How long does UK company formation take for overseas applicants?

The Companies House filing itself is fast, but identity verification for directors and PSCs based abroad, especially through an Authorised Corporate Service Provider rather than GOV.UK One Login, can add a few days depending on document quality and response times across time zones.

The corporation tax UTR arrives by post to the registered office a few weeks after incorporation, and you cannot file a first corporation tax return or, in some cases, complete bank onboarding without it. This postal step is the main fixed delay non-resident founders cannot shortcut.

Fintech and electronic money institution accounts for non-resident directors can open within days once the certificate of incorporation exists, but applications flagged for enhanced checks, high risk SIC codes or complex ownership structures can take several weeks.

Traditional high street banks routinely take four to eight weeks for non-resident applicants and often require an in-branch meeting, so most overseas founders who need to trade quickly use a fintech provider first and consider a traditional bank later.

Our fixed monthly packages for a UK limited company start at £89 plus VAT and run to £169 and £289 plus VAT as bookkeeping, VAT, payroll and reporting are added. One-off filings are sold at fixed prices, and the Companies House fees we pay for you are charged at cost with no VAT added. Overseas owners are quoted on exactly the same published prices as UK-resident clients.

Rates, thresholds and deadlines here reflect the 2026/27 UK position and current Companies House and HMRC guidance. Check GOV.UK, or ask us, before relying on them for your own company.