AT A GLANCE
From Australian customers to an operating company
- STEP 1
Business need
Who buys, who works and where?
- STEP 2
Right route
Subsidiary or foreign-company registration
- STEP 3
Local readiness
Director, IDs, address and records
- STEP 4
Operating plan
Tax, bank, accounts and annual review
Choose the route that matches your business
A proprietary limited company, commonly written as Pty Ltd, is a common option for a separate Australian business. Registering an existing Indian company to operate in Australia is a different process, with its own documents, local-agent arrangements and reporting.
ASIC registers Australian companies. It explains that an overseas business using an Australian subsidiary does not also need foreign-company registration for that same route. Whether your activities amount to carrying on business in Australia needs a facts-based review.
| Route | What it means | What to assess |
|---|---|---|
| Australian subsidiary | A separate company incorporated in Australia | Ownership, resident director, local address and operating plan |
| Registered foreign company | An existing overseas company registered with ASIC | Local agent, certified parent documents and continuing reporting |
| Sell from India | Supply customers without immediately setting up a local company | Contracts, tax exposure, customer expectations and whether registration is needed |
Resolve the local-director requirement early
A standard proprietary company must have at least one director who normally lives in Australia. Directors must be at least 18 and apply for a director identification number before appointment. A secretary is optional for a proprietary company; if appointed, at least one must normally live in Australia.
Holding a visa does not by itself settle the resident-director requirement. Discuss your actual arrangements with an Australian adviser. A director accepts legal duties, so a relative or service provider should understand the responsibility before consenting. Company registration also does not grant a right to live or work in Australia.
- Agree who will genuinely manage the business and approve decisions.
- Arrange a suitable Australian registered office and permission to use it.
- Decide the shareholding and who will supply working capital.
What the setup engagement should deliver
The agreed scope can include an intake review, document checklist, name and structure coordination, preparation of registration information and a handover pack. Separate work, such as an Australian tax opinion, resident-director services, immigration advice or banking assistance, should be identified in the proposal rather than assumed.
After incorporation, ASIC issues an Australian Company Number, or ACN, and a registration certificate. The Australian Business Number, or ABN, and tax registrations are separate items to assess. GST, payroll withholding and other registrations depend on the business circumstances. A business name may also be needed if you trade under a different name.
- Registration evidence and a list of completed versus pending steps.
- Ownership and governance records required for the selected structure.
- An operating checklist with named responsibilities and review dates.
Budget for setup and the first operating year
Request an itemised estimate covering ASIC fees, professional work, registered-office arrangements, any resident-director engagement, tax setup and bookkeeping. Annual review fees and other recurring services should be shown separately. A low incorporation price can leave important operating work outside the package.
Australian charges are usually quoted in AUD. Any estimate in ₹ should state the exchange rate, date and whether bank charges or taxes are included. Do not treat a draft exchange-rate conversion as a fixed payable amount. Timing depends on document readiness, identity checks, local arrangements and any manual review; banking has its own assessment.
- Before remitting funds, ask your Indian adviser and Authorised Dealer bank to assess overseas-investment eligibility and reporting.
- Review India–Australia tax, related-party contracts and management arrangements with the relevant advisers.
- Keep remittance and ownership records together for future reporting.
A practical example for an Indian founder
Illustrative example: an Indian software agency wins Australian customers and is considering a local sales team. First compare continuing to invoice from India with opening an Australian subsidiary. Map the contracts, staff location, cash flow and director arrangements before registering. This helps the founder judge the annual cost against the real commercial need; it is not a promise of a tax saving.
Ask LIQUETAX for a route review. Share your proposed activity, shareholders, customer locations and whether you already have a suitable Australian director and address. We can then discuss the scope and provide a written proposal through our contact page.
Keep the company ready after registration
Build a calendar for ASIC annual review, fees, register updates and applicable tax or employment obligations. Assign responsibility for official notices and shareholder records.
What to prepare before you contact us
- Identification and address details for proposed directors and shareholders.
- Director ID application status and signed consents.
- Name, activity, share classes and ownership percentages.
- Registered-office and principal-business-address details, with permissions.
- Parent-company registration records and authorised resolutions for corporate investment.
- Certified parent documents and local-agent information for foreign-company registration, as applicable.
Start with your requirement and current stage. We will agree the document-sharing method before you send confidential records. Keep passwords, OTPs and digital-signature credentials with the authorised person.
How LIQUETAX can help
Define the business
Record customers, staff, contracts and funding.
Confirm the route
Review subsidiary or foreign-company registration with the relevant advisers.
Prepare local arrangements
Confirm directors, IDs, consents, address and ownership records.
Submit and hand over
Complete the agreed registration work and list remaining tax, bank and operating actions.
Your questions, answered
Can I register an Australian company while living in India?
Cross-border preparation may be possible, but the chosen company must meet Australian requirements, including the resident-director rule for a standard proprietary company. Identity, banking and immigration steps are assessed separately.
Does incorporation automatically open a bank account?
No. Banks conduct their own identity, ownership and business checks. Confirm their document and attendance requirements before making travel or payment commitments.
Is an ABN the same as an ACN?
No. An ACN identifies an ASIC-registered company. An ABN relates to business registration and tax administration. The applicable registrations should be assessed separately.
What should I send for a quote?
Share your activity, proposed investors, location of management, staffing plan and local-director/address arrangements. Ask for setup costs, annual costs, exclusions and document-dependent milestones.
Official references for this guide
AI-assisted editorial research checked on 7 October 2026. The applicable route, rule and charges depend on your facts. For individual professional advice, have your facts and documents assessed before filing. No named professional review is claimed.