Vanuatu Corporate Services and Business Advisors

Local Services (ONSHORE)

If you are planning to move to Vanuatu, or you are owning a business in Vanuatu, or planning to start or purchasing one or interested in knowing more about living in Vanuatu and doing business in Vanuatu, please do not hesitate to contact AJC-Vanuatu. Your first consultation is free of charge. We present within our website the most common needed services, we are dealing with many other less common and frequent subject on a daily basis, please do not hesitate to inquiry.

  • Local Company Incorporation

    Vanuatu has a very flexible regime of local company. Setting up a local company allows you as an investor to perform commercial activities in Vanuatu provided that you obtain all the necessary administrative authorizations.

    A local company also allows investors to acquire real estate in Vanuatu under the local entity.

    A local company can be set up in a very short timeframe (one or two days).

    AJC takes care of the following services in relation with local company incorporation:

    • Drafting of the deed of incorporation;
    • Drafting of articles of association;
    • Drafting of the resolutions of shareholders;
    • Drafting of the resolutions of directors;
    • Coordination with Vanuatu Financial Services Commission for company registration purposes;
    • Drafting of the register of shareholders;
    • Drafting of the register of directors.
  • Application for Foreign Investment Approval Certificate

    Every company in Vanuatu owned by Non-Ni Vanuatu citizens shall apply for a foreign investment approval certificate with Vanuatu Investment Promotion Authority before starting any commercial activities in Vanuatu.

    An application has to be submitted to the Vanuatu Investment Promotion Authority for assessment.

    Some commercial activities are strictly reserved to Ni Vanuatu Citizen. Some other commercial activities are also reserved to Ni Vanuatu citizens if the turnover generated by these activities is below a certain amount of annual turnover.

    It is therefore important to study the project of each investor to determine whether the contemplated activities can be approved for foreign investors in Vanuatu.

    AJC is able to assist you in all the steps as regards the submission of your investment project with Vanuatu Investment Promotion Authority

  • Application for Business Licenses

    Every company wanting to commercially operate in Vanuatu shall obtain the business license related to the commercial activity it wants to perform in Vanuatu. An application has to be done and submitted with the Vanuatu administration in order for these authorizations to be delivered.

    AJC can assist you in all the steps that need to be completed in order for the business licenses to be delivered.

  • Residency Visa

    We assist investors to obtain legal residency in Vanuatu. We liaise on a day to day basis with Immigration services of Vanuatu and successfully managed to obtain a significant number of legal residency granted.

    We advise investors on how to obtain a legal residency in Vanuatu and we are able to assist investors to obtain residency permits under the different regimes of residency foreseen in the law in Vanuatu.

  • Work Permit

    AJC assists its client to obtain work permits in Vanuatu in order for the clients and/or their employees to be able to work in Vanuatu.

    Vanuatu gives priority to local recruitment. Therefore, each Non-Ni Vanuatu who wants to work as an employee in the country has to prepare and submit an application to Labor services. Some jobs are also strictly reserved to Ni Vanuatu citizens (Reserved occupation). It is therefore essential for any potential expat employee to prepare his/her arrival in Vanuatu correctly.

    AJC takes care of the following:

    • Drafting of the employment contract in coordination with the client;
    • Drafting of the training plan in order to meet the legal requirements related to local recruitment priority;
    • Preparation of the work permit application;
    • Coordination with Labor Services of Vanuatu.
  • Transfer of lands – Real Estate Transaction

    AJC can assist you in all the aspects of a real estate transaction. We act for either purchaser or vendor in the framework of any real estate operation involving residential lease, commercial lease, agricultural lease or industrial lease.

    We perform legal and administrative due diligence on the property to be purchased to protect the interests of the purchaser and we can also assist the vendor in all the steps of the transfer.

    We determine the different disbursement and taxes to be paid in a real estate operation and we structure the transaction in the best possible way.

