Company Formation in Dubai UAE
The setting up of a new company is called Company Formation or Company Registration. The United Arab Emirates controls the whole process of company formation through its corporate law.
A company in UAE can be formed in any of the following three ways:
- Mainland – The licensing authority in mainland is the Department of Economic Development of the respective emirates.
- Free Zone – In Free Zones, the relevant Free Zone Authority will be the licensing authority
- Offshore – Offshore Authority is the licensing authority in case of Offshore jurisdiction
Types of Business License:
Business Licenses issued in United Arab Emirates (UAE) depends on the business activity of the company and it can be one of the following:
- Professional – The professional license covers services offered by professionals, artisans and craftsmen
- Commercial – the commercial license covers all trading and commercial activities performed with an intention of making profit
- Industrial – the industrial license covers all industrial and manufacturing activities
Tourism –The tourism license covers all activities related to hospitality & tourism.
Why Set Up Your Business in the UAE?
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has become a popular destination for businesses to establish their operations due to its strategic location, excellent infrastructure, and business-friendly policies. However, choosing the right business licensing option can be confusing for entrepreneurs. In this blog, we will compare the three main business licensing options in the UAE: Mainland, Free Zone and Offshore.
Documents Required For Business Set Up In Dubai
Documents required (for Individual shareholder):
- Minimum 5 suggested Company names
- Clear Passport copy of Shareholder(s) and/or Manager.
- Color copy of your UAE entry stamp or the latest Visa copy of the Shareholder(s) and/or Manager
- Passport size photo with white background.
Documents required (for corporate shareholder):
- Apostilled copy of Memorandum / Article of Incorporation (Attested by UAE embassy and Ministry of foreign affairs UAE)
- Apostilled copy of incorporation certificate Attested by UAE embassy and Ministry of foreign affairs UAE)
- Apostilled copy of resolution by the board to open an LLC in UAE and appointing a manager to manage business Attested by UAE embassy and Ministry of foreign affairs UAE)
- Lease agreement of the foreign company members (Natural persons) Attested by UAE embassy and Ministry of foreign affairs UAE)
Time Taken to Set Up Your Company in the UAE
License can be issued in 5 – 7 business days (after submitting the valid documents) for individual shareholders and for corporate shareholder it will be additional 10-20 working days to most of the licenses.
Our Business Set Up Zones
| Criteria | Mainland Company | Free Zone Company | Offshore Company |
| Ownership 🤝 | 💼 100% foreign ownership allowed | 💼 100% foreign ownership allowed | 💼 100% foreign ownership allowed |
| Business Activities 🏢 | 🌍 Can operate anywhere in the UAE | 🚧 Restricted to free zone operations | ❌ Cannot conduct business in the UAE |
| Customs Regulations 🛃 | 🛃 Subject to UAE customs regulations | 📦 May have separate customs regulations | ❌ Cannot engage in local trade activities |
| Office Space 🏢 | 🏢 Can choose any location in the UAE | 🚪 Must lease within the free zone | ❌ No physical office presence required |
| Taxes 💰 | 💸 Subject to corporate and income taxes | 🆓 Generally exempt from taxes | 🆓 Generally exempt from taxes |
| Repatriation of Profits 💸 | 💸 Full repatriation of profits allowed | 💸 Full repatriation of profits allowed | 💸 Full repatriation of profits allowed |
| Employment/Visa Restrictions 👥 | 👥 Can hire locally and internationally | 👥 Limited to hiring within the free zone | ❌ Cannot hire employees in the UAE no visas issued in UAE. |
Our Process – Set up a new company with our fast and simple process.
- Identify the Nature of Your Business Activity. …
- Determine Your Company’s Legal Structure. …
- Register the Trade Name. …
- Apply for Initial Approval. …
- Create LSA or MOA. …
- Choose Your Business Location. …
- Apply for Additional Government Approvals.
- Payment voucher
- Trade license issuance
Business Setup Services in Dubai, UAE
✅ Business Setup in Dubai Mainland
✅ UAE Free Zone Company Formation
✅ UAE Offshore Company Formation
✅ Patent Registrations
✅ Company Liquidation
✅ Corporate PRO Services
✅ Golden Visas Services
✅ New & Renewal of Trade Licenses
✅ Ejari (Corporate & Individual)
✅ Legal Translation & Typing Services
✅ Certificate Attestations
✅ New Emirates ID & Medical
✅ Government Approvals & NOCs
✅ Legalization & Notarization
✅ Immigration & Establishment Card
Statistics – Design Only
5+Years of Experience
25+ Team Members
3500+ Business Set Up
100% Customer Satisfactions
Advantages set up a business in Dubai
What are the advantages of setting up a business in Dubai?
- Strategic Location:
– Crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa.
- Tax Benefits:
– No personal/corporate income tax, no capital gains tax.
- Infrastructure and Connectivity:
– World-class facilities for transportation, communication, and energy.
- Business-Friendly Policies:
– Minimal bureaucracy, pro-business environment.
- Free Zones:
– 100% foreign ownership, full profit repatriation, duty exemptions.
- Cultural Diversity:
– Cosmopolitan population for global connections.
- Stable Economy:
– Driven by tourism, real estate, and trade.
- Quality of Life:
– High quality of life, safe environment, diverse leisure options.
Our Company Set Up Packages
- Mainland
- Free Zone
- Offshore
It will be changed as per the jurisdiction and business activity
The common legal forms of business in Mainland, Free zone and Offshore formation in the UAE are:
Sole proprietorship
Civil Company
Limited Liability Company (LLC)
Partnership
Private Share Holding Company
Public Share Holding Company
Branch of Foreign Companies / Representative Office
Branch of GCC companies
Branch of Free zone company
Branch of Dubai based companies
Branch of UAE based companies
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