Foreign Investment Licensing

Gulf Consulting House has accommodated highly qualified consultants with more than 20 years experience in the Investment Business in Saudi Arabia and GCC. GCH is the only consultancy office with a branch operating from SAGIA dealing with foreign investors visiting Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA).

GCH is an affiliated partner for Bahrain Investment Center, GCH has successfully managed to obtaining more than 750 licenses from SAGIA for foreign investors from all over the world. Based on our gained experience,

we can help the investors to obtain the investment license and commercial registration as well arrange their relation with the banks, Chambers of Commerce, Labor Office, Aramco, SABIC and any other concerned institutions to have a real and strong starting of business in Saudi Arabia.

Our Services

• Saudi Investment Regulations
• Registering and Qualifying Local and Foreign Companies with Government and Semi Government Agencies
• Developing Partnerships and Joint Venture Agreements.
• Sourcing agents and business partners

Fields of Investments opened for foreign investment in Saudi Arabia

• Industrial Projects.
• Commercial projects.
• Service Projects.
• Agricultural Projects.
• Real Estate.

The Supreme Economic council (SEC) approved the list of economic sectors from which foreign investors will be excluded under the new Foreign Investment Law. However this list continues to shrink as Saudi Arabia attempts to liberalize trade as well as meeting commitments made to the WTO.

The economic activities that are not yet open to foreign investors are (please note the exceptions therein):

1- Manufacturing Sector:

• Oil exploration, drilling and production, except the services related to mining sector listed at (5115+883) in International Industrial classification codes.
• Manufacturing of military equipment, devices and uniforms.
• Manufacturing of civilian explosives.

2- Services Sector:

• Catering to military sectors.
• Security and detective services.
• Real estate investment in Makah and Madina.
• Tourist orientation and guidance services related to Hajj and Umrah.
• Recruitment and employment services including local recruitment offices.
• Real estate brokerage.
• Printing and publishing, except the following activities
  • Pre-printing services internationally classified at 88442.
  • Printing Presses internationally classified at 88442.
  • Drawing and calligraphy internationally classified at 87501.
  • Photography internationally classified at 875.
  • Radio and Television Broadcasting Studios internationally classified at 9611.
  • Foreign Media Offices and Correspondents internationally classified at 962.
  • Promotion and Advertising internationally classified at 871.
  • Public Relations internationally classified at 86506.
  • Publication internationally classified at 88442.
  • Press Services internationally classified at 88442.
  • Production, selling and renting of computer software internationally classified at 88.
  • Media consultancies and studies internationally classified at 853.
  • Typing and Xeroxing internationally classified at (87505 + 87904.
• Distribution services, wholesale and retail trade including medical retail services and private pharmacies internationally classified at (631+632+6111+6113+6121). Also commercial agencies, except franchise rights listed at (8929) by international industrial classifications.
• Audiovisual and media services.
• Telecommunications services, except the following activities:
  • Telex services internationally classified at 7523.
  • Telegraph services internationally classified at 7522.
  • Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) internationally classified at 7523.
  • Enhanced/value-added facsimile services, including storage, forwarding, and retrieving internationally classified at 7523.
  • VSAT services internationally classified at 75291.
  • Fax services internationally classified at 7521 + 7529.
  • GMPCS services internationally classified at 75299.
  • Internet Service Provider (ISP) services internationally classified at 75299.
  • Electronic Mail internationally classified at 7523.
  • Provision of online information and database retrieval internationally classified at 7523.
  • Information provision and online retrieval and/or processing, including transaction processing internationally classified at 843.

Legal forms of investment in Saudi Arabia:

• Individual Establishments
• Joint Ventures (L.L.C)

Our services for the investor cover the following:

• Obtain approvals on the trade name of the Investment in KSA from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• Prepare and submit all documents and studies required by Saudi Arabia General Investment Authority (SAGIA) from the investor.
• Obtain Licenses for Investors.
• Prepare documents (Agreements, Articles of Association, Shareholding agreements) and submitting it to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOC).
• Obtain Commercial Registration (CR) for the Investment.
• Make all required registration of the Investment in various governmental departments, such as;
• Labor Office,
• Recruiting Office,
• Immigration and Passport Office,
• Chamber of Commerce, General Organization Social Insurance (GOSI).
• Department of Zakat and Income Taxation (DZIT).
• Obtain visas for Investors and appointed manager(s) and process their residency upon arrival