Company Formation for Foreign Investors in Saudi Arabia with 100% Ownership

At Jewark we handle the whole file: choosing the entity and activity, preparing and attesting documents through our network of offices, investment registration, the CR, and activating the company with every authority. We have set up more than 1,600 companies.

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Investment Registration: Formerly the MISA Investment License

Since the new Investment Law came into force in February 2025, investment registration has replaced the investment license. The foreign investor registers with MISA before starting the activity, then obtains the CR and the licenses required by other authorities. The Implementing Regulations set a short period for MISA to notify the investor once a complete application for a non-excluded activity is filed.

Who Is This Route For?

• An existing company abroad: setting up a Saudi subsidiary or a branch. This is the regular route.
• A Premium Residency holder: sets up a company without the foreign company's documents or financial statements. See Premium Residency.
• An entrepreneur without an existing company: if your idea is innovative or technology-based and can grow, your route is the Entrepreneur License, with a support letter from an accredited business incubator such as Jewark, which offers this service.
• A multinational: planning a regional headquarters in Riyadh. See multinational company formation.

Entity Types Available to Foreign Investors

Requirements and Documents for a Foreign Company in Saudi Arabia

• The foreign company's CR attested by the Saudi embassy, with the CR of its parent company if the parent's nationality differs.
• Financial statements for the last fiscal year, attested by the Saudi embassy.
• A partners' or board resolution to establish the company in Saudi Arabia and appoint the manager.
• Passports of individual partners and the manager, and the ID of any GCC partner whose details are not on the Absher system.
• A power of attorney for the procedures, and a certified Arabic translation of the documents.
• The activity requirements in MISA's Investor Guide.

Premium Residency holders are exempt from the first three items. Founders without an existing company should look at the Entrepreneur License or Premium Residency.

Activities with Special Requirements

Most activities are open to foreign investors with full ownership. Some carry special conditions on capital, Saudi participation or Saudization, such as trading with 100% foreign ownership and activities supervised by sector regulators. A limited number of activities remain excluded from foreign investment. We check your activity by its national classification code before any step.

Steps to Set Up a Company for a Foreign Investor

1. Consultation and case study: the entity, the activity and its conditions, and the ownership structure.
2. Review, attestation and translation of the foreign company's documents.
3. Investment registration with MISA, and payment of the fee as MISA determines.
4. Trade name reservation and notarization of the articles of association.
5. Issuing the CR under the unified national number through the Saudi Business Center.
6. Activating the company with ZATCA, Qiwa, GOSI, Muqeem and the national address service.
7. Opening the bank account and linking it to the CR, and issuing the manager's residence permit.
8. Activity licenses (municipality, civil defense and sector regulators), issued as each activity requires.

Full details for every route are in our guide to company formation in Saudi Arabia.

Our Services for Foreign Investors

• Company document review and verification: we review documents before attestation to avoid rejection and delays.
• Specialized legal advisory: choosing the entity and activity that best fit your investment goals.
• Issuance of the investment registration certificate: under the new Investment Law.
• Foreign company ownership transfer: within Saudi Arabia, through a structured legal process.
• Company amendments: legal form, activities, partners and capital.
• Mergers and acquisitions: legal due diligence, negotiation and transaction execution.

Timing and Cost

Timing: it depends on how complete the documents are and on the activity. The longest part is usually attesting documents in the parent company's country. After studying your case, we give you a clear timeline.

Cost: government fees set by the competent authorities, and Jewark's professional fees, estimated after studying the case and defining the procedures.

Frequently Asked Questions