Legitimate Interest Access now fully operational in
The Government of the Virgin Islands has announced that the Legitimate Interest Access (LIA) system is now fully operational, enabling eligible applicants to request verified beneficial ownership information via the secure VIRRGIN platform. The new regime, delivered after extensive legislative, operational and technical work, aligns the Territory with international moves toward legitimate-interest models (including the EU’s AMLD6 and the CJEU ruling) while preserving constitutional safeguards on privacy and data protection, the Government says.
The Government of the Virgin Islands has confirmed that the new Legitimate Interest Access (LIA) system is now fully operational, allowing eligible applicants to request verified beneficial ownership information held on the Territory’s Register of Beneficial Ownership. The announcement and details were released by the Government of the Virgin Islands.
LIA has been developed following an extensive programme of legislative, operational and technical work and has been delivered through the modern and secure VIRRGIN online platform, the Government stated. Under the new system, journalists, academics and civil society actors may apply for access to verified register data where they can demonstrate a legitimate anti‑money laundering (AML), counter‑terrorist financing (CFT) or counter‑proliferation financing (CPF) purpose.
Officials say the introduction of LIA brings the BVI into line with global trends toward legitimate‑interest models for company transparency. The Government specifically cited the European Union’s 6th Anti‑Money Laundering Directive (AMLD6) and the 2022 Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruling as part of the international movement away from unrestricted public access to beneficial ownership registers, and said the BVI’s approach mirrors that taken by other Overseas Territories and major financial centres.
International law enforcement agencies will continue to have rapid, 24/7 access to beneficial ownership data under existing Exchange of Notes information‑sharing arrangements, the Government emphasised. Officials said this ongoing access supports timely, coordinated cross‑border investigations into criminal networks and sanctions‑evasion schemes, pointing to recent international action taken against the Prince Group as an example of where ownership information has aided enforcement.
Wheatley described the new regime as a "significant milestone," saying it provides a "balanced framework that strongly deters financial crime while protecting the right to individual privacy outlined by our Constitution," the Government reported. Minister with responsibility for Financial Services and Economic Development, Honourable Lorna Smith, OBE, added that the regime "builds on [the BVI’s] record by enhancing transparency and strengthening global efforts to tackle financial crime…reinforcing our position as a trusted and responsible financial centre." These remarks were included in the Government’s announcement.
The Government has underlined that LIA seeks to strike a balance between transparency and the Territory’s constitutional safeguards on privacy and data protection. For BVI residents and local businesses, officials say the system will help preserve the Territory’s reputation as a compliant, trusted financial centre and deter misuse of corporate structures while retaining protections for legitimate privacy interests.
Those wishing to use the LIA facility are advised to consult the VIRRGIN platform for full application details and eligibility criteria. The Ministry of Financial Services, Economic Development and Digital Transformation is handling implementation and can be contacted for enquiries, the Government noted.
The launch is presented as part of a broader commitment to international best practice in corporate transparency, AML, CFT and CPF to protect the Territory’s long‑term standing in global finance.
Primary source: BVI Government