Company Registration in Ukraine for Foreign Founders — from EUR 200 | Yurincom

A foreign national or a foreign company may register an LLC in Ukraine independently or together with Ukrainian or foreign partners. We assist with company registration in Ukraine for foreign founders in Kyiv and remotely: we prepare the documents, help obtain a Ukrainian tax number for the foreign founder, file the documents with the Unified State Register and help with the steps after registration.

In many cases, you do not need to travel to Ukraine if the documents are prepared properly.

What you actually need

Foreign clients usually come with a request to "open a company", although behind that phrase are four different tasks with four different prices. Sort this out before paying for anything.

1. Own the company, but not work in it

A foreign founder needs neither a work permit nor a residence permit. A Ukrainian citizen is appointed as director. This is the shortest and cheapest route, and it is the service this page is about.

2. Head the company yourself

A director is an employee, and a foreign national needs a work permit for that. This is where the closed loop described below appears.

3. Live in Ukraine

A temporary residence permit is issued either on the basis of a work permit or on the basis of an investment. The second option is business immigration, a separate and significantly more expensive package. Not everyone needs it.

4. Work for yourself, with no employees

Then this is most likely not an LLC but a sole proprietorship (FOP): a different procedure, different taxes, a different price.

The "director — permit — bank account" closed loop

This is what a foreign national who wants to head their own company from day one usually does not know:

• for a foreign national to become director, the company must obtain a work permit for that person — the company applies, not the foreign national;
• to file for the work permit, the company needs a bank account;
• to open the account, the bank identifies the head of the company, and will not accept a foreign national without a work permit in that role.

The loop is broken in one move: a Ukrainian citizen is appointed as the first director. That person opens the account, the company files for the work permit for the foreign national, and the director is changed once the permit is issued. A change of director is a separate registration action, EUR 120 together with the notary and the state fee.

Who this service is for

• foreign individuals who want to open their own company in Ukraine;
• foreign companies that plan to register a Ukrainian LLC as a subsidiary or as a joint business with Ukrainian or other foreign partners;
• foreign investors in technology, manufacturing, engineering, trade or services;
• foreign nationals who consider company registration as the first step for work, investment or further immigration formalities in Ukraine.

Why foreign founders usually choose an LLC

An LLC is the most common company form for foreign founders in Ukraine. It is suitable for most commercial projects: trade, services, manufacturing, IT, engineering and investment activity.

The main reasons why foreign founders usually choose an LLC are:

• an LLC participant is not personally liable for the company's obligations and normally risks only within the amount of their contribution to the charter capital;
• Ukrainian law does not set a minimum charter capital for an LLC;
• an LLC may have one or several founders;
• a founder may be a foreign individual or a foreign legal entity;
• the management structure can be adapted to the specific situation: at the start, the director may be a Ukrainian citizen, and the foreign founder may be appointed as director after obtaining a work permit, if needed.

A joint-stock company is a more complex and more expensive form to administer. It is usually considered for larger corporate structures or public capital raising. A representative office of a foreign company is useful for representative functions, but it does not replace a separate Ukrainian company for full commercial activity.

For most foreign founders starting a business in Ukraine, registering an LLC is therefore the more practical option.

How to open a company in Ukraine as a foreigner: step-by-step process

1. Review of founder documents and future company structure

We review the foreign founder's documents, clarify with the client the participants, charter capital, business activities (download KVED-2012 (.docx)), director candidate and tax system, and check whether there are any legal or practical obstacles to the proposed structure.

2. Obtaining a Ukrainian tax number for the foreign founder

If the foreign founder does not yet have a Ukrainian tax number, it must be obtained before company registration. This usually takes 5–7 business days. With a properly issued power of attorney, we can assist with obtaining the tax number without the foreign founder's personal presence in Ukraine.

3. Preparation and notarisation of documents

Based on the information provided by the client, we prepare the charter, the sole founder's decision or minutes of the general meeting, and include the company address, KVED activity codes, participants' shares and other data required for state registration.

After the documents are agreed, the founders or their authorised representatives sign the prepared documents. Signature notarisation and other notarial actions may be carried out by a notary we work with or by another notary chosen by the client.

If the founder is abroad, we separately review the power of attorney for the representative, translation, apostille or consular legalisation of foreign-issued documents.

