Indian businesses expanding to the United Kingdom need a legally recognised entity to open UK bank accounts, raise equity capital from European investors, enter government contracts, and establish credibility with British suppliers and customers. A UK Limited Company registered under the Companies Act 2006 provides that structure. However, directors resident in India must simultaneously satisfy Indian regulatory obligations under the Foreign Exchange Management Act 1999 and the Reserve Bank of India Overseas Direct Investment regulations before capital can be remitted. KAMRIT Financial Services LLP manages the end-to-end process: Companies House registration, UK Registered Office appointment, FEMA compliance filing with authorised dealer banks, and post-incorporation maintenance for the first twelve months. Starting price is ₹29,999 for standard incorporation without overseas investment routing.
What is UK Limited Company Setup in India 2026?
A UK Limited Company is a private company limited by shares, registered with Companies House under the Companies Act 2006. It is a separate legal entity from its Indian parent, with its own PAN, bank account, and contractual liabilities. Section 3A of the Companies Act 2006 permits a single director and single shareholder. Registration is filed via Form IN01 through the Companies House Web Incorporation service or through an authorised filing agent. For Indian-owned structures, the overseas direct investment must comply with RBI OIDB Master Direction dated August 30, 2023, which caps total investment in any single overseas venture at 400 percent of net worth of the Indian party without prior approval. Directors must obtain a Director Identification Number from Companies House and maintain a UK Registered Office address at all times.
Who needs this
Indian companies and LLPs seeking UK market presence must meet both UK Companies House eligibility and Indian FEMA compliance thresholds.
- Indian private limited company or LLP with minimum net worth of ₹1 crore under RBI OIDB guidelines for overseas direct investment
- Single or multiple Indian residents as proposed directors; minimum one director required under Companies Act 2006 Section 3A
- Unique company name approved by Companies House; no identical name on the UK register
- UK Registered Office address in England, Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland
- Proposed share capital in GBP; minimum one share must be issued
- No disqualification under Companies Act 2006 Section 158 for any proposed director
- Indian company PAN and DIN must be current and active
- No pending enforcement action by SEBI, RBI, or CBDT against the Indian entity
- Turnover below ₹500 crore threshold for automatic RBI approval route; above this requires special approval
- Proposed UK business activity must be legal under UK law; restricted sectors include gambling, gambling software, and certain financial services requiring FCA authorisation
Documents required
The document stack differs from domestic MCA filings. KAMRIT requires Indian corporate documents, director identity proofs, and UK address confirmations.
- Certificate of Incorporation of Indian parent company with MCA-stamped CIN
- Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Indian company (original or notarised copy)
- PAN card of the Indian company and all resident directors
- DIN allotment letters for all Indian directors
- Latest audited balance sheet of the Indian company (not older than twelve months)
- Net worth certificate from a practicing chartered accountant (required for RBI OIDB reporting)
- Passport-size photographs and valid passport copies of all proposed UK directors
- Proof of UK Registered Office address (lease agreement, utility bill, or landlord letter not older than three months)
- Proposed shareholding pattern with GBP-equivalent values
- Form FCRA (Foreign Collaboration Reporting) compliance acknowledgement from authorised dealer bank
- Board resolution of Indian company approving the overseas investment
- KYC declarations for each proposed Indian director as per RBI AML guidelines
How KAMRIT runs it, step by step
The UK incorporation runs parallel to FEMA compliance. KAMRIT files UK registration simultaneously with the RBI OIDB intimation through the authorised dealer.
- Name Reservation with Companies House. KAMRIT submits proposed company names (up to three in order of preference) via Companies House Name Availability Check. If the first name is taken, the second is automatically considered. This step takes one working day. Companies House charges no fee for name checking but reserves the name for sixty days pending incorporation.
- IN01 Form Preparation and Filing. Form IN01 is completed with proposed director details, registered office address in the UK, share structure, and intended business activity codes (SIC codes). KAMRIT files this electronically via Companies House WebFiling or through an API-connected agent account. Standard online filing takes twenty-four to forty-eight hours for approval. If manual review is triggered, it extends to five working days.
