Creating a company in Algeria from abroad: the 12 questions

The structure: a company in your own name, or an Algerian company held by your company abroad. This choice comes before everything else, because it decides what happens to the money and the advantages.

This applies to anyone who talks about repatriating profits, bringing money back abroad, or having a company of their own outside Algeria (SASU, SARL, Ltd, holding). The two routes are compared in the answers that follow.

Source: Journal officiel n° 50 du 28 juillet 2022 (loi n° 22-18 relative à l'investissement) (verified)

To go further: Creating your company in Algeria from abroad

Yes, through route A: an Algerian company held 100 % by your company abroad. The profits after tax can then return to it in full, through the bank, at the official rate.

The right to transfer arises when the capital enters Algeria in foreign currency, through the bank. Law 22-18 provides for it, and executive decree no. 22-300 (article 8) sets the threshold at 25 % of the investment amount. This is a foreign investment file.

Source: Journal officiel n° 50 du 28 juillet 2022 (loi n° 22-18 relative à l'investissement) ; Journal officiel n° 60 du 18 septembre 2022 (décrets exécutifs n° 22-299 et 22-300) (verified)

To go further: Investing in Algeria as a foreigner: 14 questions (in French)

With a company in your own name (route B), the Startup label stays open, but transferring profits abroad is practically closed: the money stays in Algeria.

This is the right choice if you aim for the Startup label and do not need to send the money back out. The ownership criterion of the label is in the next answer.

Source: Journal officiel n° 55 de 2020 (décret exécutif n° 20-254 du 15 septembre 2020) (verified)

To go further: Startup label and innovative project in Algeria: 10 questions (in French)

No: route A closes the Startup label, because at least 50 % of the capital must be held by natural persons, approved investment funds or labelled companies.

This is the criterion of article 11 of executive decree no. 20-254. A company held 100 % by a foreign company that is not labelled does not meet it. The exemptions then go through a registration with the AAPI, which sets no condition on who holds the capital.

Source: Journal officiel n° 55 de 2020 (décret exécutif n° 20-254 du 15 septembre 2020) ; AAPI, Agence algérienne de promotion de l'investissement (verified)

To go further: Startup label and innovative project in Algeria: 10 questions (in French)

With the company abroad holding 100 % of the Algerian company, plus the registration of the investment with the AAPI.

To benefit from the advantages of law 22-18, the investment must be registered before it is made with the competent one-stop shop. This registration is not a condition for creating the company.

Source: AAPI, Agence algérienne de promotion de l'investissement ; Journal officiel n° 50 du 28 juillet 2022 (loi n° 22-18 relative à l'investissement) (verified)

To go further: AAPI (formerly ANDI): missions, incentive regimes and one-stop shop

Yes, and in that case the structure to favour is route A, because capital entering in foreign currency through the bank creates the right to transfer.

Otherwise, the founder brings or sends the funds in cash to Algeria, and the company is opened as an Algerian company, under route B.

Source: Journal officiel n° 50 du 28 juillet 2022 (loi n° 22-18 relative à l'investissement) ; Journal officiel n° 60 du 18 septembre 2022 (décrets exécutifs n° 22-299 et 22-300) (verified)

To go further: Investing in Algeria as a foreigner: 14 questions (in French)

No: a power of attorney given to UpGrowth and apostilled documents are enough for the registration, with no travel.

The apostille replaces the old chain of consular legalisation since 9 July 2026, the Hague Convention being in force for Algeria, which acceded to it on 5 November 2025. It is affixed in the country of origin, with the French translation. Check the HCCH status table for your country.

Source: HCCH, tableau d'état de la Convention Apostille (verified)

To go further: Creating your company in Algeria from abroad

In route A only, the manager must live in Algeria: they open the provisional bank account in person, where the capital arrives from abroad before the articles of association are signed.

The manager can be changed later.

• A person of your choice who lives in Algeria.
• A resident manager that UpGrowth finds for you.

Source: CNRC, portail Sidjilcom ; Journal officiel n° 50 du 28 juillet 2022 (loi n° 22-18 relative à l'investissement) (verified)

To go further: Creating your company in Algeria from abroad

No: the CNRC does not register a name containing "Algérie" or "الجزائر".

Remove the word from the name. For the local company of a group, you can use "Subsidiary".

Source: CNRC, portail Sidjilcom (verified)

To go further: The steps to create a company in Algeria

Companies with Algerian capital are domiciled at Birkhadem, companies held by foreign owners at Dély Ibrahim: in route A, the registered office is usually a partner's office in Dély Ibrahim, Algiers, from USD 2,400 a year, no VAT.

In route B, a company in your own name can be domiciled at Birkhadem (Algiers) depending on the sector of the CNRC activity code, read from its first digit: services, wholesale, export and building are eligible, industrial production and retail are not, and never alcohol. A company held by a foreign company or a foreign person is never domiciled at Birkhadem.

Source: CNRC, portail Sidjilcom (verified)

To go further: Company domiciliation in Algiers: 15 questions (in French)

It depends on the route. Route A, a company held 100 % by your company abroad: from USD 8,500, no VAT, when your manager opens the provisional bank account in person, USD 11,000, no VAT, when UpGrowth signs the lease for the registered office and opens it. Route B, a company in your own name: UpGrowth fees from DZD 60,000 excl. VAT with UpGrowth domiciliation, DZD 90,000 excl. VAT without.

Route A, starting prices in USD, no VAT: branch or liaison office USD 9,500; domiciliation in Algiers USD 2,400 a year depending on the activity; resident manager found by UpGrowth USD 900 a month for the management service, with their salary and CNAS contributions remaining the company's cost on top; AAPI file USD 4,000. Route B: DZD 15,000 excl. VAT per additional partner; domiciliation DZD 150,000 excl. VAT for 12 months; 19 % VAT on top of the DZD amounts only. Official fees, notary, publications and capital are paid at actual cost, outside these prices; in route B, the official fees are paid in the client's name, outside our invoice. The quote is instant as soon as we have all the answers (company, activity, partners, manager option), through the contact form.

To go further: Request the instant quote for your company in Algeria

For an EURL in your own name (route B), with 12 months of domiciliation with UpGrowth, the total is DZD 326,510 incl. VAT, plus the capital.

The quote is instant as soon as we have all your answers. Through route A, a company held by your company abroad, the price starts at USD 8,500, no VAT, and the capital is sent from abroad to the provisional bank account opened before the articles. Through route B, a company in your own name, the capital is handed to the notary at signing and returns to the company after the trade register: it is not a cost. The total of DZD 326,510 incl. VAT, in route B, is made up as follows:

• UpGrowth creation fees with our domiciliation: DZD 60,000 excl. VAT, VAT DZD 11,400.
• 12 months of domiciliation: DZD 150,000 excl. VAT, VAT DZD 28,500.
• Official fees, from DZD 58,610, paid in your name.
• Notary, power of attorney: DZD 8,000, and domiciliation contract: DZD 10,000, paid in your name.

To go further: Creating your company in Algeria from abroad