjoys a peaceful and stable democracy and a government which is committed to the economic development of the country and the encouragement of overseas investment
  • Its unspoiled environment with cays and barrier reef, make it a popular destination for eco-tourists
  • Its major exports include sugar, bananas, citrus products, fishery products, garments and timber and wood products
  • The offshore finance industry is generating an increasing proportion of national income
  • The official and spoken language is English but Spanish is widely spoken

Incorporate in Belize

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OCRA Worldwide respects your privacy. Your details will never be disclosed to any third party for any purpose without your prior written consent.

Middle East & Indian Ocean

Mauritius
+230 217 5100
ocra@ocra-mauritius.com
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Seychelles
+248 422 5555
ocra@ocra-seychelles.com
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United Arab Emirates
+971 567 527 000
ocra@ocra.ae
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Asia-Pacific

Hong Kong
+852 2522 0172
hongkong@ocra.com.hk
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Shanghai
+86 (21) 6288 2288
shanghai@ocra.com.cn
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Samoa
+685 29404
samoa@ocra.ws
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Singapore
+65 6535 3382
singapore@ocra.com.sg
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Submit your enquiry

OCRA Worldwide respects your privacy. Your details will never be disclosed to any third party for any purpose without your prior written consent.

OCRA Worldwide announces strategic merger with Acclime

17th November 2022, Hong Kong - OCRA Worldwide (OCRA), announces today that it has completed the strategic merger with Asia Pacific’s premier corporate services provider Acclime (www.acclime.com). This is the latest step in Acclime’s active expansion as the Asia specialist in compliance and corporate services throughout the region.

Established in 1975 and led by Bart Dekker and Dharmesh Naik, OCRA is one of the industry pioneers in the corporate services sector with a full suite of corporate services from company formation, company secretarial support, accounting, and HR services. Over the past 40 years, OCRA has become a truly global business by providing very personalised services to their clients, most of whom are private investors or companies investing abroad.

From its founding base in Europe, OCRA has morphed over the past decade to focus on the faster growing markets of Asia and the Indian Ocean, and currently has teams in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, Mauritius and the Seychelles with around 80 staff. Additionally, OCRA is licensed in Samoa and the UAE to provide incorporation services to clients and referral partners.

"The high quality of the team, the interesting gateway jurisdictions of Mauritius and UAE which are important investment hubs for Africa and India, and the synergy of offering OCRA clients more services and Asian locations for expanding their business were the strategic logic for Acclime's interest in acquiring OCRA," said Martin Crawford, CEO and Co-Founder of Acclime. "We look forward to introducing OCRA’s corporate clients to our regional experts in China, Hong Kong, Australia, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, India, Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam," he added.

The sale of the business was managed by the corporate advisory team of Mazars in London (Paul Joyce & Fred Dearden), acting for the ultimate shareholder of OCRA, and was opened for bids. "Acclime was chosen as the preferred bidder as the team recognised the cultural similarities, with high quality, personalised services at the core," said Bart Dekker, OCRA’s Managing Director, Asia Pacific. Dharmesh Naik, OCRA's Managing Director, Middle East and Indian Ocean, added, "We are excited and delighted to become an integral part of a large international team with the established resources across Acclime's network, and to execute the transaction in line with OCRA's long term succession plan in the interest of all of our stakeholders."

OCRA will operate as an independent business unit within Acclime, supported by funding, IT and marketing initiatives that will grow the business further. Bart Dekker and Dharmesh Naik will remain running the business post-acquisition.

The transaction is subjected to regulatory approvals in several locations and Acclime is expected to complete the acquisition by the end of 2022.

About OCRA
Established in 1975, OCRA is one of the industry pioneers in the corporate services sector with a full suite of corporate services from company formation, company secretarial support, accounting and HR services. For over 40 years, OCRA has been providing personalised services to its clients, most of whom are private investors or companies investing abroad.

About Acclime
Acclime, the premier corporate services provider in Asia, helps corporate and private clients to advance their businesses and interests in difficult-to-navigate markets in emerging Asia. The company’s vision is to reinvent the corporate services sector with innovative solutions that are seamlessly delivered to the highest global standards.

Enquiries: enquiries@ocra.com