What steps are required to register a small business in Qatar as a foreign resident, and what documents are typically needed?

In Qatar, a local sponsor is no longer mandatory for mainland LLCs, and many commercial activities may qualify for 100% foreign ownership with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI). The typical minimum capital for mainland companies is around QAR 200,000, though this may differ in free zones. The procedure to establish a company includes: 1) Tradename name reservation for 180 days with official fees of 1,000 QAR. 2) Printing the incorporation certificate and attesting the certificate before the Ministry of Justice with fees of 150 QAR. 3) Stamping the articles of association with the Companies Control Service with fees of 200 QAR. 4) Printing the extract form of the commercial register and having it attested by the Department of Licensing and Commercial Records; the official fees depend on the extract’s activities and typically range from about 3,000 to 120,000 QAR. 5) Attestation of the shop lease contract and printing the lease relationship form with the Ministry of Municipality; the official fees depend on the lease value and are usually notarized by the property owner. 6) Issuance of the Establishment Card with charges of 200 QAR. 7) Issuance of the Establishment Card and related documents; the charges for issuance are 1000 QAR. 8) Activation of the sponsor’s identity card with the Ministry of Interior to begin work and obtain employee visas (free of charges). Requirements include: a certificate of good standing legalized up to the Qatari consulate; passport copies of authorized signatories; a power of attorney legalized up to the Qatari consulate; the type of company; activities of the company; and the trade name. Qatar allows for LLCs, Foreign Branch Offices, and Trade Representative Offices. Expected timeframes are: trade name reservation about 2–3 business days; Commercial Registration (CR) about 4–6 weeks (document accuracy can affect timing); trade license issuance about 5–10 business days after CR, subject to municipal approval; total typically 6–10 weeks from planning to operation. Professional charges for establishing a company are USD 4,000, with an offer to assist in providing trusted local partners and sponsorship options to minimize risk.