Frequently asked questionsStraight answers to the questions people ask first.

Yes, and it’s a large part of what we do. A founder in Lahore with a US LLC, a Dubai free zone company selling into the UK, or a US company with staff in Pakistan is exactly the kind of situation our four-country practice is set up for. We work by video, phone and a secure document portal, so where you live doesn’t change how we work together.

We arrange a short first conversation to understand your situation. After that we send a written scope: what we’ll do, what we need from you, the timeline and the fee. Work starts only once you’ve agreed to it.

Yes. Clients often keep a local bookkeeper and bring us in for cross-border filings, a specific registration, or a year-end review. We agree who does what at the start so nothing falls between two firms.

A named member of our team who prepares your work and remains your point of contact, with a second person reviewing it before it reaches you. [Firm to confirm staffing model and link to team profiles.]

No. Almost all of our work is done remotely. If you would prefer to meet, tell us and we’ll let you know what’s possible. [Firm to confirm office locations.]

[Firm to confirm, e.g. English and Urdu.] All filings themselves are prepared in the language each authority requires.

Most registrations and annual returns are quoted as a fixed fee once we know the scope; recurring work such as bookkeeping is usually a monthly fee. You’ll always have the quote in writing before anything starts. [Firm to confirm pricing model.]

[Firm to confirm whether the initial consultation is free, and its usual length.] Either way, you’ll know before the call.

The engagement letter lists the specific registrations, returns or periods we’re handling, the information we need from you, and anything expressly excluded. Government fees, registered agent fees and similar third-party costs are shown separately.

We tell you as soon as we find it, explain why, and quote for the additional work before doing it. You’re never billed for scope you didn’t agree to.

Through a secure client portal rather than email attachments or messaging apps. [Firm to confirm the portal and its security features, e.g. encryption and two-factor sign-in.]

Only the people working on your file. We don’t share your information with anyone except the authorities we file with on your behalf, and third parties you’ve asked us to deal with. Our privacy policy explains how we handle personal data.

For as long as the law and our professional obligations require, which differs by country, and then we delete them securely. [Firm to confirm its retention schedule.]

We only contact clients from our official email domain and listed phone numbers, and we never ask you to pay into a personal account. If anything feels off, call us on a number from this website before acting. Our fraud and impersonation page has more detail.

No, and you should be wary of anyone who does. Processing times belong to the IRS, HMRC, Companies House, the UAE Federal Tax Authority, the FBR, the SECP and the state, emirate and provincial authorities. We can tell you what’s typical, submit complete applications, and follow up when something stalls.

Yes. We start by mapping what is outstanding in each country and which items carry the most penalty exposure, then deal with them in that order. Where an authority offers a voluntary disclosure route or penalty relief, we explain whether it’s worth considering in your case.

No. We handle tax, accounting and company formation work. Questions about contracts, disputes, immigration or regulatory licensing need a lawyer, and we’ll tell you when a matter has reached that point.

Representation rights differ by country and depend on the qualifications of the person acting for you. [Firm to confirm which team members hold which representation rights, e.g. enrolled agent or CPA status in the US, agent authorisation with HMRC, FTA-registered tax agent status in the UAE, and authorised representative status in Pakistan.]

Yes. Outside a few regulated industries, US states don’t restrict company ownership by nationality or residence, and many founders run US companies entirely from abroad. The practical differences are that the EIN application goes by fax or mail rather than online, a foreign-owned single-member LLC files Form 5472 every year, and S corporation status isn’t available.

Usually not. Formation, the EIN application and state registrations can all be done remotely, and some fintech providers open accounts for non-resident founders online. Some traditional banks do require an in-person visit, so your choice of bank can decide whether you need to travel.

If you will operate from a particular state, forming there is usually simplest, because you would otherwise have to register there as an out-of-state company as well. Founders with no US presence often choose Wyoming for its low running costs or Delaware for its corporate law and familiarity to investors. We compare annual fees, franchise taxes and reporting before you decide.

No. The IRS issues EINs to companies whose owners have no SSN or ITIN; the application simply goes by fax or mail instead of online. You need an ITIN only if you personally must file a US federal return, or claim certain treaty benefits, and aren’t eligible for an SSN.

The IRS penalty is $25,000 per form per year, plus a further $25,000 for each 30 days the failure continues more than 90 days after an IRS notice. Almost every foreign-owned LLC has something to report, because money the owner puts in or takes out counts as a reportable transaction. If you have missed years, talk to us before filing anything so we can review the options for late filing.

Only in states where you have nexus and sell something that state taxes. Nexus comes from physical presence, such as staff or stored inventory, or from sales into the state above its economic threshold, commonly $100,000 a year at the time of writing. Most states tax physical goods but only some services, and the treatment of software and digital products varies widely.

Not if it was formed in the US. FinCEN’s final rule, effective August 14, 2026, made permanent the March 2025 exemption for US-formed companies and their owners. A company formed outside the US that registers to do business in a US state may still need to report within 30 days of registering.