  • Regulatory consulting

    At AJC, our Regulatory Consultancy team is about helping businesses anticipate and adapt in an ever-changing regulatory climate. We provide consultative problem solving together with core compliance services to meet all of the regulatory needs of your business.

    We specialize in helping our clients meet the requirements of Vanuatu Law, VFSC and FIU, while also providing specialist insight into some areas of global legislation. It is our aim to ensure that not only can our clients embrace regulation and manage the impacts of regularly change, but we strive to be a trusted advisor who can be relied upon to add value, provide challenges and deliver a service which will facilitate your business having a safe and sustainable future.

    AJC can assist you with AML/CTF audit and other compliance and regulatory mandatory and non-mandatory audits.

  • Restructuring & insolvency

    We help and advise business owners with financial problems every day, so we understand how stressful it can be when your business experience difficulty. Financial and operational problems require specialist skills and experience.

    AJC works closely with bankers, and lawyers to restructure and refinance struggling organizations. Our first priority is to focus on recovery—both of the business and its corporate structure. Many businesses can avoid administration or liquidation by seeking professional advice as early as possible.

    AJC once appointed either by the voluntary liquidation or by the court or the creditors are quick to act if you are having financial difficulties, regardless of the size or segment of your business.

    • Interim receiver
    • Receiver for secured creditors
    • Court-appointed receiver
    • Provisional administration
    • Commercial bankruptcy
    • Liquidator
    • Monitoring of a business’s affairs for creditors
  • Tax Advisory and Compliance

    AJC has the expertise and experience to provide clients with effective taxation solutions. Our tax advisory and compliance professionals are highly skilled and focus on assisting clients in managing their taxation affairs and keeping up with legislative changes.

    We provide personalised services to clients on a wide range of taxation matters including:

    • Tax structures for business ownership
    • Business restructuring
    • Tax effective investments
    • Capital Gains Tax
    • Goods and Services Tax
    • Fringe Benefits Tax
    • Interpretation of complex taxation issues

    We also assist clients with VAT Office audits.

International Corporate Services (OFFSHORE)

Vanuatu features no income tax, no capital gains tax, no withholding taxes, no estate or death duties, no tax treaties, no currency exchange controls, confidentiality provisions, excellent communication systems and experienced professional service providers. The Vanuatu International Finance Center has been established since 1972 and Vanuatu service provider companies have in-depth financial, investment, banking, accounting and legal expertise. We present within our website the most common offshore services and entities for which current demand is high. However many other exists within Vanuatu legislation.

  • International company formation

    International company can be set up in Vanuatu and guarantee to investors a high confidentiality regime with no public disclosure of the register of shareholders and directors.

    A sole corporate entity can be appointed as the sole shareholder and sole director of an international company.

    Incorporation of an international company can be done in a very short time frame (one or two days).

    Every international company in Vanuatu shall appoint a registered agent in Vanuatu. Only a holder of a Company & Trust Services Provider license can act as registered agent of international companies in Vanuatu.

    AJC is a duly licensed Trust and Company Services Provider and is therefore legally competent to act as registered agent of a duly incorporated international company in Vanuatu.

  • Dealer in Securities License / Forex Licence

    AJC assists its clients to set up a corporate structure able to obtain a dealer in securities license delivered by the Ministry of Finance in Vanuatu.

    Different applications have to be completed and filed with Vanuatu Financial Services Commission and Vanuatu Financial Intelligence Unit to be able to have an international company with a dealer in securities license.

    AJC advised important Forex brokers and securities dealers operating worldwide in their application procedures and successfully obtained numerous of dealers in securities license for its clients.

    AJC is able to advise you on the following matters in relation with this process:

    • Incorporation of international company;
    • Application for a dealer in securities license;
    • Coordination with Vanuatu Financial Services Commission;
    • Application for registration of the company with Vanuatu Financial Intelligence Unit;
    • Coordination with Vanuatu Financial Intelligence Unit;
    • Assistance with drafting of compliance manual.
  • International Bank set up

    AJC assists its clients on a regular basis with international banks license applications in order to obtain an international banking license issued by the Reserve Bank of Vanuatu.

