Doing business in Russia may mean following new rules, registering with the Russian company register, and dealing alongside or in competition with Russian entrepreneurs.

 

Understand the method of starting a business in Russia with this guide.

 

If you're a far off individual or company looking to start actively doing business in Russia, what does one got to know and what does one get to do to urge started? What options does one have in terms of the way to structure your business?

 

This guide covers the essentials for beginning a business in Russia, including:

 

How to start a business in Russia

Russian company types

The rules of doing business in Russia

Etiquette and social custom

Russian entrepreneurs and self-employed sole traders in Russia

Foreign companies registered for add Russia

Business in Russia: visas

Taxes and accounting for Russian businesses

Employing foreign staff in Russia

Government and business support in Russia

 

 

How to start a business in Russia

There are a variety of things to think about and processes to travel through if you're a private or company thinking of starting a business in Russia. you would like to start with basic considerations like whether you'll legally operate as a business in Russia and whether you've got a business concept is probably going to figure, before moving onto practical considerations like choosing a legal structure, drawing up documents, joining the Russian company register and opening up a business checking account.

 

Immigration status
The first thing to try to if you're a foreigner eager to start a business in Russia is to form sure your immigration status allows you to trade the country. Will, you would like a business or copyright or a residency permit? See the below section on business visas in Russia for more information.

 

Business plan for conducting business in Russia
Secondly, does one have a feasible idea, and have you ever researched the market to assess whether your business is probably going to achieve success in Russia? Before launching into any business venture, it’s an honest idea to draw up a business that decides to answer all of the questions on whether your business idea is probably going to not only get off the bottom but sustain itself within the long-term. Successful Russian entrepreneurs know that it’s all well and good having an innovative idea, but not all business ideas achieve practice so it pays to plan properly.

 

You can download business plan templates and appearance at sample business plans from various industries from an internet site like this one. You’ll also check an internet site like this one which maps businesses in Russia. You’ll search the location by business category or name.

 

Legal structure
If you're allowed to start a business in Russia and are confident that your business idea works, the subsequent step is to decide on your business legal structure. Information on options available is within the section below on Russian company types.

 

Choosing name and address
You need to settle on an appropriate trading name for your Russian business (ensuring that you simply don’t choose a reputation that somebody else has already registered) alongside an address to register your Russian business.

 

Foundation documents
Following Russian legislation, the founders of the business got to draw up the inspiration documents (charter and founding agreement). The method for this may vary consistent with which legal structure you select, but should include the following:

 

Full name (plus any abbreviation it'll use in business transactions)

Names and signatures of the corporate founders

The amount and nature of shareholder contributions (cash or in-kind)

Rules for the running of the corporate

Legal responsibilities

Details of any directors, if applicable

For indebtedness Companies and personal Joint-Stock Companies, the minimum legal capital requirement is R10,000 per individual, with 50% at the purpose of registration, and therefore the remainder paid within the primary 12 months.

 

Joining the Russian company register
Once the corporate documents are involved, you would like to include your Russian business by sending the subsequent documents to the registration office of the Federal Tax Service (FTS):

 

Registration form including notarized signatures (cost of R200)

Copies of foundation documents

Proof of status of the business founder(s)

Receipt of the state registration fee (which costs R4000)

A copy of the registration form is out there on the FTS website.

 

You can find your local FTS office here.

 

Once these documents are sent, the FTS will make a choice within 5 working days and can either approve your business to the State Register or refuse the registration. An inventory of grounds for refusal is often found in article 23 of the Federal Law no. 129-FZ.

 

If your business in Russia is accepted, this process also registers the business for tax purposes. You’ll receive the subsequent documents within 7 days of the submission of your application:

 

The Incorporation Certificate (or Certificate of State Registration) for your business

Tax Certificate

Tax number for the business

Copy of your foundation documents with the mark of registering authority

Extract from the Common State Register of Legal Entities

Make a corporation seal
This is the official mark of the business and can be produced by a knowledgeable company. Company seals are not any longer a legal requirement in Russia following a change within the law in 2015, however many Russian businesses still have seals. The value for producing one is R500.

 

Open up a checking account for conducting business in Russia
Once you've got all the official documents from the FTS, you'll open a Russian business checking account. You’ll get to get a notarized copy of the signatures (cost of R200 per person) for the account. To open a business account in Russia, you'll need the following:

 

Incorporation Certificate and Tax Certificate from the FTS

Founding documents of your business

Your Russian business license (if applicable for your business)

Notarized signatures

Documents confirming the identity and authority of the signatories of the account

 

Once you've got completed these steps, you're liberal to start the running of your Russian company which can inevitably involve tons of organizing, marketing, etc. Where the diligence begins! The steps above should take around 18-21 days in total to finish.

 

Russian company types

There are a variety of various legal structures to settle on from for Russian business. You’ll get to determine which one you'll choose before you progress forward with most of the steps within the section above. Full details of legal business structures and their features are detailed within the Civil Code and corporation’s law of the Russia – Federal Law 14-FZ (Limited Liability Companies) and Federal Law 208-FZ (Joint-Stock Companies). The six main sorts of Russian company are:

 

Limited Liability Company (OOO)

This is the foremost common sort of business in Russia. An OOO can have a maximum of fifty shareholders who got to contribute a minimum of R10, 000 each (50% payable on registration). Shareholders are jointly responsible for company debts up to the registered capital amount.

 

The management structure consists of 1) general meeting (the highest body that meets a minimum of once a year) and 2) board of directors (oversees general business activities). In some cases, an executive committee can also be formed.Mastermind Australia

 

Any Russian or foreign individual (or company) is often a founder or shareholder of any number of Russian OOOs, although to be a member or director you'll need to have the required visa and/or copyright to measure within the country if you're a foreigner. An OOO may be a Russian legal entity that will conduct any sort of activity not prohibited by Russia. They’re going to need a license to conduct any licensed sort of activity.

 

Joint-Stock Company

This can be either open (OAO) or closed (ZAO). The ZAO may be a private Russian company and is extremely almost like the OOO. The OAO may be a public company. The most differences are that an OAO can have quite 50 shareholders, shares are freely transferable to the general public (rather than simply between shareholders) and therefore the minimum requested capital contribution is R100, 000.

 

The management structure and shareholder liability of both sorts of companies are almost like the OOO.

 

Partnership

 

Partnerships are often more suitable for little businesses in Russia. There are two sorts of partnership in Russian business:

 

General partnership – where two or more individuals (or companies) have equal rights and liabilities supported a partnership agreement. Unlike with indebtedness and joint-stock companies, personal assets are often wont to cover debts with a general partnership. Management is shared between partners and therefore the business capital is detailed within the partnership agreement.

 

Limited partnership – where the partnership has two sorts of partners. General partners, who are fully responsible for debts and profits, make the most decisions and may cover costs with personal assets; and limited partners who are only liable up to their contribution to the business capital.

 

Sole ownership – this is often for people starting a Russian business on their own. Details are within the below section on freelancers and self-employed.

 

Branch – a subdivision of a far off company based in Russia and entitled to conduct business activity. Not considered a separate legal entity from the overseas company and treated as non-resident more details within the section on foreign companies registered in Russia below.

 

Registered Office – a subdivision of a far off company based in Russia to represent company interests in Russia, but not allowed to undertake the business activity. Not considered a separate legal entity from the overseas company and treated as non-resident more details within the section on foreign companies registered in Russia below.