Yes. Directors and shareholders don’t need to be UK resident, but the company needs a UK registered office, at least one director must be an individual aged 16 or over, and every director and PSC must verify their identity with Companies House. Verification can usually be done from abroad, depending on the documents you hold.

The company does. Its registered office must be an appropriate address in the UK where post will be dealt with, and PO boxes are not accepted. Directors can give a service address elsewhere, and their home addresses are kept off the public register.

You must if your VAT-taxable turnover for the last 12 months goes over £90,000 (at the time of writing), or you expect it to in the next 30 days alone. Below that, registration is optional. If your business is not established in the UK, there is no threshold at all.

A Unique Taxpayer Reference is a 10-digit number HMRC uses to identify you for Self Assessment or a company for Corporation Tax. A company, each of its directors and each partnership all have separate UTRs.

Usually 21 months after the company was incorporated, and then 9 months after each financial year end. Corporation Tax works on periods of no more than 12 months, so a longer first period means two Company Tax Returns.

It depends on your profits, how much you take out, your clients and how much administration you are willing to take on. A company gives limited liability and can be more tax-efficient at higher profits, but it brings public filings and payroll. We run the numbers before you decide.

Often, but it depends on the bank. Each provider sets its own identity and residence rules, some ask for more documents from non-resident directors, and approval is their decision rather than ours.

No. Salaries and personal investment income are not taxed. Individuals running a business in their own name are the exception: once business turnover exceeds AED 1 million in a calendar year, they register for Corporate Tax.

Possibly not on all of your income, but you still register and file a return. A Qualifying Free Zone Person pays 0% on qualifying income and 9% on the rest, provided it meets every condition, including substance, audited accounts and the de minimis limit. Many service businesses selling outside the zone do not qualify.

Yes. Every UAE company must register, whatever its profit, and file a return each year. The first AED 375,000 of taxable income is taxed at 0%, and Small Business Relief may reduce the tax to nil for revenue up to AED 3 million.

It depends on where your customers are and what you sell. The mainland suits businesses selling to UAE customers or the government; free zones suit international trade, holding and specific sectors, but mainland sales usually need a distributor or permit and 0% only applies to qualifying income.

In most cases, yes. Free zones have always allowed full foreign ownership, and since 2021 most mainland activities can be 100% foreign-owned too. A short list of strategic activities still has restrictions, which we check against your activities.

You must if your taxable supplies and imports over the last 12 months exceed AED 375,000, or are expected to in the next 30 days. You can register voluntarily above AED 187,500. Both thresholds are the position at the time of writing.

Keep accounting records, invoices, contracts, bank statements and working papers that support your returns. Corporate Tax requires at least 7 years after the end of the tax period and VAT at least 5, with longer periods for some real estate records.

The late registration penalty is AED 10,000 at the time of writing. The FTA currently waives it if the first Corporate Tax return is filed within 7 months of the end of the first tax period, so it is worth acting quickly.

An NTN is your income tax registration with FBR; an STRN is your registration for federal sales tax. Every business needs an NTN, but only businesses within the sales tax net need an STRN, and you need the NTN first. Sales tax on services is registered separately with the provincial authority, or with FBR for Islamabad.

File your income tax return for the latest tax year by the due date. If you file late, you are only added after paying a surcharge, which the Finance Act 2026 raised to Rs 25,000 for individuals, Rs 50,000 for AOPs and Rs 100,000 for companies at the time of writing. Individuals can instead give an undertaking not to acquire property for six months. You can check your status on FBR’s website.

In most cases, yes. The reduced tax the bank deducts from IT export proceeds only counts as your final tax if you file a return and meet the other conditions, and holding an NTN brings its own obligation to file. Filing also keeps you on the ATL, which lowers withholding on many bank transactions and purchases.

It depends on your residence status and your Pakistani income. Residence turns on days spent in Pakistan and, for citizens, whether you are tax resident in another country. Non-residents with Pakistani income above the taxable threshold, such as rent, generally need to file, but owning property alone does not create a filing obligation for a non-resident. Many overseas Pakistanis file anyway to be on the ATL before buying or selling property.

You will not be included in the next Active Taxpayers List unless you file and pay the late-filing surcharge, and a penalty can apply under section 182. At the time of writing that penalty is the higher of 0.1% of the tax payable or Rs 1,000 for each day of default, with minimums of Rs 10,000 for mainly salaried individuals and Rs 50,000 for others, reduced if you file within three months.

Only if you are forming a company or a limited liability partnership. Sole proprietors register with FBR on IRIS, and partnerships register the firm provincially where required before registering the AOP with FBR. If you want limited liability, outside investment or foreign shareholders, SECP incorporation is usually the right route.

It depends on what you supply and where. Goods fall under federal sales tax with FBR, which covers manufacturers, importers, wholesalers, distributors and larger retailers; services fall under the province where they are provided. Businesses that do both, or work across provinces, can need more than one registration.

Yes, if you are a resident individual filing a return, and each member of an AOP files one with the AOP’s return. It lists your assets and liabilities, including those of dependants, and must reconcile with your income and spending for the year. An unexplained gap in that reconciliation is a common trigger for FBR notices.