    AJC already managed to obtain international banking licenses and successfully completed different legal and accounting operations for one of the main international banks of Vanuatu.

  • Pacific Management Trust Company Limited

    Pacific Management Trust Company is one of the companies in Vanuatu legally able to provide trust services in Vanuatu.

    Pacific Management Trust is the trust services of AJC which provides trust services for different beneficiaries. Pacific Management Trust can act as a shareholder of a local and/or international companies in Vanuatu in order to guarantee the maximum level of confidentiality to the ultimate beneficial owner of these companies.

  • Trust & estates

    It’s wise to look ahead and take steps to protect your family wealth—whether through trusts, inheritance tax planning or efficient estate administration. As professional advisers, we know that personal, family, charitable and business interests often overlap. From a personal perspective, our clients want to protect their family wealth and often have charitable interests they also wish to pursue. Planning ahead is a way to ensure effective management of your assets. We can help our clients protect the interests of those they love and whom they wish to benefit from their estate, as well as ensure they are able to protect the issues they care about.

    At AJC, our experienced professionals combine their technical expertise in trusts, estates and charities with an understanding of the complexities of life. We take time to understand your specific circumstances, family situation, business and financial arrangements. With this knowledge we can then advise on how you can best achieve your goals through the creation of a trust, charity or other tax-efficient planning. On the death of a loved one, we act with skill and sensitivity to help executors and personal representatives meet their request, relieving some of the burden at such a difficult time, as well as ensuring that the estate’s affairs are handled efficiently.

  • Service Mandataire Limited

    Service Mandataire Limited is the management company of AJC. It acts as management company of different corporate entities incorporated by AJC and for which AJC provides registered agent services.

Accounting, Audit, Chartered Accountants and Business Advisors

  • Accounting and Virtual Financial Function

    AJC offers a virtual finance function that can take care of the finance-related aspects of your business. We work individually with each business analyzing the various related finance processes and systems unique to your company. Our financial expertise knowledge and experience can provide your business with a tailored service to suit your particular needs.

    The virtualizing of finance and accounting with various commercial processes creates more opportunities for development, which makes it possible for your business to concentrate on its core tasks. It is a strategic, forward-thinking decision for your business.

    AJC offers the following services:

    • Financial accounting and reporting
    • Cost accounting
    • Payroll services
    • Tax compliance
    • Preparation of management accounts and reports
    • Preparation and audit of statutory accounts
    • Setting up and installing of accounting systems
    • Preparation of budgets and cash flow forecasts
    • Review of business plans
    • Financial modeling
    • Book keeping services
    • Company secretarial services

    Our expertise knowledge and experience can provide your business tailored service to suit your particular needs.

  • Employers' support & payroll

    Employers face an ever-increasing burden in terms of tax and regulatory compliance, while also wanting to maximize returns from their pay and benefit policies.  Our specialists can help, offering a wide range of practical services and expert advice tailored to individual client needs.

    Whether your primary need is for a cost-effective payroll service or a quick answer to an employment tax or regulatory issue our dedicated team of experienced specialists provide prompt and comprehensive advice to any organization trying to manage its employment and payroll challenges.

  • VAT – Value Added Tax Vanuatu 12.5%

    VAT is a complex tax which affects most businesses and organizations. Whether it’s completing and submitting monthly VAT returns or considering the implications of specific transactions, getting it wrong can be a costly mistake. Our sector experts know enough about your business to anticipate risks and opportunities.

    Our VAT team is here to help

    We provide high quality VAT services, tailored to your needs, which ensure that you comply with Vanuatu VAT law, pay the correct amount of VAT at the right time and help you reduce your VAT costs.

    Our services include:

    • Assisting with VAT registration.
    • VAT advice.
    • Preparing/reviewing your VAT returns.

