Question 1

Can a foreigner own 100% of an Egyptian company?

Accepted Answer

Yes — in most sectors. Under Law 159/1981 (Commercial Companies Law) and
Law 72/2017 (Investment Law), foreigners can fully own LLCs, Joint-Stock
Companies, and One-Person Companies. Sector restrictions apply in a few
places: commercial agencies, importation for trade (Law 121/1982 requires
Egyptian majority for the importer-of-record), and certain real estate in
Sinai and border zones.

Question 2

What's the minimum capital for each entity?

Accepted Answer

LLC and One-Person Company start at EGP 1,000. The Joint-Stock Company
requires EGP 250,000 issued capital — 10% on incorporation, 25% within
three months, and 100% within five years. Free Zone capital varies by
activity and is set by the GAFI Free Zone Board. Sector-specific
minimums may apply on top of these floors.

Question 3

How long does formation actually take?

Accepted Answer

Standard LLC: 7 to 14 working days when documents are complete.
One-Person Company: 5 to 10 working days. Joint-Stock Company: 14 to 30
working days. Free Zone: 30 to 60 days because GAFI Free Zone Board
approval comes before incorporation. The single biggest source of delay
is incomplete or improperly legalised foreign documents.

Question 4

Do I need to be physically present in Egypt?

Accepted Answer

No. Formation can be completed remotely via an authenticated power of
attorney issued through the Egyptian embassy or consulate in your
country. The POA must explicitly authorise (a) company formation and
(b) signing the incorporation contracts before the Real Estate
Registry. If the holder of the POA will also be a partner in the new
company, the POA must include the "contracting with self and others"
clause.

Question 5

Do I need a local Egyptian partner?

Accepted Answer

Legally, no — most activities allow 100% foreign ownership. In a few
regulated activities a local majority is required (most notably
importation for trade under Law 121/1982). The right answer is
activity-specific, which is what the discovery call is for.

Question 6

What residency or visa do I get from forming a company?

Accepted Answer

Forming a company gives you a clear path to an investor residency
permit, the size and term of which is tied to the investment value.
The residency is renewable and can be extended to immediate family
members. Long-term residency tracks open up for substantial
investments. The detailed residency page is in the next phase of the
site — for now we cover this on the discovery call.

Question 7

What taxes will I actually pay?

Accepted Answer

Corporate income tax is currently 22.5% on net profit. VAT is 14% on
most goods and services. Withholding tax applies to certain
cross-border payments (dividends, royalties, services). Free Zone
companies operating under Law 72 are exempt from corporate income tax
and customs duties on imports for production. Treaty positions
(UAE, Saudi, Türkiye, China, most of Europe) often reduce withholding
on dividends and royalties — we model the after-tax position before
the entity is locked in.

Question 8

What does an advisory engagement actually look like?

Accepted Answer

Four steps. (1) Discovery call — free, 30 minutes, English. We
discuss the business, the capital, the partners, the sector, the
timeline. (2) Advisory deliverable — a paid, written memo with the
recommended entity, the tax position, the timeline, and the full cost
breakdown. You decide whether to proceed before any execution begins.
(3) Execution mandate — we personally manage name reservation,
contract drafting, POA, capital deposit, registration, and the tax
and social-insurance files. Weekly written updates. (4) Handover and
optional ongoing retainer.

Question 9

What can go wrong, and how do you handle it?

Accepted Answer

The three most common failure modes are (a) the wrong entity chosen
under time pressure, (b) foreign documents that arrive without
apostille or proper consular authentication, and (c) a chosen
business activity that triggers a pre-approval the founder did not
know about. We surface all three in the discovery call before any
money moves, and we give you a written checklist of what your home
jurisdiction needs to produce.

Question 10

What is Investment Law 72 of 2017 and is it right for my business?

Accepted Answer

Law 72/2017 is the current Investment Law. It governs investor
guarantees, the incentive map (free zones, golden licence,
special economic zones), and the regime for Free Zone Companies that
operate primarily for export. The Free Zone regime gives a full
corporate-tax and customs exemption in exchange for an export-led
model and a small turnover-based GAFI fee. It is the right vehicle if
most of your output leaves Egypt; it is the wrong vehicle if you
sell mainly to the Egyptian local market.

Entity type	Minimum capital	Foreign ownership	Typical timeline	Best for
LLC	EGP 1,000	100% in most sectors	7–14 working days	Most foreign businesses entering Egypt
One-Person Co.	EGP 1,000	100% in most sectors	5–10 working days	Single founders who want corporate protection
Joint-Stock	EGP 250,000 issued (10% on incorporation)	100% in most sectors	14–30 working days	Larger capital, multiple shareholders, fundraising plans
Free Zone (Law 72)	Varies by activity (set by GAFI Free Zone Board)	100%	30–60 days (requires GAFI Free Zone Board approval)	Manufacturing primarily for export
Foreign Office Branch	—	100% (always a branch of the foreign parent)	21–45 working days	Representation, market research, liaison — no revenue

How to enter Egypt with the right structure.

Which entity is right for your case?

The five entities, compared

Read the detail on each entity

Limited Liability Company (LLC)

One-Person Company (OPC)

Joint-Stock Company (JSC)

Free Zone Company (Law 72 of 2017)

Foreign Office Branch (Representative Office)

How we run an advisory engagement

Discovery call

Advisory deliverable

Execution managed

Handover and retainer

What foreign investors ask before entering Egypt

Tell us about your business. We'll tell you the right way to enter Egypt.