Set-up a business in UAE

To optimize your business in order to obtain maximum effect and ensure comfortable, stable working conditions, the most attractive option is to open a company in the UAE. This state is today considered one of the most attractive jurisdictions for foreign businessmen. But registering companies in the UAE is not an easy matter, requiring knowledge of local laws and traditions, and the ability to build the right corporate structures. Dynasty Business Adviser specialists will help you do this.
Set-up a business in UAE
Our advantages
Work experience
For more than 8 years, Dynasty Business Adviser has been successfully introducing new players to the UAE business market. Our employees' qualifications in international law and practical experience in solving the most complex problems allow our team to develop effective schemes for clients to start activities in the Emirates successfully.
Efficiency
From the moment of acquaintance until the end of cooperation, all tasks set by the client are solved quickly. We are available 24/7 and promptly attend meetings. Time is money, so our team acts professionally and harmoniously, achieving the desired result quickly.
Complexity
We plan and organize future activities considering the specifics of local legislation. We also handle all the formalities: company registration, legalizing documents, obtaining tax certificates and licenses, opening bank accounts, and accounting support. Your UAE business will work like a Swiss watch.
No intermediaries
Having its own office in Dubai allows Dynasty Business Adviser to work directly with clients. We do not transfer cases into the hands of intermediaries but independently represent your interests in government and commercial structures so we can guarantee the efficiency of our work and the achievement of our goals.
Privacy
Complete anonymity is one of the guarantees for the safe start and operation of the client’s business. That is why we pay attention to non-disclosing confidential information to third parties. Our goal is successful cooperation and an invaluable contribution to the impeccable Dynasty Business Adviser reputation.
VIP service
Our activity's main priority is finding ways to achieve clients’ goals. Our professionals will solve any assigned tasks, even if the situation requires a non-standard approach, and will complete the work they have started. With Dynasty Business Adviser, your business has every chance of success in the UAE.
Content

Advantages of registering a company in the Emirates

  • the presence of free economic zones (FEZ, Free Zone) in all 7 emirates of the country, where the creation of companies with 100% foreign participation is allowed;
  • loyal tax policy;
  • lack of currency control and regulation by the state, the possibility of duty-free withdrawal of investment capital;
  • confidentiality and security of doing business – in the Emirates there is no public register, information about the owners and shareholders of foreign companies is not disclosed, and protection from takeovers of companies is provided at the legislative level;
  • a high level of economic development and a stable socio-political situation in the country, where you can conduct business in various directions related to trade, transport, production, information technology, tourism, services, financial and other activities.

Registering a company in the Emirates will allow you to do business in a country with excellent logistics connections, with access to large markets in Europe, Southeast Asia and Africa, with a well-developed banking system, but without paying extra taxes. After all, the UAE has already concluded agreements on the avoidance of double taxation with 128 countries of the world.

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What types of companies can be opened in the UAE

Offshore company in the UAE

An offshore company can only be registered in one of the UAE free zones. It is wholly owned by foreign residents or non-UAE shareholders. Registration of an offshore company in the UAE provides tax and customs advantages, the opportunity to open a bank account, obtain a license for various types of activities and participate in other companies in the country. An offshore company is ideal for international trade and international transactions.

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Onshore company in Free Zone

In the UAE free zones, two types of onshore companies can be registered: FZC (Free Zone Company) and FZE (Free Zone Establishment). 100% of the capital can be foreign-owned. Registering an onshore company in a UAE free zone allows you to conduct business both within the country and abroad, obtain a UAE tax residency certificate, lease an office, issue resident visas for employees, provide various services, and collaborate with local companies. However, there are limitations, such as the inability to participate in government tenders and lease offices outside the free zone.

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Local LLC

For entrepreneurial activities throughout the UAE, including in the free zones, you can establish a local company. Since 2020, the majority of business activities no longer require a local partner with a 51% ownership stake. Registering a local company allows you to save on the purchase or lease of business premises, eliminate free zone restrictions, and have 100% ownership.

