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Bahamas
| Location | Archipelago of islands in Atlantic Ocean, 80 km off the southeast coast of Florida. |
| Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time /Eastern Standard Time. |
| Population | 304,000. |
| Capital | Nassau, New Providence. |
| Airport | Main: Sir Lynden Pindling International Airport (Nassau). |
| Language | English. |
| Currency | Bahamas. |
| Dialing Code | +242. |
| Centre's Expertise | Leader in private wealth management (PWM) services; banking and trust, investment funds, securities advisory, corporate services. |
| Political System | Constitutional parliamentary democracy; bi-cameral legislature. |
| Legal System | Based on English common law. |
| Personal Income Tax | No. |
| Corporate Income Tax | No. |
| Exchange Restrictions | Resident: some. |
| Tax Treaties | Argentina, Belgium, China, France, Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, San Marino, the United States of America. |
| Permitted Currencies | No restrictions. |
| Minimum Authorised Capital | IBC: No minimum capital required. |
| Minimum Share Issues | None. (In practice one). |
| Shelf Companies | Yes. |
| Incorporation Time Scale | Within 24 hours subject to name availability and reservation. |
| Incorporation Fees | IBC: US$500 to US$1,500. |
| Annual Fees | IBC with authorised capital of US$0 to US$50,000 – US$350. IBC with authorised capital of $50,001 and over – $1,000. |
| Minimum Number | IBC: one. |
| Residency Requirements | A director/ secretary need not be resident. |
| Corporate Directors | Yes. |
| Meetings/Frequency | Discretionary. |
| Disclosure | Register of directors and officers. |
| Bearer Shares | Not allowed. |
| Minimum Number | IBC: a minimum of one shareholder. |
| Public Share Registry | No. |
| Meetings Frequency | IBCs: AGMs are not required but can be held anywhere or by telephone. |
| Annual Return | IBC: no. |
| Audit Requirements | None, unless required by the IBC’s Articles of Association. |
| Registered Office | Yes. An IBC is also required to appoint a registered agent in The Bahamas. |
| Domicile Issues | Change of domicile permitted. |
| Company Naming Restrictions | IBC Prohibited Names: ‘assurance’, ‘bank’, ‘building society’, ‘chamber of commerce’, ‘chartered’, ‘cooperative’, ‘imperial’, ‘municipal’, ‘royal’, ‘trust’, etc. Names must end with an appropriate suffix such as ‘incorporated’, ‘limited’, ‘corporation’, ‘gesellschaft mit beschrankkter haftung’, ‘sociedad anonima’ or respective abbreviations. |
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