Local legal or admin representative requirement
Argentina
Not applicable for this jurisdiction.
Australia
Branch
None beyond the required local agent.
Proprietary company
None beyond the required director.
Public company
None beyond the required directors and company secretary.
Austria
Stock corporation (AG)
Not applicable for this jurisdiction.
Limited liability company (GmbH) and Flexible Company (FlexKapG)
Not applicable for this jurisdiction.
Bahrain
With Limited Liability (WLL)
Not applicable.
Closed Shareholding Company (BSC(c))
Not applicable.
Foreign Branch (Branch)
Not applicable.
Belgium
Public limited company (société anonyme/naamloze vennootschap)
Not applicable for this jurisdiction.
Limited company (société à responsabilité limitée/besloten vennootschap)
Not applicable for this jurisdiction.
Belgian branch office of a foreign company
The legal representative must be present in Belgium on a regular basis in order to enter into contracts with third parties in Belgium. There is the requirement that the legal representative must reside in Belgium.
Brazil
Limited liability company (Sociedade Limitada)
Not applicable for this jurisdiction.
Corporation (Sociedade Anônima)
Not applicable for this jurisdiction.
Canada
Corporate subsidiary (Corporation form rather than flow-through form)
Most provinces and territories require a corporation registered in their jurisdiction to have an agent for service or power of attorney where the entity does not otherwise have a place of business in the province or territory. An agent for service or power of attorney is generally an individual who is 18 years or older and resides in the province or territory of registration.
Chile
A company must have a representative before the tax authorities who is a Chilean resident. This is not applicable to directors and other officers except in the case of certain industries.
China
Legal representative is required, which must be either a director of the board of directors (or the sole director, as applicable) or a general manager pursuant to the articles of association of an LLC.
An LLC may also need to record 1 or 2 contact persons for purposes of liaison with the tax authorities and the AMR when an LLC is established. Such contact person(s) should be individuals who usually reside within China and speak Chinese.
Colombia
The company must have a legal representative.
Czech Republic
Not applicable for this jurisdiction.
Denmark
Limited liability company (Kapitalselskab)
None beyond the required management and, where applicable, members of the board of directors or supervisory board.
Egypt
The Egyptian laws provide for local representative requirements in regards to certain activities including, inter alia, the following:
- Importation activities for trading purposes: Manager(s) of the company conducting the importation activity and 51 percent of its shareholders must be Egyptians
- Commercial agency activities: Manager(s) and board members of the JSC participating in such activity are required to be Egyptians or have held Egyptian nationality for at least 10 years. Additionally, it should be wholly owned by Egyptians or persons who have held Egyptian nationality for at least 10 years
- Acquiring lands and/or real estates' in Sinai: The company is required to be wholly owned by Egyptians and
- Operating in Sinai: The company must be established in the form of JSC and 55 percent of its shareholders must be Egyptians.
Further, with regard to the Egyptian employees' ratio in Egyptian companies, the Companies Law provides that the number of the Egyptian employees should not be less than 90 percent of the manpower in corporate entities.
Finland
Osakeyhtiö (Oy)
In the event an Oy has no authorized representative (ie, board member, managing director or special company signatory) who is resident in European Economic Area (EU, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein), the board of directors shall authorize a person who is resident in Finland to act as person authorized to receive service of process on behalf of the company.
France
Société par actions simplifiée (SAS)
None beyond the required president.
Société à responsabilité limitée (SARL)
None beyond the required managing director(s).
Société anonyme (SA)
None beyond the required board of directors in the event of an SA with a board of directors (Conseil d'administration) or the required executive board (Directoire) with a supervisory board (Conseil de Surveillance) in the event of an SA with an executive board (Directoire) with a supervisory board (Conseil de Surveillance).
Germany
GmbH – limited liability company
None.
Greece
Not applicable for this jurisdiction.
Hong Kong, SAR
Limited private companies
None beyond the required natural director, company secretary and designated representative to provide assistance relating to the company’s significant controllers register.
Hungary
It is possible and lawful to establish a wholly foreign-owned and -managed company. Representation by a Hungarian attorney at law is mandatory in the course of the initial corporate registration and subsequent amendment registration procedures before the Court of Registration.
Due to professional qualification requirements, companies are recommended to engage local accountants or accountancy firms to perform day-to-day business, accounting and taxation tasks for the company.
India
Private limited company
None except for the forthcoming local director requirement.
Indonesia
Limited liability company
Not legally required.
Ireland
Private company limited by shares (LTD)
None.
External company
A branch is required to indicate the following on registration:
- The person or persons authorized to represent the branch.
- A person resident in Ireland authorized to accept service of proceedings and notices.
- A person resident in Ireland authorized to ensure compliance with the Companies Act 2014.
Israel
Company
None beyond the required director.
Branch / representative office
Not applicable.
Italy
Società a responsabilità limitata (S.r.l.) and Società per azioni (S.p.A.)
The Italian entity shall appoint a legal representative who may be also a foreign individual.
None beyond the required directors. However, in practice, the transactions are easier if at least 1 of the directors is located in Italy.
Japan
Registered branch
None.
Kabushiki-Kaisha (KK)
None beyond the required directors, statutory auditor and accounting auditor.
Godo-Kaisha (GK)
None.
Luxembourg
Private limited liability company (Société à responsabilité limitée or S.à r.l.)
The company must be managed in Luxembourg.
Public limited liability company (Société anonyme or S.A.)
