# Investing in Saudi Arabia as a foreign company or investor

Yes, foreign companies and investors can usually invest in Saudi Arabia, after registering the investment with the Ministry of Investment (MISA). This registration replaced the old foreign-investment licence, often called the “MISA licence”, in 2025. Your business activity (what the business will do) decides the route: many activities are open to foreign investors, and some are restricted.

Published by RAED ALI ALJOHANI COMPANY FOR Lawyership and Legal Consultations · Last updated 2026-10-19. General information about Saudi law — not advice on your situation.

## At a glance

- **Who this is for:** Foreign companies, family offices and individual investors planning an investment in Saudi Arabia, and their advisers. Setting up the company itself? See [setting up a company in Saudi Arabia](/company-formation/).
- **Can it be handled from outside Saudi Arabia?:** Partly. Much of the preparation and the registration application can usually be done from your own country. Some later steps usually need someone in Saudi Arabia.
- **What usually decides the route:** Your business activity, whether it is open or restricted for foreign investors, and whether you invest alone or with a Saudi partner.
- **What you usually need first:** A few lines about your plan and where your company is registered. No documents yet.
- **First step with us:** Send us a short outline by WhatsApp, phone or email.


## Common situations we help with

We help foreign companies and investors register and structure an investment in Saudi Arabia, and plan for what comes after. Start with the question closest to yours.

### Is your business activity open to foreign investors in Saudi Arabia?

Many business activities are open to full foreign ownership, while some are restricted and need extra conditions or approvals. Whether you need a Saudi partner also depends on the activity. See [how to check whether your business activity is open to foreign investors](https://saudilaw.co/foreign-investment/is-my-activity-open/).

### How does foreign investment registration work in Saudi Arabia?

Foreign investors register their investment online with the Ministry of Investment (MISA) before they start investing. This registration replaced the foreign-investment licence in 2025, which many people still call a “MISA licence”. See [how foreign investment registration works now](https://saudilaw.co/foreign-investment/investment-registration/) and [what the term “MISA licence” means today](https://saudilaw.co/guides/misa-licence-vs-registration/).

We are also writing pages on these questions:

- [Investing with a Saudi partner: joint ventures and minority stakes](https://saudilaw.co/foreign-investment/joint-ventures-and-minority-stakes/) — How to protect your position in a shared company or as a minority owner.
- [What protects a foreign investment in Saudi Arabia](https://saudilaw.co/foreign-investment/investor-protections/) — The rights the Investment Law gives investors, and their limits.
- [Regional headquarters and special economic zones](https://saudilaw.co/foreign-investment/regional-headquarters-and-zones/) — Whether a regional headquarters or a special economic zone fits your plans.
- [Buying into a Saudi company: listed and private shares](https://saudilaw.co/foreign-investment/buying-into-a-saudi-company/) — What to check before you buy a stake in a Saudi company.
- [Residency routes for investors and founders](https://saudilaw.co/foreign-investment/residency-for-investors/) — The residency options to look at when you invest or start a company.
- [Disputes with a Saudi partner or a government body](https://saudilaw.co/foreign-investment/partner-and-government-disputes/) — What to do when a partner or an official decision harms the investment.
- [Exiting an investment in Saudi Arabia](https://saudilaw.co/foreign-investment/exiting-an-investment/) — How to sell, transfer or close an investment in an orderly way.

## How does foreign investment in Saudi Arabia work, step by step?

Foreign investment in Saudi Arabia usually moves through six stages. You check that your business activity is open to foreign investors, register the investment with the Ministry of Investment (MISA), and create the company. Then you agree terms with any Saudi partner, keep your registrations up to date and plan how a dispute or an exit would work. According to MISA's frequently asked questions page, you apply for investment registration online. Not every investor needs all six stages, and some run side by side.

1. **Check that your business activity is open to foreign investors.** The [Ministry of Investment (MISA)](https://saudilaw.co/glossary/) registers foreign investment on two tracks: [available activities and restricted activities](https://saudilaw.co/glossary/). Restricted activities need extra conditions or approvals. See [whether your business activity is open to foreign investors](https://saudilaw.co/foreign-investment/is-my-activity-open/). Where a lawyer helps: describing your activity so that it matches the official list of business activities.
2. **Register the investment with MISA.** You apply online on the Invest Saudi portal, MISA's online platform. This [investment registration](https://saudilaw.co/glossary/investment-registration/) replaced the foreign-investment licence in 2025. MISA issues the registration certificate in Arabic only. See [how foreign investment registration works now](https://saudilaw.co/foreign-investment/investment-registration/). Where a lawyer helps: checking your company documents before they are certified in your country.
3. **Create the company and complete the registrations that follow.** Investment registration does not create a company. The company is created with the Ministry of Commerce, which gives it a [commercial registration](https://saudilaw.co/glossary/commercial-registration/) (CR): its entry in the official business register. Tax, labour and other registrations follow. See [setting up a company in Saudi Arabia](https://saudilaw.co/company-formation/). Where a lawyer helps: checking the articles of association (the company's founding document) and the trade name before they are submitted.
4. **Agree in writing how you will work with any Saudi partner.** If you invest with a Saudi partner, your agreement with them matters as much as the registrations. It should say who decides what, and what happens if you disagree. Where a lawyer helps: explaining in plain words what the agreement says about deadlock (when the owners cannot agree), exit and your right to information.
5. **Keep your registrations up to date.** MISA's Investor Guide lists services to renew and update a registration, change owners or business activities, merge registrations and cancel a registration. Each change needs its own application. Where a lawyer helps: checking a change before anyone signs.
6. **Plan how a dispute or an exit would work.** Decide early how you could sell your share, bring in a new owner or close the company. Open court cases, unpaid dues and changes that were never registered can all hold up an exit. Where a lawyer helps: listing what must be settled before a sale or a closure starts.

