San Marino is a country in its own right.
It has its own laws for doing business and for living here. The laws of your country don't automatically apply.
Coming from abroad
How to open a company in San Marino as a foreigner, and what you need
You can open a company in San Marino even if you live in another country today. You need real premises, people on the ground and, if you relocate, the right permit. This page covers the typical questions, the mistakes to avoid and the route with us.
In short: what you need if you come from another country
You need a real company.
That means premises where work gets done, people on the ground and decisions taken in San Marino.
If you relocate, the permit goes into the plan.
A stay permit or residence is prepared together with the company, not afterwards.
The paperwork is in Italian.
We tell you which documents are needed and in what form.
One person to deal with.
Your lead guide coordinates everything and updates you at every stage. In Italian we say “capocordata”, the lead climber on a rope team.
What changes when you set up a business in San Marino from abroad
If you come from abroad, you have two extra things to sort out. The first is about you. If you relocate, you need the legal right to live in San Marino, which means a stay permit or residence. In Italian they are called “permesso di soggiorno” and “residenza”.
The second is about documents. Those that come from another country have to be prepared in good time and in the right form. We tell you at the start, so you aren't chasing them at the end.
Everything else is the same for everyone. A San Marino company needs real premises, real management and real activity in San Marino. That applies to a factory, and it applies to a startup that works from a laptop.
Do you live in Italy? There is a dedicated page for anyone opening a San Marino company from Italy (in Italian).
Questions from people who want to open a company in San Marino from abroad
Can I open a company in San Marino if I live abroad?
Yes. The requirements for shareholders and directors, and the documents to submit, are in the guide on who can be a shareholder or director (in Italian). Bear in mind that the company then has to be run from San Marino, by you or by a director who works here.
Is San Marino part of the European Union?
No. San Marino is an independent state and isn't a member of the European Union. Relations between the two are governed by agreements. What the Association Agreement provides, and what changes for businesses, is explained in the guide on the Association Agreement between San Marino and the European Union (in Italian).
Do I need a permit to live in San Marino?
If you relocate, yes. The options are a stay permit and residence, and which one fits depends on your case. You'll find both in the guide on stay permits and residence for people opening a business (in Italian). We coordinate the application for you and your family.
Can I do everything remotely, without coming to San Marino?
The first meeting can be online. The rest can't, because a real company calls for real presence. Before the opening you spend a day in San Marino visiting premises, the bank and professionals. After the opening, someone has to work here.
Can I move my existing company to San Marino?
It depends on the country it's in and on the type of company. When it can be done, and how, is explained in the guide on moving a foreign company to San Marino (in Italian). At the first meeting we work out whether that is the right path for you or whether it's better to open a new company.
Can my startup be based in San Marino?
San Marino has dedicated rules for high-tech startups. Requirements and steps are in the guide on high-tech startups in San Marino (in Italian). Even a startup, though, needs an office and people on the ground.
Example
A software startup looking for a base
She is thirty, runs a software startup and has a team that works remotely. She arrives with her laptop and a simple question: can the company be based in San Marino? At the first meeting, online, we explain that software can be written anywhere but a company has to be somewhere. Then she spends a day in San Marino with her lead guide, sees real offices and understands what she needs in order to relocate. The written plan sets out stages, timings and costs, including the stay permit and secure access for the people who work remotely. She decides to go ahead knowing what to expect.
This story is an example built to explain the service. It does not describe a real client.
A founder from abroadExample
Mistakes to avoid if you come from abroad
- Thinking a laptop is enough.
A company that exists only inside a computer isn't a San Marino company. You need an office, people on the ground and decisions taken here.
- Assuming European Union rules apply.
San Marino isn't a member and has rules of its own. Before you count on them, check case by case in the guide on the Association Agreement with the European Union (in Italian).
- Putting off the stay permit.
If you relocate, the permit has its own steps and its own timing. Put it in the plan from day one, alongside the company.
- Leaving the documents until the last minute.
The paperwork is done in Italian, and documents from your country have to be prepared in the required form. Ask for the list straight away and start with the ones that take longest to obtain.
- Taking the bank account for granted.
The bank decides whether to open it, and it wants to know you, the shareholders and the business. We prepare the documents with you and go with you.
- Forgetting the rules of the country you're leaving.
Your own country also has rules on where a company counts as resident. Check them with a professional there before you start.
The route in brief for anyone starting from another country
Step
The first move.
What you do
You tell us about the project by video call, with no obligation.
What we do
We tell you frankly whether San Marino is right for you.
Step
The site visit.
What you do
You come to San Marino for a day.
What we do
Your lead guide plans the day and takes you to see premises, the bank and professionals.
Step
The route.
What you do
You read the plan and decide whether to go ahead.
What we do
We write down stages, timings, costs and who is responsible for what, including your relocation.
Step
The opening.
What you do
You sign the deeds and, if needed, you relocate.
What we do
We coordinate the company, premises, bank account, business licence, permits, staff, cyber security and artificial intelligence.
Step
At altitude.
What you do
You run the business and make it grow.
What we do
We stay close to you for the first twelve months.
Each stage is explained on the page How the route works.
What we do on the ground while you're still in your own country
This is the part Strategic does itself, without going through anyone else.
On-the-ground support (in Italian)
At the moments that matter, one of our people is there in San Marino. They view the properties, prepare the meetings and tell you how it went.
How we support you on the ground (in Italian)Cyber security (in Italian)
Network, email, backups and access are protected from day one. People who work remotely get into the company's systems securely.
How we protect the new company (in Italian)Artificial intelligence (in Italian)
Assistants and automations take care of the repetitive work. We train the people who will use them.
What artificial intelligence does in a company (in Italian)A short story
San Marino was founded by someone who came from elsewhere to work. We think that's a good precedent.
A precedent we like
Tell us where you're starting from and what you want to do
The first move is a meeting with no obligation, by video call or at our office in San Marino.