CR Activities Allowing 100% Ownership for US Nationals in Bahrain
American investors have access to expanded ownership rights in Bahrain under the United States-Bahrain Free Trade Agreement, which came into force in 2006. The FTA was the first bilateral trade agreement the United States concluded with a Gulf state, and it covers a significant range of services and commercial activities beyond the standard foreigner-permitted list.
Under MOIC’s system, US passport holders applying to register a company in Bahrain are automatically assessed for FTA-eligible activity categories. The expanded list covers professional services, financial intermediation, telecommunications services, and several sectors where non-FTA foreigners face ownership caps or restrictions.
The full list of activities open to 100% US ownership is in the table below. Where an activity appears on this list but not on the general foreigner list, the FTA arrangement is the enabling instrument.
The company registration process for US nationals is identical to any other foreign investor — NPRA security clearance, company name reservation, notarised MOA, and CR issuance through Sijilat. Once the CR is issued, US nationals can apply for an investor residence permit (investor visa) through LMRA in the same way as any other foreign shareholder.
To confirm whether your specific activity is eligible under the US-Bahrain FTA, contact PI Startup Advisory before starting the application.
| Business Activity Name | ISIC4 Code | Activity Status |
|---|---|---|
| Crop Production and Plant Propagation | 11 | Not Restricted |
| Animal production | 14 | Not Restricted |
| Animal production – production of eggs | 14 | Not Restricted |
| Support activities for crop production | 161 | Not Restricted |
| Support activities for animal production | 162 | Not Restricted |
| Aquaculture | 32 | Not Restricted |
| Extraction of crude petroleum and natural gas | 6 | Not Restricted |
| Quarrying of stone, sand and clay | 81 | Not Restricted |
| Quarrying of stone, sand and clay – Extraction of Marine Sand | 81 | Not Restricted |
| Other Mining and quarrying | 89 | Not Restricted |
| Support activities for petroleum and natural gas extraction | 910 | Restricted |
| Support activities for petroleum and natural gas extraction – Technical services for oil and gas | 910 | Not Restricted |
| Support activities for other mining and quarrying | 990 | Not Restricted |
| Processing and preserving of meat – Workshop | 101 | Not Restricted |
| Processing and preserving of meat – Factory | 101 | Not Restricted |
| Processing and preserving of fish, crustaceans and molluscs – Workshop | 102 | Not Restricted |
| Processing and preserving of fish, crustaceans and molluscs – Factory | 102 | Not Restricted |
| Processing and preserving of fruit and vegetables – Workshop | 103 | Not Restricted |
| Processing and preserving of fruit and vegetables – Factory | 103 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of vegetable, animal, and fish oils and fats – Workshop | 104 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of vegetable, animal, and fish oils and fats – Factory | 104 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of dairy products – Workshop | 105 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of dairy products – Factory | 105 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of grain mill products, starches and starch products – Workshop | 106 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of grain mill products, starches and starch products – Factory | 106 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of other food products – Workshop | 107 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of other food products – Factory | 107 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of bakery products – Workshop | 1071 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of bakery products – Factory | 1071 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of cocoa, chocolate and sugar confectionery – Workshop | 1073 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of cocoa, chocolate and sugar confectionery – Factory | 1073 | Not Restricted |
| Traditional Baker | 10711 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of prepared animal feeds – Workshop | 108 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of prepared animal feeds – Factory | 108 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of soft drinks; production of mineral waters and other bottled waters – Workshop | 1104 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of soft drinks; production of mineral waters and other bottled waters – Factory | 1104 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of textiles – Workshop | 13 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of textiles – Factory | 13 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of wearing apparel – Workshop | 140 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of wearing apparel – Factory | 140 | Not Restricted |
| Apparel Tailoring Activities | 14104 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of leather and related products – Workshop | 15 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of leather and related products – Factory | 15 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of wood and of products of wood and cork, except furniture; manufacture of articles of straw and plaiting materials | 160 | Not Restricted |
| Carpentry Workshop | 16225 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of paper and paper products – Workshop | 17 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of paper and paper products – Factory | 17 | Not Restricted |
| Printing | 1811 | Not Restricted |
| Service activities related to printing | 1812 | Not Restricted |
| Other Printing/ Engraving Services | 18119 | Not Restricted |
