Dubai Business Setup

Dubai offers a world-class business environment with 0% personal income tax, 100% foreign ownership in free zones, and full profit repatriation. Choose between Free Zone or Mainland setup and expand your business to global markets with ease.

Why Dubai Business Setup

Dubai is one of the most business-friendly destinations in the world for foreign entrepreneurs, offering 0% personal income tax, 100% profit repatriation, and full foreign ownership through its Free Zones without the need for a local Emirati partner. Entrepreneurs can choose between a Free Zone company or a Mainland company based on their business objectives.

Whether you are a freelancer, consultant, startup, or an established business, Dubai provides an ideal environment with access to the UAE market, international trade opportunities, banking facilities, and the wider South Asian and Gulf markets.

How to Qualify

To establish a business in Dubai, applicants must meet the following requirements:

  • Choose either a Free Zone or Mainland business licence.
  • Select the appropriate business activity and licence type (Commercial, Professional, Industrial, or Trading).
  • Comply with any additional regulatory approvals for regulated sectors such as healthcare, food, or financial services.
  • Meet the documentation requirements applicable to the selected business structure.

Documentation Requirement

Applicants are generally required to submit the following documents:

  • Passport copies of all shareholders.
  • Recent passport-sized photographs.
  • Business plan (where applicable).
  • Registered or reserved trade name.
  • Office tenancy contract (Ejari) for Mainland companies.
  • No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the current sponsor, if required.
  • Additional security clearance or regulatory approvals for specific business activities.

Government Fees

The cost of setting up a business in Dubai depends on the chosen business structure and licence type.

  • Free Zone licence package: AED 12,000 to AED 30,000.
  • Free Zone setup with visa and flexi-desk: AED 18,000 to AED 34,000.
  • Mainland company setup: AED 11,000 to AED 25,000, depending on licence type, office requirements, and government fees.
  • Visa application, medical test, and Emirates ID: Additional AED 3,000 to AED 6,000 per person.

Benefits

  • 0% personal income tax.
  • 100% profit and capital repatriation.
  • 100% foreign ownership in eligible Free Zones.
  • Fast digital onboarding with fully remote setup options.
  • Flexible office solutions such as flexi-desks for startups.
  • Mainland companies can trade throughout the UAE and compete for government contracts.
  • Access to a wider customer base across local and international markets.

Family Inclusion

After obtaining your company licence, you can sponsor eligible family members for UAE residence visas, subject to immigration requirements.

  • Sponsor your spouse and dependent children.
  • Family visa costs are generally similar to employee visa costs.
  • The number of family and employee visas depends on your selected office or visa package.

Processing Timelines

  • Free Zone company formation is generally completed within 2 to 3 weeks.
  • Several Free Zones offer a fully digital application, approval, and e-signing process.
  • Mainland company formation usually takes between 3 and 4 weeks.
  • For Mainland companies, an office lease (Ejari) is generally required before completing the trade licence process.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

A free zone licence is usually quicker and less expensive to obtain and offers full foreign ownership; however only allows you to trade within the free zone or internationally through a local distributor for selling on the mainland. A mainland licence will cost more but allow you to trade anywhere in the UAE, and you will have access to a greater number of clients and government contracts.
No – 100% foreign ownership has always been the norm in Free Zones. In recent years, a number of activities have been given 100% foreign ownership rights on the mainland, albeit with certain exceptions for some specific activities; this is worth checking for your business activity in particular.
Yes, the registration, payment, and document signing can be done online in many free zones. If you are seeking a residency visa, you will still have to travel in person for your medical test and Emirates ID biometric visit at some point.
This will vary according to the office package that you have selected. For those who don’t require UAE residency, there is a zero visa licence, and for packages that require a physical working desk or office, there is a quota of visas that can be applied for according to the size of the office.
Under the UAE corporate tax regime, a Qualifying Free Zone Person may receive a 0% tax rate on qualifying income, but this is not a blanket exemption, which needs to be confirmed for your business based on the type of income and activities.
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