A not-for-profit organisation, established in 1975, the Arab-British Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) promotes bilateral trade and investment between the UK and the Arab nations. For this, it works in close association with Arab official agencies and businesses, particularly the Arab diplomatic missions in London, the league of Arab states and its specialised agencies, such as the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), the British Chambers of Commerce, the Chambers of Commerce in the Arab world and UK Trade and Investment (UKTI).
Joint Chambers of Commerce were established by the Economic Council of the league of Arab states in the early 70s. Following the decision to do so, the governments in the Arab world set up ABCC to promote and encourage bilateral trade. The Chamber’s aim was to establish a firm presence in the UK and form relationships with the British Chambers of Commerce to set up a system that could handle the vast amount of export-import related documentation.
Over the years, the ABCC has acted as a vital bridge between the Arab world and the UK, regarding a wide range of activities associated with economic exchange and promotion of cultural understanding.
For 50 years, the ABCC has provided a vast range of services to the business community, adapting and growing according to the rapidly changing business environment. Its services include legalisation and certification of trade documents, hosting seminars, workshops, business roundtables and conferences, customised research and advice, creating networking opportunities, promoting cultural training and the Arabic language and providing business visa services for Arab nations.
Services Provided by the Arab British Chamber of Commerce
The chamber engages in various services to promote Arab-British trade relations.
- Trade Services: The ABCC assists exporters entering the Arab market with all their certification and legalisation needs. Apart from export documentation, the services extend to providing customised research, business briefings, networking services, translation and visa services.
- Export Documentation: Companies engaged in Arab-British trade approach the ABCC to fulfil all documentation needs. The Chamber employs a bilingual (English/Arabic) Certificate of Origin, according to international standards and acceptable by all governments. The Saudi Arabian documentation requirements include:
I. Certificate of Origin and Invoice: Has to be solely certified by the ABCC, before the exporter can get it legalised by the relevant embassy.
II. SASO Certificate of Conformity: Required prior to shipment of goods to the KSA
III. Document Certification for Business Visit Visa to the KSA: Memorandum and Article of Association, Board of Directors Meeting, Minutes of Meeting, Power of Attorney, Agency Agreement, etc., need to be certified.
- Visa Services: The Chamber’s visa section aids in obtaining any kind of visa for travel to the Arab nations. ABCC accepts applications for Saudi Arabia visas, along with the passport, supporting documentation and fees. All applicants need to have a valid residence in the UK. The ABCC is also required to attest the Employer Support Letters for Saudi Arabia business visa applications. The host company in Saudi Arabia needs to send a letter of invitation for the applicant to the Saudi Embassy in London. The visa application process takes up to 4 working days. Here are some important forms to fill:
I. Saudi Arabia Business Visa Application
II. Saudi Arabia Work Visa Application
The Chamber’s visa services are available to all UK-headquartered companies and companies with offices in the UK. The applicants should consult with the chamber to understand all terms and conditions.
Arab British Chamber of Commerce Contact Details
The address of the Arab-British Chamber of Commerce is:
43 Upper Grosvenor St
Mayfair, London W1K 2NJ
United Kingdom
Phone: +44 20 7235 4363, 02072354363
Email address: info@abcc.org.uk
Email address for visa services: Saleh@abcc.org.uk or call on 020 7659 4875
Working Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
The ABCC is accessible through a wide range of transport options. The Bond Street and Marble Arch tube stations (Central and Jubilee lines) are both just a 6 minutes’ walk away. The Green Park tube station is 14 minutes’ walking distance. The Marylebone Railway Station is a 5-minute drive from the location.
Arabia British Chamber of Commerce and Saudi Visa Applications
The ABCC needs to attest all documents pertaining to business visa applications to the KSA. It also attests all employer support letters for employment visa applications to the country.
The Saudi visa consultants at Saudi Able Link are highly skilled and experienced and can assist you with all the formalities related to the visa application, document attestation and handling of fees. Our team members visit the ABCC offices on a regular basis and have forged strong relationships with the officials in the export documentation and consular services departments.
With us, your visa application process will be completed swiftly and in a hassle-free way. Trust our experts to take utmost care of your documents, which will be safely delivered to you once the visa is approved.
Saudi Able Link is dedicated to helping you with all the formalities that need to be completed before you can visit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
