How to Incorporate a Company in the UK from Any European Country: All You Need To Know

With the relatively high economic growth and business advancement happening within the UK, several individuals from different European countries establish their businesses every single year in the UK. While the process of incorporating a company is straightforward, it could be overwhelming if you don’t follow the proper guidance.

As a resident of a European country, you can incorporate your business within the UK without having to leave your home country at all. This can be completed online by following some steps and procedures. In this guide, you will learn all you need to know about incorporating a company in the UK from any European Country.

What Does Company Incorporation Mean?

Company Incorporation is a legal process of forming and registering a new company. Incorporating a business marks the birth of a new company as it officially pronounces the business as a separate legal entity. For any company to operate legally within the UK, it must be incorporated with the Companies House.

As such the company would have its unique name and identity distinct from that of its owners, directors or managers. Upon the incorporation of a new company in the UK, businesses are issued a certificate of incorporation. This document thus officially declares a new company as an incorporated one.

Steps to Incorporate Your Business in the UK from Any European Country

To incorporate your business in the UK from any European country, you will have to apply for a company incorporation through the Companies House. The Companies House is the UK Registrar of Companies and is in charge of approving all companies’ formation and incorporation within the UK.

Incorporating a company in the UK from a European country can be achieved by following the steps below.

1. Select Your Company Name

The first step that is required when deciding on incorporating your business within the UK is to choose a suitable business name for your company.

This name must be chosen in accordance with the regulations of the Companies House. As such the name must be unique and must not have been used by any other business within the UK.

Also, the name must meet certain criteria like not being sensitive, offensive etc. To ensure that you choose the right name that will be accepted by the Companies House, simply use their Company name search tool to see if your selected name is unique.

2. Gather the Important Information

Once you’ve selected the right company name, you will need to gather the necessary information that will aid your application process.

You will need to provide the details of your company director, shareholder, and people with significant control as the case may be. You will be required to provide details such as their name, service address, date of birth, nationality etc.

If you will be the sole founder of the company, it is legally right for you to be the shareholder as well as the director. With this, you can still go ahead with your company incorporation.

Apart from that, you will also be required to provide the value of shares or capital that is contributed by the shareholders as you make your application.

3. Select a Registered office address

A registered office address is needed when incorporating your company in the UK from a European country. This address serves as an official address where all your company’s mail, correspondence, notices etc. will be received.

A registered address usually must be a physical address that must be located in the UK and the jurisdiction in which your company will be situated. Also, it must always be available during working hours.

When completing your company incorporation form, you will be required to provide a registered address for your business.

4. Submit your Company Incorporation Application

The next step would be to submit your company incorporation application to the Companies House.

The Information gathered earlier will need to be filled in the application form here. The application must be done thoroughly to avoid mistakes when inputting information.

Usually, the incorporation application can be completed online and by post. You can complete your application online through the Companies House website. Once you’ve provided all the necessary information, be sure to review your application and pay the application fee before submitting your application.

5. Upload a Proof of ID and Address

Once you have submitted your application, you will be required to provide proof of ID and proof of address. The proof of Identity should be a government-issued ID like a national Identity card, voter's card, passport etc. You will also need to upload proof of address like a tenancy agreement, driving license, electricity bill etc.

6. Wait for Approval

If you have done your application carefully without mistakes, you should expect to receive an approval within 1 to 2 business working days depending on the workload of the Companies House. Once your application is approved, you will be notified by the Companies House. By then, you will be issued your Certificate of Incorporation with a unique Company registration number which would allow you to operate legally within the UK.

7. Open a UK business bank Account

Although opening a business bank account is not a major requirement from the Companies House during Incorporation, however, it is important to open and have a functional business bank account as you incorporate your business within the UK. There are many banking platforms that will allow you to open a UK business bank account from a European country.

What Are the Basic Legal Requirement Needed to Incorporate a Business in the UK from a European Country?

As an individual living in a European country but planning to incorporate a business within the UK, there are certain legal requirements you must meet up with. Here are they:

1. You must be at least 16 years of age at the time of company incorporation
2. You must provide a proof of identity and proof of address of your European country
3. You must provide a shareholder and a director. You should note that a single shareholder who can also serve as a director is enough to incorporate a company within the UK
4. A registered office address is also required. This should be a physical office address that is located within the jurisdiction where the company is situated within the UK.

