A Danish company or individual can set up an Indian private limited company through the SPICe+ online process. You need at least two directors, one of whom must meet the Indian residency requirement under the Companies Act 2013, and two shareholders. Danish identity and address documents, and a certified extract from the Danish Business Authority for a corporate shareholder, are notarised and apostilled in Denmark. Incorporation usually takes two to four weeks once documents are ready.
- Document route
- District court notary, then Danish MFA apostille
- Time difference
- IST is 3.5 to 4.5 hours ahead
- Law
- Companies Act 2013, FEMA 1999, NDI Rules 2019
- Minimum
- 2 directors, 2 shareholders
Company Setup for Foreigners from Denmark: how it works
We begin by reserving a name and agreeing the share structure, registered office and resident director. Each foreign director obtains a digital signature certificate, for which passport and address proof are verified. For a Danish parent company, its CVR extract from the Danish Business Authority (Erhvervsstyrelsen) and a board resolution authorising the investment and naming its nominee are certified and apostilled by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Danish-language parts are translated into English. Individual shareholders living in Denmark sign the subscriber documents before the district court notary, and the apostilled originals are couriered to us.
In India we file SPICe+ with the memorandum and articles, obtain the PAN and TAN with incorporation, and open the bank account. The foreign investment must arrive through banking channels and shares must be allotted within 60 days of receipt; Form FC-GPR is filed on the RBI FIRMS portal within 30 days of allotment. Watch the resident director rule, the share pricing rules under the Non-Debt Instruments Rules 2019 and the annual FLA return due by 15 July. Getting these right from the start avoids late-reporting fees and compounding later.
What clients in Denmark should know
- Danish documents certified by the Danish Business Authority and apostilled are generally accepted by the Registrar of Companies; consular attestation is not needed for Denmark.
- Fees charged by the Danish parent to the Indian company for services or licences fall under the India-Denmark tax treaty and Indian transfer pricing rules, so agree the intercompany terms early.
- Danish companies often want English-language articles that reflect Danish governance habits, such as board-level approvals; Indian articles can accommodate this within the Companies Act 2013.
Step by step from Denmark
Video consultation
A call at a time that suits Denmark, after we have read your documents.
Documents signed in Denmark
District court notary, then Danish MFA apostille
Work in India
Our team files, appears and follows up in India, and shares scans of everything filed.
Result and handover
Certified copies and originals are couriered to you in Denmark where needed.
The full guide
This page covers what changes when you are in Denmark. For the law, the documents and the step-by-step procedure, read our main page on Company Setup for Foreigners, or see all services for clients in Denmark and the Doing Business in India practice area.
Questions from clients in Denmark
Can all directors of the Indian company live in Denmark?
No. At least one director must have stayed in India for at least 182 days in the financial year. Danish companies usually appoint a senior Indian employee or a professional resident director.
Do Danish directors need to visit India?
No. Digital signatures, signing of incorporation documents and bank formalities can be completed from Denmark, though some banks ask for a video verification of foreign directors.
How long does it take from Denmark?
Collecting apostilled Danish documents takes a week or two. Incorporation then usually takes two to four weeks, followed by bank account opening and FDI reporting.