Industry Circular No. 11 of 2020 - BVI FSC Business Continuity Update

Industry Circular No. 11 of 2020

BVI Financial Services Commission’s Business Continuity Update 

The BVI Financial Services Commission (‘the Commission’) wishes to advise financial services practitioners and other industry contacts that the Commission’s business continuity programme and measures remain in effect to support the industry. The Territory of the Virgin Islands is currently under a Territory-wide 24-hour curfew, which is in place to 16 April (and expected to be continued to 19 April 2020). The curfew is in place through the enactment of the Curfew (No. 4) Order, 2020.

BVI Offices
Our physical offices in the British Virgin Islands remain closed. Our employees continue to work remotely to provide a range of services that are practical in the circumstances.

HK Office
Our Asia Representative Office in Hong Kong is scheduled to re-open on Tuesday, 14 April 2020 with reduced hours of operation from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. in the first instance.

General Updates and Reminders:

Registrar of Corporate Affairs
Premium Services and electronic certificates remain available through VIRRGIN. Hard copy Certificates, which were requested through VIRRGIN by Tuesday, will be available for collection on Thursday, 09 April 2020 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Agents are asked to call 284-541-3443 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. today Wednesday, 08 April 2020, to confirm a collection time. Other transactions and international searches are being processed where practical. 

Agents are asked only to attend at their confirmed collection time. Contactless Certificate Collection Guidelines should be followed. 

Finance
Payments to the Commission (including payments necessitated by a Court Order) should be made using the general remittance advice provided. Instructions and Details for Remittances to the Commission

Public Holidays
Friday, 10 April (Good Friday) and Monday, 13 April (Easter Monday) are public holidays observed in the Virgin Islands; our operations will remain closed.

To provide the most efficient service, we ask that industry practitioners reach out to your usual contacts via email if there are questions that you have about this notice or Commission services. Please also check the Commission’s website and monitor emails from FSC Corporate Communications for the most up to date information on Commission operations. British Virgin Islands Financial Services Commission ('the Commission') remains committed to supporting the industry during these unprecedented circumstances.