Contact: WhatsApp or phone +966 54 797 7285 · email office@raedlawyer.com · undefined

## Can you invest in Saudi Arabia without travelling there?

Partly. Much of the preparation and the registration application can usually be done from your own country. Some later steps usually need someone in Saudi Arabia in person. We tell you which steps apply to you before you plan a trip.

MISA's frequently asked questions say that you do not need to visit its offices to apply for investment registration. The application is made online.

A [power of attorney](https://saudilaw.co/glossary/power-of-attorney/) (wakala in Arabic) is a signed document that lets someone, such as a lawyer, act for you. If you sign it abroad, it usually has to be certified before a Saudi authority will accept it.

This is the usual order when you invest from abroad:

- A person who can sign for your company, such as a director, signs the company documents and the power of attorney in your country.
- You have those documents certified in your country, so that Saudi authorities can accept them as genuine.
- If a Saudi authority needs a certified Arabic translation, we tell you whether to have it done in your country or in Saudi Arabia.
- Your Saudi lawyer can then act for you in Saudi Arabia under the power of attorney.

Depending on the receiving body, documents from abroad are legalised by apostille or through a Saudi mission. This means the Saudi office that will receive your document decides what it accepts. That is either an [apostille](https://saudilaw.co/glossary/apostille/), a single certificate from your own country, or certification through a Saudi embassy or consulate. Some Saudi bodies still describe embassy authentication in their own guides, so before you pay for any certification, we confirm what the receiving authority accepts.

For more detail, see [power of attorney for Saudi Arabia, signed abroad](https://saudilaw.co/from-abroad/power-of-attorney/) and [setting up a Saudi company from abroad](https://saudilaw.co/company-formation/setting-up-from-abroad/). Your country matters too, so check [whether your country uses an apostille or legalisation](https://saudilaw.co/documents-from-abroad/).

## What are the main ways a foreign investor can take part in Saudi Arabia?

There are six common routes. You can set up your own company or branch, invest with a Saudi partner, or buy shares in a listed Saudi company. Other routes are a regional headquarters, a special economic zone or a Saudi distributor.

**Common ways a foreign investor can take part in Saudi Arabia**

| Route | What it is | Who oversees it | More detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your own Saudi company or branch | A Saudi subsidiary owned by your company, or a branch of your foreign company. | The Ministry of Investment (MISA), then the Ministry of Commerce. | [Choosing a structure](https://saudilaw.co/company-formation/choosing-a-structure/) |
| A Saudi partner: a joint venture or a minority stake | A company you own together with a Saudi partner (a joint venture), or a smaller share in an existing Saudi company (a minority stake). | MISA and the Ministry of Commerce. Your agreement with the partner sets out how you work together. | Page coming soon |
| Shares in a listed Saudi company | Buying shares in a company whose shares are traded on the Saudi stock market. | The Capital Market Authority (CMA), which regulates the Saudi securities market. | Page coming soon |
| A regional headquarters | A company group's base for running its business in the region, under MISA's regional headquarters (RHQ) programme. | MISA. | [Choosing a structure](https://saudilaw.co/company-formation/choosing-a-structure/) |
| A special economic zone | Setting up in an area with its own rules and incentives. | The Economic Cities and Special Zones Authority (ECZA). | Page coming soon |
| A Saudi distributor or agent, with no investment of your own | A Saudi business sells your products or services under a contract with you. | Your contract with the distributor or agent. | [How a Saudi distributor or agent agreement can end](https://saudilaw.co/distributor-contractor-disputes/ending-a-distributor-agreement/) |

This is a general comparison. The right route depends on your own facts.

## What should you prepare before contacting a Saudi lawyer about investing?

A few facts are enough for a first message. Have them ready, but please don't send documents until we agree to work with you.

- What you plan to do in Saudi Arabia, in a few lines.
- Who will invest: a company, and where it is registered, or a person.
- Whether a Saudi partner, a company you plan to buy into or a distributor is involved.
- Anything already registered or signed, such as an old “MISA licence” or a draft agreement.
- Roughly when you hope to start (for example, “early next year”).

