Company Formation for GCC Investors in Saudi Arabia

GCC investors in Saudi Arabia: national treatment

Citizens of the Gulf Cooperation Council states (the UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait) are treated like Saudi citizens in most economic activities in the Kingdom, under the GCC Economic Agreement and the GCC Common Market decisions. A GCC investor therefore usually registers a business through the Saudi Business Center, without investment registration with the Ministry of Investment (MISA). A limited number of activities are reserved for Saudis, and we check yours before you start.

This treatment also covers freedom of movement, residence and work, so a GCC investor needs no visa or residency permit to run a business in the Kingdom.

At Jewark we choose the right route with you, check your activity, then prepare and follow up the application until the CR is issued and the business is active with every authority.

Three routes for GCC investors

1. A business in your own name: a sole proprietorship, an LLC with one or more partners, or a simplified joint stock company, under the same procedures available to Saudis.

2. A company with Saudi or GCC partners: national treatment continues as long as every partner is Saudi or a GCC national, and the articles of association protect each party's rights.

3. A branch of your existing GCC company: a GCC company can open a branch in the Kingdom, registered in the CR on the strength of the parent company's CR and a resolution to open the branch. This suits investors who want contracts and accounts to stay with the parent company, provided the company's ownership meets the requirements for GCC treatment. We verify this against its registration before applying.

When a non-GCC partner joins: if the company has a non-GCC foreign partner, investment registration with MISA is required. See our page on company formation for foreign investors.

Saudi, GCC and foreign investors at a glance

Steps to form a company as a GCC investor

1. Consultation and case review: we set the route and entity and check that the activity is not reserved for Saudis.
2. Access arrangements: logging in to the Saudi Business Center, or handling the procedures for you under a notarized power of attorney.
3. Trade name reservation: a name that meets the Trade Names Law.
4. Articles of association or branch resolution: we draft articles that protect the partners, or review the parent company's resolution and documents for a branch.
5. CR issuance: issued online with the unified national number. The business is registered automatically with the Ministry of Human Resources, the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA), the General Organization for Social Insurance (GOSI), the National Address and the Chamber of Commerce.
6. Bank account: open the business account and link it to the CR. Linking is mandatory.
7. Activity licenses: municipal license, civil defense certificate and any sector licenses. They vary by activity.
8. Operations: activate the business file on Qiwa and GOSI, register for VAT once the threshold is reached, and activate e-invoicing.

Required documents

For a business in your own name:

• Passport and national ID of your GCC country.
• The proposed trade name, activity description, capital and share split.
• Manager details and powers.
• The business's national address in the Kingdom and contact details.
• A notarized power of attorney if we handle the procedures for you.

For a GCC company branch:

• The parent company's CR.
• The parent company's articles of association or bylaws.
• A partners' or board resolution to open the branch and appoint its manager.
• The branch manager's ID.
• Attestation of the parent company's documents as required.

After the CR

• Annual confirmation of CR data: since 3 April 2025 the CR has no expiry date, and an annual confirmation of its data replaces renewal.
• Zakat: a GCC partner's share is subject to zakat, and any non-GCC partner's share to income tax.
• VAT and e-invoicing once their conditions apply.
• Saudization: meeting Nitaqat ratios when hiring non-Saudi staff.
• Updating the CR whenever partners, manager, capital or activities change.

Common mistakes we help you avoid

• Assuming every activity is open to GCC nationals without checking the activities reserved for Saudis.
• Adding a non-GCC partner without realizing the route becomes foreign investment.
• Opening a branch when a separate company with limited liability fits better, or the reverse.
• Submitting incomplete or unattested parent company documents, which delays registration.
• Starting operations before obtaining activity licenses.

How Jewark helps

• We choose the right route with you: a sole proprietorship, a company, or a branch of your GCC company.
• We check your activity and its requirements before applying.
• We draft the articles of association and review the parent company's documents.
• We handle and follow up the application until the CR is issued and the business is active, under a power of attorney when you are outside the Kingdom.
• If you need premises, we offer offices and workspaces at our Riyadh headquarters.

Cost: two parts: government fees set by the competent authorities, and Jewark's fees, which we estimate after reviewing your case and the procedures it needs. Your first consultation is free.

Frequently asked questions