- FEMA OIDB Intimation to Authorised Dealer. Before capital is remitted from India, the Indian parent company must file an OIDB intimation with its authorised dealer bank (Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, or equivalent). KAMRIT prepares the OIDB reporting package including net worth certificate, board resolution, and shareholding documents. Processing time is three to seven working days depending on the bank's internal compliance team.
- Certificate of Incorporation from Companies House. Companies House issues a Certificate of Incorporation with the company registration number (CRN) once Form IN01 is approved. This document is digitally signed and emailed to the registered agent. KAMRIT receives it and shares the CRN, incorporation date, and registered office address with the Indian client. Total elapsed time from filing to receipt is two to ten working days.
- UK PAN Application (if applicable). A UK company operating in India or receiving income from India requires an Indian tax Permanent Account Number under Section 139A of the Income Tax Act 1961. KAMRIT files Form 49A with the local Income Tax PAN centre. PAN is allotted within fifteen working days. This step is optional and only required if Indian-sourced income will be received by the UK entity.
- Post-Incorporation Compliance Setup. Within fourteen days of incorporation, the company must appoint a Company Secretary if required and file a confirmation statement (previously annual return) with Companies House. KAMRIT also sets up the Companies House filing account for the client, configures registered office mail forwarding, and prepares the first director's report and statutory accounts preparation timeline.
Timeline
From the date KAMRIT receives complete document packs, UK Companies House incorporation typically takes two to ten working days depending on whether Companies House triggers a manual review. Online filings are processed faster than paper filings. FEMA OIDB intimation through the authorised dealer bank takes three to seven working days. If the Indian company meets the RBI threshold requiring prior approval (investment exceeding 400 percent of net worth or sector-specific restrictions), the timeline extends to sixty to ninety working days for RBI approval. UK PAN application adds another ten to fifteen working days. In a standard scenario where no special RBI approval is required, the Indian client receives the Companies House Certificate of Incorporation within two to three weeks of engaging KAMRIT. Post-incorporation, the first confirmation statement is due within twelve months of incorporation. Director account activation and initial bank account setup typically adds another two to four weeks with UK high-street banks due to enhanced KYC scrutiny on foreign-owned entities.
How our pricing compares
KAMRIT Financial Services LLP charges a flat ₹29,999 for standard UK company incorporation without overseas investment routing. This covers Companies House filing, document preparation, name reservation, and post-incorporation compliance setup for ninety days. IndiaFilings charges ₹19,999 for basic UK incorporation but adds ₹5,000 to ₹8,000 for FEMA compliance handling, bringing effective cost to ₹24,999 to ₹27,999, and turnaround is five to fifteen working days. Vakilsearch offers UK incorporation at ₹22,000 but adds ₹7,500 for RBI OIDB intimation filing, making the total ₹29,500, and turnaround is seven to twenty working days. ClearTax quotes ₹35,000 for UK incorporation but bundles GSTIN registration and Indian tax compliance for twelve months, raising the effective cost to ₹45,000 with limited focus on FEMA-specific overseas investment compliance. LegalRaasta offers UK incorporation at ₹18,999 but charges separately for every additional service including registered office address, director identification number, and post-incorporation filings, with total cost typically reaching ₹32,000 to ₹38,000 depending on add-ons. KAMRIT's pricing at ₹29,999 is transparent, includes FEMA intimation support, and has no hidden charges for the standard incorporation package.
Common mistakes KAMRIT avoids
Indian companies attempting UK incorporation without professional guidance frequently encounter regulatory and operational setbacks that delay market entry.
- Filing for UK incorporation before completing FEMA OIDB intimation, which creates a situation where the entity exists in the UK but capital cannot be legally routed from India
- Using a residential UK address as Registered Office, which violates Companies House requirements and creates public disclosure issues
- Not conducting a Companies House name search before filing, resulting in rejection and lost filing fees
- Incorrect SIC code selection, which triggers Companies House queries and extends processing time by five to ten working days
- Not obtaining DIN for Indian directors, which is required before directors can be appointed in a UK company
- Remitting share capital exceeding the 400 percent of net worth threshold without obtaining prior RBI approval under OIDB Master Direction
- Assuming UK bank account can be opened remotely from India; most UK banks require at least one director to visit a UK branch or conduct video KYC
- Not registering for UK Corporation Tax within three months of incorporation, which triggers automatic HMRC penalties