Cheap OFFshore, no taxes, no audit what country for a 5k income freelancer?
- Thread starter Lex00
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He should pay the tax he owes his government if he doesn’t want to relocate. It’s really that simple, unless he’s willing to risk a lot of trouble with the tax authorities.
The IRS would merrily hunt him down for that amount, though he’s not likely to run afoul of them if he stays away from the US.
Seychelles is likely the best fit for what you're describing.
It’s the cheapest real offshore option that still gives you solid flexibility. Registration is around USD 595, and annual renewal is USD 590, making it the lowest in both categories. No audit, no paid-up capital, and minimal reporting.
You can also open a free online business account for it with OMEGA UK EMI , works great for freelancers, supports SEPA/SWIFT, and you’ll get virtual cards to spend your income just like you want (bills, travel, etc.).
No need for a physical office, and the structure is fully remote-friendly. Wise or Revolut might not work with︀ Seychelles, but OMEGA should give you everything you need.
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Eli Carter
Legal Affairs
It’s the cheapest real offshore option that still gives you solid flexibility. Registration is around USD 595, and annual renewal is USD 590, making it the lowest in both categories. No audit, no paid-up capital, and minimal reporting.
You can also open a free online business account for it with OMEGA UK EMI , works great for freelancers, supports SEPA/SWIFT, and you’ll get virtual cards to spend your income just like you want (bills, travel, etc.).
No need for a physical office, and the structure is fully remote-friendly. Wise or Revolut might not work with︀ Seychelles, but OMEGA should give you everything you need.
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Eli Carter
Legal Affairs
Omega is meant to serve only UK entities, that's kinda their main selling point.
That they will help you set up a UK entity incl. accounting and address and bank it with themselves, and that they can accept non-resident owned UK entities.
It would be quite surprising to me to see them onboarding SC entities, do you have some direct introduction or previous cases with that?
That they will help you set up a UK entity incl. accounting and address and bank it with themselves, and that they can accept non-resident owned UK entities.
It would be quite surprising to me to see them onboarding SC entities, do you have some direct introduction or previous cases with that?
Actually, they do onboard offshore entities, including the Seychelles.
We’ve helped many clients open accounts with OMEGA UK EMI using existing offshore companies. While their website highlights UK structures, they also support non-UK entities through trusted partners like us. In fact, they currently accept companies from all 13 jurisdictions︀ we work with, including St. Lucia, Belize, SVG, Seychelles, and others.
So yes, onboarding is definitely possible, and we've done it repeatedly. They are a︁ good choice for sure.
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Eli Carter
Legal Affairs
We’ve helped many clients open accounts with OMEGA UK EMI using existing offshore companies. While their website highlights UK structures, they also support non-UK entities through trusted partners like us. In fact, they currently accept companies from all 13 jurisdictions︀ we work with, including St. Lucia, Belize, SVG, Seychelles, and others.
So yes, onboarding is definitely possible, and we've done it repeatedly. They are a︁ good choice for sure.
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Eli Carter
Legal Affairs
Given your goals, a US LLC (e.g.,︄ Wyoming or New Mexico) could be a good fit - low maintenance, no audit, and︅ flexible for spending via connected cards.
As long as clients and operations are outside the︆ US, you may avoid US tax reporting as a non-resident. However, be cautious: local tax︇ liability can arise if your country of residence sees the income as personal regardless of︈ corporate structure. Consider consulting a tax advisor locally to ensure the setup meets substance and︉ residency rules.
As long as clients and operations are outside the︆ US, you may avoid US tax reporting as a non-resident. However, be cautious: local tax︇ liability can arise if your country of residence sees the income as personal regardless of︈ corporate structure. Consider consulting a tax advisor locally to ensure the setup meets substance and︉ residency rules.
Seychelles requires a lot more reporting nowadays. Accounts need to be deposited at the registrar via your agent. They lost their advantage a decade ago when they complied to everyone and their grandmother with disclosing information WITHOUT court orders.
Plus, try to get a bankaccount for a consulting activity with a SC IBC. Let me know how it went.
Plus, try to get a bankaccount for a consulting activity with a SC IBC. Let me know how it went.
Appreciate the insight, but I think there’s a bit of perspective needed here.
First, whether you’re onshore or offshore, if your activities are triggering international court orders, you’ve probably got bigger problems than your choice of jurisdiction. No matter where you︀ incorporate, any country on earth is going to comply with legitimate legal requests. That’s not︁ a flaw, it’s how lawful systems are supposed to work.
The key isn’t finding a︂ place that refuses to cooperate with the world, it’s choosing a jurisdiction that has real︃ legal structure and due process. In Seychelles, there are formal procedures for disclosing information, and︄ requests still require a legal pathway, not political pressure or backroom access.
As for banking:︅
We work closely with institutions that still open accounts for Seychelles IBCs, including for︆ consulting activities. It’s absolutely possible, if your company is set up properly and the documentation︇ is in order. You can read more about how we assist with banking here:
https://ovza.com/open-an-offshore-bank-account/
Bottom line: Seychelles may no longer be the “wild west” of the early 2000s, but︈ in 2025, serious offshore companies don’t need wild,they need stable, structured, and clear.
First, whether you’re onshore or offshore, if your activities are triggering international court orders, you’ve probably got bigger problems than your choice of jurisdiction. No matter where you︀ incorporate, any country on earth is going to comply with legitimate legal requests. That’s not︁ a flaw, it’s how lawful systems are supposed to work.
