Ukrainian founders · Non-EU · Hague apostille route · CZ–UA treaty
Open a Czech company from Ukraine
Ukrainian entrepreneurs can register a Czech s.r.o. entirely remotely. Ukraine is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention — your notarised power of attorney is apostilled in Ukraine and accepted directly by Czech authorities. No Czech visit required for registration. Business and accounting guidance only — not immigration advice.
- 100% remote — Ukrainian notary + Hague apostille
- CZK 1 minimum share capital
- Genuine EU entity with Czech IČO and EU VAT number (DIČ)
- CZ–UA double-tax treaty in force (1997, amended 2015)
- Czech registered office and datová schránka handled
- Czech banks experienced with Ukrainian clients
- English-language process from start to finish
This page covers Czech company formation and accounting aspects only. For Czech residence, work permits or immigration questions, please consult a qualified immigration specialist.
Key facts for Ukrainian founders
- Entity type: Czech s.r.o. (LLC/Ltd. equivalent)
- Min. capital: CZK 1 (≈ 0 € indicative)
- Czech CIT: 21% on net profit
- Czech VAT: 21% standard / 12% reduced
- PoA route: Ukrainian notary + Hague apostille
- Registration time: 5–15 business days
- Double-tax treaty: CZ–UA 1997 treaty (amended 2015) in force
EUR figures are indicative at approx. 1 EUR = 24.8 CZK. Source: Finanční správa · Updated: 2026-07-14.
Why Czech Republic for Ukrainian entrepreneurs
EU access, apostille route, established Ukrainian community
EU single market
A Czech s.r.o. is a full EU legal entity with access to EU markets, EU payment processors, EU banking, and EU VAT systems including the One-Stop Shop for pan-European e-commerce.
Hague apostille — accepted directly
Ukraine is a Hague Apostille Convention member. Your Ukrainian notarial PoA is apostilled by a Ukrainian authority and accepted by Czech authorities without any embassy attestation chain. Ukraine launched an electronic apostille register in June 2025, further streamlining the process.
CZ–UA tax treaty
The bilateral double-tax treaty (1997, amended 2015) governs dividends, interest and royalties between the Czech Republic and Ukraine, providing a framework for cross-border tax planning.
Established Ukrainian community
The Czech Republic is home to one of the largest Ukrainian diaspora communities in the EU. Czech banks, notaries and professional advisers are well versed in working with Ukrainian nationals and Ukrainian documents, making the practical setup smoother than in most other EU countries.
Czech bank account
We guide you through Czech bank account opening with non-EU KYC in mind. Some Czech banks have dedicated processes for Ukrainian account holders. We advise on the best fit for your business profile.
English throughout
All documents, accounting and correspondence handled in English. No Czech language required for Ukrainian founders managing their company remotely.
How it works for Ukrainian founders
Remote registration in 4 steps
1. Consultation
We discuss your business plan, shareholders and cross-border tax considerations. We recommend involving a tax adviser for the Ukrainian-side implications.
2. Apostilled PoA
We provide the PoA template. You sign before a Ukrainian notary and obtain a Hague apostille. Ukraine's e-apostille register (since June 2025) speeds this up. No Czech embassy visit needed.
3. Czech registration
We attend the Czech notary with your apostilled PoA, execute the founding deed (notářský zápis) and file with the Commercial Register. IČO issued within 5–15 business days.
4. Bank + accounting
We arrange registered office, datová schránka, guide bank account opening (non-EU KYC) and set up English-language monthly accounting.
Cross-border considerations
Czech entity, Ukrainian-side obligations — what to consider
If you are resident in Ukraine and your Czech s.r.o. is effectively managed from Ukraine, Ukrainian tax law may treat it as having Ukrainian-side obligations. The CZ–UA double-tax treaty allocates taxing rights and can mitigate double taxation. For founders already resident in the Czech Republic, Czech residence and personal income tax rules also apply.
We focus on Czech-side formation and accounting. For Ukrainian tax obligations and for immigration / residence questions in the Czech Republic, please engage the appropriate specialist.
