Registering a Company in Egypt

You can get the GAFI (general authority for investment) business registration guide. A friend emailed it to me last week. He works there. This registration guide is in Arabic and English. I think it might be more up to date than the one you will find on their website.

alimirza wrote:

Hello All

Can someone please tell me what is the procedure to register a company in Egypt. I Would appreciate if someone could help me with the following points

1. Cost of registration
2. where to go?
3. Can I do it myself or should I need a lawyer
4. how much time does it take normally
5. I'm a foreigner but having a permanent residency in egypt. will they allow me ?


If someone know a lawyer who is good in doing such things please do forward me the contact as well

You may want to read through all of this related information for doing business in egyptit will answer one of your questions.

I was told very recently its taking a bit of time to due complete background checks on all new operations which are being started.

as a general rule the short answer is no you wont be able to open and operate a business directly,and you will need an Egyptian partner.even thou they claim now foreigners can open and operate a business they own its not as simple as it sounds.

This firm is international they have offices in six countires and due the type work your asking about its owned and operated by one of my partners family members.

the document mentioned in the post above also is a very good document to review

Thanks allot Shorouk , I will check the link above and will share the results

Hey Alimirza, Interesting you asked this here. I been researching the exact same issue and found this out:

1. Cost of registration - As % of Paid Up Capital
Bank Certificate (from 300 to 1,000)
Notary Public    0.25% (min: 10 to max: 1,000)
Establishment Fees    0.10% (min: 100 to max: 1,000)
Service Change    0.10% (min: 1,000 to max: 10,000)
Commercial Syndicate Fees (min: 125 to max: 250)
Publication LLC in English and Arabic (300)   
Chamber of Commerce    0.20% (min: 20 to max: 2,000)
Chamber of Commerce: Issue Operation Certificate (29)   
Commercial Registration    (51)
Ratification of laywer's signature at Lawyers Syndicate:     0.50%  (min: 100 to max: 5,000)
Stamp Tax for EGY Bar Association (20)   
GAFI Fees    0.01%
Stamp Duty    (20)


2. where to go?
GAFI One Stop Shop on Salah Salem Street (before the exhibition grounds)

3. Can I do it myself or should I need a lawyer
Nah! A lawyer is mandatory. When you contact one - make sure you get a quote for the entire process - including the last important step - stamped Tax journals. Also, I was quoted a lawyer fee of LE8,000 for registering an LLC and LE10,000 for share holding company.

4. how much time does it take normally
The published timeline is 72 hours. You will need time before that - to prepare all the documents as listed in Shorouk's excellent amcham link. Besides, foreigners need an extra step - security clearance which takes around 1-3 months.

5. I'm a foreigner but having a permanent residency in egypt. will they allow me?
You may establish an LLC with 2 foreigner partners. Note, you NEED 1 local Egyptian as a manager (included in the memorandum of association). While, a Share Holding company is possible with 3 foreigner partners.

And you will need an office lease and no objection cert. for the company name. Also, two major laws to know are - Law 8 and law 159. (English copies are available online.)

Please Note: This is information I am aware of - I have not used it to register a company. Hopefully, I will - as soon as I can iron out the new wrinkles that keep appearing.

Wish you the best.

PS. Lemme know if you want an XLS calculator for government costs.

Who wrote:

Hey Alimirza, Interesting you asked this here. I been researching the exact same issue and found this out:

1. Cost of registration - As % of Paid Up Capital
Bank Certificate (from 300 to 1,000)
Notary Public    0.25% (min: 10 to max: 1,000)
Establishment Fees    0.10% (min: 100 to max: 1,000)
Service Change    0.10% (min: 1,000 to max: 10,000)
Commercial Syndicate Fees (min: 125 to max: 250)
Publication LLC in English and Arabic (300)   
Chamber of Commerce    0.20% (min: 20 to max: 2,000)
Chamber of Commerce: Issue Operation Certificate (29)   
Commercial Registration    (51)
Ratification of laywer's signature at Lawyers Syndicate:     0.50%  (min: 100 to max: 5,000)
Stamp Tax for EGY Bar Association (20)   
GAFI Fees    0.01%
Stamp Duty    (20)


2. where to go?
GAFI One Stop Shop on Salah Salem Street (before the exhibition grounds)

3. Can I do it myself or should I need a lawyer
Nah! A lawyer is mandatory. When you contact one - make sure you get a quote for the entire process - including the last important step - stamped Tax journals. Also, I was quoted a lawyer fee of LE8,000 for registering an LLC and LE10,000 for share holding company.

4. how much time does it take normally
The published timeline is 72 hours. You will need time before that - to prepare all the documents as listed in Shorouk's excellent amcham link. Besides, foreigners need an extra step - security clearance which takes around 1-3 months.

5. I'm a foreigner but having a permanent residency in egypt. will they allow me?
You may establish an LLC with 2 foreigner partners. Note, you NEED 1 local Egyptian as a manager (included in the memorandum of association). While, a Share Holding company is possible with 3 foreigner partners.

And you will need an office lease and no objection cert. for the company name. Also, two major laws to know are - Law 8 and law 159. (English copies are available online.)

Please Note: This is information I am aware of - I have not used it to register a company. Hopefully, I will - as soon as I can iron out the new wrinkles that keep appearing.

Wish you the best.

PS. Lemme know if you want an XLS calculator for government costs.

this is good information and its a bit more drawn out then the time line mentioned above and other steps will need to take place like the tax department must visit and verify your office is real and has electric which must also be proving by by providing the last current invoice.These types of little things add allot of prep time to the timeline.

I would not be surprised if it takes more then a month to complete the prep work then the security issue will require time.

The last time we used a lawyer for a new firm was during 2007 our cost was well below whats mentioned above and we under took the document process ourselves.In order to complete the process in a timely fashion.

Lots of opportunity remains within egypt but requires constant diligence factual information about egypts business and industry base is very hard to find.

I wish you both the best of luck.