Company formation · Foreign companies
Representative Office in Egypt:
What It Can and Cannot Do
A representative office in Egypt lets a foreign company study the market and promote itself. It may not trade or issue invoices, and the parent undertakes to convert or close it within 3 years. We register it with GAFI and plan what it becomes next, from our office in Sharm El Sheikh.
- Chartered Accountant (محاسب قانوني)
- Office 314, Al Azizia Mall, Sharm El Sheikh
- Arabic, English, Italian, Russian
- Rules checked October 2026
01What's included
What we handle for your representative office
From the first fit check to the day the office converts or closes. Hand us all of it, or only the parts you need.
02Process
How a representative office is set up and run
Seven steps, from the first fit check to the decision in year three.
- 01
Check the fit
If sales or a contract are already in view, a branch or a company is the better start.
- 02
Parent documents and the undertaking
Corporate documents legalised for use in Egypt, and a signed undertaking to convert or close the office within 3 years.
- 03
Transfer EGP 5,000 from abroad
The bank's proof of the transfer goes into the GAFI file.
- 04
File at GAFI
We file, pay the registration fee, which is refundable, and order the certificates you need, each for a GAFI fee.
- 05
Staff in place
Work permits for foreign staff before they start. Payroll for local hires, with quarterly payroll returns and the annual settlement in January.
- 06
Every year
The annual statement to GAFI, prepared from the office's records.
We give a time range for each file once we have seen the parent's papers, never a fixed promise: legalisation abroad and GAFI's review set the pace.
03Why us
Why clients in Sharm choose us
Representative Office in Egypt, handled by one chartered accountant from your first question to the final registration. An Egypt representative office follows strict representative office Egypt rules: no sales and no invoices.
FAQ
Representative office in Egypt: questions we are asked
Can a representative office in Egypt sell or issue invoices?
No. As of October 2026, GAFI limits a representative office to research and promotion for its foreign parent. It may not trade, issue invoices or provide paid services in Egypt. If you already have a contract with an Egyptian client, register a branch against that contract or set up an Egyptian company instead.
How long can a representative office stay open? Is there a representative office 3-year rule in Egypt?
The parent company signs an undertaking to convert the office into a branch or an Egyptian company, or to close it, within 3 years. One further year is possible only in exceptional cases. Plan the conversion early, because the vehicle you choose, and in Sinai the extra rules it must meet, take time of their own.
What does it cost to register a representative office with GAFI?
As of October 2026, GAFI's guide lists a registration fee, which is refundable, and a fee for each certificate. The parent must also transfer EGP 5,000 from abroad. On top come legalising documents abroad, translations, any work permits and our fees, which we quote itemised on WhatsApp.
Can a representative office in Egypt employ staff?
Yes, for its research and promotion work. Foreign staff need work permits under Labour Law 14/2025, with fees set by ministerial decision. Local hires go on payroll with social insurance and, if the office is in South Sinai, Universal Health Insurance contributions.
Does Sharm El Sheikh change anything for a representative office?
Mostly the next step. The office is registered with GAFI, but if it later becomes a company operating in Sharm or Dahab, Decree 128/2022 requires an Egyptian joint-stock company for non-Egyptian projects, and land there cannot be foreign-owned, so premises are leased. We plan the conversion with you from our office in Al Azizia Mall.
Related services
Where a representative office leads
Free consultation
Tell us about your case. The first consultation is free
Send us a few lines on WhatsApp or call. During office hours (09:00–23:00, every day) we reply the same day, in Arabic, English, Italian or Russian.