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Investment & Legal Framework
TAXATION IN ANGOLA
SETTING UP COMMERCIAL
COMPANIES
IMPORT AND EXPORT RULES
AND REGULATIONS
Companies carrying out industrial and commercial
activities in Angola are subject to Corporate Income
Tax on all profits derived from Angola. If the com-
pany has its head office or effective management
control in Angola, it is subject to Corporate Tax on its
profits derived from Angola and one-third of its gross
income earned abroad.
Under the new tax legislation, all the income ob-
tained abroad by an Angolan company operating
overseas will be fully taxable.
Foreign entities with a permanent establishment in
Angola are subject to Corporate Tax only on profits
derived from the permanent establishment.
All companies, regardless of whether they have a
permanent place of business in Angola, that per-
form contracts or subcontracts or render services in
Angola, are subject to Corporate Tax if the amounts
paid to such companies are considered expenses for
Corporate Income Tax purposes.
This provision is likely to be changed, as a conse-
quence of the new definition of permanent establish-
ment. This new definition also considers, as perma-
nent establishment, the mere rendering of services,
if made by the presence in Angola of hired person-
nel, for more than 90 days within a year. This im-
plies that those companies that render services will
be taxable under the general rules of the Industrial
Tax Code.
The Investment Income Tax imposed on taxable
dividends was raised to 10% under the new legisla-
tion. An exemption, on the same conditions as the
exemption from Corporate Tax, can be obtained from
the Minister of Finance for new industries and invest-
ment projects in fundamental areas.
The tax year is the calendar year. Companies other
than Angola companies operating abroad must file
tax returns together with their financial statements by
31 May in the year following the tax year. Advance
payments of, at least 50% of the prior year’s tax lia-
bility must be made by 10 December of the tax year.
Final payment of tax is due on 15 September of the
following year.
In order to operate in Angola all Companies must be
registered. The Guichet Único da Empresa is an en-
tity which aims to simplify the process of registration
and concentrates in the same place all the bodies of
relevance in such process (see contact details at the
end of the chapter).
Before start a new business in Angola, foreign non
resident entities, must to have a previous approval
from ANIP which and if approved will allow the trans-
fer funds for the investment by issuing a Certificate
of Investment Registration.
The minimum share capital required to incorporate
a company is USA 1.000 for the private held com-
panies (sociedades por quotas) and USD 20.000 for
the public held companies (sociedades anónimas).
Companies can note operate in Angola without hav-
ing an operating license and to obtain such it is man-
datory to be properly registered.
An import license is required for goods exceeding
US$ 5,000. The Angolan customs also demand an
import permit (BRI), to be issued specifically for the
goods to be imported, by the Angolan Ministry of
Commerce. It is however expected that this docu-
ment, currently the government’s basis to obtain sta-
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