Obtaining a Business License as a Foreign National

The Afghanistan Investment Support Agency (AISA) promotes, supports and facilitates individuals and private organizations interested in investing in Afghanistan. The following are the current terms and conditions for obtaining an investment license.

Obtaining an investment license is the same for all non-Afghans. This type of license is issued only to foreign investors interested in operating within Afghanistan. The procedures are different with regard to registration of the company as a separate entity or a branch of a foreign company, and etc. procedure for Trade, NGO and trade union license are also mentioned below.

  1. License for foreign individuals: This is for foreign investors establishing a new company in Afghanistan. The company's president, vice president and shareholders have their own shares and get dividends as per their shares' rate. Such licenses hold (I) character before the license number. e.g. (I-xxxxx).

    Documents Required:

    1. Copy of passport with valid visa of President, Vice President and Shareholders.
    2. Original ID card of contact person (must be Afghan).
    3. Original ID Card of president, vice president or shareholders (if any of them is Afghan)
    4. Presence of both president and vice president with shareholders.
    5. Legal power of attorney (if president and vice president or shareholder can't be present). In this case the document should be attested through proper channel, relevant government, Afghanistan embassy in the investor country or attestation of investor’s embassy in Afghanistan and then ministry of foreign affairs.
    6. 4 normal size photos of president and vice president (total 8 photos).
    7. Copy of official rental agreement / owner equity letter.
    8. Agreement letter from relevant Ministry (if it is sector based company)
    9. Experience letter of both president and vice president (if it is Consultancy or Legal services)

  2. Opening a new branch: This type of license will be for Investors establishing a branch of their company with 100% share in Afghanistan. President and vice president act as managers responsible for all legal activities in Afghanistan. Such licenses will hold (I) character before license number, e.g. (I-xxxxx)

    Documents Required:

    1. Company Board of Resolution
    2. Legal Power of Attorney should be attested by Afghanistan Foreign Ministry (In this case the document should be attested through proper channel, relevant government, Afghanistan embassy in the investor country or attestation of investor’s embassy in Afghanistan and then by the ministry of foreign affairs);
    3. Copy of passport with valid visa of President and Vice President
    4. Original ID Card of contact person (must be Afghan)
    5. Original ID Card of president or vice president (if any of them are Afghan)
    6. Presence of both president and vice president
    7. 4 normal size photos of president and vice president (total 8 photos)
    8. Copy of official rental agreement / owner equity letter
    9. Agreement letter from relevant Ministry (if it is sector based Company)
    10. Experience letter of both president and vice president (if it is Consultancy or Legal services)

All licenses must be renewed on yearly basis, unless otherwise specified.

Trade License:
In order to obtain a “Trade” Business License (for Import/ Export activities) follow all the above stated procedures and steps except instead of getting license from AISA you will get license from the MoCI Business Licensing Department.

NGO License:
In order to obtain an NGO license follow all the steps but the license will be granted by the Ministry of Economy.

UNION and Civil Society organization:
Follow the same steps and the license will be given by the Ministry of Justices.

Note: investors applying for new license of Consultancy and Legal services Company; both president and vice president must be qualified with Master degree along with 5 years’ experience in the relevant field, or Bachelor degree with 10 years’ experience in the relevant field.

Investors applying for new license of Audit Company; the President and Vice president must be qualified of (ACCA) or (CA) Degree with 2 years’ experience in the relevant field. After completion of all above mentioned documents by the investors, the internal procedure and process from start to end will be completed within approximately (8) working hours for all of licenses.

If you want to get more information about the renewal, change in the ownership after the registration or change in capital structure, or sector licenses or company closing procedure please visit www.aisa.org.af .

For sectorial licensing procedures and contact information, please visit http://www.aisa.org.af/licensing.php