NEW ZEALAND OFFSHORE INFORMATION

English speaking common law jurisdiction with well developed professional infrastructure. A New Zealand company when acting as trustee of a trust for a non-New Zealand settlor and beneficiaries and has non New Zealand source income then it avoids charge to tax in New Zealand.

ADVANTAGES	Member of OECD and FATF. Not considered a tax haven. No Capital Gains Tax.
DISADVANTAGES	To avoid New Zealand tax the company must carry out its activities as trustee of a trust with no New Zealand settlor, beneficiaries or New Zealand source income and not in its own right.
CORPORATE LEGISLATION SOURCE	Companies Act 1993
COMPANY STATUS	Limited Liability Company
USUAL MINIMUM CAPITAL	NZ$100
COMPANY NAME	Approval is required for the name prior to incorporation but the process takes less than 1 day. Must end in Limited or Tapui. Restriction on sensitive names indicating a connection with e.g. Certain professions, royalty government etc.
TIME TAKEN TO INCORPORATE	7 – 10 days
ARE SHELF COMPANIES AVAILABLE	Yes
CAPITAL DUTY	None
MINIMUM NUMBER OF SHAREHOLDERS	One
ARE BEARER SHARES / SHARES OF NO PAR VALUE POSSIBLE?	Yes / No
DIRECTORS: MINIMUM NUMBER / CORPORATE DIRECTORS ALLOWED / LOCATION	One / No / No restriction
SECRETARY: MANDATORY / CORPORATE SECRETARY ALLOWED / LOCATION	No / Yes / No restriction
IS THERE A REQUIREMENT FOR A REGISTERED OFFICE / REGISTERED AGENT	Yes / No
IS THERE A REQUIREMENT BY THE AUTHORITIES PRIOR TO INCORPORATION OR PRIOR TO TAX STATUS BEING GRANTED	The approved name reservation number.
INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON PUBLIC FILE	Accounts / certificate of incorporation / directors / shareholders / registered office / issued share capital / articles
DOCUMENTS TO BE KEPT AT REGISTERED OFFICE	Register of members, directors, charges
CORPORATE BOOKS AND SEAL	Seal permitted but not obligatory
ACCOUNTS REQUIRED / FILED	Yes but audit can be dispensed with
ANNUAL RETURN REQUIRED	Yes
WHERE ARE MEETINGS TO BE HELD	No restrictions
ANNUAL FEES PAYABLE TO THE GOVERNMENT: TAX / ANNUAL RETURN FILING FEE	Annual return – NZ$30
ARE THERE ANY EXCHANGE CONTROLS	None
DOUBLE TAX TREATIES	26 in force