4. LLC registration in the Unified State Register

We file the documents with the state registrar. After the entry is made in the Unified State Register, the company is considered created, which is confirmed by an extract from the register. After state registration, the company may enter into contracts, open a bank account and carry out business activity.

5. What should be done after registration

After registration, we help check the company's tax registration, choose the tax system and, where necessary, file applications for VAT payer registration or single tax registration. Where needed, we also assist with bank documents, company stamp preparation and other steps required to start the company's activity.

Remote company registration by a foreign founder

A foreign founder does not have to personally travel to Ukraine for state registration of the company. In most cases, registration can be completed remotely if the representative in Ukraine has a properly issued power of attorney and the documents are prepared in accordance with Ukrainian law.

We review the documents before filing and warn in advance if the power of attorney, translation, apostille or other documents need to be corrected. The exact document list depends on the founder's country of residence and on whether the founder is an individual or a foreign company.

Who may be the director of a company with a foreign founder

The director of an LLC with a foreign founder may be:

• a Ukrainian citizen;
• a foreign national who has a permanent residence permit in Ukraine;
• a foreign national for whom a work permit in Ukraine has been issued.

If the foreign national has permanent residence in Ukraine, a work permit is usually not required. In other cases, a work permit is needed to work as the director.

In practice, the LLC is often first registered with a Ukrainian citizen as director. After that, the company, as the employer, obtains a work permit for the foreign national, and only then is the director changed.

More about work permits for foreigners in Ukraine

Documents from the foreign founder

If the founder is a foreign individual

• the foreigner's passport or a notarised passport copy with Ukrainian translation, depending on how the documents are to be signed and filed;
• document confirming assignment of a Ukrainian tax number, if it has already been obtained;
• if there is no tax number yet, obtaining it is a separate step before company registration;
• power of attorney for the representative, if registration is carried out remotely.

If the founder is a foreign legal entity

• document confirming registration of the foreign company: an extract from the commercial, court or other official register, depending on the country of registration;
• decision of the foreign company to establish an LLC in Ukraine or to participate in it, if such a decision is required under the company's documents and the law of its country of registration;
• document confirming the authority of the person who signs the decision or the power of attorney on behalf of the foreign company;
• power of attorney for the representative in Ukraine, if the documents are filed by a representative;
• information on the ownership structure and ultimate beneficial owners;
• notarised passport copies of ultimate beneficial owners who directly or indirectly own 25 percent or more of the company's charter capital or exercise decisive influence over its activity.

If the founder is a foreign company, the ownership structure must be disclosed down to the final individuals. This is important not only for state registration, but also for the later bank review.

Documents issued abroad usually require an apostille or consular legalisation, unless an international treaty of Ukraine provides otherwise. Documents in a foreign language are submitted with Ukrainian translation. Specific requirements depend on the country where the document was issued, the type of document, the type of founder and the signing method. We check this before registration so that the documents do not have to be redone.

See also: list of countries whose documents require an apostille and list of countries whose documents are accepted without legalisation.

Timeline and cost of registration

State registration takes 3–5 business days once all documents from the founder are ready. If the foreign founder still needs a Ukrainian tax number, add 5–7 business days: the tax number is obtained before the registration documents are filed. If the founder is a foreign company, add the time needed for an apostille or consular legalisation of documents in the country of registration, which depends on that country.

Notarial acts require a certified interpreter to be present if the signatory does not speak Ukrainian. Interpreter services are paid separately.

The last three rows are the notary's own fee, not our fee. An apostille or consular legalisation of a foreign company's documents is paid in the country of registration and is not part of this table.

Prices in euro are converted at a fixed internal rate and are indicative of the hryvnia amount, which is the amount actually invoiced. The hryvnia price prevails.

We carry out registration actions in Kyiv and the Kyiv, Donetsk, Chernihiv, Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv and Kherson regions — this is our standard coverage, handled within the usual timeframes. Registration in other regions of Ukraine is possible on request: write to us and we will confirm the timeframe before any engagement. Court cases and document preparation we handle across the whole of Ukraine without restriction.

The cost of document translation, apostille, consular legalisation, notarisation of documents abroad and bank-related support is determined separately. The final scope of work depends on the country where the documents were issued, the type of founder, the number of participants and the signing method.

Taxation of a company with a foreign founder

An LLC with a foreign founder is a Ukrainian legal entity and pays taxes in Ukraine on the general basis. The fact that the founder is a foreign national or a foreign company does not create a separate tax regime for the LLC.

