Bahrain and the Netherlands at a glance
- Stamp
- Apostille, Hague Convention in force for Bahrain since 31 December 2013
- Issued by
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Manama)
- Language
- Arabic, sworn translation
- Register
- Ministry of Industry and Commerce, through the online business registry (Sijilat)
- Tax treaty
- Signed 2008, in force 2009 (Rijksoverheid, 1 October 2026)
- EU trade
- Gulf free trade talks suspended since 2008
- Moving here
- Residence permit needed
Documents from Bahrain
Passport copy, certified by a notary in Bahrain.
Proof of address in Bahrain, at most three months old.
Power of attorney. Sign the power of attorney before a Bahraini notary at the Ministry of Justice. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Manama then apostilles the signature.
Ownership statement, one page from us.
The apostille. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Manama). Bahrain has issued apostilles since 2013. The document must have a stamp and signature that the ministry has on file.
Good to know. Most Bahraini commercial documents are also issued in English. Ask for the English version to avoid a translation.
If a company from Bahrain becomes a shareholder
Register extract, at most three months old: Ministry of Industry and Commerce, through the online business registry (Sijilat). Order the commercial registration (CR) extract showing the authorised signatories and shareholders. Plus articles, signing authority and ownership chart.
Bahrain and the EU: trade and tax
Bahrain and the EU started negotiations on a Strategic Partnership Agreement on 13 July 2026 in Brussels (EEAS). Bahrain chairs the Gulf Cooperation Council in 2026 and has had a cooperation arrangement with the EU since 2021.
One Dutch rule weighs heavily for Bahraini owners. Bahrain is on the Dutch list of low-tax jurisdictions for 2026 (Regeling laagbelastende staten). That list brings a conditional withholding tax of 25.8% on certain interest, royalty and dividend payments from a Dutch company to a related company in Bahrain (Belastingdienst). The Dutch government has said that the tax treaty with Bahrain limits this tax (letter to parliament, 2022), so each structure needs a check.
Under the Dutch tax treaty, a Bahraini company with at least 10% of a Dutch company can receive dividends at 0% when it has an active business in Bahrain, its shares trade on the Bahrain stock exchange or the government of Bahrain owns it fully. In other cases the Netherlands may charge up to 10% (treaty, Article 10).
For importers: since April 2026 the EU charges a definitive anti-dumping duty of 11.8% on continuous filament glass fibre from Bahrain (European Commission). Families can read relocating your family from Bahrain.
Your next step from Bahrain
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