The State of Qatar is located on the Qatar Peninsula, in the eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula. Qatar is the third largest holder of natural gas reserves, and is one of the largest suppliers of natural gas, oil, and petroleum products. Qatar’s GDP per capita reaches USD 100 000, which puts it in the world’s top 5 countries with the highest per capita GDP.
Qatar currently offers many investment opportunities due to the country’s progressive economic policies, commitment to infrastructure development and income diversification.
Thanks to Qatar having rich reserves of natural gas and a developed infrastructure for the export of this commodity, the country has no tax on personal income, dividends, profit (under certain conditions), and property.
A mainland company is a company registered with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI) of Qatar.
Mainland companies can be registered in various legal forms:
A mainland company is most commonly registered in the form of a limited liability company (LLC).
Types of activities that allow 100% foreign ownership (subject to approval from the Minister of Commerce and Industry):
Some activities may require additional approvals from the industry-specific regulatory authorities. These include engineering services and services in the tourism sector. For industrial activities, a company needs a licence from Qatar’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry for the creation of an industrial project.
A limited liability company (LLC) must have between 2 and 50 shareholders whose liability is limited to the value of their share in the company’s capital.
A foreigner cannot have more than 49% shares in the company, 51% must belong to a Qatari national.
A foreigner’s ownership can be increased to 100% subject to prior approval from the Minister of Commerce and Industry in accordance with the Law on Regulating Non-Qatari Capital Investment in the Economic Activity. This procedure takes 2 to 3 weeks from the date of application and one can only proceed with company registration after the approval is granted.
The registration of a mainland company in Qatar includes the following steps:
1) It is necessary to select:
Some activities require special approval from the various authorities (federal and local).
2) Paying fees.
3) It is necessary to provide documents for the managers / members / attorneys (originals or notarized copies):
The shareholders need to additionally provide personal data in writing (phone number, email, residential address, country of residence, mother’s name, marital status, religion, and nationality).
The shareholders will also need to sign a client information form (for compliance check) and a contract for administration.
4) Reserving the LLC’s name.
To reserve the LLC’s name, it is necessary to contact the Commercial Registry and Trademark Department of Qatar’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry to check the availability of the name and reserve it. Name reservation takes 1 to 2 days.
5) Opening a temporary bank account at any accredited Qatari bank in Doha.
It is important to first obtain a letter from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry permitting to open a bank account in Qatar and provide a copy of the shareholder’s ID card (a local shareholder who is a national or resident of Qatar). The account will be activated once the amount corresponding to the company’s share capital is deposited. Bank account activation takes 1 to 2 days.
6) Obtaining additional permits from the industry-specific regulatory authorities (for some activities).
7) Obtaining approval of the draft Articles of Association from the Authentication Department of the Ministry of Justice and from the Companies Control Section of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. After that, the signatures of the authorized persons on the documents must be certified by a notary of the Ministry of Justice. The procedure requires presence of the company’s shareholders who sign the Articles of Association.
8) Registration in the Commercial Register and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The application signed by the local shareholder must be accompanied by:
There is no company registration certificate, but one can obtain a Company Registration (CR) Extract.
9) Obtaining a trade licence from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. To obtain a licence, a company must confirm its substance in the country (lease of office or other premises).
10) Obtaining a TIN from the Ministry of Finance.
Upon registration, you will receive the following documents:
A company seal is also issued.
The total time to register a mainland company in Qatar is 2 to 3 weeks, on average.
Qatar does not have such a concept as permanent residence. Qatar’s migration rules require obtaining a residence permit (RP), which in practice is similar to a permanent residence document.
A visa can be obtained by making an employment contract with a company – work visa.
The application for a residence visa includes the following steps (a visa can only be applied for after the company registration has been completed):
1. Making a Computer Card. The application for a Computer Card must be accompanied by a copy of the Company Registration extract, a copy of the licence, and copies of passports/ID cards of the company’s shareholders. Applying for a Computer Card will also require a company seal.
The card is necessary for the company to be able to apply for work visas and residence permits (RP) for its employees in the future. The card is issued in 5 working days.
Once the manager receives a work visa and Qatar ID, it will be possible to make changes to and update the Computer Card.
2. Applying for a business visa. Once a business visa is ready, the applicant must enter the country on it.
3. Obtaining a work visa and residence permit (RP) – obtaining a work visa takes 10 days.
The applicant needs to:
After completion of this stage, a Qatar ID (QID) is issued to the applicant for a period of 1 to 2 years and can subsequently be renewed. The card is ready in 7 working days.
A company is required to annually renew its Company Registration and licence by paying relevant fees, and to renew its office lease agreement.
Company Registration and licence must be renewed 30 days before their expiration date. Upon renewal, an updated licence is issued.
