Foreign investors are allowed to buy, found and own companies in Russia. The Russian commercial law permits foreign investors to hold up to 100% of a Russian legal entity. The participation of a Russian shareholder is not mandatory.

Our support starts with the consultation on the most suitable legal form, the legal and fiscal effects and covers the entire process of incorporation.

In Russia, the minimum share capital is set at RUB 10,000 (approx. EUR 145) and therefore significantly lower than in other countries.

In Russia a limited liability company (Ltd od LLC) is called OOO. The triple O stands for Obshchestvo s Ogranichennoy Otvetstvennostyu (Общество с ограниченной ответственностью) which translates to “company with limited liability”. The OOO is the prevalent form for legal entities in Russia . Foreign investors and entrepreneurs also most commonly choose this type of corporation.

To set up a Russian company, at least one of the founders must appear before a Russian notary. A trip to Russia is necessary for this.

But we have a solution how you can get your company in Russia without having to come to Russia. You acquire a shelf company with the help of our experts. The owner does not need to travel to Russia for this. In times of travel restrictions, this is currently the best and fastest way to open a business in Russia.

As a precondition for the registration in the Russian Commercial Register, the Russian law requires a general director to be nominated in advance.

This is where it can get tricky: If you intend to nominate a general director without a Russian citizenship, he will need a valid Russian work permit. However, the work permit can only be applied for, once the company has been founded.

In order to resolve this issue, you can temporarily appoint our lawyer as the Interim Manager for your OOO. Our lawyer with Russian citizenship thereby temporarily takes over the function of the General Director until the working permit has been obtained.

In order to set up a company in Russia, you need to have a legal address, where the head office will be registered. Russian authorities use this address for the communication with the company. To prevent any issues with the founding of your company, make sure that the legal address you use is of high quality.

The entry in the Russian Commercial Register is the decisive factor for the successful establishment of the OOO. Unlike in other countries, the conclusion of a shareholders’ agreement does not have legal implications. As a precondition for the registration in the Russian Commercial Register, the Russian commercial law requires a general director to be nominated in advance.

Every company in Russia is obliged by to file and pay it’s taxes and to maintain accurate accounting records. Errors in the reports or significant delays in the filing of tax returns can lead to serious consequences such as fines or penalties, tax inefficiencies or even the freezing of the bank account. The Russian Chief Accountant carries the responsibility for the correct bookkeeping and the communication with the bureaucratic tax authorities.