Establishment of an accredited branch / representative office in Russia

Despite the difference in functions, the accreditation procedure for a branch and a representative office of a foreign company is identical. The accreditor is Interdistrict Inspectorate No. 47 of the Russian Federal Tax Service in Moscow (regardless of the location of the subdivision).

List of required documents:

• The resolution on the establishment of a branch/representative office in the territory of the Russian Federation, a power of attorney for the head of the branch/representative office, the branch/representative office regulations, subject to notarization at a Russian or foreign notary;
• Articles of incorporation/memorandum of the foreign company, the format depends on the jurisdiction of the foreign company (the document must be legalized, unless otherwise stipulated by an international agreement of the Russian Federation, and translated by a Russian translator, whose signature is certified by a Russian notary).
• An extract from the trade register or the alternative of the said document, which establishes the legal capacity of a foreign company, the document must be certified at a registrar or another authorized body and subsequently legalized, unless otherwise stipulated by an international agreement of the Russian Federation, and translated by a Russian translator, whose signature is certified by a Russian notary.
• Certificate of tax residence of a foreign company, certified by a tax authority and subsequently legalized, unless otherwise stipulated by an international agreement of the Russian Federation, and translated by a Russian translator, whose signature is certified by a Russian notary.
• Document confirming the payment of a state duty.
  • Mandatory expenses (other than remuneration of lawyers, auditors, etc.):
• State duty – 120,000 rubles[1];
• Notary and translation expenses – upwards of 10,000 rubles[2] (depending on the volume of documents);
• The fee to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry for coordinating the number of foreign employees (the stage is mandatory even in the absence of foreign employees) – upwards of 18,000 rubles[3].
  • Time frames (from the moment the documents are ready for submission):
    • Time frame of certification of the number of foreign employees – 1 business day or more;
    • Time frame of accreditation – 30 business days;
    • Additional stages (registration in extra-budgetary funds, opening a bank account, etc.) – 5 business days or more.

The total time frame of establishing a branch / representative office in Russia – 2 months or more.