Non-resident company formation in Ireland

Residency and nationality are different

The relevant question is where a director is resident. An overseas founder with an EEA-resident director may follow the ordinary route. A British-resident director alone does not meet the EEA residency requirement.

When a Section 137 bond is needed

Where there is no EEA-resident director, a bond or recognised exemption is required. Our Non-Resident package is €2,473.90 and includes a two-year bond. The bond is part of compliance, not a grant or a deposit paid to your company.

Prepare an Irish registered office

Your company needs an address in Ireland for official correspondence. The Non-Resident package does not list registered office service as included. Ask whether the separate €176.00-per-year service is suitable for your business.

Identification, tax and banking

Check whether each officer has a PPSN or needs the applicable identity process. Incorporation does not itself establish tax residence, obtain a bank account or register the business for VAT. Professional advice is useful for cross-border operations.

Three overseas founder scenarios

A founder living in Spain: Spain is in the EEA. A proposed director resident there may meet the residency condition, although the company still needs an Irish registered office and the applicable officer identification. Living outside Ireland does not by itself make the bond package necessary.

All directors living in the United Kingdom: the UK is outside the EEA. Where no director meets the EEA residency condition, confirm the Section 137 bond or applicable exemption route. The Non-Resident package includes a two-year bond; it does not list a registered office as included.

Shareholders overseas with an EEA-resident director: the shareholders’ location and the directors’ residency are different questions. Identify the actual directors and their residency, then review ownership and beneficial ownership information separately. Do not infer the formation route solely from the nationality of the shareholders.

Prepare your overseas formation information

• List the proposed directors and identify where each is resident.
• Confirm who will act as secretary, particularly if the LTD will have one director.
• Arrange an Irish registered office where official communications can be received.
• Check the required PPSN or identity verification route for each relevant officer.
• Agree the share allocation and identify ultimate beneficial owners.
• Describe the business activity, where management will take place and the countries in which the business expects to operate.
• Check how signatures and identity verification will be completed before expecting a filing date.

Use the public enquiry form to explain your circumstances and ask questions. Keep PPSNs, passport copies and other identity documents out of that form; the team will explain the appropriate collection process.

Keep formation, tax and banking separate

Irish incorporation gives the company a registered legal identity. It does not guarantee a bank account or resolve cross-border tax questions. Banks conduct their own checks and may ask about the owners, activity and location of the business. Discuss practical banking arrangements before relying on a particular account provider.

Tax residence and registrations depend on the relevant facts and rules. The service operator’s UK address is not an Irish registered office for your company. An address service is also not a substitute for advice on management, business substance or tax treatment.

After incorporation, keep ownership records, beneficial ownership registration and annual return obligations on your calendar. Review the bond position before coverage expires or directors change. Read the Section 137 bond guide and registered office guide before selecting the Non-Resident package.