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The trade licence is typically issued within 3 to 5 working days in free zones like IFZA. The residence visa process (entry permit, medical, Emirates ID, stamping) adds 1 to 3 weeks. The bank account runs in parallel and can take from days to several weeks depending on your profile.

Yes. The licence, corporate documents and establishment card are processed fully remotely. You only need to enter the UAE when you activate your residence visa (for the medical test and biometrics), and some banks require one in-person meeting.

Yes. Free zone companies have always allowed 100% foreign ownership, and since the 2021 reform of the Commercial Companies Law most mainland activities do too: no local sponsor or Emirati partner is required for the large majority of business activities.

Free zone is the default for international services, consulting and trading: lower entry cost (from AED 12,520 in Dubai government fees), faster setup and the flexi desk covers the address requirement. Mainland is required when you sell to the local UAE market, need physical premises or bid for government contracts.

In Dubai, year-1 government fees start at AED 12,520 at Meydan FZ (VAT included, per its own 2026 calculator) and AED 12,900 at IFZA without visas (AED 18,000 with one founder visa), up to AED 50,985 at DMCC, the most expensive. If Dubai itself is not a must, RAKEZ in Ras Al Khaimah starts at AED 6,000 all-in. Our service fee is quoted separately.

At IFZA, all government steps for one founder visa add about AED 5,100 to the licence in year 1, and the first employee visa government fee is included for life. At Meydan, one investor visa adds about AED 10,100 in year 1 (allocation, immigration card, processing, medical and Emirates ID). Medical plus Emirates ID runs about AED 900 per visa, and the establishment card costs AED 2,200.

No. The bank decides after reviewing the activity, the source of funds and the shareholders’ residency. With a residence visa and a complete file it is usually straightforward; without UAE residency or with higher-risk activities it takes longer and may need a fintech alternative.

Corporate tax is 9%, and only on profit above AED 375,000; below that it is 0%. Qualifying free zone income can remain at 0% under the QFZP regime. There is no personal income tax on salary or dividends. VAT is 5%, with mandatory registration above AED 375,000 annual turnover.

Not in a free zone: a flexi desk or included business address (standard in Dubai packages like IFZA and Meydan) satisfies the legal requirement and supports up to 3 visas. A physical office is only required for mainland companies or when your visa count outgrows the flexi desk.

Renewals from year 2 in Dubai: IFZA from AED 12,900 per year without visas (about AED 17,100 with one visa) and DMCC AED 38,910 flat. Visas renew every 2 years; at IFZA the first visa renewal only pays the medical and Emirates ID (~AED 900).

Yes. Once you hold a residence visa as founder or employee of your company, you can sponsor your spouse and children, subject to minimum salary requirements and their own medical and Emirates ID process.

Yes. General consulting, services and trading fit standard licences at the listed rates. Regulated activities (financial, medical, legal, education) carry additional government approvals and fees, and some are restricted to specific jurisdictions like DIFC or ADGM.

In most Dubai free zones there is no paid-up capital requirement: IFZA and Meydan let you declare a nominal share capital without depositing it. The exception is DMCC, with a reference share capital of AED 50,000. Mainland requirements depend on the activity, and regulated sectors set their own thresholds.

The trade licence is annual and renews every year (IFZA from AED 12,900, DMCC AED 38,910). The residence visa is typically valid for 2 years. To keep the visa alive you should not stay outside the UAE for more than 180 consecutive days; the investor visa option at IFZA relaxes this to one entry every 12 months.

You do not have to live in Dubai to own the company. But owning a UAE company does not automatically change your personal tax residency: if you remain tax-resident in your home country, its rules (CFC, management-and-control tests, reporting) can still reach the company. We point this out before you start; for a plan for your country, talk to us.

Yes, but it is a migration, not a switch: the usual route is incorporating a new entity in the target jurisdiction, moving contracts and bank accounts, then winding down the old licence. It is manageable, but choosing the right zone from the start costs much less, and that is what the initial assessment is for.

Not by itself. The standard route through your company is the 2-year partner or employee residence visa. The 10-year Golden Visa has its own routes, including public investment and property ownership from AED 2 million, and can complement your company setup; we assess eligibility case by case.