The representative or liaison office is one of the 3 available business forms for foreign companies interested in having a presence in Lithuania. The other 2 types of legal forms foreign companies can use are the branch office and the subsidiary.
Our company formation agents in Lithuania can assist overseas companies interested in registering a representative office in this country.
Steps to open a liaison office in Lithuania
The first step to set up a liaison office in Lithuania is for the management board or executives to adopt a decision on the establishment of the office. Following that, the resolution must be approved by the company’s shareholding and the registration process can begin.
The next steps must be completed with the Lithuanian Trade Register and they imply:
- filing the resolution for opening the representative office in Lithuania;
- finding a business address which will be used as the liaison office’s official address in Lithuania;
- appointing a local representative who will keep in touch with the Lithuanian authorities;
- obtaining the approval of the Trade Register to start its operations.
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| What is a liaison office | A liaison office (or a representative office) is a business establishment of a foreign company that can be used only for non-commercial purposes. |
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Incorporation obligations |
Investors who will open a liaison office in Lithuania must conclude several standard incorporation formalities, such as: – signing and drawing up the regulations of the liaison office, – appointing the management body, – register with the Register of Legal Entities, – submit the incorporation documents of the parent company, – translation and certification of the documents of the parent company, etc. |
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Types of activities it can undertake |
The liaison office can develop only non-commercial activities, such as: – marketing research, – establishing new partnerships with local businesses, – analyzing the characteristics of the local consumer market, etc. |
| Have a registered office in Lithuania (yes/no) | Yes |
| Registration costs |
The basic registration procedure is bound by the payment of a registration fee of EUR 41,75 (paid to the Register of Legal Entities). |
| Capital requirements |
Not applicable |
| Duration of the registration process |
It takes approximately 1 month to open a liaison office in Lithuania (the standard registration formalities take around 3-5 business days). |
| Tax obligations |
The liaison office is required to pay certain taxes, such as employment taxes, but it is exempt from paying the corporate income tax, since the purpose of the establishment is a non-commercial one. |
| Reporting formalities (yes/no) |
Yes |
| Institution in charge with the registration formalities | Register of Legal Entities |
| Law applicable to liaison offices |
The Civil Code of the Republic of Lithuania (Book Two) |
| Documents that must be submitted by the parent company |
– the incorporation documents, – the articles of association/memorandum, – the financial statements issued in the last financial year, – the certificate of registration issued by the authorities of the country where the parent company is a tax resident, – the decision to open a liaison office in Lithuania, – completed application forms. |
| Licensing requirements |
They can be imposed only when the liaison office develops an activity that requires a license, as per the Lithuanian law. |
| Appointing an accountat (yes/no) |
Yes |
| Services offered by our team |
Our consultants can assist foreign business with the following services: – preparing the documents for the incorporation, – find a notary public in Lithuania where the documents of the parent company can be notarized, – represent the foreign company during the registration formalities, – represent foreign clients in front of Lithuanian institutions, – find a suitable office space, – assist in employment matters, etc. |
It should be noted that a Lithuanian representative office is subject to certain restrictions, which is why it is usually employed by foreign companies for short periods of time.
The uses of a representative office in Lithuania
As mentioned above, a Lithuanian liaison office is subject to certain restrictions which are shown in the table below:
| Activity | Restrictions |
| Commercial activities | No |
| Signing contracts on behalf of the parent company | No |
| Completing marketing activities | Yes |
| Representing the foreign company in relation to business partners | Yes |
| Acting as a contact point for clients | Yes |
Our company registration consultants in Lithuania can help with the establishment of a representative office.
What are the costs of setting up a liaison office in Lithuania?
Although the costs of running a representative office can be lower than when an investor opts to open a company in Lithuania, there are specific costs that have to be taken into consideration.
Such costs refer to the registration fees that must be paid during the process of company formation in Lithuania, as well as the running costs (office space, utilities, employment, etc.).
Therefore, we invite foreigners to find out some of the main costs in the list below, which was prepared by our team of consultants in company registration in Lithuania:
- • during the incorporation process, investors will have to pay a registration fee of EUR 41,75 with the Centre of Registers;
- • the standard process for company formation in Lithuania for a representative office can be completed in approximately 3 days (however, other additional steps are required);
- • the liaison office will need an official registered address – this can be achieved through a virtual office, which can cost EUR 200 per year, or through a renting a regular office space, which can cost minimum EUR 200 per month;
- • the entity will also need to have 1 accountant to maintain the company’s documents and the cost for accounting services can be of EUR 100 per month;
- • the initial costs of setting up the liaison office can be of minimum EUR 1,000.
What documents are necessary for the registration of the liaison office?
Although the liaison office does not follow all the steps for company incorporation in Lithuania, investors will have to comply with certain legal procedures.
Here, we mention the documentation that must be prepared for the registration of a Lithuanian business form, which is necessary regardless of its type.
As mentioned above, the company will need to appoint a representative, who will be in charged for the activities of the liaison office. During the registration, the said person will need to provide information on his identity and residence.
The incorporation documents of the parent company must be added to the file, along with documents which attest the physical place where the liaison office has set up its registered address.
For this, the lease documents can be used or other types of agreements. You can find out more concerning this subject from our team of consultants in company formation in Lithuania. We also invite you to watch a short video on how to register a Lithuanian representative office:
Why open a liaison office in Lithuania?
Even if it cannot undertake commercial activities in Lithuania, the liaison office is a good choice for companies interested in surveying the market before setting up a permanent establishment.
Also, the establishment of a representative office is cheaper and does not imply any share capital deposit from the parent company.
For assistance in opening a liaison office or a new company, please contact our company formation advisors in Lithuania.