A MISA licence, officially an investment registration with the Saudi Ministry of Investment (MISA), is what a foreign company or investor must obtain before investing in the Kingdom. A Plus Network, a UK company (No. 16206773), helps foreign investors by forming the UK parent company online and building the MISA investment file on it, handling the file from start to finish. MISA alone decides every application.
Last updated: 25 October 2026 · General information, not legal advice.| # | Step | What it involves | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Choose the activity | MISA registers approved economic activities that are open to investment (ISIC 4), according to the requirements of the activity’s category (available or restricted). A foreign investor must apply to MISA for approval before engaging in an activity on the list of excluded activities. | Investor Guide §3.1.1; Investment Law, Art. 8 |
| 2 | Have a real foreign parent company | The application is made on a foreign company that exists and is registered in its own country. For a UK limited company, gov.uk sets out the steps to register it with Companies House. Companies House has made identity verification a legal requirement for directors and people with significant control since 18 November 2025, with a 12-month transition period. | gov.uk: set up a limited company; gov.uk: verify your identity for Companies House |
| 3 | Prepare the documents | The Guide lists the Commercial Registration of the foreign partner, certified by the Saudi Embassy, and the financial statements for the last fiscal year of the foreign company, authenticated by the Saudi Embassy, plus any requirements specific to the activity. See the list below. | Investor Guide §3.1.1 |
| 4 | Check ownership and capital conditions | Each type of activity has its own minimum capital and minimum Saudi participation. A few examples from the Guide are in the table further down. | Investor Guide §5.1.1 |
| 5 | Apply to MISA | The applicant provides the company’s name and place of incorporation, its scope of business and activities, the capital, the expected capital contribution, and the particulars of its owners, shareholders and ultimate beneficial owner. The applicant must affirm MISA’s declarations, including that all information and documents are valid. MISA may ask for more information. | Implementing Regulations, Art. 11 |
| 6 | MISA reviews and notifies | MISA notifies the applicant of the registration within 10 working days from the date all registration requirements are satisfied. If the application is incomplete, MISA says so and gives a period of not less than 15 working days to provide what is missing; otherwise the application is deemed cancelled. | Implementing Regulations, Art. 12 |
| 7 | Pay MISA’s fee | The registration fee is determined by MISA when it approves the application. The applicant pays it within the period stated in MISA’s notification; if it is not paid in time, the registration is considered void. | Investor Guide §3.1.1 |
| 8 | After registration | A registered investor submits an annual update to MISA. Other approvals the activity needs, and the commercial registration, are dealt with by the relevant authorities, such as the Ministry of Commerce, and tax matters by ZATCA. MISA’s comprehensive service center can receive an investor’s applications for the legal approvals needed to engage in an investment activity. | Regulations, Art. 13; Law, Art. 7(4); Ministry of Commerce; ZATCA |
Steps follow MISA’s published texts. Your activity may add requirements of its own.
Source: MISA Investor Guide, 13th edition (03-2026), §3.1.1. The Guide’s registration requirements are written for “the foreign partner” and name no particular country. Because the Guide asks for financial statements for the last fiscal year, ask MISA how that applies to a company formed recently before you rely on it. UK documents can be legalised by the UK Legalisation Office (an apostille; gov.uk lists certificates issued by Companies House among the documents it can legalise): gov.uk: get your document legalised. The Guide itself speaks of certification by the Saudi Embassy, so confirm with MISA which form of legalisation it accepts for your documents.
| Type of activity (MISA Guide §5.1.1) | Minimum capital (SAR) | Minimum Saudi participation | Additional requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commercial, with a Saudi partner | 26,666,667 | 25% | None listed |
| Commercial, 100% foreign | 30,000,000 | None | Presence in at least 3 regional or global markets |
| Professional activities, with a Saudi partner | None listed | 25% | Both partners (local and foreign) must hold a licence in the same field; a non-professional partner’s share must not exceed 30% |
| Engineering consulting, 100% foreign | None listed | None | Presence in 4 countries; at least 10 years of experience |
| Legal activity, 100% foreign | None listed | None | Letter of approval from the Ministry of Justice |
These are examples from one table in the Guide, which also covers other activity types. Thresholds can change when MISA updates the Guide, so read the current edition before you plan: MISA Investor Guide (PDF).
We form your UK limited company fully online, with no UK residency or visit needed. A complete UK formation usually takes from 3 days to a working week once your documents and identity verification are complete. That timing is for the UK company only and does not apply to MISA.
We build the MISA investment file on a real foreign parent company, for example a UK limited company, and handle the file from start to finish. We have formed many companies and obtained many investment licences for clients.
We work by WhatsApp and e-mail in Arabic and reply within 24 hours. Everything is online and no office receives clients.
In everyday use, yes. Under the Investment Law, MISA keeps a national register of investors and a foreign investor registers with the Ministry before investing (Article 7). The law replaced the earlier Foreign Investment Law (Article 16). People often still say “MISA licence” or “investment licence”, and MISA’s Investor Guide calls the service “Registering for investment”.
A foreign investor, before engaging in any investment in the Kingdom, as specified in the Implementing Regulations. Investments in securities that fall under the Capital Market Law are excluded (Investment Law, Article 7). Registration is for approved economic activities that are open to investment, and some activities are restricted or excluded (Investor Guide §3.1.1; Law, Article 8).
According to MISA’s Investor Guide: the Commercial Registration of the foreign partner certified by the Saudi Embassy, the foreign company’s financial statements for the last fiscal year authenticated by the Saudi Embassy, an identity document in the GCC-individual case described in the Guide, and the requirements specific to the activity. See the list on this page and check the current Guide.
MISA’s Investor Guide estimates 10 working days for the registration service, and the Implementing Regulations say MISA notifies the applicant within 10 working days from the date all registration requirements are satisfied. Preparing the company and documents comes before that, and we cannot promise how long MISA will take on your file.
MISA sets the registration fee when it approves the application, and the applicant pays it within the period in MISA’s notification (Investor Guide §3.1.1). We do not quote MISA’s fee here. For our own fee, we show you the full price before you start; message us on WhatsApp.
The Guide’s requirements are written for “the foreign partner” and do not name a country. A UK limited company registered at Companies House is one example of a foreign company, and its public record can be checked by anyone on Companies House. What MISA accepts for your activity and structure is MISA’s decision, so check the current Guide and requirements for your activity.
No. MISA decides every application, and nobody else can promise its decision or its timing. What we do is prepare the file on a real company, keep it consistent and complete, and handle it from start to finish.
Message us on WhatsApp at +44 7418 315326 or write to info@aplusn.net. Tell us your planned activity in Saudi Arabia, your country of residence and how many owners there will be. We reply within 24 hours.
General information, not legal advice. Official texts change; check the current version before you act.
Message us on WhatsApp with your activity and where you live. We reply within 24 hours.
Message us on WhatsApp+44 7418 315326 · info@aplusn.net