Country guide

Set up a company in the Netherlands from Tanzania

Short answerYes, fully remote from Tanzania. Sign the power of attorney before a Tanzanian notary public (an advocate licensed as notary and commissioner for oaths). The Ministry of Foreign Affairs attests the notary’s signature. Registration usually takes one week once all documents are complete.

Tanzania and the Netherlands at a glance

Stamp
Legalisation
First stop
First the Tanzanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then the Embassy of the Netherlands in Dar es Salaam (appointment online)
Language
English, accepted as it is
Register
Business Registrations and Licensing Agency (BRELA) (online)
Tax treaty
Outside the Dutch treaty list: Dutch rules apply (Rijksoverheid, 1 October 2026)
EU trade
East African partnership agreement, awaiting signature by Tanzania
Moving here
Residence permit needed

Documents from Tanzania

  1. Passport copy, certified by a notary in Tanzania.

  2. Proof of address in Tanzania, at most three months old.

  3. Power of attorney. Sign the power of attorney before a Tanzanian notary public (an advocate licensed as notary and commissioner for oaths). The Ministry of Foreign Affairs attests the notary’s signature.

  4. Ownership statement, one page from us.

Legalisation. First the Tanzanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then the Embassy of the Netherlands in Dar es Salaam (appointment online). Documents from Zanzibar first need a stamp from the Zanzibar Ministry of Foreign Affairs. After that, the Tanzanian ministry and then the embassy add their stamps. Swahili documents need a sworn translation.

Good to know. You need two stamps, or three for documents from Zanzibar. Allow four to six weeks. Tanzania was removed from the EU high-risk list in January 2026, but the notary will still ask for proof of source of funds.

If a company from Tanzania becomes a shareholder

Register extract, at most three months old: Business Registrations and Licensing Agency (BRELA). Order a company search report and certified copies of the certificate of incorporation and memorandum, showing directors and shareholders. Plus articles, signing authority and ownership chart.

Trade between Tanzania and the EU

EU imports from Tanzania grew by 35.5% in 2025, lifting EU trade in goods with Tanzania to €2.1 billion, from €1.9 billion in 2024. The EU ranked third among Tanzania’s trading partners in 2025, with 9.5% of its trade.

Vegetable products made up 30.8% of EU imports from Tanzania in 2025. Next came foodstuffs, beverages and tobacco at 24.0% and pearls and precious metals at 20.9%. Machinery and appliances led EU exports to Tanzania at 36.4%.

As a least developed country, Tanzania exports to the EU under Everything But Arms, which gives all goods except arms and ammunition duty-free and quota-free access.

The EU has allocated €585 million in grants to its partnership with Tanzania for 2021 to 2027, in line with Global Gateway. This includes support for investment in the graphite and nickel value chains and for trade hubs in Tanga and Mwanza.

Import duties: Access2Markets.

Sources: European Commission [1][2][3][4][5].

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