Nevis LLC formation
Nevis LLCs are the gold standard for hostile-creditor protection. The Nevis LLC Ordinance is explicitly written to defeat foreign judgment creditors: it requires creditors to post a $100,000 bond to even initiate a charging-order action, prohibits foreign-judgment recognition without a fresh Nevis trial, and gives the LLC's manager broad discretion to refuse distributions to charged interests. For a high-net-worth operator whose primary concern is asset protection from civil litigation, Nevis is the strongest civil-law jurisdiction available.
- Tier
- GRAY
- Formation
- 7 business days
- Apostille
- Supported
- UBO register
- Private
- EU list
- Off both EU lists
- FATF list
- Off the FATF lists
Figures verified February 2026 · Sources: EU Annex I/II and FATF list status, detailed in Plain talk below.
Can a non-resident form a Nevis company?
Yes. A non-resident can form a Nevis entity. Nevis is a GRAY jurisdiction. Banking is more selective and a compliance desk reads it as mid-tier, so confirm your rail accepts it before you file. Formation is $1,799 all-in / ₿0.02260050 / 2,260,050 sats, paid in Bitcoin or USDT, and takes 7 business days.
- Tier
- GRAY
- From price
- $1,799 all-in
- Formation time
- 7 business days
- EU / FATF status
- off both EU lists, off the FATF lists
- Public UBO register
- No
- Apostille
- Supported
What makes Nevis different
- Hostile-creditor doctrine: judgment creditors must re-litigate in Nevis under Nevis law.
- $100,000 bond requirement to initiate a charging-order action against a member interest.
- Manager-controlled distributions: the LLC can refuse to distribute to a charged interest indefinitely.
- Charging-order exclusive remedy, similar to Wyoming but with sharper teeth.
What you are actually buying with Nevis
GRAY means banking is more selective and the entity reads as mid-tier to a compliance desk. It is not blacklisted, but expect a closer look and a narrower set of rails that will onboard it.
Nevis LLCs do not bank with US rails. Plan on offshore banking. Nevis local banking is possible but limited to certain account types. See the Banking page for named rails.
Nevis is expensive. $1,799 Year-1 plus $1,099/yr renewal is meaningfully above Seychelles. The protection markup is real. Pay it only if asset protection is your dominant requirement.
Nevis is not a tax haven for US persons. CFC rules apply. The structure protects assets from civil creditors, not from the IRS.
What we collect, and what Nevis filing requires
- Email, country of residence, intended use statement
- OFAC + EU + UN sanctions screen
- Tier 1 KYC (ID + proof of address + source-of-funds attestation)
- Beneficial owner identification per the Nevis Financial Services Regulatory Commission
- Notarized copy of passport, utility bill, and source-of-funds attestation
- Reference letters from a bank or attorney (for accounts with higher KYC scores)
The honest note: Nevis's licensed agent KYC is substantive. Tier-1 providers require documentary diligence on every formation. Plan ahead.
Where Nevis entities bank
Nevis LLCs do not bank with US rails. Plan on offshore banking. Nevis local banking is possible but limited to certain account types. See the Banking page for named rails.
Full banking rankingWhen this jurisdiction is right (and wrong)
If you have meaningful net worth and live in a litigious jurisdiction (especially the United States), holding investment assets through a Nevis LLC creates a structural barrier that most plaintiff's attorneys won't pursue. The $100,000 bond requirement alone is a strong deterrent.
If you're combining a Nevis LLC with a Cook Islands trust (the classic HNW asset-protection structure), the Nevis LLC serves as the underlying holding vehicle. We can refer you to a tier-1 Cook Islands trustee for the trust side.
If your business holds appreciating crypto reserves and you want a non-US, civil-law jurisdiction with strong charging-order protection plus Bitcoin-tolerant banking, Nevis is purpose-built for that profile.
Nevis is expensive. $1,799 Year-1 plus $1,099/yr renewal is meaningfully above Seychelles. The protection markup is real. Pay it only if asset protection is your dominant requirement.
Nevis is not a tax haven for US persons. CFC rules apply. The structure protects assets from civil creditors, not from the IRS.
Banking is harder than US or even mid-tier offshore. Plan 30-90 days for bank onboarding. Some banks have stopped onboarding Nevis entities entirely; we surface only those that still do.
Common Nevis questions
Will a Nevis LLC actually protect me from a US lawsuit?
It creates structural barriers: $100,000 bond, Nevis re-litigation, hostile creditor doctrine. It does not make you judgment-proof. Combine with proper counsel.
Can I form a Nevis LLC as a US person?
Yes, but you must comply with US tax reporting (FBAR, Form 8938, Form 5471 if applicable). The structure does not avoid US tax obligations.
How does Nevis compare to a Cook Islands trust?
Nevis LLC holds the assets; Cook Islands trust holds the LLC. The combined structure is the canonical HNW asset-protection arrangement: charging-order protection at the operating layer, ownership-level separation at the trust layer. We provide the Nevis LLC; we refer the trust to a tier-1 Cook trustee.
Do I need to be in Nevis to form the LLC?
No. 100% remote via the licensed agent network.
What's the Year-2+ cost?
$1,099/yr for registered agent + government renewal. State fees may apply depending on jurisdiction policy changes.