Qatar’s growing economy and strategic geographical location create the ideal hub for trade and business opportunity within the region and internationally.

A trade representative office serves as a vital conduit for businesses looking to expand their presence into the Qatar market and establish a foothold within Qatar. These offices act as a liaison between an international parent company and its potential clients, suppliers, or partners within Qatar. The primary focus for a trade representative office is to promote the products and services of the parent company and to facilitate business transactions. This is particularly beneficial for companies who are aiming to explore the opportunities available in international markets such as Qatar and to avoid the complexities involved with establishing a full subsidiary or branch office. Through being operative within Qatar and adopting their legal framework, these trade representative offices can conduct research on the market, engage in promotional activity and build local relationships. With a market entry and business development focus, these offices can provide a crucial role in bridging the gap between an international enterprise and the Qatari market, through growth and mutually beneficial trade relationships.

Required Documents to Open a Trade Representative Office in Qatar:

Completed attached application form plus:

• Articles of Association of the foreign company
• Commercial Registration the foreign company
• Official address with proof
• Board resolution & Power of attorney
• Declaration from the foreign company acknowledging responsibility for the activities that the office will carry out in Qatar

Note: All the above documents must be attested and translated into Arabic.

Timeline for Opening Trade Representative Office in Qatar:

• Once documents are in Qatar, 2-3 weeks to obtain basic licenses/registrations. Processing residency in Qatar: 10 days for labour quota plus each foreign employee needs to stay 10-12 days in Qatar to get QID

Other Requirements for Setting up a Trade Representative Office in Qatar:

• Please note that GM needs residency in Qatar – we can help with providing nominee manager position for registration purposes.

Procedure to Setup a Trade Representative Office in Qatar:

• Attestation foreign documents in Qatar + translation
• Submit your Application Form along with the required documents
• Obtain the Commercial Registration
• Sign lease agreement
• Obtain the Municipality License
• Obtain Immigration Card
• Apply for the labour quota/residency for GM and staff

The company will likely also need a bank account in Qatar - for this the client will be required to share a couple of additional documents like shareholders list, documents referring to UBO, etc.

How can PRO Partner Group help?

At PRO Partner Group, our on the ground team have decades of experience in the corporate services industry in Qatar, the UAE and wider GCC, and have key connections with government departments and regulatory authorities. We can assist you to smoothly navigate the process for establishing a trade representative office in Qatar, guiding your company through the setup steps outlined above.

If you need assistance to setup a trade representative office in Qatar, or you require assistance with any other related onshore or offshore company setup, restructuring, local partner or PRO support matter in Qatar, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, the wider UAE, Oman or KSA, then please do get in touch with us on +974 (0)44 788 765 for Qatar or +971 (0)4 456 1761 for Dubai, email us at info@propartnergroup.com or complete the contact form below and we will be delighted to assist you.