Licensing Criteria and Procedures for Applying for Belize Money Transmission License
General information
Company structure
- At least one shareholder (can also be a legal person, no nationality or residency restrictions)
- At least one director (can also be a legal person, no nationality or residency restrictions)
N.B. It is highly preferable to have one director who is a resident of Belize.
Confidentiality
- Beneficial owners' details – Disclosed only with court decision
- Shareholders' details – Not part of public record
- Directors' details – Not part of public record
Taxation
- 0% - Corporate income tax
Other benefits
- Belize tends not to disclose its banking or fiscal information. However, Belizean banks are FATCA compliant
- The meetings of the directors and the shareholders need not be held in Belize; also, there is no requirement for an Annual General Meeting. All meetings may be held outside of Belize, by telephone or other electronic means. Alternatively, directors and shareholders may vote by proxy
- For incorporating a company and obtaining a license there is no requirement to travel to Belize or have an interview
Accounting requirements - In Belize, financial service providers have obligations to submit quarterly financial statements, annual confirmation statement and an audited financial statement
Secretary - The secretary is considered to be the local registered agent
Registered Agent - Required
Registered office - Not Required
Local employees - Not Required (apart from suggested resident director)
Company name
- Language: Any
- Letters: From Roman alphabet
- Company name must end with such sufixes or their abbreviations: Limited, Corporation, Incorporated, Society Anonyme, Sociedad Anonima or Aktiengesellschaft.
- Names Requiring Consent or a Licence: Bank, Insurance, Assurance, Re-Insurance, Trust, Trustee, Savings, Royal, Asset management, Fund Management, Investment Fund, Building Society, Municipal, Chartered.
N.B.
- Restricted connections for company name: name of state, national or local government.
- Any name that implies illegal activity or implies royal or government patronage is restricted.
- Registrar may reject any name which it considers undesirable or contrary to the public interest.
- Company name is restricted to be identical or similar that of an existing company.
- In case when foreign language is used for company name the translation may be asked by Registrar to ensure conformity to above listed restrictions.
In order to obtain a license, the following steps will be carried out:
- Gathering and preparation of all of the documents, including those of due diligence.
- Belize company registration with paid up capital of $75.000. This requires a specific company with over 50 000 shares.
- Preparation of anti-money laundering procedures and custom tailored business plan.
- Submission of the due diligence documents and other related documents to the IFSC to start the process of application.
- Account opening in a local Bank for satisfying paid up capital requirements. This includes preparation and submission of all the bank forms, corporate documents and due diligence documents.
- Ad-hoc support and provision of minor documents required during the process.
- Assistance with Depositing of funds at a local Bank account in order to satisfy capital requirement for the IFSC.
- Submission of the letter from the local Bank to the IFSC that capital requirements are fulfilled.
- Receipt of license from the IFSC and delivery of documents to the Client.
- Assistance with opening of a corporate account for further operational needs of the Company.
- Finalizing bank account opening and delivery of documents to the Client.
In order to obtain license, Offshorelicense will fill all necessary application forms and also acquire apostilled corporate documents.
For that reason, please provide us with the following documents.
For a local bank:
(Each beneficial owner, shareholder, director, authorised signatory)
- A notarized copy of valid passport (2 sets)
- Attested (stamped and/or signed) copy of proof of residential address (ex. utility bill that is not older than 3 months) in English or translated into English (2 sets)
- Attested (stamped and/or signed) copy of a Letter of Reference form Bank, saying that the authorized person has a private account and that it is in good standing
For local regulatory authority:
(Each beneficial owner, shareholder, director, authorised signatory and secretary must provide)
- CV
- A notarized copy of valid passport (2 sets)
- Notarised or attested (stamped and/or signed) copy of proof of residential address (ex. utility bill that is not older than 3 months) in English or translated into English (2 sets)
- Attested (stamped and/or signed) bank reference letter
- Professional letter from lawyer/auditor/ notary
- A notarized copy of an educational qualification
- Signed and notarized application forms
- Link to company’s website
N.B.
- If documents are not in English language or language of particular country, then they must be accompanied by a notarized translation.
- Please ensure that notarization is in English language if not then please provide with notarized English translation.
- Additional documents may be requested by the regulatory authority or local Bank at any point to certify specific information.