Open a company in Russia

Many legal and organizational issues need to be addressed to ensure the registration and operations of a company in Russia. Below we have described how Accountor can help with these tasks as well as what companies intending to enter the Russian market should do. Links to more complete materials about each process can also be found below.

Choosing the type of legal entity for your company in Russia

Foreign companies usually choose any of the following 4 types of legal entities to be represented in Russia: Joint-stock company (AO), limited liability company (OOO), representative office or branch. You can read  more about the basic differences between these types of legal entities here. 

Financing LLC (OOO) 

When setting up a company in Russia, questions related to company financing arise, in particular, the options available to finance LLC (OOO) and their benefit. You can read more about the options for financing LLC here.

Legal address & office space

Before registering a company in Russia, it is necessary to have a legal address and office space so that they may be specified in documents wherever required. Some companies might choose to start their operations without a full-size office. In this case, it is possible to obtain an interim legal address with secure mail and secretarial support. It is also important, in this case, not to use the services of companies providing P.O. Box addresses as state authorities could then decline company registration for having used a P.O. Box address.

You can read more about our legal address & office space services here.

General director

In order to register a company in Russia, the future general director of the company should be either a Russian citizen or a foreign national with resident status in Russia. 

Other registration requirements

Once all the above issues are settled, registration documents should be prepared. The required documents vary as they depend on the type of legal entity that will be established. For example, the following documents are required to open LLC (OOO) in Russia: 

• Charter or articles of association;
• Foundation decision adopted by the board;
• Memorandum of association (if there are several shareholders);
• Application form (specifying the company name, share capital, board of directors, bank account, etc.);
• Registration fee acknowledgment of receipt. 

We can help you with all registration formalities and provide turn-key company registration services.