Foreign Investor Registration Under New Saudi Law

Oct 25, 2026•2 min read

Foreign investors looking to do business in Saudi Arabia now follow a simpler path under the Kingdom's updated Investment Law, which took effect on 12 February 2025. The reform replaced the former foreign-investment licence with a straightforward registration process managed by the Ministry of Investment (وزارة الاستثمار).

Under the new system, foreign investors must complete their registration with the Ministry of Investment before conducting any investment activity in the country. Securities investments governed by the Capital Market Law are excluded from this requirement. The framework applies to both domestic and foreign investors, though registration is mandatory for foreign investors and generally voluntary for Saudi investors.

Applications are submitted through the Ministry of Investment's electronic services portal. Once approved, the Ministry notifies the investor that registration is complete, after which the investor can issue a commercial registration through the Ministry of Commerce and obtain the activity-specific licences required from the relevant authorities.

Fees and timelines

No fixed fee amount is publicly set in the official material. Instead, the Ministry of Investment determines the registration fee when it approves an application and notifies the applicant. The fee must be paid within 15 business days of that notification; otherwise, the registration is considered void. The same 15-business-day rule applies to the annual update fee, which the Ministry also sets and notifies.

Registration is not open-ended: it requires an annual update and payment of the applicable annual fee to remain valid. The Ministry of Investment also maintains a confidential national investor register, which draws its information from registration data and from other government entities. Investors do not apply to this register separately.

For the expat and business community, the change means less paperwork and a clearer entry point into the Saudi market, in line with the Kingdom's wider push to attract investment. Required documents depend on the investor type and legal form, as set by the Investment Law's implementing regulations.

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