| Reproduction of recorded media | 182 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of coke oven products | 191 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of refined petroleum products | 192 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of basic chemicals | 2011 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of fertilizers and nitrogen compounds – Workshop | 2012 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of fertilizers and nitrogen compounds – Factory | 2012 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of plastics and synthetic rubber in primary forms – Workshop | 2013 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of plastics and synthetic rubber in primary forms – Factory | 2013 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of pesticides and other agrochemical products | 2021 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of paints, varnishes and similar coatings, printing ink and mastics – Workshop | 2022 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of paints, varnishes and similar coatings, printing ink and mastics – Factory | 2022 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of soap and detergents, cleaning and polishing preparations, perfumes and toilet preparations – Workshop | 2023 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of soap and detergents, cleaning and polishing preparations, perfumes and toilet preparations – Factory | 2023 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of other chemical products – Workshop | 2029 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of other chemical products – Factory | 2029 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of man-made fibres | 203 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations – Workshop | 21 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations – Factory | 21 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of rubber products – Workshop | 221 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of rubber products – Factory | 221 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of plastics products – Workshop | 222 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of plastics products – Factory | 222 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of glass, fiberglass and their products – Workshop | 231 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of glass, fiberglass and their products – Factory | 231 | Not Restricted |
| Cutting of glass and mirrors | 231052 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of non-metallic mineral products – Workshop | 239 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of non-metallic mineral products – Factory | 239 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of basic iron and steel | 241 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of basic precious and other non-ferrous metals – Workshop | 242 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of basic precious and other non-ferrous metals – Factory | 242 | Not Restricted |
| Casting of metals – Workshop | 243 | Not Restricted |
| Casting of metals – Factory | 243 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of structural metal products – Workshop | 2511 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of structural metal products – Factory | 2511 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of tanks, reservoirs and containers of metal – Workshop | 2512 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of tanks, reservoirs and containers of metal – Factory | 2512 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of steam generators, except central heating hot water boilers | 2513 | Not Restricted |
| Forging, pressing, stamping and roll-forming of metal; powder metallurgy – Workshop | 2591 | Not Restricted |
| Forging, pressing, stamping and roll-forming of metal; powder metallurgy – Factory | 2591 | Not Restricted |
| Welding, Blacksmith, and Fabrication Workshop | 259190 | Not Restricted |
| Treatment and coating of metals; machining – Workshop | 2592 | Not Restricted |
| Treatment and coating of metals; machining – Factory | 2592 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of other fabricated metal products – Workshop | 2599 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of other fabricated metal products – Factory | 2599 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products – Workshop | 26 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products – Factory | 26 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of electric motors, generators, transformers and electricity distribution and control apparatus | 271 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of batteries and accumulators | 272 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of wiring and wiring devices | 273 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of wiring devices | 2733 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of electric lighting equipment | 274 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of domestic appliances | 275 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of other electrical equipment | 279 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of machinery and equipment | 28 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of motor vehicles | 291 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of bodies (coachwork) for motor vehicles; manufacture of trailers and semi-trailers | 292 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of parts and accessories for motor vehicles | 293 | Not Restricted |
| Auto-Upholstery | 293093 | Not Restricted |
| Ship Building and Repair Services | 30111 | Not Restricted |
| Construction of Floating structures | 30112 | Not Restricted |
| Building of Pleasure and sporting boats | 3012 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of railway locomotives and rolling stock | 302 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of air and spacecraft and related machinery | 303 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of motorcycles | 3091 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of bicycles and invalid carriages | 3092 | Not Restricted |
| Manufacture of other transport equipment |