Disclaimer: this page provides general information only and does not constitute legal or tax advice. Updated: 2026-07-14. Tax year 2026.
Typical use cases for Ukrainian founders
- Ukrainian IT professionals and software developers
- E-commerce sellers targeting EU and Czech market
- Entrepreneurs seeking an EU legal entity for EU clients
- Ukrainian residents in Czech Republic formalising a business
- Amazon EU and EU marketplace sellers needing EU VAT
- Service companies invoicing EU clients from a Czech entity
Ready-made Czech s.r.o.
Need an EU entity immediately? A ready-made s.r.o. is already registered — you take it over in days. The apostilled PoA route is still used for the transfer, but the entity is operational faster.
Ready-made s.r.o. →English-language accounting
We provide ongoing bookkeeping, VAT returns and annual financial statements for your Czech s.r.o. — entirely in English, entirely remotely.
Accounting services →The CZ–UA treaty in numbers
What the double-tax treaty caps
The Czech Republic–Ukraine double-tax treaty (concluded 1997, amended by the 2015 protocol) sets ceilings on the Czech withholding tax charged on income leaving your Czech s.r.o. for a Ukrainian owner.
| Payment from the Czech s.r.o. | Czech WHT under the treaty | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Dividends | 5% | Beneficial owner is a company with a qualifying holding |
| Dividends | 15% | Other cases — including an individual Ukrainian founder |
| Interest | 0% / 5% | 0% for specified public lenders; 5% otherwise |
| Royalties | 10% | Standard treaty rate |
For a solo Ukrainian founder the 15% dividend ceiling matches the Czech domestic rate, so the treaty's value lies in the 0–5% interest article, the 10% royalty cap, and — critically — crediting Czech tax against Ukrainian tax so the same profit is not taxed twice. If the s.r.o. is effectively managed from Ukraine, Ukrainian tax law may still reach it; the treaty allocates the taxing rights.
The wartime reality most guides skip
NBU currency controls — and how a Czech s.r.o. works alongside them
Since February 2022 the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) has run foreign-exchange restrictions under martial law. They have been eased in stages, but they still shape how a Ukraine-resident founder funds and repatriates from a foreign company — this is the part that catches people out:
- Cross-border FX is restricted, not frozen. The NBU permits defined categories of foreign-currency transfers and keeps widening them; from 14 January 2026 it moved to a more granular, risk-based framework and a new "loan limit" mechanism for funds raised abroad.
- Dividends can be sent abroad — Ukrainian residents have been able to transfer dividends accrued since 1 January 2023, within a monthly limit (broadly the equivalent of EUR 1 million), subject to NBU conditions. For most founders the limit is not the binding constraint; the documentation is.
- Funding the Czech company from Ukraine must fit an NBU-permitted purpose — route it through your Ukrainian bank with the correct supporting documents rather than improvising.
- An EU entity gives you EU-side rails: the Czech s.r.o. holds a euro account in an EU bank, invoices EU clients, and receives EU payment-processor settlements without touching Ukrainian FX controls — a practical continuity layer while restrictions persist.
Relocating founders and teams
The Czech Republic hosts one of the EU's largest Ukrainian communities, and many Ukrainian IT teams have relocated staff here. A Czech s.r.o. is a natural base if you are in that position:
- Contract and pay relocated team members through a genuine EU employer
- Invoice EU clients in EUR from an EU-resident company
- Keep operating even if a founder is mobile between Ukraine, Czechia and the EU
- Give clients an EU counterparty with EU legal standing
We handle the Czech company and accounting. For Czech residence, work permits and Temporary Protection status, use a qualified immigration specialist — we can point you to one.
Disclaimer: general Czech-side information, not Ukrainian FX or immigration advice; NBU rules change frequently — verify current limits with your Ukrainian bank. Source: CMS — NBU FX liberalisation framework 2026. Updated: 2026-07-14.
