Mauritius vs Vanuatu: Offshore Company Comparison
The offshore world has professionalised dramatically over the last decade. Substance rules, beneficial-ownership registers and bank compliance have raised the bar — and raised the value of getting the structure right.
Mauritius GBCs are the premier treaty-based gateway for investment into Africa and India. Meanwhile, vanuatu remains one of the few genuinely zero-tax jurisdictions in the Pacific. This comparison puts both regimes side by side on the nine factors that actually decide the outcome.
Head-to-Head
| Mauritius | Vanuatu | |
|---|---|---|
| Entity | Mauritius Global Business Company (GBC) | Vanuatu International Company |
| Governing law | Mauritius Companies Act 2001 & FSA rules | Vanuatu International Companies Act |
| Formation time | 5–10 business days | 24 hours |
| Minimum capital | No minimum capital | No minimum capital |
| Taxation | 3% effective rate possible with foreign tax credit | 0% corporate and income tax |
| Best for | Africa/India investment routing, funds | Pacific trading, financial dealers licences |
| Privacy | Regulated substance with private ownership details | Confidential registers |
| Treaty access | 46 double-tax treaties incl. India and Africa | No treaties |
| Annual cost | Annual FSC licence and audit | Low annual fee |
Choose Mauritius If…
Your priority is africa/india investment routing, funds, you value regulated substance with private ownership details, and the tax position — 3% effective rate possible with foreign tax credit — matches how and where you will actually be taxed personally.
Choose Vanuatu If…
Your project centres on pacific trading, financial dealers licences, and no treaties matters to your planning. Formation in 24 hours with no minimum capital keeps entry friction low.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper to run long-term?
Mauritius: Annual FSC licence and audit. Vanuatu: Low annual fee. Year-three total cost — not year-one incorporation price — is the honest comparison, and it usually reorders the ranking.
Which is better for banking?
Banks assess the whole profile, but jurisdiction reputation is a real input. Mauritius suits africa/india investment routing, funds; Vanuatu suits pacific trading, financial dealers licences. We match the choice to the banks you actually want.
Can I move the company later?
Both jurisdictions support redomiciliation in and out, so the decision is not irreversible — but migrating costs more than choosing correctly the first time.
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