How to Choose a Suitable Company Name for Your Company Incorporation

When choosing a name for your company incorporation, ensure you choose a name that goes in line with your type of business. Choose a name that is simple to remember and one that is professional.

While there are no laws on the type of name you could select, there are usually some guidelines and rules guiding name selection when incorporating a company in the UK. Here are some of them you should know.

• Be sure that the name you select has not previously been used by another company. Use the UK government name search tool to find out that.
• Check if the name is also not very similar to an already incorporated company.
• It must also not be sensitive i.e. do not use a word that sounds familiar to the Government or any other authority.
• Be sure the words used are also not offensive or abusive
• Should contain only the required number of characters.

You may want to read this in-depth article on the guidelines for choosing a limited company name.

Advantages of Incorporating Your Business in the UK from a European Country.

Incorporating your company in the UK as an EU resident comes with some advantages. Here are some of them.

1. Access to Highly Skilled Employee

The UK has one of the best tertiary institutions in the world. Every year it produces great talents that could potentially be part of your company. With the highly skilled labour in your company, you could achieve optimal growth and development within a short time frame.

Apart from that, the UK remains a home to a lot of people from different multicultural backgrounds. As such you can easily select the best talents to work for your company.

2. Access to Other Multiple Regions of the UK

As you incorporate your business in the UK, you have the chance to globally grow your business. If you incorporate your business in England, you can easily expand it to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland at a later time.

3. Ease of Operation

Having a business within the UK means you can easily carry out your business activities. Unlike some other countries, the UK allows other nations to set up and carry out business activities without restrictions. Once you go through your incorporation process properly and you abide by the rules and regulations of the Companies House, then you will be able to operate easily.

4. Highly Developed Infrastructure

Infrastructural development within a nation remains one of the key factors to business growth. The UK is known for its highly developed infrastructural facilities that aid business operations. Some of the infrastructures include electricity, transportation and energy sources, waste management facilities and many more. All of these are essential to new businesses as it aids smooth business activities.

5. Diverse population of people

When we talk about a nation with a diverse set of people and a multicultural population, the UK remains one of the best. So if you want your business or company to reach diverse individuals with varying cultural backgrounds, the UK offers the best with this.

Apart from that, the multicultural nature of the UK could serve as a way to innovate new products or service offerings so as to meet up with the demands of the people. With this kind of innovation, it becomes easier for your company to grow and achieve more.

Incorporate Your Company with Incorpuk Today

At Incorpuk, we will help you file accurate information when you register your company through us. We will help you with incorporation articles, a registered office address, and all you may need to register your company in the UK. Contact our team if you seek any information; we will gladly assist.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to visit the UK to incorporate my company?

No, you don’t need to visit the UK to incorporate your company. Once you have the required information and documents, you can complete the incorporation application process online through the Companies House website.

Is it legal to incorporate my Company in the UK as an EU RESIDENT?

Yes, it is legal to incorporate your company in the UK as an EU resident. There are no restrictions or country requirements when it comes to incorporating a business in the UK. However, you must meet up with the legal requirements as explained above.

How do I know if my company has been successfully incorporated?

A notification will usually be sent to you by the Companies House once your company incorporation has been successful. However, you can also search for your company in the Companies House register to see if your company exist in the register. To do this, you should visit the Companies House website and search for your company with your company name and unique company number.

How long does it take the Companies House to approve a Company Incorporation application?

Approval from the Companies House typically takes 1 to 2 business working days or less. Once you have submitted your application, you should expect feedback within this timeframe.

What is the difference between a registered office address and a director service address?

A registered office address is the legal office address that is provided during company incorporation. This address is a major requirement and it serves as the address where your company's official documents are received.

A director service address on the other hand is the correspondence address of all directors within a company. This is also required during company incorporation and it is made available in the Companies register.

Conclusion

Incorporating a business in the UK as a European country resident is feasible and quite straightforward to do. While you don’t have to be in the UK to successfully incorporate your business, you must understand the legal requirements and steps that are needed. This post therefore has explained all you need to know about company incorporation in the UK as an EU resident.