FAZAK
The Owner's Choice
We offer comprehensive services that help you make informed decisions and achieve your financial goals.
FAZAK
The Owner's Choice
We offer comprehensive services that help you make informed decisions and achieve your financial goals.
FAZAK
The Owner's Choice
Company setup in Dubai refers to the entire process of establishing a new business entity, from initial planning to obtaining your trade license and beyond. Dubai’s dynamic economy and supportive government policies make it an attractive destination for company setup. Whether you are a solo entrepreneur or a multinational corporation, the process can be tailored to your needs. However, it involves several stages and decisions, such as choosing the right type of company, understanding legal requirements, and completing paperwork. Our role is to make the company setup journey smooth, fast, and stress-free, providing expert guidance at each step.
The first decision in setting up is selecting the appropriate legal structure. In Dubai, popular options include a Mainland LLC (Limited Liability Company), a Free Zone Company, an Offshore Company, or a Branch Office of an existing company. Each has its advantages. For example, an LLC in mainland Dubai allows you to operate anywhere in the UAE market and even take on government projects. A free zone company, by contrast, gives you full foreign ownership and tax exemptions, which are great for export-oriented businesses or holding companies (though free zone entities trade within the free zone or internationally). Offshore companies (such as those set up in JAFZA Offshore or RAK ICC) are mainly for asset holding or international business without local operations. We help clarify these options and choose the one aligned with your goals. Many investors choose the LLC route due to its flexibility and now 100% foreign ownership in most cases, while startups and SMEs often love free zones for their ease of setup.
Here’s how a typical company setup in Dubai works with our assistance: (1) Consultation & Planning: We discuss your business model and requirements. Based on that, we propose the optimal setup (jurisdiction, license type, etc.) and provide a cost breakdown. (2) Trade Name and Initial Approval: We help secure your company name and get initial approval from authorities for your intended business activity. (3) Documentation: Our team prepares all the documentation – this includes drafting the Memorandum of Association (for LLCs), shareholder resolutions, and collecting required IDs and forms. (4) License Application: We submit the complete application to the relevant government department or free zone authority. Thanks to our familiarity with their systems, we ensure forms are correctly filled and all supporting documents are attached, avoiding delays. (5) Payment & Issuance: Once government fees are paid, the trade license is issued. Congratulations, your company is officially established! We then proceed with post-licensing tasks like helping you obtain establishment cards, immigration files, etc., so you can sponsor visas. (6) Banking & Visas: Parallelly or right after, we help open your corporate bank account by preparing the necessary incorporation documents and meeting bank compliance. We also process visa applications for you, your partners, and employees as needed (including medical tests and Emirates ID). Essentially, we don’t just stop at getting the license – we aim to see your business fully operational.
One reason setting up in Dubai is advantageous is the proactive support from government entities. The UAE continually updates its laws to attract investors – for example, reducing red tape and eliminating old capital requirements. Today, you often don’t need to deposit any start-up capital for most license types (certain exceptions aside). There’s also a one-stop electronic platform (like the "Invest in Dubai" portal) that integrates various services, making registration faster. Free zones act as one-stop shops too, handling all incorporation and visa formalities in-house. The outcome is a relatively quick and straightforward setup process by global standards. With our local knowledge, we anticipate any challenges. Need special approvals from a Ministry? We’ll get them. Not in the country? We arrange power of attorney to represent you. Worried about language barriers or legalese? We translate and simplify it for you. Our goal is that you feel at ease while we carry the load of bureaucracy.
Reach out to FAZAK for end-to-end company setup support. From choosing the right license to opening your doors for business, we’ll be by your side. Start your Dubai company hassle-free – let us turn the complex setup process into a simple checklist for you.
Setting up in Mainland means your license is issued by Dubai’s Department of Economy & Tourism (formerly DED) or a similar economic department in other Emirates. A mainland company can do business anywhere in the UAE without restrictions and can work with government contracts. You’ll need to have an office in Dubai city. Free Zone setup means your license comes from a specific zone authority (e.g., DMCC, JAFZA, Dubai South, etc.). Free zones offer 100% ownership, no tax, and easier setup, but the trade-off is you are generally restricted from direct trade in the UAE local market (you can still do business internationally or within the free zone). Often, free zones are ideal for import-export businesses, e-commerce, consulting, or holding companies that don’t need a retail storefront in the city. We often advise: if your customers are mainly in UAE, go mainland; if they are overseas or you need the tax haven benefits, a free zone can be great.
For most standard businesses, no paid-up capital deposit is required. Mainland LLCs typically just specify a nominal capital (like AED 100,000 or 300,000 in the MOA) but you don’t have to actually pay this in. Many free zones have done away with minimum capital requirements too, or set them very low (e.g., AED 1,000 in DAFZ or even zero in some zones). One notable exception: if you plan to get a General Trading license in some free zones like DMCC, they require a higher share capital (DMCC asks for AED 50,000 per company and AED 1 million if it’s a general trading license share capital) – but again, that usually just needs to be shown in a bank statement, not paid as a fee. For professional service licenses, often no minimum capital is stipulated at all. So, in summary, the upfront money you need is mostly to cover fees, not capital locking. We will inform you if any chosen setup has a capital rule.
Dubai allows a company to have multiple business activities under one license, as long as they are related or fall under allowed groupings by the authority. For example, a general trading company can trade various goods. A services company might do both marketing consulting and event planning under one license if permitted. However, you cannot mix activities that are totally unrelated (you wouldn’t have construction contracting and a bakery under one license, for instance). For very diverse activities, you might need separate licenses or a holding company structure. Free zones each have a list of allowed activities per license; some allow a mix (like trading + consulting might not be allowed together). We can help clarify if your business lines can be combined or if it’s more strategic to register separate companies. Many entrepreneurs start with one license and later expand by adding activities or opening new branches – which is something we can assist with when the time comes.
Not for most cases now. As of recent reforms, most mainland companies (LLCs) do not require a UAE national partner owning 51%. You can have 100% foreign ownership in a mainland LLC for a wide range of activities. A local Emirati service agent is still formally required for civil companies and professional licenses (like a single-person consultancy), but that agent has no ownership or control – they just help with government liaison and we can arrange a reliable agent for a nominal fee. Certain specific sectors (like defense, security, and some oil/gas or transportation activities) still mandate a local partner by law – but those are uncommon for typical entrepreneurs. Free zone companies never require a local partner. So, in summary, unless your business falls in a restricted category, you won’t need a local partner. We’ll let you know upfront if your chosen activity has any local ownership requirement.
We pride ourselves on building long-term partnerships with our clients. After your company is up and running, we continue to support you with PRO services (for handling government paperwork like visa renewals, labor cards, etc.), license renewals each year, bookkeeping and VAT filing if you need accounting assistance, and even consulting on expansion (say you want to open a branch in Abu Dhabi or hire 50 employees next year, etc.). We keep you informed of any regulatory changes, such as the new corporate tax laws or updates in visa rules, to ensure you remain compliant. Essentially, we act as your advisor for the life of your business in the UAE. Our goal is not just to set you up and leave, but to be the trusted support you can call anytime as your business grows.
