Can a foreign company register an Australian branch remotely?

A foreign company can register an Australian branch remotely, with no director, secretary or shareholder travelling to Australia. Distance is not the obstacle. The obstacle is that Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), the national regulator that maintains Australia’s company register and enforces corporate law, attaches conditions to branch registration that assume an Australian presence your business does not have yet. 

What do you need to register an Australian branch?

To register an Australian branch, a foreign company must meet the following requirements:

• A local agent who is resident in Australia and authorised to accept legal documents for the company.

• A registered office address in Australia for ASIC correspondence.

• A director ID for every director of the company, including directors who have never lived in Australia.

• Certified corporate documents, being the certificate of incorporation and constitution, certified correctly and recently.

• An available company name that does not clash with an existing Australian company or business name.

• Tax registrations, including an ABN and, depending on activity, GST and PAYG withholding. 

Each requirement is explained below, along with what the branch must keep doing once ASIC registers it. First, though, it is worth being clear on what a branch actually is, because the answer shapes everything that follows. 

How is a branch different from an Australian subsidiary?

An Australian branch is an existing overseas company registered with ASIC as a registered foreign company, identified by an Australian Registered Body Number (ARBN) rather than an Australian Company Number (ACN). A branch creates no new legal entity, so the overseas parent company carries the full legal and financial liability of the Australian operation. A Pty Ltd subsidiary contains that liability instead, but requires at least one Australian resident director. 

Who can act as your local agent, and what are they taking on?

A local agent must be an individual or an Australian company, resident in Australia, and authorised to accept service of process and notices on the foreign company’s behalf. The role carries real exposure. Under the Corporations Act 2001, the local agent is answerable for the obligations the foreign company must meet and may be held personally liable for breaches and penalties. Overseas businesses that hand the role to a willing contact or a new employee often discover that exposure only when something goes wrong. 

What is a registered office address?

A registered office must be an Australian address where ASIC can send correspondence and where documents can be received during standard business hours, which a PO box cannot do. A branch needs no premises of its own and no staff on site, so a professional registered office service is the standard solution while the team is still offshore. Any change to the address or its hours must be notified to ASIC within seven days. 

Why does director ID take so long for overseas directors?

Every director of a registered foreign company must hold a director identification number, and directors who have never lived in Australia cannot apply online. They apply on paper with certified copies of primary and secondary identity documents, certified face to face by a notary public or by staff at an Australian embassy, high commission or consulate. Australian Business Registry Services, the government body that issues director IDs, aims to decide paper applications within 28 days of receiving everything it needs, which is why director ID usually sets the pace of the whole expansion. 

What gets branch applications rejected?

Faulty certification is the most common cause. ASIC requires certified copies of the overseas company’s certificate of incorporation and constitution, certified by the correct authority in the home jurisdiction and dated no more than three months before ASIC receives them, with certified translations where the originals are not in English. Certification that is out of date, completed by the wrong person, or missing a recent constitutional amendment will stop the application. So will a proposed name that clashes with an existing Australian company or business name. 

Does an ARBN cover your tax obligations?

An ARBN does not make a branch tax-ready, so tax registrations proceed on their own track. Non-residents applying for an ABN without an Australian TFN must provide certified proof of identity documents and a statement of their Australian business activities. GST registration, PAYG withholding and a public officer appointment follow depending on what the branch will actually do here. 

What do you have to keep doing after registration?

A registered foreign company must display its name, place of origin and ARBN on all public documents, lodge financial statements with ASIC at least once each calendar year and no more than 15 months apart, notify ASIC of changes to its directors, local agent, registered office and constitution within set timeframes, and pay an annual review fee. Late fees apply to every missed deadline. 

How ABN Australia can help

ABN Australia provides every requirement above under one roof. We act as your local agent and supply your registered office address, check name availability, guide your directors through the director ID process, instruct you regarding certification and notarisation in your home country, and handle your ABN, TFN and GST registrations. 

Once your branch is registered, our corporate secretarial team manages ongoing ASIC lodgements, while our tax and accounting team helps you meet your Australian tax and reporting obligations. You deal with the same people throughout, with support covering registration, compliance, tax and accounting. Get in touch to find out exactly what your branch needs.

Last updated: 16th Oct 2026

About the Author

Ro Elvinia is ABN Australia's Customer Success and Marketing Manager. She holds a bachelor’s degree in mass communication, majoring in journalism, and also has an academic background in civil engineering. With over a decade of experience in professional writing and a background spanning journalism, Australian immigration, and business services, Ro brings a unique mix of communication and analytical expertise. She works closely with international clients and contributes to ABN Australia's content strategy, helping global businesses stay informed and confident as they navigate the Australian market.