Usually, the company may work under one of the following tax systems:

• general taxation system — corporate income tax is paid at the standard rate of 18%, and VAT applies where VAT registration is mandatory or voluntary;
• simplified taxation system, Group 3 single tax — may be used only if the company meets the requirements regarding activities, structure, income and other restrictions established by Ukrainian tax law. This is explained separately on the page single tax for LLCs.

The choice of tax system depends on the company's future activity, expected turnover, VAT work, expense structure and counterparties. We discuss this before registration so that the company can start with the right tax system.

Payments to a foreign founder should also be considered separately: dividends, interest, royalties or other payments to a non-resident may have separate tax consequences, including withholding tax issues and application of double taxation treaties.

If the foreign founder contributes funds to the charter capital or finances the company from abroad, the bank may check the source of funds, payment purpose, company documents and ownership structure. The procedure for making the investment should therefore be agreed before the actual transfer of funds.

Frequently asked questions

Can a foreigner be the sole founder of an LLC in Ukraine?

Yes. A foreign individual or a foreign legal entity may be the sole founder of an LLC in Ukraine. A foreigner may also be one of several participants together with Ukrainian or other foreign partners. Before registration, the founders' documents, share structure, signing method and any special restrictions should be checked.

Does a foreign founder need a Ukrainian tax number?

Yes, if the founder is a foreign individual. To register an LLC, such person must have a Ukrainian tax number. If it has not yet been obtained, we assist with obtaining the tax number before company registration starts.

If the founder is a foreign legal entity, the required documents include company registration documents, confirmation of the signatory's authority, ownership structure and information on the ultimate beneficial owners.

Can a foreigner be the director of their own company in Ukraine?

Yes, but Ukrainian employment rules for foreigners must be taken into account. If the foreigner has permanent residence in Ukraine, a work permit is usually not required. In other cases, a work permit must be obtained to work as director.

In practice, the LLC is often first registered with a Ukrainian citizen as director. After that, the company, as the employer, obtains a work permit for the foreigner, and only after the permit is issued is the director changed.

Can a company be registered remotely without travelling to Ukraine?

Yes. State registration of the company can be completed without the foreign founder's personal presence if a proper power of attorney is issued to the representative and the documents are prepared in accordance with Ukrainian law. Specific requirements depend on the country where the founder is located and on whether the founder is an individual or a foreign company.

How long does it take to register an LLC for a foreign founder?

State registration itself usually takes 3–5 business days after the complete document package is prepared. If a tax number, power of attorney, apostille, legalisation or document translation is required, the overall timeline will be longer. We estimate the timeline after reviewing the documents.

Does company registration in Ukraine give the right to a residence permit?

Company registration itself does not automatically give the right to a residence permit. However, LLC registration and subsequent work permit formalities may be part of the process of obtaining a temporary residence permit in Ukraine.

A separate investment ground for permanent residence should also be considered: a foreigner who has made a foreign investment into the Ukrainian economy in a convertible foreign currency in the amount of at least USD 100,000 may apply for an immigration permit and then for a permanent residence permit.

More information is available on the page about permanent residence in Ukraine.

Is it difficult to open a bank account for an LLC with a foreign founder?

Banks differ in how they review companies with foreign founders: some check the ownership structure, ultimate beneficial owners, source of funds and future activity in more detail, while others work more simply.

In our practice, opening the account is usually manageable if the company documents, ownership structure and explanation of the planned activity are properly prepared. It is therefore better to prepare bank documents immediately after company registration.

Can a foreign company open a subsidiary in Ukraine?

Yes. A foreign legal entity may be the founder of an LLC in Ukraine. In practical terms, such an LLC is often called a subsidiary if it is fully or mainly owned by the foreign company. For state registration, however, it is an ordinary Ukrainian LLC with a foreign founder, without a separate special status or automatic tax benefits.

Legal support for company registration with a foreign founder

If your structure includes a foreign founder, it is important to check in advance the documents, signing method, tax number, director, UBOs and bank requirements. This helps avoid a situation where documents have to be redone during registration or bank account opening.

Contact us if you need to assess your situation and determine the procedure for registering an LLC in Ukraine.

Contact us for a consultation

Additional materials

• Work permit for foreigners in Ukraine
• Business immigration to Ukraine
• Temporary residence permit in Ukraine
• LLC registration in Ukraine
• Ready-made companies in Ukraine