The United Arab Emirates is a sovereign, federal, presidential and elected monarchy comprising seven absolute monarchical emirates: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah. We will be able to advise you only after having a comprehensive briefing upon your mid-term and long-term strategy in order to avoid your organization to engage expenses that will be lost should you opt for the wrong business model with regards to invoicing, commercial and legal aspects. Besides, the right activity must be chosen in order to respect the laws of the United Arab Emirates. There are different options: onshore or mainland (in Dubai or Abu Dhabi), or free zone (with more than 30 free zones in the whole territory of the United Arab Emirates) or offshore company.

Mainland

The Department of Economic Development is the key government body in each Emirate for registering legal business entities and they are the legal authorities responsible for business setup in the UAE.

You can do business in any part of UAE.
There is No corporate tax
You can rent office anywhere in that particular Emirate of registration
You can get any number of visas depending on facilities taken / business

UAE free zone

Each Free Zone in UAE has its own Authority registering non-resident companies in UAE. Some free zones are created in city-clusters or districts with specific services or industrial specializations. The procedures and cost for incorporating an entity depends on the Free Zones you choose and the type of your activity. In a Free Zone, a business entity can be set up as a Free Zone Establishment (single owner), Free Zone Company (more than one shareholder) or as branch or subsidiary of a foreign company.

100% ownership.
No tax on corporate gains or personal incomes
100% repatriation of capital and profits
Exemption from import and export duties

UAE Offshore

Main benefits of our Offshore set up are:
The capital of the company can be any amount divided into any denomination.
The minimum number of shareholders and directors is one
All shares must be fully paid when allocated and no bearer shares or differential classes of shares are allowed. However, there is no requirement to deposit the capital in bank.
100% foreign ownership permitted and 100% tax and duty exemption exists on UAE off shore incorporation companies.
Opening a corporate bank account in a bank at Dubai, UAE is permitted.
A registered agent (legal firms, auditors, consultants) is required to be appointed by the Company from the approved list of registered agents maintained by UAE Free Zone.
The Offshore domicile is located in the UAE Free Zone.
The investors need not visit the authority to incorporate the company, however the documents need to be signed in the registered agent's office.