Business Setup in Saudi Arabia through the Ministry of Investment:
For foreign companies wishing to establish and register a business in Saudi Arabia through the Ministry of Investment, this has become one of the easiest and fastest ways to set up a company in Saudi Arabia. This is due to the updates made to the Ministry of Investment’s regulations in 2017, which facilitated the entry of foreign investors by enabling them to obtain a MISA license.
Foreign companies seeking a 100% foreign-owned commercial license in Saudi Arabia must submit certain documents that comply with the requirements based on the type of license requested. For instance, a service license or industrial license in Saudi Arabia requires the following:
- A commercial registration valid for one year, attested by the Saudi Embassy or Apostille.
- The company’s Articles of Association, attested by the Saudi Embassy or Apostille.
- The company’s audit reports (total income is not a determining factor), attested by the Saudi Embassy or Apostille.
A service license allows businesses to engage in commercial activities providing services within Saudi Arabia, such as contracting, Information Technology, education, and healthcare services. However, the investor is not permitted to engage in retail, wholesale, or trading activities unless they obtain a commercial license from the Ministry of Investment, which has different requirements than the service license.