The company must be managed in Luxembourg.
Special limited partnership (Société en commandite spéciale or SCSp)
The company must be managed in Luxembourg.
Malaysia
Not applicable for this jurisdiction.
Mauritius
None beyond the required director(s) and company secretary/registered agent.
Mexico
S.A. de C.V.
Appointment of a statutory examiner (comisario).
S. de R.L. de C.V.
No legal requirement.
S.A.P.I. de C.V.
Appointment of a statutory examiner (comisario) or a surveillance committee.
Netherlands
Branch office
The head office may appoint 1 or more proxy holders who can represent the branch office in the Netherlands (limited or general power of attorney for the activities of the branch office). These proxy holders must be registered in the Dutch Trade Register.
B.V. (private company with limited liability)
None beyond the required director. If there is no presence in the Netherlands yet, a Dutch trust company can provide a local representative(s), office address and administration services to the BV.
Co-operative U.A.
None beyond the required board member. If there is no presence in the Netherlands yet, a Dutch trust company can provide a local representative(s), office address and administration services to the co-operative.
C.V. (a limited partnership)
None beyond the requirement of at least 1 general partner.
New Zealand
Limited liability company
None beyond the required director. Listed and 'large' companies must appoint an auditor.
Branch
None beyond having someone who is authorized to accept service on behalf of the branch.
Nigeria
Not applicable to this jurisdiction.
Norway
Not applicable for this jurisdiction.
Peru
A company must have a legal representative registered before the Peruvian tax authority, who must be a Peruvian resident. This is not applicable to directors and other officers.
Philippines
Generally, a resident agent is required.
As an exception for a subsidiary, only the 3 officers mentioned above are mandatory. The OPC is also required to have a secretary. The single stockholder may also act as treasurer.
Not applicable for a partnership.
Poland
Not applicable for this jurisdiction. However, in case of branches, a representative in Poland must be indicated.
Portugal
Not applicable.
Puerto Rico
Corporations
Not applicable for this jurisdiction.
Limited Liability Companies
Not applicable for this jurisdiction.
Romania
Not applicable for this jurisdiction.
Russia
Joint-stock company (public and non-public)
None beyond the officers required for conducting business.
Limited liability company
None beyond the officers required for conducting business.
Saudi Arabia
Limited liability company
None beyond the required managers or directors.
Singapore
Limited liability company
None required for incorporation.
South Africa
For tax purposes, every company carrying on business or having an office in South Africa must at all times be represented by an individual residing in South Africa. This individual is called the public officer of the company. The public officer must be approved by the South African Revenue Service and must be a person who is a senior official of the company or if no senior official resides in South Africa, may be another suitable person residing in South Africa. The public officer must be appointed within 1 month after the company begins to carry on business or acquires an office in South Africa. A local director can be appointed as both director and public officer.
South Korea
Joint-stock company (Jusik Hoesa)
None beyond the required directors and officers.
Limited company (Yuhan Hoesa)
None beyond the required directors and officers.
Spain
Not applicable except for a branch, which requires a tax representative in Spain if the entity is not resident in the European Union or in a European Economic Area country with which mutual assistance regulations exist. Said representative will be joint and severally liable for the branch's tax obligations.
Sweden
Limited company (aktiebolag, AB)
None beyond the required directors and, where applicable, managing director.
Trading partnership (handelsbolag, HB)
One or more partners must always be authorized as a signatory or signatories.
Limited partnership (kommanditbolag, KB)
One or more partners must always be authorized as a signatory or signatories.
Branch office (filial, Branch)
None beyond the required managing director and, where applicable, person to receive process.
Switzerland
Stock corporation
At least 1 director or officer with single signatory power or 2 directors or officers with joint signatory power by 2 must be resident in Switzerland.
Taiwan, China
Company limited by shares
Not applicable for this jurisdiction.
Closely-held company limited by shares
Not applicable for this jurisdiction.
Limited company
Not applicable for this jurisdiction.
Branch office of a foreign company
The foreign head office of the Taiwan branch office must designate a representative who can concurrently act as the branch manager.
Thailand
Not applicable for this jurisdiction.
Turkey
JSCs whose capital exceeds TL1.25 million are obligated to employ a lawyer in their payroll or contract a lawyer on a continuous basis for legal services.
Ukraine
None.
United Arab Emirates
LLC
None beyond the required director/officer requirements.
Branch
None beyond the required general manager requirement.
FZ-LLC
None beyond the required director/officer requirements.
FZ-Branch
None beyond the required general manager requirement.
Dual Licensee Branch
None beyond the general manager requirement.
United Kingdom
Private limited company
Not applicable for this jurisdiction.
Limited liability partnership (LLP)
No statutory requirement. Requirements governed by LLP Agreement.
Registered UK establishment
Not applicable for this jurisdiction.
United States
Corporations will generally need to have a registered agent in the state of incorporation. This does not require the corporation to maintain an office or employee in the state. Third party agents with offices in such state commonly can serve as a registered agent.
Vietnam
In Vietnam, all enterprises are required to have at least 1 legal representative who is residing in Vietnam.
The legal representative of an enterprise means an individual representing the enterprise to exercise the rights and perform the obligations arising out of transactions of the enterprise; representing the enterprise to act as the person lodging a petition for resolution of a civil matter, as a plaintiff, defendant or person with related interests and obligations in arbitration proceedings or courts; and to exercise other rights and perform other obligations in accordance with the law.