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What taxes do companies in the UAE have to pay?

Taxation in the UAE is regulated separately by each of the 7 emirates, so the amounts of payments in each of them and in different free zones are separate.

Main features of taxation in the UAE:

  • no taxes on personal income.
  • the presence of a corporate tax of 9% – the tax was introduced in 2023, it is provided for companies and enterprises receiving income of more than 375,000 UAE dirhams, and if the income is less, the rate is 0%. But at the same time, qualified types of activities in special FEZs can do without paying income tax. Also, a different tax rate will be levied on large multinational companies that have special business conditions under UAE law;
  • the need to pay VAT in the amount of 5% – this federal tax was introduced in 2018 and is provided only for companies trading within the country with an annual turnover of 375,000 UAE dirhams or more;
  • the presence of an excise tax on goods that can cause harm to health, such as alcohol and tobacco products, fast food, confectionery products and soft drinks.

In addition, by opening a company in the free zone of Dubai, Sharjah or another emirate, you will have to pay an annual license fee in the amount established in this free zone.

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The cost of opening a company

The cost of registering a company in the Dubai IFZA (AED):

TYPE OF ACTIVITY

VISA

PRICE

Package with Trading License

1 visa

AED 16 900

$4,630

Package with Service License

1 visa

AED 16 900

$4,630

Cost of registering a company with a Service Trading license

Service license + Flexi desk

no visa

AED 12,900

$3,540

Service license + Flexi desk

1 visa

AED 16,900

$4,630

Service license + Flexi desk

2 visas

AED 18,900

$5,180

The cost of registering a company with a Trading license

Trading license + Flexi Desk

no visa

AED 12,900

$3,540

Trading license + Flexi Desk

1 visa

AED 16,900

$4,630

Trading license + Flexi Desk

2 visas

AED 18,900

$5,180

The cost of obtaining a resident visa in Dubai IFZA

Partner or investor visa – 2 years

AED 4750

$1,300

Resident visa – 2 years

AED 3750

$1,030

E-Channels registration fee

AED 2000

$550

The cost of registering a company with Trading / Service / E-commerce License in Umm al-Quwain UAQ FREE ZONE

TYPE OF ACTIVITY

VISA

PRICE

Trading / Service / E-commerce license + Flexi Desk

no visa

AED 19,800

$5,400

Trading / Service / E-commerce license + Flexi Desk

1 visa

AED 26,800

$7,330

Trading / Service / E-commerce license + Flexi Desk

2 visas

AED 38,400

$10,500

The cost of registering a company with a General trading license in Umm al-Quwain UAQ FREE ZONE

General trading + Flexi Desk

no visa

AED 33,800

$9,250

General trading + Flexi Desk

1 visa

AED 40,800

$11,150

General trading + Flexi Desk

2 visas

AED 45,400

$12,410

General trading + Flexi Desk

3 visas

AED 50,000

$13,670

The cost of registering a company with a Premium license in Umm al-Quwain UAQ FREE ZONE

Premium license + Flexi Desk

no visa

AED 38,800

$10,600

Premium license + Flexi Desk

1 visa

AED 45,800

$12,520

Premium license + Flexi Desk

2 visas

AED 50,420

$13,770

Premium license + Flexi Desk

3 visas

AED 55,035

$15,050

Cost of registering a company with Freelance license

Freelance license

no visa

AED 20,700

$5,652

Freelance license

1 visa

AED 25,000

$6,833

Stages of opening a company in the UAE

Registration of companies in the UAE is a multi-stage process consisting of the following stages:

  • choosing the company type – depending on the goals you want to achieve, it can be an offshore or onshore company in a free zone or a local company;
  • choosing the type of business activity – certain types of activities are allowed in different FEZs of the country;
  • choosing a free zone for company registration;
  • preparation of all the necessary documents, their legalization and submission for registration;
  • obtaining documents for a registered company in the UAE;
  • obtaining a license for selected types of activities;
  • registration of a company immigration card (Company Establishment Card), without which you cannot hire employees; as well as registration of a residence visa for shareholders and company personnel;
  • opening bank accounts – corporate, offshore and personal;
  • renting an office or workplace in an office center, if necessary.
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Timing and procedure for opening a company in the UAE

The time required to open a company depends on the emirate and the type of activity, and can take from 1 day to 1 month. It will take more time to register a company in Dubai due to the large number of daily requests for opening companies in this emirate. If the type of activity you have chosen requires additional permission from the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Defense or another local government body, the registration period may take several months.

