Corporate Law
Foreign Companies under the Jordanian Companies Law: Concept, Legal Status and Establishment
This summary explains the concept of foreign companies as addressed by the Jordanian Companies Law (No. 22/1997), distinguishing between foreign companies operating in Jordan and non‑operating ones, and outlining nationality criteria (place of incorporation, place of management, control). It also reviews legal modes of presence in Jordan (branches, subsidiaries, representative offices or contractual links) and practical implications for legal personality, registration and commercial obligations.
Updated: 26 January 2025
Prepared and reviewed by: Ashraf Al-Khawaja
Concept, Characteristics and Types of Foreign Companies
The term denotes an economic phenomenon where legally distinct entities operate across borders under central economic control. Under Jordanian law, a practical distinction exists between foreign companies operating in the Kingdom (active locally) and non‑operating foreign companies (having a presence such as a head office or representative office used to coordinate external activities). Practically, such companies are characterized by large scale, reliance on global financing and markets, technological advantages and broad geographic reach — factors that shape their contractual and regulatory obligations in the host state.
Criteria for Company Nationality and Legal Centre
States adopt different criteria for company nationality: place of incorporation, place of central management, or the nationality of controlling shareholders. The Jordanian framework applies a dual approach relying on incorporation and centre‑of‑management criteria to classify a company as foreign, which affects applicable law, jurisdiction and the status of local branches. Practically, conflicting criteria between jurisdictions can produce dual nationality or legal uncertainty, so it is important to verify which test governs a given case to determine legal consequences.
Modes of Establishment and Legal Presence in the Kingdom
Foreign companies may enter Jordan by creating a locally incorporated subsidiary, registering a branch, maintaining a representative office (non‑operating presence), or relying on contractual arrangements. A locally incorporated subsidiary is governed by host‑state law and becomes national under that law, whereas a branch or representative office must be registered in the special foreign companies register kept by the General Controller of Companies according to applicable provisions. Practical constraints include the need for the parent company’s legal capacity to own other firms, host‑state permission to accept such ownership, and the consequence that insolvency or liquidation of the parent can affect the legal status of local branches.
Practical Consequences and Procedural Obligations
Once properly registered, a foreign company operating in Jordan has civil capacities to contract and litigate but must comply with local commercial rules: registration, commercial registers, keeping accounting books, and applicable investment or sectoral regulations. In practice, obligations may include raising local financing, ownership limitations or public‑sector participation under special statutes, and specific tax and regulatory duties depending on the legal form of presence. Accordingly, implementing regulations, administrative measures and sectoral legislation should be reviewed before establishing or operating in Jordan.
Legal notice
Notice: This content is for general educational and informational purposes only and is based on the original source linked on the summary page. It does not constitute legal advice. Statutes, regulations, amendments and effective dates must be verified against official sources, and you should consult a licensed attorney before taking any legal action.
Sources and references
Verify the official text and latest amendments before relying on this material professionally.