
Amendments to the BVI Business Companies Act
英属维尔京群岛 (BVI)《商业公司法》修正案
On 2 January 2025, the BVI Business Companies (Amendment) Act, 2024 and the BVI Business Companies and Limited Partnership (Beneficial Ownership) Regulations, 2024 (the “Amendments”) came into effect. The Amendments impact all companies and partnerships that are incorporated or registered in the British Virgin Islands (the “BVI”), which shall be referred to as “Companies” and “Partnerships” in this guide. We have prepared an unofficial consolidation of the amended BVI Business Companies Act, which can be accessed here.
2025 年 1 月 2 日,2024 年 BVI《商业公司法(修正案)》和 2024 年 BVI《商业公司和有限合伙企业(实益所有权)条例》(以下简称“修正案”)正式生效。修正案对在英属维尔京群岛(以下简称“BVI”)成立或注册的所有公司和合伙企业(在本指南中简称“公司”和“合伙企业”)都有影响。我们就 BVI《商业公司法》(修正案)编制了一份非官方概述文件,您可在此查阅。
Register of beneficial ownership
All Companies and Partnerships have to collect, keep and maintain adequate, accurate and up to date beneficial ownership information (“BOI”). They also have to file a new register of beneficial ownership (“ROBO”) with the BVI Registry of Corporate Affairs (the “BVI Registry”). The ROBO replaces the BOSS Register that was maintained by registered agents in the BVI and historically recorded BOI for all Companies and Partnerships.
The BOI in the ROBO is similar to the information contained in the BOSS Register, save that the threshold to be considered a beneficial owner (term defined below) has been lowered to 10% (it used to be a 25% interest in the Company/Partnership). The ROBO also requires additional BOI, including occupation, gender, percentage of beneficial ownership and nature of interest in (or control over) the Company/Partnership.
Filing requirements
- A Company or Partnership that was incorporated before 2 January 2025 (an “Existing Company/Partnership”) has until 2 July 2025 to make this filing.
- A Company or Partnership that is incorporated on or after 2 January 2025 (a “New Company/Partnership”) has to make this filing within 30 days of its incorporation. It cannot commence business until this filing has been made.
- A Company or Partnership that has continued into the BVI from a foreign jurisdiction must make this filing within 30 days of its continuation.
- If any changes are made to a ROBO, they must be filed with the BVI Registry within 30 days of the Company/Partnership becoming aware of such changes.
- A Company/Partnership cannot obtain a certificate of good standing until it has complied with these filing requirements.
The BVI Registry will charge new filing fees for the ROBO filings, although an Existing Company/Partnership will not be charged to file its initial ROBO, provided this is done before 2 July 2025.
The ROBO is not currently available for public inspection. It is anticipated that certain information about beneficial owners who own or control 25% (or more) of a Company’s shares or voting rights (or a Partnership’s capital or profits or voting rights), will eventually be available for inspection to persons with a legitimate interest, although such term has not yet been defined. In the interim, access will be limited to: (a) the Company/Partnership; (b) its registered agent; (c) a competent authority, exercising its powers as a regulator of a financial services business, tax administrator, or for the purpose of dealing with a matter for which it has authority under an enactment (a “Competent Authority”); and (d) law enforcement agencies.
Exemptions
Companies and Partnerships do not have to file a ROBO (although they are still required to collect, keep and maintain adequate, accurate and up to date BOI), if they:
- are listed on a recognised exchange (“Listed Entity”),
- are regulated by the BVI Financial Services Commission (the “FSC”) as a private fund, professional fund, public fund, private investment fund, incubator fund or approved fund (“BVI Funds”) and its BOI is held by: (a) a person who holds a Category 6 investment business licence pursuant to the Securities and Investment Business Act; or (b) its authorised representative or other person licensed by the FSC that has a physical presence in the BVI, if the BOI can be provided to the BVI Registry within 24 hours of a request (in such cases, the BVI Fund must file the name, address and email address of that person with the BVI Registry),
- are a subsidiary of another Company/Partnership that has filed its ROBO, on the basis that: (a) they are relying on the parent’s ROBO filing; and (b) the parent holds, directly or indirectly a beneficial interest in 75% (or more) of the subsidiary’s shares or more than 75% of the subsidiary’s voting rights,
- are subject to disclosure and transparency rules that are contained in international standards and equivalent to those applicable to a Listed Company or BVI Funds or,
- they were dissolved or de-registered before 2 January 2025 (unless it wants to be restored).
Beneficial owners
The Amendments redefine the term “beneficial owner”. It now means any natural person who ultimately owns or controls a 10% (or greater) interest in any Company or Partnership:
- for a legal person (other than a Listed Entity) this is a natural person who: (a) ultimately owns or controls, directly or indirectly, 10% (or more) of its shares or voting rights; (b) holds, directly or indirectly, the right to appoint or remove a majority of its board of directors; or (c) otherwise exercises control over its management.
