A resident of Oman, whether an NRI, an OCI cardholder, an Omani national or an Omani company, can incorporate an Indian private limited company under the Companies Act 2013. Identity and address documents are notarised in Oman and apostilled by the Omani Ministry of Foreign Affairs. At least one director must be resident in India for 182 days in the financial year. Foreign investment in most sectors falls under the automatic route, with share allotment reported to the RBI.
- Document route
- Omani notary public (Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs), then apostille from the Omani Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Time difference
- IST is 1h30 ahead of Oman time all year (no daylight saving)
- Law
- Companies Act 2013, FEMA 1999, NDI Rules 2019
- Minimum
- 2 directors, 2 shareholders
Company Setup for Foreigners from Oman: how it works
We agree the structure first: shareholding, directors, authorised capital and whether investment will be on a repatriation basis. For foreign directors or an Omani corporate shareholder, we collect passport copies, proof of address and, for a company, the commercial registration and board resolution, all notarised and apostilled in Oman. Directors obtain digital signature certificates, name approval is sought through the SPICe+ form, and the company is incorporated with its PAN and TAN. An Indian resident director, often a trusted relative or professional, is appointed.
After incorporation, the company opens a bank account and receives share capital from Oman through banking channels. Allotment of shares to a person resident outside India must be reported to the RBI in Form FC-GPR within 30 days, and the inflow must first be reported through the bank. An NRI or OCI investing on a non-repatriation basis is treated like a domestic investor under the Non-Debt Instruments Rules. Annual filings, board meetings, GST registration where needed and transfer pricing for dealings with the Omani business follow.
What clients in Oman should know
- Oman shares no land border with India, so Press Note 3 approval does not arise for Omani investors, but check the beneficial owner's nationality where shareholders sit in other countries.
- Dealings between the Indian company and its Omani shareholder's business need arm's length pricing, and the India-Oman treaty affects withholding on dividends and fees.
- An Omani company's documents in Arabic must be translated into English for the Registrar of Companies, with the translation also notarised and apostilled where required.
Step by step from Oman
Video consultation
A call at a time that suits Oman, after we have read your documents.
Documents signed in Oman
Omani notary public (Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs), then apostille from the Omani Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Work in India
Our team files, appears and follows up in India, and shares scans of everything filed.
Result and handover
Certified copies and originals are couriered to you in Oman where needed.
The full guide
This page covers what changes when you are in Oman. For the law, the documents and the step-by-step procedure, read our main page on Company Setup for Foreigners, or see all services for clients in Oman and the Doing Business in India practice area.
Questions from clients in Oman
Do I need to visit India to register the company?
No. Incorporation is online, documents are apostilled in Oman, and digital signatures are issued remotely after verification.
Can all directors live in Oman?
No. The Companies Act requires one director who spent 182 days or more in India during the financial year; the rest may live in Muscat or elsewhere in Oman.
Can my Omani company own 100 per cent of the Indian company?
In most sectors under the automatic route, yes. Some sectors have caps or need government approval, so we check your activity first.