Certificate of Good Standing for Bahrain

Good Standing for Bahrain: What It Means and How to Keep It

“Good standing” is more than a statement that a company exists. In most U.S. states, it means the company is up to date with the state: its annual or biennial reports have been filed, the required state fees or franchise taxes have been paid, and it has a registered agent on record. A company that misses these obligations can fall out of good standing, and in that case the state will not issue the certificate a Bahraini registry or bank needs.

Check before you plan the Bahraini filing

The most common surprise in Bahraini registration projects is discovering, at the last minute, that the U.S. parent is “not in good standing” because a report or fee was missed. Check the company’s status on the state’s business search before scheduling a Sijilat filing or bank appointment in Bahrain. If the status has lapsed, the company must file the overdue reports and pay what is owed, and in some cases go through reinstatement. Only then can a good standing certificate be issued and apostilled.

Short form or long form

Most certificates are short-form, confirming the name, the formation date and the good standing status. Some states, Delaware for example, also offer a long-form certificate listing the documents filed for the company, such as amendments, mergers and name changes. A long-form certificate is useful when the Bahraini file needs to show the company’s history, such as after a name change, so that the name on the certificate links to older documents.

Domestic or foreign qualification

A company formed in one state and registered to do business in others can obtain a good standing certificate in each of them. For Bahrain, the certificate should come from the state of formation, because it is the state that created the company and holds its formation records. Certificates of foreign qualification from other states rarely answer the Bahraini question.

Apostille and timing

The good standing certificate is a public record, issued and certified by the state, so it does not go to a notary. The same state issues the apostille. Bahrain has accepted apostilles since December 31, 2013, so nothing more is required on the U.S. side. Because the certificate speaks only to the date of issue, Bahraini offices prefer a recent one. Some Bahraini filings, such as later changes to a branch’s registration, may ask for a current certificate again, so keep the company’s state compliance up to date throughout the life of the Bahraini entity.