Investment framework and opportunities in Bahrain
Procedures Relative to Foreign Investment
- Freedom of Establishment
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There are essentially eight options available to foreign investors who are looking to undertake business/commercial activities in Bahrain:
-With limited liability company
-Partnership company
-Bahrain shareholding company (BSC) - public
-Bahrain shareholding company (BSC) - closed
-Simple commandite company
-Single person company
-Branch of a foreign company
-Holding company
The WLL is the most commonly used form of company. To find out more, please visit the government website.
- Acquisition of Holdings
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In most of the cases (around 95%), a 100% foreign ownership is possible.
- Obligation to Declare
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All business registrations have to be approved by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce. To find out more, please visit the commercial registration portal.
- Competent Organisation For the Declaration
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Ministry of Industry and Commerce
- Requests For Specific Authorisations
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Some activities are limited to nationals of the countries of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (CCASG): Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, for example accounting services; import; export and/or sale of race car fuel; cargo clearance; fishing.
Some activities are limited to nationals of Bahrain, such as certain real estate services, press and publishing; printing; film and TV services; the land transport of goods, passengers and tourists; inland sea cruises; car rental, the Hajj and Umra services; services providing foreign labor; trade agencies; small businesses.
Any business registration must be approved by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MIC).
Find out more about Investment Service Providers in Bahrain on GlobalTrade.net, the Directory for International Trade Service Providers.
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Latest Update: April 2022