How To Start A Business In Guatemala As A Foreigner
Known as sociedades anonimas anonymous societies s a s are popular in guatemala and.
How to start a business in guatemala as a foreigner. Foreign investment in guatemala is generally welcome. It s still a rather uncertain country to base yourself in with many challenges to overcome outside. Starting a business starting a business is a process shrouded in red tape and can take over 40 days to complete. However getting your head around the key regulations and implications of setting up shop can help give you a head start and boost your chances of success.
The business pays taxes to the local government and is not subject to u s. I ve been living in guatemala for almost a decade now and will try to give you some info from my experiences and point of view. Any property if belongs to foreigners must register and that is costly. The country imposes relatively few restrictions on foreign investment.
A business primarily serving u s. You are reading an article from the world s best start up hubs series to read more about this you can visit the series homepage. A foreign enterprise intending to do business in guatemala however must register with the mercantile registry and the internal revenue service named the superintendencia de administracion tributaria s a t. There are several lucrative business ideas in guatemala when it comes to central america guatemala is the first place that comes to mind because it is most populous.
For example a sociedad anonima s a is a common business entity in guatemala. Home to volcanoes rain forests and ancient mayan sites guatemala offers experiences and challenges that captivate visitors and even residents i guess that s why they stayed anyways. Besides electricity connection takes long time to add in factory or office. Opening a new business in a foreign country can be a nerve wracking proposition.
Customers or international customers outside of the host country expats with local businesses often set up a foreign corporation. Starting a business in guatemala is relatively easy and there is an established legal framework allowing you to set up shop with rules and benefits similar to those of a limited liability corporation llc in the united states. A notary is required for many stages and several government bodies are to be consulted in order to set up from the mercantile registry of guatemala to the commercial registry and department of labour. You will need to open an s a sociedad anonima limited company.
You as a foreigner can open a business here and you do not need a residency. This helpful guide covers everything you need to know about starting a business in spain. The fcpa prohibits promising offering giving or authorizing giving anything of value to a foreign government official where the purpose is to obtain or retain business.