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Company Incorporation Services for Expansion
Setting up a legal entity in a new country is the moment expansion becomes real — and the moment most founders discover how differently each jurisdiction treats ownership, capital, directors, taxes, and reporting. Aniday handles incorporation across Asia for foreign founders, startups, SMBs, and multinationals, from the first structuring decision through bank account opening, tax registration, and ongoing compliance. One project manager, one timeline, one set of deliverables — across every market you plan to enter.
ANIDAY IS TRUSTED BY 5000+ COMPANIES
What Is Company Incorporation?
Company incorporation is the legal process of registering a business as a separate legal entity in a specific country. For foreign companies, the process typically includes choosing an entity structure (LLC, private limited company, branch, or representative office), registering with local authorities, obtaining tax IDs, appointing directors/shareholders, meeting capital requirements, and securing required licences. While structures may appear similar across markets — such as a Pte Ltd in Singapore, Private Limited Company in Vietnam, or Private Company Limited in Hong Kong — each country has different rules on foreign ownership, capital, and compliance.
Why Companies Choose Aniday to Incorporate
Most providers register a company and disappear. Aniday treats incorporation as the first stage of a longer operational rollout — trusted by 5,000+ businesses expanding across borders.
Fully Remote Setup
Incorporate entirely online from any country — no face-to-face travel and no in-person trips. Every step is handled remotely.
End-to-End Compliance, Done for You
We handle the full compliance workload from start to finish. Fully regulated and fully trusted — nothing falls through the cracks.
Big Local Expert Team
Large in-market teams with 15+ years of experience, trusted by 5,000+ companies — global professionals who communicate clearly in your language.
Fast & Affordable
Incorporate and start operating in days, not months, with established banking relationships that open accounts fast — all at a low service fee.
Entity Types & Business Structures
The right structure depends on ownership goals, liability tolerance, revenue model, and the local regulatory environment. The most common options for foreign founders across Asia:
The most common vehicle for foreign-owned operating businesses. Separation of liability, flexible governance, clear tax treatment. Used widely in Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand.
The Commonwealth-style equivalent of an LLC. Standard in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Malaysia. Suited to venture-backed companies thanks to share classes and option pools.
A direct extension of the foreign parent, not a separate legal entity. Permitted to trade, but parent liability extends to the branch. Useful for established multinationals with predictable revenue.
Allowed for market research, liaison, and brand promotion — but typically cannot generate local revenue. A low-cost option for pre-revenue market exploration.
Required in sectors with foreign ownership caps. Adds governance complexity and partner risk, but unlocks regulated markets that are otherwise closed.
A parent entity, often in Singapore or Hong Kong, that owns operating subsidiaries across the region. Used for IP centralisation, treaty access, and investor readiness.
How Aniday's Incorporation Process Works
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01
Pre-Incorporation Structuring
We confirm shareholder structure, capital, sector restrictions, and tax position before any document is filed — surfacing the hard questions early.
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02
Filing & Certificate Issuance
Name reservation, document preparation, and submission to the company registry and investment authority — through to your IRC, ERC, or equivalent certificate.
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03
Tax Registration & Banking
Corporate income tax, VAT/GST, and withholding codes, plus bank account opening — pre-screened against your shareholder profile, with source-of-funds review handled.
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04
Operational & Compliance Setup
Capital injection, social insurance, e-invoicing, sector licences, and a post-incorporation bookkeeping, payroll, and statutory reporting calendar.
Typical Setup Timelines
A foreign-invested (FDI) company almost always takes longer to register than a purely domestic-owned one, because it needs an extra layer of investment registration or approval — for example, the Investment Registration Certificate in Vietnam or PT PMA licensing in Indonesia. The comparison below shows realistic ranges from Aniday's recent engagements. Sector licensing (fintech, healthcare, education, logistics) can extend either path significantly.
| Jurisdiction | Domestic-Owned Company | FDI Company | Bank Account |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai (UAE) | 3–7 business days (Free Zone) | 1–3 weeks (Mainland, 100% foreign-owned) | 2–5 weeks |
| Singapore | 1–2 business days | 1–3 business days | 2–6 weeks |
| Hong Kong | 3–5 business days | 5–10 business days | 4–10 weeks |
| Vietnam | 5–7 business days (ERC only) | 30–45 business days (IRC + ERC) | 2–4 weeks after ERC |
| Malaysia | 5–7 business days | 1–2 weeks | 4–8 weeks |
| Indonesia | 1–2 weeks (local PT) | 4–6 weeks (PT PMA) | 3–6 weeks |
| India | 7–10 business days | 2–4 weeks (with FDI reporting) | 2–4 weeks |
FDI timelines assume documents are notarised and apostilled and ready at kickoff. Bank account opening is the most common bottleneck — plan operations on the assumption that the account opens after the company, not with it.