Worked example
€100,000 of EU software revenue, cleanly
A relocated Ukrainian dev studio bills EU clients through its Czech s.r.o. and nets €100,000. Czech CIT at 21% is €21,000, leaving €79,000. A dividend to the Ukrainian individual founder carries Czech withholding at the 15% treaty/domestic rate (€11,850); that Czech tax is creditable against Ukrainian personal tax under the treaty, and the repatriation itself must fit the NBU's permitted-transfer framework. Retaining profit in the EU company to pay relocated staff avoids the FX round-trip entirely — often the more practical choice while restrictions apply.
Illustrative only; confirm your NBU limits and Ukrainian tax position with local advisers.
Where a Czech s.r.o. fits for Ukrainian founders
- IT studios and developers relocating teams into the EU
- Founders needing an EU euro account outside Ukrainian FX controls
- Service companies invoicing EU clients from an EU entity
- Amazon EU and marketplace sellers needing an EU VAT number
- Businesses seeking EU legal continuity during the war — with English-language accounting handled for them
Czech company from Ukraine — FAQ
Can a Ukrainian citizen open a Czech company?
Yes. Ukrainian citizens can be shareholders and directors of a Czech s.r.o. Czech company law does not restrict non-EU nationals from owning Czech companies. The formation process is fully remote via a notarised and apostilled power of attorney — you do not need to travel to the Czech Republic solely for registration purposes.
Does the Czech Republic have a double-tax treaty with Ukraine?
Yes. A double tax treaty between the Czech Republic and Ukraine is in force. The convention was originally concluded in 1997 and amended by a protocol that entered into force in December 2015. It governs how dividends, interest and royalties are taxed across both countries. We recommend consulting a tax adviser for your specific situation.
How does document legalisation work for Ukrainian documents?
Ukraine is a member of the Hague Apostille Convention. A notarial deed or public document issued in Ukraine can be authenticated by apostille — issued by the competent Ukrainian authority — and will be accepted by Czech authorities without further consular legalisation. Additionally, the Czech Republic and Ukraine have a bilateral legal assistance treaty which, in certain cases, further simplifies document requirements. We advise on the exact procedure for your specific documents at the outset.
What is the minimum share capital for a Czech s.r.o.?
The statutory minimum is CZK 1 — one Czech crown (≈ 0 € indicative). In practice we recommend depositing a modest amount for credibility during Czech bank account opening.
What Czech taxes apply to my s.r.o.?
Czech corporate income tax is 21% on net annual profit. Dividends paid to shareholders are subject to 15% Czech withholding tax — the CZ–UA double-tax treaty governs cross-border treatment. VAT: 21% standard / 12% reduced; mandatory registration above 2 000 000 Kč (≈ 80,650 € indicative) annual turnover. Source: Finanční správa.
Do I need a Czech residence permit or visa to own a Czech company?
Owning shares in a Czech s.r.o. as a non-EU national does not itself require a Czech visa or residence permit. However, if you plan to physically work in or manage the company from Czech territory on an ongoing basis, immigration rules may apply. We focus strictly on the business and accounting side — for Czech residence, work permits or immigration questions, please consult a qualified immigration lawyer.
There is a large Ukrainian community in Czechia — does that help with setup?
The Czech Republic hosts one of the largest Ukrainian diaspora communities in the EU. Many Czech banks, notaries and accountants are experienced working with Ukrainian clients and Ukrainian documents. This practical familiarity helps smooth the process compared with less common jurisdictions.
Can I open a Czech business bank account as a Ukrainian national?
Yes, though enhanced due diligence requirements apply for non-EU nationals at most Czech banks. The process typically requires identity verification, proof of source of funds and business documentation. Some Czech banks have dedicated processes for Ukrainian account holders. We advise on the most suitable banking options and guide the account-opening process.
What is a datová schránka?
Datová schránka is the mandatory Czech electronic government inbox assigned to every Czech s.r.o. automatically upon registration since 2023. All official correspondence from Czech authorities — tax office, commercial register, courts — is delivered electronically via this system. We monitor it and translate relevant notices on your behalf.
How long does Czech company registration take?
After the notarial deed is executed and filed, the Czech Commercial Register typically processes the application within 5–15 business days. A ready-made s.r.o. is available immediately if speed is critical.
Ready to open your Czech EU company from Ukraine?
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