Introduction

What is a foreign company? This is a company registered outside a given jurisdiction under the foreign laws and legislations, such a corporation which is incorporated under the laws of a different state or nation. A "foreign" company or corporation must file a notice of doing business in any state in which it does substantial regular business.

Under the Rwandan law governing companies, a foreign company is defined to mean a company incorporated outside Rwanda but which is carrying on business in Rwanda;

Process of Establishing a Foreign Company

How do you register a foreign company?

To apply for the registration of a foreign company, a duly completed application for registration in the prescribed form, signed by the representative of the foreign company is delivered to the Registrar General.

Application for registration a foreign company that establishes a place of business dealing with share transfer or share registration office within Rwanda applies for registration within ten (10) working days of establishing a place of business.
The application for registration should state the following:
i. the name of the foreign company;
ii. the full names, residential addresses of the directors of the foreign company;
iii. the principal place of business and address of the company;
iv. the foreign company’s accounting reference date; and

What are the required documents for a foreign company registration in Rwanda?

The application has in attachment:
i. a copy of evidence of registration certificate of the foreign company;
ii. a certified copy of the instrument defining the constitution of the foreign company, and if the instrument is not written in the English language, a certified translation of it;
iii. a memorandum of understanding or power of attorney to represent the company in Rwanda;
iv. a declaration indicating the authorized representatives of the company.

However, the instrument constituting or defining the constitution of the foreign company need not be delivered to the Registrar General if it deals with solely the internal management of the company, and if a part of the instrument so deals, that part need not be delivered.

Lastly, upon conclusion of all the due process of registration, the Registrar General allocates to the foreign company a foreign company's registered code which is in such form, in the East African Community and other countries with agreements with Rwanda, consisting of one or more sequences of figures or letters as the Registrar General may from time to time determine. Well as companies from East African Community Member States or other companies from countries with relevant agreements with Rwanda enjoy national treatment.

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