Commercial Companies Law No. 11 of 2015 requires companies registered in Qatar to prepare their financial statements in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).
The first financial period (coincides with the tax period) may last more than 12 months or less, but it must not be less than 6 months or more than 18 months from the company’s incorporation date.
The tax return and supporting audited financial statements must be made in QAR (Qatari riyal).
Generally, all companies must file tax returns within 4 months of the end of the accounting period. This deadline can be extended at the discretion of the General Tax Authority (GTA), but the extension cannot exceed 4 months.
Companies wholly owned by Qatari residents or other Gulf country nationals are exempt from corporate income tax, but are required to file tax returns and audited financial statements with the tax authorities if their capital is QAR 2 000 000 or more or if their annual income is QAR 10 000 000 or more.
The tax return must be accompanied by audited financial statements if a company has a capital or profit exceeding QAR 100 000 (~USD 27 500) or has its head office outside Qatar. The tax return must be certified by a practising Qatari accountant registered with the Ministry of Finance.
Qatar does not levy personal income tax on wages or benefits of individuals, regardless of nationality or residence.
A flat corporate income tax rate is 10%.
Companies wholly owned by nationals of Qatar or other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are not required to pay corporate income tax. However, companies that are wholly or partly owned by foreigners and have sources of income in Qatar must pay tax at a rate of 10% in proportion to the foreigner’s shareholding.
Companies operating in the oil and gas sector are taxed at a rate of 35%.
A unified 5% withholding tax applies to all services provided in Qatar even if they are fully or partly performed outside the country. This provision extends to interest, royalties, technical fees, commission fees, brokerage fees, and other payments for services.
Withholding tax rate is:
The general rate of corporate tax for capital gains is 10%.
There are no inheritance, property or gift taxes in Qatar.
Currently, Qatar does not impose VAT, but this is expected to change in the near future.
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Services
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Fees (USD)
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Registration of a mainland company in Qatar, including:
- company incorporation (name check; collection, preparation and submission of documents for incorporation; selection of a licence; delivery of original corporate documents); - liaising with government authorities regarding all matters of the company; - monitoring changes in legislation, informing about changes and the need to revise the activities/structure of the company; - postal services (collection/delivery of documents and other correspondence); - company seal. This fee also includes the government fees charged by the registration authority for registering a company and issuing a licence, based on the average cost of a licence. Other options – upon request. |
from 11 500
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Finding an office for registration and further operation of the company
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10% of the rent (one-time)
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Qatar resident partner
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from 850 / year
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Annual renewal of the company, including:
- liaising with government authorities regarding all matters of the company; - monitoring changes in legislation, informing about changes and the need to revise the activities/structure of the company; - keeping track of the deadlines and making payments for the company renewal and the office lease agreement; - postal services (collection/delivery of documents and other correspondence). This fee also includes the government fees charged by the registration authority for renewing the licence, based on the average cost of a licence. Other options – upon request. |
from 9 800
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Obtaining a visa and Residence Permit
This is the cost of one work visa and residence permit, including: - payment of all government fees (Work Visa, Qatar ID); - preparing, executing and agreeing the necessary documentation; - accompanying the client to a medical clinic for medical examination; - accompanying the client to the government authorities for fingerprinting and biometrics; - submitting documents for issuing and stamping a visa; - filing an application for and obtaining a residence card; - transport expenses. |
4 200
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Renewal of Qatar ID (Residence Permit)
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3 800
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Assistance with opening corporate and personal bank accounts:
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= Services of:
- analysing the company’s structure, its activities / business model / turnover OR, in the case of a personal account, information on the individual’s sources of funds / residence / account balance; |
500
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= Services of:
- collecting and analysing the corporate and other documents required to be submitted to the selected bank; |
1 800
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Compliance fee
Payable in the cases of: • incorporation of a company, • renewal of a company, • liquidation of a company, • transfer out of a company, • issue of a power of attorney to a new attorney, • change of manager / shareholder / beneficial owner, • signing of documents. |
350 (standard rate, includes the check of 1 individual)
+ 150 for each additional individual (manager, shareholder, or beneficial owner) or legal entity (manager or shareholder) if such legal entity is administered by GSL + 200 for each additional legal entity (shareholder) if such legal entity is not administered by GSL 450 (rate for high-risk companies, includes the check of 1 individual) 100 (signing of documents) |
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Keeping the company’s accounting records
Maintaining a systematic archive of company documents and providing them to the client upon request |
200 / hour
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Preparing financial statements, conducting an audit, and submitting financial statements to the government authorities
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400 / hour[2]
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Tax advice on VAT and other matters
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from 300 / hour
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[1] The fees are valid as of January 2024.
[2] The fees for preparing financial statements and conducting an audit are charged based on the time spent at hourly rates ranging from USD 100 to USD 400 (depending on the type of work and qualification of a specialist involved).