Service overview
Choose a presence that can perform the intended work.
A subsidiary, branch and representative office create different relationships with the overseas parent. We compare the authority, liability, governance and operating consequences before registration begins.
The recommendation starts with practical questions: who will contract, whether the local presence will earn revenue, who it will employ, and which licences or premises the activity requires.
A representative office is not simply a lighter branch. Its permitted activities can be materially narrower and must be confirmed before commercial commitments are made.
Who this is for
For organisations planning or reviewing an overseas presence.
New market entrants
Groups deciding whether to incorporate locally, register the parent as a branch or begin with a limited non-trading presence.
Exploratory teams
Businesses testing a market through research, promotion or liaison before committing to full commercial operations.
Existing overseas operations
Groups whose current office, contracts or staffing model no longer matches the authority under which it was established.
What we cover
A complete comparison of structure and operating authority.
Presence design
- Subsidiary, branch and representative-office comparison
- Permitted activity and revenue assessment
- Parent-company connection and liability review
- Local governance and authorised representative needs
Registration readiness
- Parent approvals and constitutional documents
- Ownership, officer and signatory information
- Licence, premises and employment dependencies
- Tax, banking and ongoing compliance workstreams
Our process
Resolve the dependencies in the right order.
Define the activity
Map customers, contracts, revenue, people, premises and the work to be performed locally.
Compare the routes
Test the available structures against authority, liability, tax, governance and future plans.
Prepare the parent file
Coordinate resolutions, constitutional records, ownership information and supporting evidence.
Register and activate
Manage the selected filing route and connect it with tax, banking, employment and compliance actions.
Information required
What we need to assess the route.
- Group structure and details of the overseas parent
- Description of the intended local products, services and customer activity
- Expected contracting, invoicing and payment flows
- Proposed directors, representatives, signatories and local employees
- Premises, licence and regulatory requirements already identified
- Target launch date and likely future expansion
Key considerations
The legal form must match the operating reality.
Parent exposure
A branch normally remains directly connected to its overseas parent, while a subsidiary maintains a separate local corporate record.
Commercial limits
A representative office may be restricted from invoicing, signing sales contracts or carrying on revenue-generating activity.
Future transition
Changing route later can require new registrations, contract transfers, tax review and operational migration.
Availability, legal effect and document requirements differ by market and sector. Local legal, tax or regulatory advice is coordinated where required.
Frequently asked questions
Questions to answer before the parent authorises the filing.
Can a representative office sell locally?
Often it cannot invoice customers, sign local sales contracts or carry on revenue-generating activity. The exact permitted functions must be confirmed for the destination and sector.
Is a branch a separate legal company?
A branch is generally registered as an extension of the overseas company rather than as a separately incorporated subsidiary. The legal and tax consequences vary by jurisdiction.
What parent-company documents are usually needed?
Authorities may request constitutional records, certificates, board approvals, ownership information, financial statements and authorised representative details, sometimes with certification, translation or legalisation.
Can the structure be changed later?
Sometimes, but the change may require new registrations, contract transfers, tax review and operational migration. The likely future state should be considered from the start.