100% foreign LLC
Most common vehicle. Full foreign ownership, no local partner required. MISA license + commercial registration. Minimum capital SAR 500K–5M depending on sector. 4–8 weeks.
Branch office
Extension of foreign parent. No separate legal personality. Useful for project-based work. Requires MISA branch license + local service agent (administrative only). 3–6 weeks.
Joint venture
Strategic JV with a Saudi partner. Recommended for government-procurement-heavy sectors (defense, certain healthcare, infrastructure). Equity split negotiable.
Representative office
Non-commercial. Market research, liaison, brand presence only. Cannot invoice. Approved by MISA – 4–6 weeks.
Commercial agency
Appoint a Saudi distributor or agent. Lightest footprint, but limited control. Governed by the Commercial Agencies Law.
Franchise
Franchise the brand to a Saudi master franchisee under the Franchise Law (effective 2020). Disclosure document mandatory.
Regional HQ (RHQ)
Mandatory for foreign companies seeking Saudi government contracts. 30-year tax holiday on RHQ activities + Saudization exemptions for the first year.
Special Economic Zone entity
Setup inside NEOM, KAEC, Jazan, Ras Al-Khair or CCSEZ. 0% corporate tax (qualified activities), customs exemptions, relaxed Saudization.
Decision shortcut
- Selling B2C or B2B with full P&L control → 100% foreign LLC.
- Servicing one large project, no permanent presence → Branch office.
- Targeting government tenders or defense → JV with Saudi partner.
- Testing the market before commitment → Representative office.
- Manufacturing for export with tax shelter → SEZ entity.
- Foreign multinational selling to government → Regional HQ (mandatory).
Sector-specific recommendations
Healthcare
Joint venture often preferred for SFDA navigation and hospital-procurement access. All Care offers turnkey JV docking into existing SFDA-certified facilities.
Technology
100% foreign-owned eligible for fast-track MISA and SVC co-investment. Pair with Quantum.sa for data-residency-compliant infrastructure.
Manufacturing
OEM / private-label via All Care Surgical accelerates market entry without entity setup – ISO 13485 / CE / SFDA / FDA pathways ready.
All Care acceleration
Standard MISA timelines run 4–8 weeks. With All Care pre-validation and direct authority liaison, clients average 3–6 weeks (~40% faster) – with branch offices in 2–4 weeks and joint ventures in 4–8 weeks with vetted partners.