- for a limited partnership (other than a Listed Entity) this is a natural person who: (a) is ultimately entitled to or controls, directly or indirectly, 10% (or more) share of its capital or profits or 10% or more voting rights in the partnership; or (b) otherwise exercises control over its management.
- for a trust, this is: (a) the trustee; (b) the settlor or other person by whom the trust is made; (c) the protector (if any); (d) the beneficiaries or class of beneficiaries with a vested interest in the trust at the time of or before distribution of any trust property or income; and (e) any other natural person exercising ultimate effective control over the trust (including through a chain of control or ownership). Where there is a corporate trustee, the names of its beneficial owners are also required.
- for a trust, which has a corporate trustee that is licensed under the BVI Banks and Trust Companies Act, only the name of the licensed corporate trustee needs to be entered on the ROBO.
Register of members
A Company’s register of members (“ROM”) must now: (a) be filed with the BVI Registry; and (b) disclose any nominee relationships.
Filing requirements
- An Existing Company has until 2 July 2025 to make this filing.
- A New Company must make this filing within 30 days of its incorporation and cannot commence business until this filing has been made.
- A Company that has continued into the BVI from a foreign jurisdiction must make this filing within 30 days of its continuation.
- If any changes are made to a ROM, they must be filed with the BVI Registry within 30 days of the Company becoming aware of such changes.
- A Company cannot obtain a certificate of good standing until it has complied with these filing requirements.
The BVI Registry will charge new filing fees for the ROM filings, although an Existing Company will not be charged to file its initial ROM, provided this is done before 2 July 2025. Listed Entities and BVI Funds do not have to comply with these new filing requirements.
The ROM is not available for public inspection. Access will be limited to: (a) the Company; (b) its registered agent; (c) a Competent Authority; and (d) law enforcement agencies. Notwithstanding the new filing requirements, a Company can still elect to file a copy of its ROM with the BVI Registry, so it is available to public inspection. This is common in finance transactions where security is granted over a Company’s shares, as it is this public filing that puts third parties on notice that the shares are charged.
Nominee shareholders
If shares in a Company are held under a nominee arrangement, this must be disclosed in the ROM, together with information about the person(s) that have nominated the nominee shareholder. A nominee shareholder is defined as anyone who holds shares in a Company and exercises the associated voting rights according to the instructions of a nominator, without any discretion or receives dividends on behalf of a nominator.
Register of directors
The Amendments reduce the timeframe within which a Company must appoint its first directors and file its register of directors (“ROD”) at the BVI Registry.
- A New Company must appoint its first directors within 15 days of its incorporation.
- A New Company must file its ROD at the BVI Registry, within 15 days of the first directors being appointed. It cannot commence business until this filing has been made.
- A Company that has continued into the BVI from a foreign jurisdiction must make this filing within 30 days of its continuation.
- If any changes are made to a ROD, they must be filed with the BVI Registry, within 30 days of the Company becoming aware of such changes.
- A Company cannot obtain a certificate of good standing until it has complied with these filing requirements.
- Where a director is licensed by the FSC under the Banks and Trust Companies Act or the Company Management Act additional information needs to be included in the ROD.
Information about a Company’s incumbent directors remains available to public inspection. However, access to its full ROD is still limited to: (a) the Company; (b) its registered agent; (c) a Competent Authority; and (d) law enforcement agencies.
Discontinuations
The Amendments introduce additional requirements for Companies that continue into foreign jurisdictions. The BVI Registry will only a issue certificate of discontinuance if: (a) a Company has filed its ROD, ROM and ROBO at the BVI Registry; (b) there is no unsatisfied request from a Competent Authority for the Company to produce documents or provide any information; and (c) there are no pending criminal or civil litigation proceedings against the Company, its shareholders, directors, officers or agents.
Continuations
The Amendments also introduce additional requirements for a Companies that have continued into the BVI from foreign jurisdictions. The BVI Registry will only issue a certificate of continuation if a Company has filed its ROD, ROM and ROBO at the BVI Registry and filed the address of its registered office in its jurisdiction of incorporation.
Dissolution
A Company can now be struck-off and dissolved if it fails to file any information that is required under BVI law (including the ROD, ROM and ROBO) and/or it does not pay any penalty imposed when it becomes due.
Duty to cooperate
A Company/Partnership must now cooperate with the BVI Registry, any person conducting an inspection under the BVI Business Companies Act, any Competent Authority and/or law enforcement agency that is discharging its functions, which includes a duty to disclose information within its knowledge and produce documents in its possession or under its control (unless there is a claim of legal professional privilege).
