Ultimate Beneficial Owner (UBO) in British Virgin Islands

Beneficial-ownership filing and upkeep. The BVI has moved from the secure-search BOSS system to a FILED beneficial-ownership register held on VIRRGIN: the registered agent files the company's beneficial-ownership information and keeps it current on any change. A reportable beneficial owner is a person owning or controlling 25% or more, and the duty applies to every BC subject to limited exemptions such as certain listed or regulated entities. A US$125 filing fee is reported to apply to new incorporations, registrations and continuations from 2 January 2025, with existing companies filing by 1 January 2026; from 1 April 2026 a legitimate-interest access regime opens, under which an applicant demonstrating a legitimate interest connected to anti-money-laundering, counter-terrorist-financing or counter-proliferation work can obtain a 25%-or-more owner's name, month and year of birth, nationality and nature of interest, with the Registrar aiming to process such requests within 12 business days. This regime is the operative point of a BVI engagement and it is moving — confirm the current commencement position before advising. A BVI BC must at all times have a registered office in the BVI (s.90) and a registered agent licensed under the Company Management Act or the Banks and Trust Companies Act (s.91); only the registered agent may file the incorporation application (s.6(2)) or pay the annual government fee (s.236(3)). Comriq coordinates the licensed agent — a founder cannot self-file.