EOR or Incorporate? Choosing the Right First Step
A local entity is not always the right answer on day one. An Employer of Record (EOR) lets you legally employ people in a country before your own entity exists — for many expansion strategies, that is the right first move. Aniday offers both and is explicit about which fits your stage.
Start with EOR when
- You need to hire 1–10 people in a market quickly
- You are validating the market before committing to an entity
- Incorporation will take 2–4 months and you cannot wait
- You expect to incorporate later, once headcount or revenue justifies it
Move to incorporation when
- Local headcount makes EOR fees exceed entity overhead
- You need to sign local commercial contracts in your own name
- You require local invoicing, VAT registration, or sector licensing
- Investors or auditors require consolidated ownership of operations
Company Incorporation Services by Country
Local licensed specialists in every major Asian market — with deep knowledge of foreign ownership rules, capital requirements, and registry procedures.
Dubai (UAE) Free Zone & Mainland
Singapore Pte Ltd
Hong Kong Private Limited
Vietnam LLC (IRC & ERC)
Malaysia Sdn Bhd
Indonesia PT PMA
India Private Limited
Client Reviews
Real success stories from companies who set up entities and scaled across Asia with Aniday.
Company Incorporation FAQs
How long does it take to incorporate a company in Asia?
Between 1 business day (Singapore) and 10 weeks (Philippines), depending on jurisdiction and sector. Bank account opening typically adds 2–10 weeks on top of entity formation.
Can a foreigner own 100% of a company in Asia?
In many jurisdictions, yes — Singapore, Hong Kong, Vietnam (most sectors), and Malaysia allow 100% foreign ownership. Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines restrict foreign ownership in specific sectors, where a joint venture or BOI promotion may be required.
Do I need to be physically present to incorporate?
For most jurisdictions, no — incorporation can be completed remotely with notarised documents. Bank account opening may still require an in-person interview in some countries, such as Singapore, Hong Kong, and the Philippines.
What is the minimum capital required?
Statutory minimums range from USD 1 (Singapore, Hong Kong) to USD 100,000+ (Indonesia PT PMA in practice). The right figure is usually based on your business plan rather than the legal floor — banks and regulators look at substance.
What are the most common mistakes foreign founders make?
Most are avoidable when surfaced before filing. A proper pre-incorporation review catches almost all of them.
- Choosing the cheapest provider — re-doing a poorly structured entity costs more
- Under-capitalising the entity; statutory minimums are not practical minimums
- Ignoring sector restrictions and discovering a foreign ownership cap after filing
- Using a personal address as the registered office
- Hiring local employees before incorporation completes, creating back-dated tax exposure
- Treating tax registration as an afterthought, triggering day-one penalties
- Underestimating banking timelines
Do I need a local director?
Singapore requires at least one resident director. Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines have variants of local representative requirements.
Should I use an EOR or incorporate?
If you need fewer than ten employees, no local invoicing, and want to validate the market, an Employer of Record is usually faster and cheaper. If you need local contracts, licences, or higher headcount, incorporation is the right step. Many clients begin with EOR, then incorporate after six to twelve months.
Can Aniday handle ongoing compliance after incorporation?
Yes. Bookkeeping, tax filings, payroll, corporate secretarial, and annual returns are delivered as managed services in every market we cover, so your in-house team does not have to track local deadlines.
How is Aniday different from a law firm or Big Four provider?
We are structured for operating companies that need execution, not advisory deliverables. Fees are fixed per scope, project managers are dedicated, and EOR and incorporation are coordinated as a single workflow across the region.
Talk to Our Incorporation Expert
Tell us the market, the business model, and your ownership structure. We will recommend the right entity type, a realistic timeline, and a fixed-fee scope within two business days.
