Local and foreign investors may establish any of the following legal entities or businesses in the Republic of Cyprus:

• Companies (private or public);
• General or limited partnerships;
• Business/trade name;
• European Company (SE);
• Branch of overseas companies.

In parallel, online applications for name approval can be submitted.

The name approval is examined within one month or one to two working days under accelerated procedure. The results of the name examination of the applications submitted are provided online.

One Stop Shop & Point of Single Contact 13-15 Andrea Araouzou Telephone: 22409387 Fax: 22409432 Email:onestopshop@mcit.gov.cy, psccyprus@mcit.gov.cy

Registrar of Companies and Official Receiver Corner of Archiepishop Makarios III Avenue and Karpenisiou, 1427 Nicosia Telephone: 22404318 Fax: 22404389 Email: deptcomp@drcor.mcit.gov.cy

Interested parties may search through the names of all the registered organisations.

After securing the name approval, the relevant documents for the registration of the legal entity are to be submitted, according to the legal form of the entity/business.

Companies

The Companies Law (as amended) provides for two categories of companies:

• A Private Company: requiring one or more founding members, is limited to 50 shareholders, but cannot offer shares for public submission nor does it have the right to transfer shares.
• A Public Company: requiring minimum of seven members and its main feature is the power to extend an invitation to the public to subscribe to its shares.

• Declaration form (ΗΕ1);
• Form concerning the registered office address (HE2);
• Details regarding the directors and secretary (HE3);
• Original Memorandum and Articles of Associations;
• One Stop Shop Application Cover for Legal Entities Registration (applicable for submission to One Stop Shop);
• Fee of €105,00, plus 0,6% subscription tax on nominal capital, plus €60,00 for filling the accompanied documents, plus an optional €100,00 for accelerated procedure (payable in cash, cheque or bank transfer).Please note that One Stop Shop accepts only applications with acceleration fees and the One Stop Shop Application Cover for Legal Entities Registration is to accompany the above-mentioned application.

Notably, there is no minimum capital in registering a company. Company registration is completed within approximately one month or 3 working days under accelerated procedure or through online submission from the date that the application was duly submitted.

Redomiciliation of registered office

Companies registered in any country can transfer their registered office in the Republic of Cyprus, provided that the legislation of the country of origin allows for such transfer.

The following documents can be submitted, by hand or by mail, through a registered advocate/lawyer in the Republic of Cyprus, to the Registrar of Companies and Official Receiver:

• Application of foreign company (ME1);
• Affidavit statement by authorised representative form (MEA);
• Fee of €105,00 plus €20,00 for filling accompanied documents, plus an optional €100,00 for accelerated procedure (payable in cash, cheque or bank transfer).

For further information you may contact the One Stop Shop/PSC Cyprus at tel. 22409345/328 or the Registrar of Companies and Official Receiver at tel. 22404316/483.

Partnerships

Partnerships are registered under the Partnerships and Business Names Law. There are two kinds of partnerships:

• General Partnership: Every partner is individually and collectively accountable for the liabilities of the partnership, including all debts and obligations of the partnership incurred while he is a partner;
• Limited Partnership: One or more general partners are individually and collectively accountable for the liabilities of the partnership and one or more limited partners whose accountability for such liabilities is limited to their contribution to the partnership.

Partnership registration is completed within one month under ordinary procedure or one week under accelerated procedure from the date the application was duly submitted.

For further information you may contact the One Stop Shop/PSC Cyprus at tel. 22409345/328, fax: 22409432, email: onestopshop@mcit.gov.cy or the Registrar of Companies and Official Receiver at tel. 22404373, fax. 22404389, email: deptcomp@drcor.mcit.gov.cy.

Business/Trade Name

Business names are registered under the Partnerships and Business Names Law.

The Business/trade name registration Form (EE1) is submitted, by hand or by mail, to the Registrar of Companies and Official Receiver along with the fee of €80,00, plus an optional €40,00 for accelerated procedure (payable in cash, cheque or bank transfer). Please note that One Stop Shop accepts only applications with acceleration fees and the One Stop Shop Application Cover for Legal Entities Registration is to accompany the above-mentioned application.

The registration is completed within one month under ordinary procedure or one week under accelerated procedure from the date the application was duly submitted.

For further information you may contact the One Stop Shop/PSC Cyprus at tel. 22409345/328, fax: 22409432, email: onestopshop@mcit.gov.cy or the Registrar of Companies and Official Receiver at tel. 22404373, fax. 22404389, Email: deptcomp@drcor.mcit.gov.cy.

European Company

The registration of a European Company is in line with the Council Regulation (EC) No. 2157/2001. The main objective is to allow companies incorporated in different member states to merge or form a holding company or joint subsidiary, while avoiding the legal and practical constrains from the existence of different legal systems.

The following documents should be submitted, by hand or mail, to the One Stop Shop or to the Registrar of Companies and Official Receiver:

In the case of incorporation of a European public limited-liability company (Societas Europaea or SE) by merger:

• Form of Incorporating European Company SE by merger (ΕD1);
• Charter of Statute or Memorandum and articles of association of the European Company SE;
• Copy of the Court’s order certifying that the provisions of the article 26 of the EC 2157 /2001 have been met;
• Fee of €105,00, plus 0,6% subscription tax on nominal capital, plus €20,00 per accompanied document submitted, in case of the formation of a new company or €20,00 in case of a merger by acquisition.

• Form of Incorporating European Company Holding SE (ED2); along with
• Charter of Statute or Memorandum and articles of association of the European Company SE;
• Written report by independent experts according to article 32(4) of the EC 2157/2001;
• Copy of the resolution approving the incorporation scheme of the holding SE of article 32(6);
• Form of Incorporating a company or European Company SE that promotes the formation of a holding SE (ED2II) along with a copy of the scheme or terms of incorporation;
• Form for notification that the requirements for the incorporation of a holding company SE by local company or SE are met ED2II);
• Fee of €105,00, plus 0,6% subscription tax on nominal capita, plus €20,00 per accompanied document submitted in case of the formation of a new company else €20,00 per document submitted.

• Form of Incorporating European Company Subsidiary (ED3);
• Charter of Statute or Memorandum and articles of association of the European Company SE;
• Fee of €105,00, plus 0,6% subscription tax on nominal capital plus €20,00 per accompanied document submitted in case of the formation of a new company else €20,00 per document submitted.

• List of submitted documents by a foreign company (AE1);
• List of directors and secretary of a foreign company (AE2);
• Data of the foreign company’s authorised representatives residing in the Republic of Cyprus (AE3);
• A written statement signed by the authorized person showing: (1) the name and the legal status of the company, (2) the registration number, (3) the registered office, (4) the place of business In Cyprus, (5) the objects for which the company is established, (6) the issued and nominal share capital;
• A certified copy of the parent company’s charter or statutes or memorandum and articles of association (with official translation in Greek language). The certification should be made: (I) by a Government official to whose custody the original is committed, (2) by a notary Public, (3) by a company’s officer before a person with authority administered under oath;
• Fee of €300,00, plus €80,00 for the accompanied documents, plus an optional €100,00 for accelerated procedure (payable in cash, cheque or bank transfer).

In parallel, online applications for the registration of branch of overseas companies can be submitted.