Summary Saudi Arabia’s foreign investment framework changed fundamentally in 2025: the New Investment Law (Royal Decree M/19) replaced the 2000 Foreign Investment Law and took effect in February 2025, moving foreign investors from a licensing requirement to a simplified registration process for any activity not on the Negative List. This…
Summary Importing into Saudi Arabia requires a Commercial Registration with import activity, SASO or SFDA product certification depending on category, and standard customs duty of 5% of CIF value plus 15% VAT. Full clearance for compliant goods commonly takes 2 to 4 working days, with prohibited items and restricted categories…
Summary Setting up a business in Saudi Arabia typically costs SAR 30,000 to 60,000 for a small consultancy, SAR 100,000 to 200,000 for a mid-sized trading firm, and SAR 300,000 or more for larger operations with employees and physical premises. Capital requirements now vary by activity rather than a single…
Summary The UAE’s strongest free zones span very different specialties: DMCC for trading and commodities, DIFC and ADGM for finance, JAFZA for logistics, and SHAMS or Dubai Silicon Oasis for cost-conscious tech and media startups. The right choice depends on your activity, budget, and whether you need port access, a…
Summary Opening a restaurant in Abu Dhabi means securing a commercial license from ADDED, food safety approval from ADAFSA, a Civil Defence certificate, and a registered Tawtheeq tenancy contract, four separate approvals most generic guides collapse into one step. Total government licensing typically runs AED 15,000 to AED 30,000 and…
Summary Keeping your Emirates ID up to date means more than a one-time status check: it means renewing within the correct window (before 1 year remains for UAE nationals, before 6 months for residents), updating personal details after a sponsor or address change, and knowing the real cost and grace…
