Business Setup Services in Dubai

Yes. Free zones have always permitted 100% foreign ownership. Since the 2021 amendments to the Commercial Companies Law, most mainland activities also allow full foreign ownership with no Emirati partner required. A limited list of strategic-sector activities still requires a UAE national partner or local service agent.

For the large majority of activities, no. The 2021 reforms removed the local sponsorship requirement across most mainland commercial and industrial activities, and free zones never required one. Certain strategic activities and some professional licence structures still involve a local service agent, who holds no equity in your business.

Yes. Non-residents and foreign companies can both incorporate in Dubai. Most free zone companies can be formed remotely, with documents signed digitally or under power of attorney. You will normally need to be physically present once for your residence visa medical and Emirates ID biometrics, and often in person to open the corporate bank account.

Straightforward free zone and simple mainland structures are typically licensed within days once documents are complete. Complex structures, corporate shareholders requiring attestation and regulated activities take longer. Allow additional weeks beyond licence issuance for residence visas and corporate bank account opening before you are fully operational.

Individual shareholders need passport copies, photographs, proof of address and a UAE entry stamp if already in the country. Corporate shareholders additionally need attested incorporation certificates, MOA and AOA, a board resolution and a certificate of incumbency. Some activities also require a business plan or sector regulator approval.

The UAE issues six main economic licence categories: commercial, professional, industrial, tourism, occupational and agricultural. Your approved business activity determines which one applies. Some businesses hold more than one activity under a single licence, subject to the authority’s activity-grouping rules.

Available structures include limited liability companies, sole establishments, free zone establishments and free zone companies, branches of foreign companies, representative offices, holding companies, offshore entities and foundations. Structure affects liability, ownership flexibility, banking and tax treatment, so it should be decided alongside jurisdiction rather than after it.

Choose mainland if you need to sell directly to UAE customers, open physical retail premises or bid for government contracts. Choose a free zone for lower costs, faster licensing, flexible office requirements and potential 0% corporate tax on qualifying income. The right answer depends entirely on where your customers are.

Not directly. A free zone company can serve international clients and clients inside its own zone. To sell into the UAE mainland, it must appoint a mainland distributor, open a mainland branch or obtain a dual licence where the zone permits one. Each route has different costs and compliance implications.

In practice, this usually means establishing a new mainland entity or a mainland branch rather than converting the existing licence. Many founders deliberately start in a free zone for speed and cost, then add a mainland presence once UAE-facing revenue justifies it. We plan the structure so the later move is straightforward.

Mainland companies require a physical office with a registered Ejari tenancy contract, and the office size influences your visa allocation. Free zone companies can typically begin with a flexi-desk or shared-desk package, which is a major reason free zone setup is faster and cheaper to start.

Free zone packages include a fixed visa quota tied to your package and office type, commonly a small number for entry-level packages and increasing with larger offices. Mainland companies have no fixed quota; capacity is calculated from your leased office space, which makes mainland the better option for businesses hiring at scale.

There is no personal income tax in the UAE. Corporate tax applies at 9% on taxable income above AED 375,000. Free zone entities may retain 0% on qualifying income under the Qualifying Free Zone Person regime, subject to substance, qualifying income, transfer pricing and audit conditions. Registration with the Federal Tax Authority is mandatory for all entities regardless of tax position.

VAT registration becomes mandatory once your taxable supplies and imports exceed AED 375,000 over the preceding 12 months or are expected to do so in the next 30 days. Voluntary registration is available from AED 187,500. Once registered, you file periodic returns and must maintain compliant tax records.

It can be. UAE banks assess business activity, shareholder nationality and profile, expected turnover and source of funds, and they decline applications that are poorly prepared or mismatched to the bank. With a properly assembled file and the right bank selected for your profile, accounts typically open within a few weeks.

Yes. Forming a company makes you eligible for an investor or partner residence visa, which then allows you to sponsor your spouse, children and domestic staff. Longer-term 10-year Golden Visa routes are also available through qualifying investment thresholds or specialist talent categories.