An international client dealing with Bhutan usually expects a language barrier, but the Gelephu Mindfulness City runs in English: the statutes, the regulator, the registry and the courts all work in one language your home counsel can read. Basnet Law Pte. Ltd. is the first incorporated law firm in the Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC). We advise international clients in English on a legal system that is itself written in English and built on the received common law. This page explains why GMC works in English and how we act as your English-speaking counsel on the ground.
How we help
- Advising foreign investors, founders and financial institutions on the GMC Acts, all published in English by the Gelephu Mindfulness City Authority.
- Explaining the received law: the common law and equity of established common law jurisdictions under the Application of Laws Act 2024, and the applied statutes in Schedule A as they apply in GMC.
- Company incorporation and filings through the Gelephu Corporate Registration Office, including certified English translations of foreign documents where required.
- GFSO licence applications and correspondence, which the GEN Rulebook requires to be in English.
- English-language contracts, constitutions, employment agreements and board documents governed by GMC law.
- Legal opinions in English for overseas boards, lenders, exchanges and counterparties.
- Working alongside clients' home-jurisdiction counsel.
How GMC's working language works, in plain terms
Every GMC Act is enacted by the GMC Authority under the Royal Charter No. 1 of 2024 and published in English. The Charter directs the Authority to establish a legal system "based on common law principles", and the Application of Laws Act 2024 gives that content: it applies the received common law and equity of established common law jurisdictions, so far as suited to GMC's circumstances and subject to GMC enactments; it applies the statutes in Schedule A, such as the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 2007, the Personal Data Protection Act 2012 and the Insolvency, Restructuring and Dissolution Act 2018, with modifications; and it applies the financial services rules in Schedule B. All of this source material is in English.
The statutes assume English as the working language. A corporation lodging with the Registrar any document not written in English must lodge a certified English translation with it, and records not kept in English must be translated at intervals, under the Companies Act 2025. A Licensed Firm must maintain its regulatory records in English and ensure "that any communication with the Regulator is conducted in the English language", and certain information supplied under the Financial Services Act 2025 must likewise be provided in English.
For an international client this means the statute, the regulator, the registry and counsel all work in one language, and every "$" is a United States dollar under both the Companies Act 2025 and the Income Tax Act 2025. GMC is "a fully independent and autonomous region in the Kingdom of Bhutan" with its own executive, legislative and judicial authority; advice on GMC law is distinct from advice on the general law of Bhutan, and we are clear with clients about which applies.
Who this is for
- International investors and multinationals entering GMC.
- Founders and family offices relocating capital or people to Gelephu.
- Financial institutions and digital asset firms applying to GFSO.
- Overseas law firms needing English-speaking local counsel on the ground in GMC.
How an engagement runs
- Scoping call in English. We identify which GMC Acts, applied statutes and rulebooks govern the matter.
- Written advice. We deliver a memorandum keyed to the statute text, so your home counsel can verify every point.
- Documents and filings. We draft in English and lodge with GCRO, GFSO or the Comptroller as required.
- Ongoing counsel. We give retainer support as regulations and rulebooks are issued.
Frequently asked questions
Is GMC law available in English?
Yes. All GMC Acts are published in English by the Gelephu Mindfulness City Authority, and the applied statutes and financial services rulebooks are English-language instruments. We work from the English text throughout.
Does English common law apply in GMC?
Indirectly. The Application of Laws Act 2024 applies the received common law and equity of established common law jurisdictions, which includes English common law and equity as received, so far as suited to GMC's circumstances and subject to GMC enactments.
Do I need to translate my company documents?
Only where they are not in English. A non-English instrument lodged with the Registrar needs a certified English translation under the Companies Act 2025, and records kept in another language must be translated periodically. We arrange the translations.
Can I deal with the financial regulator in English?
A Licensed Firm must: the GEN Rulebook requires all communication with the Regulator to be in English and regulatory records to be maintained in English.
Is advice on GMC law the same as advice on Bhutanese law?
No. GMC has its own legislature, courts and statutes under the Royal Charter No. 1 of 2024, and Bhutanese law applies only as the Application of Laws Act 2024 provides. We advise on GMC law and say so clearly.
Talk to GMC counsel on the ground
Basnet Law Pte. Ltd. is the first law firm incorporated in the Gelephu Mindfulness City. A short conversation early in a matter usually saves time and cost later. Write to basnet@basnetgmc.com or office@basnetgmc.com with a few lines about your plans, and we will tell you plainly what is needed, how long it takes, and whether we are the right fit.
You may contact Basnet Law at basnet@basnetgmc.com or office@basnetgmc.com for any legal queries related to GMC.
