This series on registration and incorporation in Lebanon comes to Wamda courtesy of Michel Ghanem of Khalaf Law Firm and Lebanon Offshore, both of which offer preferred rates to WamdaCard members.

Below is a description of the criteria for registering a representative office of a foreign company in Lebanon. For more on different types of registration, see our complete list on How to Register a Company in Lebanon. 

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I. REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

1) The Articles of Incorporation duly certified by the Registrar of Commerce at the home country and the Lebanese Embassy.

2) Minutes of meeting of the General Assembly or the Board of Directors of the mother company including the decision of opening a representative office in Lebanon and the appointment of the REP office manager who must be vested with all necessary powers to represent the company and to appoint lawyers. Such minutes must be duly certified by the Registrar of Commerce at the home country and the Lebanese Embassy.

3) A notarized power of attorney from the Company in the representative’s name certified empowering him, within the scope of the Lebanese laws and regulations, to:

• Establish and register the REP office.
• Represent the company before all institutions, administrations and courts.
• Manage the REP office's business and sign for the company.
• Receive, pay and open accounts in banks.
• Delegate his/her powers to third parties.
• Designate and remunerate attorneys, arbitrators and other employees.

II. PHASES OF LEGALIZATION & REGISTRATION

The above-mentioned documents must be certified in the following manner:

1) By the competent authority in the company’s country of origin and the Lebanese Embassy in the same country.

2) By the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beirut. These documents must be translated to Arabic by a sworn translator and certified by the Ministry of Justice.

A. At the Ministry of Economy

• Filing the required documents.
• Application of registration.
• Ministry of Economy Fees(Approximately USD $1,200).
• Fess of publication in the Official Gazette (Approximately USD $300).

The informative notice is issued within a period of Fifteen (15) days.

B. At the Registrar of Commerce

Following the approval of the Ministry of Economy, the procedure for registration should be as follows:

1) A copy of the above-mentioned documents is to be presented to the Registrar of Commerce with a duplicate application, including namely:

• Names of Partners (other than shareholders).
• Nationality.
• Date & Place of Birth.
• Company’s Name.
• Corporate purpose.
• Address of the head office and any other branches or offices of the Company.
• Authorized signatories of the company within or outside Lebanon.
• Date of Incorporation.
• Capital and contributions.
• Term of the Company.

2) Fees (Approximately USD $1,200)

3) Duration of procedure (48 hours)

4) Legal Fees (USD $2,000)

The director/representative of these companies must be Lebanese individual or a foreigner holding a valid work permit which must be submitted to the Registrar of Commerce.