A setup provider can make administration easier, but the provider does not replace the licensing authority, bank, tax regulator or sector regulator. Due diligence should therefore focus on what the provider actually controls and what it is merely helping you navigate.
Verify the contracting business
Confirm the provider’s legal entity, licence details, office/contact information and the entity named on the invoice or agreement. Do not rely only on social profiles or a salesperson’s WhatsApp identity.
Ask for the authority and activity in writing
A credible proposal should identify which authority will issue the licence and which activities are being applied for. If the provider cannot explain why the route fits the business model, price should not be the deciding factor.
Break the quote into components
Separate government/authority fees, provider fees, premises, visas, approvals, deposits, documents and optional services. Ask what happens if an authority fee changes or an application is rejected.
Challenge guarantees
No setup provider controls a bank’s account-opening decision, every visa decision, external regulator approval or tax outcome. Treat guaranteed outcomes as a risk signal unless the promise accurately describes something the provider itself controls and the contractual terms support it.
Review payment and refund terms
Know when each payment becomes non-refundable, which third-party costs have already been incurred and what happens if you change route or stop the process.
Protect company access and records
The company should ultimately control its licence records, authority accounts where available, domain/email, bank information and final corporate documents. Do not leave the business permanently dependent on one provider account.
Assess advice boundaries
If the provider gives legal, tax or regulated advice, understand who is qualified and under what engagement. Formation administration and professional advice are not the same service.
A strong provider should make the setup easier to understand, not make the founder more dependent on opaque promises.
Remote founders need operational due diligence as well
If you are managing setup from abroad, confirm who will hold originals, submit applications, receive authority communications, control portal credentials and return corporate records after completion. Convenience is valuable, but document custody and access should remain clear to the company.
Related decisions
Official verification sources: responsible licensing authority, MOET company/business services, relevant professional regulator where advice is claimed