A quick guide to the MISA investment license
If you are a foreign company looking to operate in Saudi Arabia, your first legal step is usually a license from the Ministry of Investment (MISA). This license is what allows a non-Saudi entity to own and operate a business in the Kingdom, in most sectors up to 100% foreign ownership.
Getting a MISA license generally requires proof of your parent company's existence (commercial registration from your home country), its financial standing, and a description of the activity you plan to carry out in Saudi Arabia.
Once the license is issued, the next steps are registering with the Ministry of Commerce to obtain a local Commercial Registration, opening a corporate bank account, and registering for tax with the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority.
Every case is different depending on your sector and structure. If you'd like help planning your specific setup, reach out to us on WhatsApp and we can walk you through it.