Mainland, free zone and offshore company formation across the GCC and beyond
We register companies where they will actually work best for you, not where the paperwork is quickest. That means starting with the activity you want to licence, who you intend to sell to, how many visas you need and whether a residence visa has to be attached, then recommending mainland, a named free zone or an offshore structure with the reasoning set out in writing.
Black Swan handles the whole filing: name reservation, initial approval, external approvals for regulated activities, memorandum drafting and notarisation, premises and Ejari registration, and the trade licence itself. You get one point of contact and a written quote that separates government fees from ours before anything is submitted.
Service overview
We register mainland companies through each emirate’s Department of Economic Development, free zone entities in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, RAK, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain, and onshore companies in Oman, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. Holding and offshore structures are available through RAK ICC, JAFZA Offshore, the UK, Hong Kong, Singapore, Mauritius and Seychelles.
- 100% foreign ownership on most mainland activities, confirmed against your activity code
- Free zone packages sized to the visa quota you actually need
- Onshore registration in Oman, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, plus UK incorporation
- Corporate tax and VAT registration handled alongside the licence
Key features
Choosing the wrong jurisdiction is the most expensive mistake in company formation, and it is almost always made before the first fee is paid. A free zone licence cannot invoice the UAE market directly. An offshore company carries no residence visa. A mainland licence in the wrong emirate ties you to premises you do not need.
We settle those questions first. Once the structure is agreed the filing itself is routine: a straightforward UAE company is usually licensed within a week when the documents are in order, with visas and banking following the authority’s and the bank’s timetable rather than ours.
Not sure which route fits?
Tell us the activity, where you want to trade and how many visas you need. We will come back with a recommendation and a written quote.