Liability of directors and managers
Any director, general manager, secretary or officer that authorises, permits or acquiesces any contravention or non-compliance with the amended BVI Business Companies Act shall be treated as having contravened or failed to comply with the with the legislation and shall be liable to penalties.
Penalties
The Amendments introduce (significant) new penalties for non-compliance with these new filing requirements.
This guide is intended to provide a general overview of the Amendments, it is not intended as legal advice and should not be relied on as such. For further information, please contact your usual contact at Carey Olsen or [email protected] or review the FSC’s Guidance on Filing Beneficial Ownership Information and the BVI Financial Investigation Agency’s Guidelines on Beneficial Ownership Obligations under the Anti-money Laundering.
实益所有权登记册
所有公司和合伙企业都必须收集、保留和维护充分、准确且最新的实益所有权信息(以下简称“BOI”)。他们还必须向 BVI 公司事务注册处(以下简称“BVI 注册处”)提交一份新的《实益所有权登记册》(以下简称“ROBO”)。ROBO 取代了由 BVI 注册代理人维护的 BOSS 登记册,该登记册此前一直被用来记录所有公司和合伙企业的 BOI。
备案要求
- 2025 年 1 月 2 日之前成立的公司或合伙企业(以下简称“现有公司/合伙企业”)必须在 2025 年 7 月 2 日前完成备案。
- 2025 年 1 月 2 日或之后成立的公司或合伙企业(以下简称“新公司/合伙企业”)必须在成立后 30 天内完成备案。完成备案后才能开始经营。
- 从外国司法管辖区迁册到 BVI 的公司或合伙企业必须在其迁册后 30 天内完成备案。
- 如果 ROBO 发生了任何变更,公司/合伙企业必须在知晓该等变更后 30 天内向 BVI 注册处备案。
- 公司/合伙企业只有满足了上述备案要求,才能获得良好存续证明。
BVI 注册处将就 ROBO 备案重新收取备案费,但现有公司/合伙企业只要在 2025 年 7 月 2 日之前完成其初始 ROBO 备案,就无需付费。
目前公众不可查阅 ROBO。预计有关拥有或控制公司 25% 或以上股份或表决权(或合伙企业的资本或利润或表决权)的实益人的某些信息最终将可供享有合法权益人查阅,目前尚无明确定义合法权益人。在过渡期间,仅限以下各方查阅:(a) 公司/合伙企业;(b) 其注册代理人;(c) 政府职能机构,以便其行使其作为金融服务业务监管人、税务管理人享有的权力,或处理其根据颁布的法律法规有权处理的事项(以下简称“政府职能机构”);以及 (d) 执法机关。
豁免
如果公司和合伙企业有以下情形,则不必完成 ROBO 备案(但仍需要收集、保留和维护充分、准确且最新的 BOI):
- 已在公认的交易所上市(以下简称“上市实体”);
- 作为私募基金、专业投资者基金、公共基金、私人投资基金、孵化基金或获准基金(以下简称“BVI 基金”),受 BVI 金融服务委员会(以下简称“FSC”)监管,且其 BOI 由以下各方持有:(a) 根据《证券与投资业务法》持有第 6 类投资业务许可的主体;或 (b) 在 BVI 有实际存在的授权代表或其他获得 FSC 许可的主体,前提是可以在收到请求后 24 小时内向 BVI 注册处提供 BOI(在该等情况下,BVI 基金必须向 BVI 注册处提交该等主体的姓名/名称、地址和电子邮箱地址进行备案);
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根据以下依据进行判断,是已完成 ROBO 备案的另一家公司/合伙企业的子公司:(a) 其依赖母公司的 ROBO 备案;以及 (b) 母公司直接或间接享有子公司 75% 或以上股份或子公司 75% 以上表决权的实益权益;
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受国际标准中包含的披露和透明度规则,以及与适用于上市公司或 BVI 基金的规则相当的披露和透明度规则约束;或
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已在 2025 年 1 月 2 日之前解散或注销(但拟恢复注册的除外)。
实益人