The key isn’t finding a︂ place that refuses to cooperate with the world, it’s choosing a jurisdiction that has real︃ legal structure and due process. In Seychelles, there are formal procedures for disclosing information, and︄ requests still require a legal pathway, not political pressure or backroom access.
As for banking:︅
We work closely with institutions that still open accounts for Seychelles IBCs, including for︆ consulting activities. It’s absolutely possible, if your company is set up properly and the documentation︇ is in order. You can read more about how we assist with banking here:
https://ovza.com/open-an-offshore-bank-account/
Bottom line: Seychelles may no longer be the “wild west” of the early 2000s, but︈ in 2025, serious offshore companies don’t need wild,they need stable, structured, and clear.
You miss the point.
The Seychelles complies WITHOUT court orders to information requests. In other words︅ they comply to every witch-hunt request. So much for a robust legal system.
As for︆ banking; im extremely sceptical and the first one to say that if it works, then︇ good for you. Some of the banks you work with will give issues internationally. Do︈ you also tell that to your clients?
SC IBC still has a place in structures︉ when they are used for aviation or yacht registration in my opinion. Anything else they︊ disqualified themselves. Which is kind of obvious if you see how much business they lost︋ in the last decade.
The Seychelles complies WITHOUT court orders to information requests. In other words︅ they comply to every witch-hunt request. So much for a robust legal system.
As for︆ banking; im extremely sceptical and the first one to say that if it works, then︇ good for you. Some of the banks you work with will give issues internationally. Do︈ you also tell that to your clients?
SC IBC still has a place in structures︉ when they are used for aviation or yacht registration in my opinion. Anything else they︊ disqualified themselves. Which is kind of obvious if you see how much business they lost︋ in the last decade.
That’s definitely an interesting perspective,and︁ I understand where you're coming from. But again, I think the main point still stands:︂
If your activities are attracting international legal orders, whether you’re onshore or offshore, then the︃ real issue isn’t the jurisdiction, it’s the business model. At that point, no structure in︄ the world is going to save you from law enforcement.
As for Seychelles and their︅ responsiveness: yes, they have become more transparent over the years. But that’s a global trend.︆ You won’t find any jurisdiction in 2025 that’s completely opaque and still integrated into the︇ financial system. The important distinction is whether a country still follows due process,and Seychelles does.︈ They don’t hand over information casually to “witch hunts,” they follow their own regulatory framework.︉ If you’re clean, you’re fine.
Now, regarding banking, when you mention “issues internationally,” can you︊ be more specific?
We take banking relationships seriously. Every provider we work with goes through︋ a multi-step vetting process.
And I do agree, Seychelles still has value in certain niches like aviation and vessel registration. But even beyond that, in properly structured holding setups or crypto projects, they still work well.
If your activities are attracting international legal orders, whether you’re onshore or offshore, then the︃ real issue isn’t the jurisdiction, it’s the business model. At that point, no structure in︄ the world is going to save you from law enforcement.
As for Seychelles and their︅ responsiveness: yes, they have become more transparent over the years. But that’s a global trend.︆ You won’t find any jurisdiction in 2025 that’s completely opaque and still integrated into the︇ financial system. The important distinction is whether a country still follows due process,and Seychelles does.︈ They don’t hand over information casually to “witch hunts,” they follow their own regulatory framework.︉ If you’re clean, you’re fine.
Now, regarding banking, when you mention “issues internationally,” can you︊ be more specific?
We take banking relationships seriously. Every provider we work with goes through︋ a multi-step vetting process.
- We open and operate accounts ourselves to ensure firsthand familiarity.
- We test their onboarding, support, and transaction flow to understand how they handle real clients.
- We run corporate background checks on the institution and its directors.
- We review compliance practices and︌ gather feedback from actual users.
- Most importantly, they must actively accept and support offshore company︍ structures.
And I do agree, Seychelles still has value in certain niches like aviation and vessel registration. But even beyond that, in properly structured holding setups or crypto projects, they still work well.
Interesting how you claim that I have an interesting perspective and then in the same post say the above. To make it absolutely clear; its not a perspective, its︀ real life experience.
Ill say it one more time; the Seychelles does NOT follow due︁ process and DOES handover information casually. They do NOT follow their own regulatory framework. This︂ has been a developing tend since 2012 hence why they lost so much business.
I have no issues with transparency. I support being legit and clean into all details. I︃ also EXPECT jurisdictions to follow their frameworks. If they do not do that then we︄ go back to the Wild West. Something which took us (the industry) a long time︅ to get away from.
Banking wise; ill highlight the Vanuatu one. Many western countries will︆ block transactions to Vanuatu. It's definitely not an easy jurisdiction to do business with. Likely︇ you end up spending more time in getting payments cleared than you spend on your︈ actual business.
Ill say it one more time; the Seychelles does NOT follow due︁ process and DOES handover information casually. They do NOT follow their own regulatory framework. This︂ has been a developing tend since 2012 hence why they lost so much business.
I have no issues with transparency. I support being legit and clean into all details. I︃ also EXPECT jurisdictions to follow their frameworks. If they do not do that then we︄ go back to the Wild West. Something which took us (the industry) a long time︅ to get away from.
Banking wise; ill highlight the Vanuatu one. Many western countries will︆ block transactions to Vanuatu. It's definitely not an easy jurisdiction to do business with. Likely︇ you end up spending more time in getting payments cleared than you spend on your︈ actual business.
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