Dubai Company Formation.
We set up your company in Dubai either on the mainland, licensed by the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), or in a free zone such as DMCC or IFZA. The choice decides where you can sell, what office you need and how visas work, so we settle it first and then take the licence, visas and tax registration through to completion.
Typically 2–6 weeks for the licence, depending on the jurisdiction, any sector approvals and how quickly corporate documents are attested. Residence visas usually follow over a further few weeks.
A partner — a chartered accountant or company secretary — from the first call to sign-off.
Based on your situation, and fixed in writing before any work starts.
Is this for you?
- Indian businesses setting up a Gulf hub for trading, services or regional management
- Founders who want to sell directly to customers in the UAE market and need a mainland licence
- Groups that want a free zone entity for international trade, holding or consulting work
- Companies moving staff to Dubai who need an establishment card and residence visas
What you receive at the end.
- 01Trade licence issued by DET or the free zone authority
- 02Memorandum of Association and certificate of incorporation or registration
- 03Establishment card, residence visas and Emirates ID
- 04UAE Corporate Tax registration number
- 05Compliance calendar for licence renewal, beneficial ownership and tax filings
Dubai Company Formation, step by step.
Typically 2–6 weeks for the licence, depending on the jurisdiction, any sector approvals and how quickly corporate documents are attested. Residence visas usually follow over a further few weeks.
- 1
Mainland or free zone
We map your activities and customers to the right jurisdiction. A DET mainland licence lets you trade across the UAE market, while a free zone company trades freely within the zone and abroad but needs a mainland distributor, branch or approval to sell into the mainland.
- 2
Activity and name approval
We select the licence activities, reserve the trade name and obtain initial approval from DET or the free zone authority, along with any sector approvals your activity needs.
- 3
Documents and KYC
We prepare the Memorandum of Association and beneficial ownership declarations, and arrange attestation or legalisation of your Indian corporate documents for UAE use.
- 4
Office and licence issue
We secure a qualifying office or flexi-desk, with an Ejari-registered tenancy for mainland companies, and collect the trade licence once the authority's fees are paid.
- 5
Visas and tax registration
We obtain the establishment card, process investor and employee residence visas and Emirates ID, and register the company for UAE Corporate Tax with the Federal Tax Authority on EmaraTax.
- 6
Bank account and handover
We support the corporate bank account application and hand over a calendar for licence renewal, beneficial ownership updates and tax filings.
What we need from you.
Don't have everything yet? We send a short checklist after the first call and work with what you have.
- Passport copies and photographs of shareholders, directors and managers
- For a corporate shareholder: certificate of incorporation, MoA/AoA and board resolution, attested or legalised for UAE use
- Proposed business activities and three or more trade name options
- Ultimate beneficial owner details
- Business plan or company profile, where the free zone asks for one
- Existing UAE visa and Emirates ID copies, if any
The fee depends on your situation. After a short call, the partner who will do the work tells you what's involved and gives you a fixed fee in writing — before any work begins.
- Government fees and statutory charges are billed at actuals.
- When you pay — upfront, in stages or on completion — is agreed in writing with the fee.
Questions about Dubai Company Formation.
Ready to discuss Dubai Company Formation?
30-minute confidential call — no proposal, no commitment. A partner will write back within one business day.