Legislation of Qatar

List of laws and regulations

Law No. (25) of 2005 on the Commercial Registry

Commercial Registry

Law No. 11 of 2015 Promulgating the Commercial Companies Law

Commercial Companies

Law No. (1) of 2020 on the Unified Economic Register

Economic Register

Law No. 27 of 2006 on Trade

Trade

Law No. 34 of 2005 on Free Zones Investment

Free Zones Investment

Law No. (24) of 2018 Promulgating Income Tax

Income Tax Law

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Tax treaties entered

Algeria

Armenia

Austria

Azerbaijan

Barbados

Belarus

Brunei

Bulgaria

China

Croatia Cuba

Cyprus

Ecuador

France

Georgia

Greece

Guernsey

Hong Kong Hungary

India

Indonesia

Iran

Ireland

Isle of Man

Italy

Japan

Jersey

Jordan

Kazakhstan

Kenya

Korea

Kyrgyzstan

Latvia

Lebanon

Luxembourg

Malaysia

Malta

Mauritius

Mexico

Monaco

Morocco

Nepal

Netherlands

Norway

Nigeria

Oman

Pakistan

Panama

Philippines

Poland

Portugal

Romania

Russia

Senegal

Serbia

Seychelles

Singapore

Slovenia

South Africa

Spain

Sri Lanka

Sudan

Switzerland

Syria

Tunisia

Turkey

United Kingdom

Venezuela

Vietnam

Yemen

Tax Exchange Information Agreement (TIEA)

No

List of state regulatory authorities

Government of Qatar

https://www.gco.gov.qa/

Shura Council

https://www.shura.qa/en

Amiri Diwan

https://www.diwan.gov.qa/

General Tax Authority

https://gta.gov.qa/en/

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

https://mofa.gov.qa/en

Qatar Central Bank

http://www.qcb.gov.qa/

Qatar Open Data

https://www.data.gov.qa/

Qatar Financial Centre (QFC)

https://www.qfc.qa/

Corporate info

Legal system

Muslim law with elements of civil law

Types of entity

- Limited Liability Company (LLC);

- Company Limited by Guarantee (LLC(G));

- Segregated Portfolio Company;

- General Partnership;

- Limited Partnership;

- Limited Liability Partnership (LLP);

- Fund;

- Branch of a foreign company.

Shelf companies permitted

No

Incorporation timescale for a new company

From 2-3 weeks

Company suffix

"Limited liability company" is added to the company’s name

Sensitive words

A limited liability company (LLC) must have a name derived from its activity or the name of one or more of its members

Cyrillic alphabet permitted in company name

No

Local registered office

Yes

Local registered agent

Yes

Information to be kept at the registered office

Register of founders; accounts

Seal required, type of seal

Seal is required

Redomiciliation (to, from) permitted

-

Director and secretary

Minimum number of directors

1

Residency requirements for directors

No

Corporate directors permitted

No

Directors’ meetings/frequency/location

No restrictions

Disclosure to local agent

Yes

Disclosure to public

Yes

Company secretary required

No

Residency requirements for a secretary

No

Qualified secretary required

No

Corporate secretary permitted

No

Shareholder and beneficiary

Minimum number of shareholders

From 2 to 50

Residency requirements for shareholders

A foreign national can only own up to 49% of a company, 51% must be owned by a Qatari national

Corporate shareholder permitted

Yes

Meetings/frequency/location

No restrictions

Disclosure to local agent

Yes

Disclosure to public

Yes

Beneficiary info disclosure to

Yes

Shares and share capital

Minimum authorized share capital

Not established

Minimum issued share capital

Not established

Minimum paid share capital

Not established

Authorized capital payment deadlines

Not established

Issued capital payment deadlines

Not established

Standard currency

QAR

Standard authorized share capital

—

Standard par value of shares

—

Shares with no par value permitted

No

Bearer shares permitted

No

Taxes

Personal tax

No

Сorporate tax

10%

Corporate tax (in detail)

Standard corporate income tax rate is 10%

Capital gains tax

10%

Capital gains tax. Details

Capital gains tax rate is 10%

VAT

No

VAT. Details

Qatar has made a number of declarations about introduction of VAT, but the date of it coming into force has not been announced yet

Withholding tax

0% (dividend), 5% (interest), 5% (royalty)

Other taxes

Social insurance contributions, excise tax, customs duties

Exchange control

No

Government fee

-

Stamp duty

No

Accounts

Requirement to prepare accounts

Yes

Requirement to file accounts

Yes

Publicly accessible accounts

No

Requirement to file Annual Return

No

Publicly accessible Annual Return

No

Audit required

Yes

General information shortly

Location

Qatar Peninsula in the eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula

Total area

11 586 sq. km

Population

2 846 118 (2020)

Capital

Doha

National currency

Qatari rial

Conditional reduction of currency

QAR

Against USD

0,27

Climate, average max and min t°

Dry subtropical desert climate with low rainfall and hot and humid summers

Time difference from Moscow

No

Dialing code

+974

State language

arabian

Ethnic groups

Qataris - 11,6% of the population; immigrants - 88,4%: Pakistanis (18%), Indians (18%), Iranians (10%) and others

Literacy rate

97,3% (2019)

History

—

Credit rating

AA

Government type

Semi-constitutional monarch

Executive branch

The Emir has the exclusive power to appoint the prime minister and cabinet ministers who, together, constitute the Council of Ministers, which is the supreme executive authority in the country

Legislative branch

The Council of Ministers also initiates legislation

Judicial branch

Judicial power is vested in courts of general jurisdiction. Judicial decisions are proclaimed in the name of the Emir

Unemployment

0,1%

GDP per capita rank

10 (2021) IMF List

Corruption perceptions index rank

Corruption Perception Index - 63 (2021)

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Banks of Qatar

Commercial Bank of Qatar (CBQ)

3 250

N/A

Doha Bank

3 250

N/A

Masraf Al Rayan

3 250

N/A

1

Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB)

3 250

N/A

2

Qatar International Islamic Bank (QIIB)

3 250

N/A

Qatar National Bank (QNB)

3 250

N/A

1