Get Your Samoa Certificate of Good Standing

The company's annual licence renewal fee must be paid before its anniversary date, and the entity must not be in any stage of dissolution, winding up, or pending strike-off. If the company is classified as "Not in Good Standing" or "Active & Pending Strike Off" on SIFA's register, the certificate will not be granted until these issues are resolved. We can assist with restoring your company to active compliance.

Section 228C of the International Companies Act 1988 explicitly provides that SIFA shall issue this certificate to any person upon request. You do not need to be a director, shareholder, or authorised representative of the company. This is a notable exception within the Act, as most other corporate documents require written permission from the company or its TCSP under Section 12(2).

A Trustee Company Service Provider (TCSP) is a SIFA-licensed entity that every Samoa international company must retain. The TCSP acts as the company's primary point of contact with the registry, managing filings, licence renewals, and statutory obligations. If a company loses its TCSP or fails to appoint a replacement, this can jeopardise its good standing and trigger strike-off proceedings.

Frequent use cases include opening or maintaining corporate bank accounts, entering into contracts where the counterparty demands evidence of active incorporation, registering a foreign branch or subsidiary in another country, responding to due diligence enquiries from institutional investors, and meeting regulatory requirements in jurisdictions that request proof of the company's home registration status.

SIFA ordinarily processes good standing requests within two to three working days. When combined with our compliance checks, application preparation, and secure delivery, the total turnaround is typically four to six business days under normal conditions.

The certificate captures the company's standing at the date of issuance. While there is no legislated expiry, most banks and regulatory bodies treat certificates dated within the past six months as current. Certain institutions may impose a shorter window, so it is worth verifying the recipient's specific requirement before ordering.

No. The certificate confirms only the company's registration and compliance status. Under Section 12(2) of the International Companies Act, director, shareholder, and beneficial ownership records are confidential and require written consent from the company or its TCSP to access. None of this information appears on the certificate.

SIFA classifies international companies under four statuses: "Active and in Good Standing" for fully compliant entities, "Not in Good Standing" for companies with overdue fees or compliance gaps, "Active & Pending Strike Off" for entities facing removal from the register, and "Dissolved" for companies that have been formally wound up. Only companies in the first category qualify for a Certificate of Good Standing.

SIFA does not provide a public online search portal for international companies. The registry at businessregistries.gov.ws covers domestic Samoan companies and overseas companies operating in Samoa, but does not include Samoa-incorporated international companies under the International Companies Act 1988. Verification of an international company's status requires a direct enquiry to SIFA or a formal certificate request.

Samoa's inclusion on certain international watchlists does not invalidate the certificate itself. However, banks and financial institutions in the EU and other regions may apply enhanced due diligence procedures when processing documents from listed jurisdictions. This can result in additional documentation requests or longer processing times on the recipient's side. It is advisable to check with the receiving institution about any supplementary requirements.