Nevis, part of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis, is a small but highly respected Caribbean jurisdiction that has crafted one of the most discreet and asset-protective offshore legal systems in the world. Following the country’s independence from the United Kingdom in 1983, Nevis law evolved with remarkable autonomy, establishing a financial framework designed for international investors, high-net-worth individuals, and wealth preservation professionals. The central instrument of this framework is the Nevis Business Corporation Ordinance (NBCO), first enacted in 1984 and revised in the decades since, forming the legal foundation of modern Nevis offshore law.
The Nevis Business Corporation Ordinance provides the statutory basis for the formation of international business corporations (IBCs) in Nevis. It permits the creation of companies with limited liability, no local taxation on foreign-sourced income, and robust asset protection mechanisms. The law is renowned for offering one of the strongest anti-seizure and anti-intrusion legal shields available in any offshore jurisdiction, making Nevis company law especially attractive to those engaged in lawful asset protection, estate planning, and cross-border corporate structuring.
What makes Nevis unique is its combination of common law tradition with specialized legislation that reflects the priorities of a small, sovereign island nation asserting its economic independence. The Nevis offshore law system favors privacy, security, and corporate flexibility, while still meeting international regulatory standards such as anti-money laundering (AML) compliance and beneficial ownership registration requirements.
Whether used for wealth management, holding intellectual property, or facilitating international investment, the Nevis Business Corporation Ordinance remains a cornerstone of private international law in the Caribbean. It is a legislative model not shaped by imitation but by intention—an example of how Nevis offshore law has forged a distinctive identity in the competitive world of offshore finance.