Accounting, tax and legal support for foreign businesses operating in Russia

Legal Bridge provides accounting outsourcing and tax accounting in Russia for foreign companies that operate through a representative office, branch or a Russian LLC with foreign ownership.
We take care of statutory accounting, tax reporting, payroll, HR documents, communication with banks and Russian authorities, and day-to-day accounting processes. When needed, we involve tax consultants, lawyers, 1C specialists, IFRS professionals, foreign trade experts, personal data specialists and labour law advisers.
For a foreign company, accounting in Russia is rarely just bookkeeping. It is a compliance function that affects taxes, contracts, payroll, banking operations, reporting to the head office and the overall legal position of the business in Russia. Legal Bridge combines accounting, tax and legal expertise so that your Russian presence is managed as one coordinated process.

Request a consultation: tell us how your company operates in Russia, and we will assess the required scope of accounting, tax and legal support.

Who we support

We work with foreign businesses and international groups that need reliable Russian accounting and clear communication with their head office.

• Representative offices and branches of foreign companies in Russia
• Russian LLCs with foreign ownership
• International groups with Russian operations
• Foreign companies entering the Russian market
• Companies with foreign trade, cross-border payments and intra-group transactions
• Businesses that need Russian statutory accounting and understandable reporting for foreign shareholders or the head office

Why foreign companies need specialised accounting outsourcing in Russia

Accounting for a foreign company in Russia differs from accounting for a standard local business. It requires attention not only to Russian accounting and tax rules, but also to the legal form of the Russian presence, the tax status of the foreign company, the role of the representative office or branch, transactions with the head office, banking documents, labour issues and personal data requirements.
Even if a representative office performs preparatory or auxiliary functions, mistakes in documents, contracts, employee payments or the description of business activities can lead to tax questions. This is why accounting should not be handled in isolation. It should be connected with tax and legal assessment from the beginning.

For more information, see our FAQ on representative offices and branches of foreign companies in Russia.

When foreign companies usually contact us

1. After registration of a representative office or branch

If you have just registered a representative office or branch in Russia, we help you complete the first practical steps after accreditation:

• Determine the scope of accounting and tax reporting
• Obtain a Russian electronic signature
• Set up 1C accounting software
• Prepare accounting policies
• Organise document flow
• Prepare templates for key contracts and internal documents
• Prepare the notification to Roskomnadzor, where applicable
• Prepare personal data processing documents
• Set up HR and payroll accounting
• Define communication procedures with the head office
• Prepare a calendar of reporting deadlines and tax payments

This format is especially useful for foreign companies that have registered a presence in Russia but do not yet have a local administrative team.

2. When transferring accounting from a previous accountant or outsourcing provider

Before we start ongoing support, we can diagnose the current state of accounting and documentation. We check:

• Whether all reports have been filed
• Whether there are debts or overpayments to the budget
• Whether key transactions have been recorded correctly
• Whether primary documents are complete
• Whether contracts create tax or legal risks
• Whether payroll and employee payments have been handled correctly
• Whether there are unresolved requests from the tax authorities
• Whether the accounting records are ready to be transferred to a new provider

After the review, you receive a clear picture of what is in order, what needs to be corrected and which actions should be taken first.

Integrated support for foreign businesses in Russia

Legal Bridge can support a foreign company not only with accounting. When needed, we connect related services so that the client works with one coordinated team rather than separate providers.

• Accreditation of representative offices and branches of foreign companies
• Registration of a Russian LLC with foreign ownership
• Work permits for foreign nationals
• Tax consulting
• Transfer pricing risk analysis
• IFRS reporting support
• Legal support for contracts
• Foreign trade support
• HR administration
• Payroll calculation
• Personal data compliance and documents under Russian personal data rules
• 1C setup and support

How we work

• We study your situation
  We identify the legal form of your Russian presence, business activities, document flow, number of employees, volume of transactions, foreign trade operations, head office reporting requirements and current issues.
• We review accounting and documents
  If the company is already operating, we analyse accounting and tax records, budget reconciliations, filed reports, contracts and key risk areas.
• We set up the process
  We define responsible persons, reporting calendar, document transfer procedure, management reporting format, 1C access and communication rules.
• We provide ongoing support
  We prepare reports, calculate taxes and payroll, monitor deadlines, respond to requests, advise on current transactions and flag risks in advance.
• We involve specialists when needed
  Tax advisers, lawyers, 1C specialists, IFRS professionals, HR experts, personal data specialists and foreign trade consultants can be involved depending on the task.

Get advice on accounting outsourcing in Russia

Tell us how your company operates in Russia: through a representative office, branch or foreign-owned LLC. We will assess the scope of accounting work, possible tax and legal risks, propose a support format and explain which steps should be completed first.

FAQ

Do foreign companies need Russian accounting if they operate through a representative office or branch?

Yes. The exact scope depends on the form of presence and the activities performed in Russia, but representative offices, branches and Russian subsidiaries normally need proper accounting records, tax reporting and payroll compliance in Russia.

Can Legal Bridge support both accounting and legal questions?

Yes. Accounting work for foreign companies often requires legal and tax review. Legal Bridge can involve lawyers, tax advisers, 1C specialists, IFRS professionals and HR experts as part of the support model.

Can you prepare reports for the foreign head office?

Yes. In addition to Russian statutory and tax reports, we can prepare management reports, tax and expense breakdowns, cash flow information, receivables and payables reports, data for consolidation and explanations in English.

Can you take over accounting from another provider?

Yes. We can first review the current state of accounting, reporting, tax reconciliations, primary documents, contracts and payroll records, and then organise a structured transfer to ongoing support.

Do you work with 1C and electronic signatures?

Yes. We can help issue and support Russian electronic signatures, set up or adapt a 1C accounting database, configure remote access and prepare data exports for the head office.