How we work
How a Saudi company formation runs, step by step
Every file follows the same seven steps, and nothing is filed until you have approved a written quote. One person handles your file from the first call to the handover. The quote keeps our fixed fee for the agreed work apart from the fees the Saudi government and your home country charge, which we pass on at cost with the official receipts.
The seven steps
What happens, in order, and what you get at each step
A Saudi company formation with us runs in seven steps, from the free consultation to the handover of records, and each Saudi step needs the one before it: no CR without MISA registration, no bank account or ZATCA number without the CR. Most delays we see are document mistakes, so step 3 starts with your PDFs, not your originals.
- Step 1 · Free, 20–30 minutes
Consultation
We check the activity against MISA's rules, the shareholders and the country your papers come from. You get: a clear yes or no, or the one condition the answer depends on.
- Step 2 · In writing
Plan and fixed quote
Structure (LLC or branch), document list, the order of the steps and every fee on its own line. You get: one document to approve before anything is filed, and a fixed fee for that scope with no hidden costs.
- Step 3 · Your country
Documents legalised
You send PDFs first; we tell you which originals need an apostille or attestation, then they are translated into Arabic. You get: a filing-ready pack. See document attestation and apostille.
- Step 4 · Ministry of Investment
MISA registration
Filed on the MISA Investor Portal under your power of attorney. MISA's Investor Guide (13th edition, 2026) estimates 10 working days for a complete file. See MISA investment registration.
- Step 5 · Ministry of Commerce
Articles and CR
Trade name, articles of association and the Commercial Registration (Sijil Tijari) that forms the company. Trading companies then add a trading licence. See Commercial Registration.
- Step 6 · Activation
Tax, staff, bank, residency
ZATCA registration, GOSI and Qiwa, Muqeem, the corporate bank account and the manager's investor visa and Iqama. You get: a company that can invoice and hire.
- Step 7 · Handover
Records and calendar
Every certificate, login and a dated calendar of renewals and returns. See PRO and compliance.
What a quote includes
Every line on a Saudi company formation quote
A Saudi company formation quote from us always has the same lines: our fixed fee for the work, then the government and home-country fees we pass on at cost. Two founders asking for "a Saudi company" can need very different work, so what sits behind each line depends on your file.
Why government fees are passed on at cost: the authorities set them and can change them. You see the official amount on the official receipt, not a figure we've marked up. One rule changed recently: since the Commercial Register Law took effect on 3 April 2025, a CR has no expiry date to renew. Its data must be confirmed every 12 months instead, and a CR not confirmed within 90 days of its due date is suspended.
Figures you can plan with
Six Saudi figures set in the rules, not by us
Six figures in Saudi rules shape a new company's first year, whoever forms it: income tax, the VAT threshold, the GOSI rate, two deadlines and one capital rule. Each links to the page where we explain it in full, and the 120-day return deadline is printed in ZATCA's returns calendar.
What decides the fee
Five facts that decide how much work a file needs
The scope of work decides our fixed fee, and five facts about your plan decide the scope. Tell us these at the consultation and the written quote will hold.
- Activity
What the company will do
Activities with MISA special conditions or sector licences mean more documents and more filings.
- Shareholders
How many, and who
Each shareholder's papers are stamped and translated. A company shareholder needs more papers than a person.
- Country
Apostille or embassy
Apostille countries skip the Saudi embassy step, which saves fees and weeks. See the Pakistan, India and Bangladesh routes.
- Scope
Formation only, or activation too
ZATCA, GOSI, Qiwa, the bank and residency are separate stages you can add or leave out.
- Premises
Office and staff
Activities that need premises or staff from day one add rent, work permits and levies.
How long it takes
Real timelines from our files, not a promise
We don't promise a number of days for a Saudi company formation, because your home-country papers decide most of the time it takes. These three timelines come with evidence you can check.
Before you start
Questions about how we work and how the fee is set
Why do you quote each file separately?
Because the work differs from file to file: the activity, the number of shareholders, the country the papers come from and whether you want activation as well as formation. One advertised figure would either leave work out or charge simple files for work they don't need. You get a fixed quote in writing within one working day instead.
Is the consultation really free?
Yes. It takes 20 to 30 minutes, and you get our view on the structure, the document list and a written quote, with no obligation to go ahead.
Can the fixed fee change after I approve the quote?
No. Our fee is guaranteed for the scope in the quote, with no hidden costs. If you change the scope, for example by adding a shareholder or an activity, we quote the change in writing before doing the work.
Do you mark up government fees?
No. Government and home-country fees are passed on at cost, on their own lines, and you see the official receipt.
Can I pay only for some steps?
Yes. Many founders take formation only, or come to us for activation after someone else formed the company. The quote lists only the steps you choose.
What do I get when the work is finished?
Every certificate and registration, the logins for the Saudi portals, the articles of association and a dated calendar of every renewal and return the company owes.
Get your quote in writing
Tell us the activity, the shareholders and where you are based. We reply within one working day with the route, the documents and every fee. Every filing goes through the official channel in your company's name; we never promise an approval or a date. Who we are is on our about us page.