The new Investment Law: registration instead of an investment licence

The Investment Law, in force since 2025, replaced the old Foreign Investment Law. Its biggest change: the investment licence has been replaced by registration with the Ministry of Investment (MISA).

How does it work now?

1. 1The foreign investor registers with MISA before starting any investment.
2. 2Once registered, the investor obtains the commercial registration and any licences required by other authorities.
3. 3MISA's one-stop service centre can receive applications for those approvals.

Investors already operating under the old law have no extra requirements to meet.

Investor rights

• Equal treatment for local and foreign investors in similar circumstances.
• Protection from confiscation without a final court ruling, and from expropriation except for public interest with fair compensation.
• Freedom to transfer funds into and out of the Kingdom.
• Protection of intellectual property and trade secrets.

Obligations

• Register before investing.
• Get approval before investing in excluded activities, or before changing ownership in restricted ones.
• Violations can bring a warning, a fine of up to SAR 300,000 (doubled for repeat violations) or cancellation of the registration.

Disputes

Investors can go to the competent court, or agree on arbitration, mediation or conciliation.

We guide foreign investors from MISA registration to the commercial registration and every government registration they need to start operating.