Our company’s specialists will help you open a company in the UAE optimally:

  • It will take 1-2 working days to collect the necessary documents – we will collect them ourselves and submit them for registration if you have already been to the Emirates and 5 years have not passed since your last visit (otherwise, you will need to fly to the UAE to sign the documents );
  • Registration will take from 3 to 7 working days, provided there are no delays on the part of government authorities, after which we will receive documents for the registered company and send them to you;
  • It will take at least 7 working days to open a bank account and obtain a resident visa (this requires your personal presence in the UAE, but our employees will accompany you).

Experienced Dynasty Business Adviser specialists in the field of tax planning and international law will find the optimal solution for choosing the type of company, emirate, free zone for opening your business in the UAE so that it becomes as successful as possible. With us, you will not only save time, but also money that you would otherwise spend on unnecessary flights to the Emirates and back.

Documents required to register a company in the UAE

The list of documents that need to be collected to register a company in the UAE depends on various factors:

  • the number of shareholders and their legal status, whether they are an individual or a legal entity;
  • type of registered company (a new company, branch and subsidiary will need a different set of documents);
  • emirate and free zone in which you want to open a company.

If the shareholders are legal entities, when registering a subsidiary or branch of an existing company, their corporate documents must be legalized.

How to legalize corporate documents

Considering that the UAE did not participate in the signing of the Hague Convention and does not recognize the apostille, all official documents issued in other countries are considered valid only after legalization. To do this, you need to:

  • translate documents into Arabic and have them certified by a notary in your country;
  • have documents certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country in which the shareholder company is registered;
  • have your documents certified by the UAE embassy of your country of permanent residence;
  • have documents certified by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Frequently asked questions

What types of companies are there in the UAE?

There are following types of companies in UAE (Dubai)

  • Limited Liability Company.
  • Professional Company.
  • There are also 2 types of professional companies: Sole Establishment and Partnership Professional Civil Works Company.
  • Free Zone Company – companies registered in the territory of the FEZ.
  • Free Zone Establishment – enterprises in the territory of the FEZ.
  • International Business Company (Offshore company) – a company for doing business outside the UAE with responsibility.

How to open a company in the UAE?

  • Contact us for a free consultation and choose the best option for registering a company in the UAE.
  • Prepare the necessary documents for registering a company in Dubai, pay government fees.
  • Your registration certificate is ready (license).
  • Obtaining a resident visa.
  • Submitting an application and preparing documents to open a bank account in Dubai.

What is the cost of opening a company in the UAE?

The cost of starting a company depends on many factors. At the moment, the most budget option is from 6,000 dirhams (1,640 USD). Also, the cost of registering a company in Dubai is higher compared to other emirates, so when choosing a place to open a company in the UAE, you need to take into account many factors, such as the type of activity, the need for an office or warehouse and a resident visa.

How to register a new UAE company?

In order to open a new company in Dubai, you need to select the type of company and type of activity, and the required number of resident visas. Also, you need to know whether you need an office, a warehouse or a store; it also matters whether you plan to operate in the UAE or outside it, and according to this, we will select the most effective solution and begin preparing documents and registering the company.

Required documents to open a company:

To open a company for an individual

  • Copy of passport and entry stamp
  • Certificate of proof of residence
  • Photos of the founders

To open a company as a legal entity

Charter documents of the company and the decision of the founders to register the company.

*documents of a foreign legal entity are subject to legalization, since the UAE has not signed the Hague Convention, according to which all official documents certified by an apostille have no legal force in the UAE.

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