    We offer a comprehensive VAT agent service, which gives you peace of mind, knowing that our experienced VAT professionals are looking after your VAT affairs. As your authorized VAT agent, we can deal with your VAT affairs on your behalf, reducing the burden on your business, whilst allowing you to keep full control.

    Our VAT agent service includes:

    • Dealing directly with VAT Office in respect of your VAT affairs.
    • Being the first point of contact for VAT Office, should they have any queries.
    • Submission of VAT returns and other documentation to VAT Office on your behalf.
    • Hosting VAT Office inspections.
  • Management & Reporting

    Our high-quality accounting services help your business make sound decisions and achieve maximum success. Our aim is to form a partnership with you and supply specific, needs-based accounting solutions on a continual basis.

    Our professionals can provide you with all the financial reports and advice necessary to help you make informed business decisions.

    We can assist with:

    • Preparation of financial statements
    • Periodic management and cashflow reporting
    • Budgeting
    • Financial and performance analysis
    • Activity-based costing and management
    • Working capital and funding strategies
    • Strategic and business planning
    • Acquisitions and disposals
    • Business valuations
    • IT implementation assistance
  • XERO

    Regardless of the economic climate, there’s a trend in business that never changes … money comes in and money goes out!

    Trying to keep up with all your transactions often lead to headaches and sleepless nights. Small business owners tend to use traditional accounting methods such as a cashbook and cheque journals as this used to help to keep costs down. But this takes up a considerable amount of time, time which can be spent better elsewhere! But there is a solution which makes things easier and more accessible without costing the earth and that solution is … Xero.

    This is a self-proclaimed piece of “Beautiful Accounting Software” and it isn’t lying! Xero gives you the opportunity to see the health of your finances at a glance and identify any trends and opportunities which can be crucial to help your business expand. It’s easy to get lost in the accounting jargon and vast ledger screens but Xero is the perfect balance of simplicity, power and elegance. The software hides all the nuts and bolts and instead shows an easy to use and navigate dashboard which means you don’t need your accountant to tell you where your business stands, although don’t forget about us!!

    All our Xero advisors at AJC are fully certified and Xero has awarded us Silver Partnership status so we really do know what we’re talking about when it comes to Xero and how it can help your business.

    So why not call in or drop us an email to discuss how we can work with you and Xero, to truly revolutionize how you do business. You can catch us on contact@ajc-vanuatu.com or by calling us on 678-24404 We can’t wait to hear from you.

Audit and Assurance Services

At AJC we deliver a robust and innovative approach to audit and assurance. We recognize the primary importance of internal control over financial reporting and for this reason our audit approach emphasizes risk management, IT assurance, data analytics and financial reporting.

Our key deliverables typically include, reports to the audit committee on significant risks, the design and implementation of internal control over financial reporting, IT controls and IT audit reports on transactions and processes, analytical procedures designed to explain variances between actual and expected performance, reporting under International Standards on Auditing, review engagements, assurance engagements and related services.

The primary objective of an audit is to provide an independent opinion on your annual accounts. It’s viewed by many as a necessary evil—but undertaking an audit can often lead to significant benefits for a business if approached in the right way.

  • Improving Your Systems and Controls

    Working in a business day-in day-out can mean concentrating on specific issues whilst failing to notice the wider situation. In looking at the business from a completely independent view, we are able to suggest ideas for improvement that may not have otherwise been considered.

  • Risk Awareness

    Risk and governance play an increasingly important role in many businesses, regardless of size or sector. Owners need to take an even more active role in managing all types of risk, from strategic to regulatory, operational to financial. An audit can be the perfect platform to do this, providing assurance that the correct systems are in place to handle any potential risks that may arise.

  • Satisfying Third Party Requirements
    An audit does not just provide confidence to the owner that a business is in good shape—it also offers evidence and assurance to third parties. An audit permits the stakeholders of a business such as shareholders, banks, suppliers, customers and even staff, to make better-informed decisions about its current performance and their subsequent relationship to it, providing additional comfort when deciding whether to invest in, provide finance to or trade with that business.
  • External Audit by AJC

    Our audits are designed to deliver painless compliance for our clients. We use an integrated, efficient, cost-effective and risk-based approach by using the latest risk-based audit methodology.

