The UK remains one of the fastest, cheapest incorporations available to an Indian founder — no residency requirement for directors or shareholders, no minimum capital, and same-day options if you need speed. The process changed meaningfully for 2026, though, and skipping the new step costs you the most time if you don't plan for it.
What actually changed for 2026
Two things. First, the Companies House online incorporation fee doubled from £50 to £100 on 1 February 2026, funding new anti-fraud powers under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act. Second — and more consequential for a non-resident founder — mandatory identity verification for every director and Person with Significant Control (PSC) began rolling out from 18 November 2025 and continues through 2026. This applies whether you're in London or Surat.
The registration sequence
Check your name is available
Free on the Companies House register. You can't formally reserve a name ahead of time, so check close to your actual filing date.
Arrange a UK registered office and registered email address
A non-resident founder almost always routes this through a formation agent's address rather than trying to source a UK address independently.
Complete identity verification
Every director and PSC must complete this, including overseas ones. An ACSP (Authorised Corporate Service Provider) formation agent can complete it on your behalf as part of the filing — the practical route for most non-resident founders rather than trying to navigate it independently.
File your incorporation
Directly online (£100), by post (£124), or through your ACSP agent, who often completes non-resident incorporations within 3–6 working hours once documents are ready.
Receive your Certificate of Incorporation
Standard online filing typically clears within 24 hours of a complete submission.
Register separately for Corporation Tax with HMRC
This is not automatic. You have 3 months from the date you start trading — not from incorporation — to register. A dormant, non-trading company doesn't need to register until it actually starts trading.
What it costs, realistically
Budget beyond just the Companies House fee. A non-resident formation package — bundling the UK registered office, director service address, and identity verification — typically runs £100 to £550 depending on the provider, on top of the £100 statutory Companies House fee. After incorporation, the recurring cost is the £34–50 annual confirmation statement; filing your accounts themselves is free, though most founders still use an accountant for the actual preparation.
Banking and VAT, once you're trading
Digital-first options — Wise Business, Airwallex, Revolut Business — open UK business accounts for non-resident directors in 1–5 working days with a real UK sort code and account number, without a UK visit. Starling Bank, by contrast, requires UK residency, so it's not an option here.
VAT registration becomes mandatory once your UK taxable turnover exceeds £90,000 in any rolling 12-month period — not the tax year, the trailing twelve months, which means this needs checking monthly once you're approaching it, not just at year-end.
For the full entity comparison, current fees, and FAQ, see our UK company registration guide.