## What's changed recently

- **2025.** Foreign investors now register their investment with the Ministry of Investment instead of applying for a licence. The updated Investment Law made this change, replacing the earlier Foreign Investment Law. It also sets out investors' rights, including equal treatment, moving funds and protecting property, within limits set by the law. See [our list of recent changes in Saudi law](https://saudilaw.co/whats-changed/).

## How we help foreign investors

We act as your counsel and coordinate trusted licensed partners for the registration filings. In other words, we are your law firm from start to finish, and licensed partner offices submit some of the government applications. You deal with the firm at every stage.

We look at an investment with later disputes and exit in mind. That means asking who controls the company, what happens if the owners disagree, and how you could sell your share or leave.

It starts with a short outline from you. We tell you whether we can help, what we need and how fees are agreed. We then put in writing what we will do and what it will cost. Work starts only after an engagement letter, the written agreement between you and the firm, is signed.

Payment is arranged directly with the firm, never on this site.

[How we work with clients outside Saudi Arabia](https://saudilaw.co/how-we-work/)

[Company details](https://saudilaw.co/about/verify-us/)


## Frequently asked questions

### Can foreigners invest in Saudi Arabia?

Usually, yes. Foreign companies, and some individuals, first register their investment with the Ministry of Investment (MISA). Your business activity decides which registration track applies, and some activities are restricted or closed. MISA's frequently asked questions explain who can register. Our page on [whether your business activity is open to foreign investors](/foreign-investment/is-my-activity-open/) explains how to check.

### What is MISA in Saudi Arabia?

MISA is the Ministry of Investment of Saudi Arabia. It registers foreign investments and publishes the Investor Guide, which describes its services, including registration through its online portal and the regional headquarters (RHQ) licence. MISA does not create the company itself: the Ministry of Commerce handles the articles of association and the commercial registration. Other authorities handle matters such as labour and residency.

### Is it a good idea to invest in Saudi Arabia?

That is an investment decision, and we don't make it for you. What we do is look at the legal side before you commit: whether your activity is open to foreign investors, who controls the company, what happens if the owners disagree, and how you could sell your share or leave. Ask us to review your plans and documents before you sign anything.

### Is a MISA licence still required, and what changed for foreign investors in 2025?

The main change is registration. The updated Investment Law replaced the old Foreign Investment Law, and under it a foreign investor registers with MISA before investing. The law also sets out investors' rights, such as equal treatment of local and foreign investors in similar circumstances. Our guide to [the term “MISA licence” and investment registration](/guides/misa-licence-vs-registration/) explains what the old term means now.

### Can a foreign investor transfer profits out of Saudi Arabia?

Generally, yes. The Investment Law gives an investor the right to transfer funds within or outside the Kingdom, including profits and the proceeds of a sale, through legal channels. MISA's frequently asked questions add that transfers are subject to the applicable Saudi laws and regulations. Plan how money will move before you invest, and we can explain the steps for your structure.

### Can a foreign company own property in Saudi Arabia?

Often, yes. MISA has a registration for companies registered abroad that only want to own property in Saudi Arabia, without doing business there. Separate property rules also apply, so check both before you sign or pay anything. See [buying and owning property in Saudi Arabia as a foreigner](/property-for-foreigners/), and we can check how the rules apply to the property you have in mind.

### Do you need to live in Saudi Arabia to manage an investment?

Not always. According to MISA, you apply for investment registration online, without visiting the ministry. Residency is a separate question with its own rules. MISA registers individual investors who hold [Premium Residency](/glossary/#premium-residency), which is one residency route. Much of the paperwork can be handled through a [power of attorney signed abroad](/from-abroad/power-of-attorney/), and we tell you if any step needs you in person.

## Official sources

- Ministry of Investment (MISA): [Frequently Asked Questions](https://misa.gov.sa/frequently-asked-questions/) (checked 2026-10-19)
- Ministry of Investment (MISA): [Updated Investment Law](https://misa.gov.sa/activities/laws-regulations-copy/) (checked 2026-10-19)
- Ministry of Investment (MISA): [Investment Law (PDF)](https://misa.gov.sa/app/uploads/2024/08/Investment-Law.pdf) (checked 2026-10-19)
- Ministry of Investment (MISA): [Investor Guide, 13th edition (PDF)](https://misa.gov.sa/app/uploads/2026/09/Investor-Guide_13-03-en.pdf) (checked 2026-10-19)
- Capital Market Authority (CMA): [Capital Market Authority | Home](https://cma.gov.sa/en/) (checked 2026-10-19)
- Economic Cities and Special Zones Authority (ECZA): [Economic Cities and Special Zones Authority](https://ecza.gov.sa/en) (checked 2026-10-19)
- Premium Residency Center: [Premium Residency Center](https://pr.gov.sa/)

General information about Saudi law, not legal advice on your situation. For your own case, speak to a licensed lawyer. Contacting us does not create a lawyer–client relationship until an engagement letter is signed.

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Saudi Law is operated by RAED ALI ALJOHANI COMPANY FOR Lawyership and Legal Consultations, licensed in Saudi Arabia. https://saudilaw.co/foreign-investment/