    Our approach is proactive and is designed to provide reasonable assurance that the financial statements are presented fairly, and in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principle (GAAP) and relevant statutory requirements.

    We continue our commitment towards delivering high level of service excellence to our clients by:

    • Completing our service delivery to a high quality in an agreed timeframe.
    • Assigning appropriately qualified staff to complete your engagement efficiently in a well-planned manner. In all cases, staff have the specific and relevant experience needed to complete the engagement to a high quality standard.
    • Providing you with a resource you have confidence in and can rely upon.
    • Providing you with a resource that can work effectively with your management.
    • Conducting regular reviews of our performance with stakeholders to ensure continuous improvement in our approach.
    • Offering you a value for money service proposition. We want you to feel you are paying the right amount for the right service levels.

    Most importantly, our service is not limited to providing standard compliance or statutory requirements. In delivering audit and assurance services, we gain a significant understanding of your business and operations. Using this knowledge and combined with our expertise, we suggest opportunities to make improvements to your organization, systems and business operations.

  • Internal Audit by AJC

    Today, internal audit has become an important element in the environment of many organizations. It provides the management, audit committee and board of directors with an independent view on the control environment within an organization.

    Our internal audit work is risk-based and client-focused. Our audit approach is tailored and customized for each client, includes identifying key risks, conducting investigation and review, and reporting our findings and recommendations on a timely and regularly basis to an appropriate level of your management team.

Investment in Vanuatu & Due Diligence

Expertise in the legal & financial aspects of creating a new business

Interested in starting your own business? You are a new Investor?

  • Advice on the correct structure for a business
  • Business planning, cash flow projections, budgets & trading forecasts
  • Advise on the best sources of finance & the necessary proposals
  • Registration procedures with government departments
  • Customized systems to record business transactions

  • Asset purchase in Vanuatu

    AJC provides due diligence services to assist clients to assess, plan and manage major transactions.

    Our objective in providing these services is to assure and comfort our clients in their decision-making. Our due diligence reviews include examining historical, forecast financial and tax information and procedures to report on issues that may impact on the value of the business being acquired or the structure of the transaction being contemplated.

    Due diligence is an investigation of a potential investment and is an important decision. We can assist you in making such a decision.

    Our due diligence services provide you with a detailed insight into your investment target. The process generally involves conducting complex investigations into financial, taxation and commercial aspects of the potential investment. We also review and examine historical data, forecast information, procedures, and perform data analysis, reporting on issues that may impact on the value of the investment being acquired.

    Our team has extensive experience in conducting due diligence assignments. We tailor our due diligence procedures to meet the specific requirements of any given assignment.

  • Purchasing a Business

    The purchase of a business in many instances is the largest and most expensive asset purchase in your life time and therefore some caution should be exercised through the due diligence process. We can assist with assessing the businesses fair value through.

    • Reviewing and reporting on the financials submitted by the vendor
    • Assessing the business by first hand by a site visit (if applicable)
    • Work through the due diligence process with you by defining the key areas
    • Help prepare an offer based on completion of due diligence
    • Assist in the final negotiation

    We do not charge a percentage of the sale price but only for time incurred.

  • Selling a Business

    We realize that a business is a very important asset and the marketing and presentation of it is often important to what a purchaser is likely to pay for it. We therefore take great care in preparing an information pack for prospective buyers. The service we offer in selling your business includes:

    • Compiling a marketing brief
    • Formatting and advertisements for the newspaper
    • Setting up advertising campaign
    • Vetting all responses from the advertising
    • Sending out confidentiality agreement for signing to prospect
    • Sending out information pack including financials once confidentially agreement signed
    • Liaising between prospective purchaser and sellers
    • Negotiating on behalf of the seller
    • Finalizing paperwork with solicitors

    We do not charge a percentage of the sale price but only for time incurred.