修正案对“实益人”重新给出了定义。其现在是指最终拥有或控制任何公司或合伙企业 10% 或以上权益的任何自然人:
- 对于法人(上市实体除外)来说,其是指满足以下条件的自然人:(a) 最终直接或间接拥有或控制其 10% 或以上股份或表决权;(b) 直接或间接享有任免其董事会多数成员的权利;或 (c) 以其他方式行使对其管理层的控制权。
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对于有限合伙企业(上市实体除外)来说,其是指满足以下条件的自然人:(a) 最终直接或间接拥有或控制合伙企业 10% 或以上的资本或利润,或 10% 或以上的表决权;或 (b) 以其他方式行使对其管理层的控制权。
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对于信托来说,其是指:(a) 受托人;(b) 委托人或设立信托的其他人;(c) 保护人(如有);(d) 在分配任何信托财产或收益之时或之前,对信托享有既得权益的受益人或受益人群体;以及 (e) 对信托行使最终有效控制权(包括通过控制权或所有权链)的任何其他自然人。如果受托人是公司,还需要提供该公司的受益人姓名。
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对于受托人是 BVI《银行和信托公司法》下的持牌公司的信托,只需要在 ROBO 中登记持牌公司受托人的名称。
股东名册
公司的《股东名册》(以下简称“ROM”)现在必须:(a) 提交 BVI 注册处;并 (b) 披露任何名义持有(即代持)关系。
备案要求
- 现有公司必须在 2025 年 7 月 2 日之前完成备案。
- 新公司必须在成立后 30 天内完成备案,只有完成备案才能开始经营。
- 从外国司法管辖区迁册到 BVI 的公司必须在其迁册后 30 天内完成备案。
- 如果 ROM 发生了任何变更,公司必须在知晓该等变更后 30 天内向 BVI 注册处备案。
- 公司只有满足了上述备案要求,才能获得良好存续证明。
BVI 注册处将就 ROM 备案重新收取备案费,但现有公司只要在 2025 年 7 月 2 日之前完成其初始 ROM 备案,就无需付费。上市实体和 BVI 基金不需要遵守上述新备案要求。
公众不可查阅 ROM。仅限以下各方查阅:(a) 公司;(b) 其注册代理人;(c) 政府职能机构;以及 (d) 执法机关。尽管有上述新备案要求,公司仍可以选择向 BVI 注册处提交其 ROM 副本进行备案,以便公众查阅。这在以公司股份作为担保的金融交易中很常见,因为正是这种公开备案使第三方得以知晓股份已被押记。
名义股东
如果公司股份根据代持安排持有,则 ROM 中必须予以披露,并提供任命名义股东之人的信息。名义股东是指持有公司股份,并依照任命人的指示行使相关表决权的任何人。名义股东不享有任何自由裁量权,也无权代表任命人收取股息。
董事名册
修正案缩短了公司必须任命其首任董事并向 BVI 注册处提交《董事名册》(以下简称“ROD”)进行备案的期限。
- 新公司必须在成立后 15 天内任命其首任董事。
- 新公司必须在任命首任董事后 15 天内向 BVI 注册处提交其 ROD 进行备案。完成备案后才能开始经营。
- 从外国司法管辖区迁册到 BVI 的公司必须在其迁册后 30 天内完成备案。
- 如果 ROD 发生了任何变更,公司必须在知晓该等变更后 30 天内向 BVI 注册处备案。
- 公司只有满足了上述备案要求,才能获得良好存续证明。
- 更多信息。
公众目前仍可查阅有关公司在职董事的信息。但仍仅限以下各方查阅其完整 ROD:(a) 公司;(b) 其注册代理人;(c) 政府职能机构;以及 (d) 执法机关。
向外迁册
修正案对向外迁册到外国司法管辖区的公司规定了额外要求。BVI 注册处仅在以下情况下签发向外迁册证明:(a) 公司已在 BVI 注册处提交 ROD、ROM 和 ROBO 进行备案;(b) 公司已满足政府职能机构提出的所有文件出示或信息提供要求;以及 (c) 目前没有针对公司、其股东、董事、高管或代理人的未决刑事或民事诉讼程序。
迁册
修正案对从外国司法管辖区迁册到 BVI 的公司同样规定了额外要求。只有在公司向 BVI 注册处提交 ROD、ROM 和 ROBO 进行备案,并提交其在成立所在司法管辖区的注册办事处地址后,BVI 注册处才会签发迁册证明。
解散
如果公司未能提交 BVI 法律要求的任何信息(包括 ROD、ROM 和 ROBO)进行备案和/或未支付任何到期应付罚款,目前可以将公司除名并解散。
配合义务
公司/合伙企业目前必须配合 BVI 注册处、根据 BVI《商业公司法》开展审查的任何主体、履行职能的任何政府职能机构和/或执法机关,其中包括有义务披露其所掌握的信息,以及出示其持有或控制的文件,但主张享有法律职业特权的除外。
董事和经理的责任
任何董事、总经理、秘书或高管授权、允许或默许任何违反或不遵守 BVI《商业公司法》(修正案)的行为,均应被视为违反或未能遵守该等立法,应当受到处罚。
处罚
修正案对不遵守上述新备案要求的行为规定了(重大)新处罚。
本指南旨在总体概述修正案,并不构成法律意见,因此不得以此为依据。如需了解更多信息,请联系您在凯瑞奥信 (Carey Olsen) 的常用联系人,或发送电子邮件至 [email protected],或查看 FSC 的《受益所有权信息备案指南》和 BVI 金融事务调查机关的《关于反洗钱指令下受益所有权义务的指南》。