Starting a business in Kiribati: foreigner's guide (2026)

Under the Foreign Investment Act 2018, no foreign investor may operate without a valid certificate issued by the Investment Promotion Division (MCIC). Applications are lodged with the Registrar of the Division and, in some cases, require Cabinet approval.

The FIA 2018 establishes three schedules: a Reserved List (activities open to Kiribati citizens only, e.g. small retail, artisan fishing); a Restricted List where foreign investment is allowed only under specified conditions (e.g. salt manufacturing and coconut virgin oil require a joint venture with a local partner); and a Prohibited List where no foreign investment is permitted.

A foreign investor must: (1) obtain Foreign Investment Certificate; (2) reserve a company name with BCRD under the Business Names Act 2021; (3) lodge incorporation documents (Memorandum and Articles of Association, director/shareholder details, passport copies, proof of business address) with the Registrar of Companies; (4) pay fees of approximately USD 50 application fee and AUD 50 certificate issuance fee.

After incorporation, businesses must register with the Kiribati Revenue Authority (Ministry of Finance and Economic Development) for Tax and VAT, register employees with the Kiribati Provident Fund, obtain a business/operational licence from MCIC (valid one year, renewable), and foreign principals must apply for a work permit under immigration law.

The Companies Act 2021, Company Insolvency Act 2021, and Business Names Act 2021 — developed with ADB/PSDI technical assistance — replaced outdated colonial-era legislation and simplified start-up requirements, reducing registration costs and introducing flexible insolvency rules. These are now the primary company law instruments.

Full incorporation by an assisted foreign investor takes approximately 30 days end-to-end. No general statutory minimum capital requirement for foreign-owned companies is specified in publicly available official materials; sector-specific licence conditions may impose financial thresholds on a case-by-case basis.