Saudi Company Formation & Business Setup From the UK

A MISA (Ministry of Investment of Saudi Arabia) license is the official Investment License that permits a foreign-owned company to operate in Saudi Arabia. It is the first major regulatory step in setting up a Saudi entity with foreign ownership, and allows your business to issue work visas, sign commercial contracts, and register with all subsequent government portals.

Yes. In most sectors, Saudi Arabia now permits 100% foreign ownership of an LLC via the MISA Investment License. Some activities — such as certain professional services, oil exploration, and a small number of restricted sectors — may require a local Saudi partner or specific licensing. Continental Visa confirms eligibility at the initial consultation stage.

The core documents required are: a one-year financial statement of the parent company, a Board or Partner Resolution covering company name, capital, activity, shareholders and GM powers, a Power of Attorney for our Saudi representative, a POA declaring General Manager authority, the UK parent company incorporation certificate, the UK Articles of Association, a copy of the GM's ID, draft Articles of Association for the Saudi company (which we prepare), and a Saudi national address (which we can provide temporarily).

The MISA license authorises the foreign investment itself — it grants permission to operate in the Kingdom. The Commercial Registration (CR) is issued by the Saudi Ministry of Commerce after the MISA license and is the formal trade licence that allows the entity to invoice, hire staff, and conduct day-to-day business. Both are required to operate.

No. Continental Visa can complete the full company formation process while you remain in the UK. Through a Power of Attorney issued to our Saudi representative and the UK consular legalisation process, we sign documents, register the entity, and activate government portals on your behalf. You may choose to travel later for banking and operational purposes, but it is not required for incorporation.

The GM block visa is an initial visa quota issued through the MISA license that allows the General Manager and other key employees to enter Saudi Arabia and obtain Iqamas. It is typically the first work visa allocation any newly formed Saudi entity receives and is processed through Qiwa once the CR is active. We also handle individual work visa applications for new hires once your company is operational.

The e-wakala is an electronic Power of Attorney issued in Saudi Arabia, registered under the General Manager's name. It allows the GM to act on behalf of the company across Saudi government portals such as Qiwa, Muqeem and GOSI without requiring the foreign shareholders to be physically present in the Kingdom.

A fully operational Saudi company requires activation on: Chamber of Commerce, Ministry of Labour, Qiwa (for block visas and Saudization compliance), Muqeem (immigration services), GOSI (social insurance), and Mudad (payroll and Wage Protection System compliance). Corporate tax registration is mandatory, and VAT registration is required if annual revenue exceeds SAR 375,000. Continental Visa activates all of these as part of our standard setup service.

End-to-end company formation typically takes 6 to 10 weeks. UK document preparation and consular legalisation takes 2–3 weeks; MISA license issuance takes 1–2 weeks once the file is submitted in the Kingdom; Commercial Registration and AoA authentication take a further 1–2 weeks; and government portal activations are completed over the following 1–2 weeks.

The Wage Protection System (WPS) is administered through Mudad and ensures that all employees in Saudi Arabia are paid via approved banking channels with full auditability. Registration is mandatory for any Saudi company with employees, regardless of size. Continental Visa includes Mudad and WPS activation in our standard setup package.

VAT registration with ZATCA is mandatory if annual revenue exceeds SAR 375,000. Below that threshold, VAT registration is voluntary. Corporate tax registration applies to all Saudi entities regardless of revenue. Continental Visa handles both as part of the post-setup activation phase.

Yes. A Saudi national address is required for the initial registration with MISA and the Ministry of Commerce. If you do not yet have premises in the Kingdom, we can provide a temporary Saudi national address to satisfy the registration requirement while you secure permanent premises.

Yes. Saudization (Nitaqat) requires Saudi companies to employ a minimum proportion of Saudi nationals depending on the company size and sector. New companies often start in a lower compliance band, but Saudization affects your ability to issue new work visas. We provide Saudization guidance and Qiwa management as part of our post-setup support.

Costs vary significantly depending on the type of entity (LLC, branch, professional licence), the business activity, the number of shareholders, and whether you require ongoing post-setup support. Continental Visa provides a fixed-fee quote on request following an initial consultation — this gives you full visibility of all government fees, legalisation costs, and our service charges with no hidden extras. Request a consultation for a tailored quote.