Company setup in Dubai and the UAE

For simple structures, incorporation can take from 48 hours, but that is a possibility, not a guarantee. The full process, with licence, visa, Emirates ID and bank, depends on the jurisdiction, the activity, external approvals and the documentation. We confirm the timeframe for your case in writing before we start.

Much of the process can be done remotely, but some milestones require you to be here: the medical test and biometric registration for the residence visa, and often signing at the bank. We group them into a single trip whenever the schedule allows.

Most activities and free zones allow 100% foreign ownership.

Based on where your clients are. If you invoice outside the UAE, a free zone is usually quicker and cheaper. If you are going to sell within the local market, the mainland gives you full access. It is the first decision and the most expensive to reverse, because it carries through to tax, visas and banking.

It depends on the jurisdiction and the package you take; some free zones link the number of visas to office space. It is best decided when choosing the structure, not afterwards, when increasing it costs more.

No, and nobody should guarantee it. The bank carries out its own review of the activity, the source of funds and the profile of the shareholders. What we do is prepare the complete application file and choose the bank that best fits your profile, which is where most of the outcome is decided.

Licence renewal, visa renewal, accounting and tax filings. It is the item most people forget when working out whether it pays off, and we include it in the figures from the start.

To incorporate and maintain the company, no. For residency you do need to come for two specific milestones, the medical test and biometrics, and residency has its own conditions on time spent in the country. Living here and being tax resident here are also two different things: it is best to address them separately before deciding.

Corporate Tax ranges from 0% to 9%: 0% on the first AED 375,000 of profit and 9% above that. VAT is 5%, with mandatory registration above AED 375,000 of turnover and voluntary registration from AED 187,500. The UAE does not tax personal income. Low rates do not remove the obligations: you have to register, keep accounts and file on time.

It depends on the jurisdiction and the number of visas you want. Options range from a flexi-desk or co-working space to a private office, and in some free zones the space you lease determines how many visas you can issue. It is one of the things decided when choosing the structure, not afterwards.

There is no single duration: residence visas have different validity periods depending on the category, and the Golden Visa is long-term: 5 or 10 years depending on the case, according to ICP. And yes: the main holder's residence visa then allows applications for the spouse, children and employed staff, each with their own application and their own requirements.

We will tell you. For some profiles it is not worth it today: businesses whose market is exclusively local, companies with a struggling business model, or projects whose only motive is to pay less tax. We would rather lose the engagement than set up a structure that has to be undone a year later.

There is no single price. It depends on the jurisdiction, activity, number of shareholders, visas, office, approvals and associated services. At TANMIYA we first define the structure and then provide a fixed quote in writing. We do not recommend choosing a free zone solely because it is the cheapest.

For a simple structure we usually start with a passport, contact details, a photograph, proof of address and a description of the activity. Some jurisdictions or profiles may require additional documents, for example a CV, bank statements, parent company documents, certificates or legalisations. We confirm the exact list before starting.

Not always. For businesses resident in the UAE, mandatory VAT registration applies when taxable supplies and imports exceed AED 375,000 in the previous 12 months, or are expected to exceed that amount in the next 30 days. Voluntary registration is available from AED 187,500, subject to the FTA's conditions. Before registering, we analyse the activity, the place of supply and the type of transactions.

A standard residence visa is usually linked to a company, employment, investment or another specific basis, and its duration depends on the category. The Golden Visa is a long-term residence visa, usually for 5 or 10 years depending on the category, with no need for a sponsor and subject to eligibility criteria. Not all business owners or investors automatically meet the requirements.