Our services include:
- Providing legal and technical advice in determining the optimal options for investment.
- Establishing foreign companies of all kinds.
- Extracting the necessary licenses, records and certificates.
- Providing M&A advice and support.
- Executive Legal Summary for new laws, rules, regulations and instructions.
- Documentation of transactions and authentication of procedures.
- Preparing a professional legal due diligence for the investor’s situation and practical recommendations.
- Representation before the competent authorities and related parties in the investment.
- Drafting, auditing and documenting contracts of all kinds.
- Obtaining visas for investors and employees.
How we help
Entering the Saudi market is a major opportunity, but it requires precise decisions from the outset: the legal form of the entity, sector requirements, registrations and licences, and contracts with local partners. We support investors through each stage, in Arabic and English.
- An initial session to understand the target activity, market and investment size.
- Studying the sector’s regulatory requirements and proposing the right structure.
- Preparing, notarizing and legalizing documents.
- Registration with the Ministry of Investment, issuance of the commercial registration and subsequent registrations.
- Drafting incorporation and operational contracts, then ongoing legal support once operations begin.
The Investment Law is now the main framework, replacing the former Foreign Investment Law, and is applied by the Ministry of Investment together with its Implementing Regulations. Related laws include the Companies Law, the Commercial Register Law, sector-specific laws that impose special conditions on certain activities, and the law on real estate ownership by non-Saudis where property is needed for the business.
Who we serve
- Foreign companies establishing an entity or branch in the Kingdom.
- Individual investors from abroad seeking a suitable legal structure.
- Saudi companies entering partnerships or M&A transactions with a foreign party.
- Existing investors who need to update their status under new regulations.
Common mistakes we help avoid include choosing a legal form that does not suit expansion plans, starting operations before registrations and sector requirements are complete, relying on foreign-drafted contracts without adapting them to Saudi law, overlooking zakat, tax and labor obligations that arise once operations start, and entering a local partnership without a written agreement on management and exit.
Frequently asked questions
Does a foreign investor still need a licence?
The Investment Law adopts registration of the investor with the Ministry of Investment instead of the traditional licence, while some activities still require special conditions or approvals under sector laws. We therefore start by studying the specific activity.
Which legal form suits a foreign company?
It depends on the activity, number of partners, funding and expansion plans. A limited liability company suits some cases; a branch of a foreign company or a joint stock company suits others.
Can I partner with a Saudi investor?
Yes. In that case we recommend a clear shareholders’ agreement covering management, profits, exit and dispute resolution, alongside the articles of association.
Contact Alburhan Law Firm in Riyadh to discuss your matter.
