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SETUP | FORMATION | REGISTRATION

WANT TO START A BUSINESS IN DUBAI ?

Why Dubai?

There are many reasons to choose to set up or expand your business in Dubai, and reasons why Dubai remains by far the number one business location in the Middle East. Despite the much publicised economic downturn, which impacted Dubai’s real estate and banking sectors hardest, Dubai has now managed to stabilise itself financially and is starting to show signs of a very strong revival. There are many reasons for this, none more compelling than the economic diversity of Dubai. The fact is that many years before the real estate boom, Dubai was still a very strong and growing economy and was already the international hub of the Middle East.

Business Setup in Dubai: Dubai’s power industries include shipping, tourism, media, IT, retail, exhibitions, general trade, gold and diamond trade, and banking, as well as being one of the world’s major travel hubs. Where else can you think of that has such a strong business base for such a relatively small country? Black Swan brings to you a business setup package at an affordable cost in Dubai, UAE. You will get end-to-end support in the Dubai company formation process. You can start your business in the Dubai Free Zone or on the Dubai Mainland. Contact us today and request a quote. You can continue reading about the processes involved in company registration in Dubai.

Our business advisers at Black Swan Business Setup Service LLC have been setting up new businesses in Dubai for years and know all the ins and outs. They will be happy to give you the advice that you need and will most likely already have experience in setting up your type of business. It pays to rely on professionals who will give you sound advice that you can trust. Your company’s legal framework is something that is important to get right.

Why Set up a Business in Dubai?

Dubai has become the first choice of all the business owners and foreign investors due to multiple reasons, like the attraction of foreign investment, its strategic location, and business-friendly government policies. This drives business owners to start businesses in Dubai as well as entrepreneurs to invest.

  • Ease of Doing Business

Earning 16th place on the Ease of Doing Business rankings, setting up a business in the U.A.E. is simple and straightforward. Less processing time and a high number of free zones allow 100% foreign ownership.

  • The Open Market and Low Taxes

In Dubai, the government and regulatory authorities have little influence over private sector activity. Personal income is taxed at zero percent. Dubai’s economy is based on free trade. There are no significant import tariffs in place. In terms of labour policies, Dubai has enacted liberal labour rules. This permits Dubai-based businesses to hire employees from all around the world, regardless of nationality. Furthermore, Dubai has set up rigorous anti-fraud and anti-money laundering procedures. This permits international investors to invest in a safe and secure environment.

  • World-Class Infrastructure

Dubai is notable for being modernised and having various international-standard free zones along with an extensive motorway network that facilitates mobility. The solid telecommunications infrastructure, uninterruptible power supply, and plethora of amenities are enough to entice entrepreneurs from all over the world to establish their businesses in Dubai.

  • Highly Accessible Location

Dubai is situated in the heart of Africa, as well as the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Far East, and Europe. Nearly 85 airlines offer service to more than 130 destinations throughout the world, along with over 120 shipping lines. Dubai is thus the most conveniently accessible location on the planet.

  • High Standard of Living

Residents of Dubai live in a pleasant environment with a huge number of international citizens, making it one of the world’s most diverse cities. Dubai is the most developed city in the world in terms of real estate, housing, educational institutions, and leisure activities, as well as being one of the safest cities in the world due to its low crime rates.

Planning to Setup Business in Dubai ?

Dubai, the Middle East’s business hub as well as its fastest-growing city,  is located in the north-eastern region of the United Arab Emirates. Though the foundations were laid on oil exports, GDP is contributed by sectors of real estate, tourism, trade, and financial services.

Dubai is reputed for being the biggest trading hub in the U.A.E. It is mainly due to outstanding business locations and a nonrestrictive environment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Popular Business Locations in Mainland Dubai

  • Al Karama
  • Al Quoz
  • Al Qusais
  • Bur Dubai
  • Business Bay
  • Deira
  • Jumeirah
  • Shaikh Zayed Road

Types of Companies in Dubai

General Partnership, Public Shareholding Company, Private Shareholding Company, Limited Liability Company, Free Zone Companies (FZC and FZE), Branch Office

What is General Partnership in UAE

Two or more partners are required to form a general partnership business. The partners must be Emirati nationals and will share responsibility for the company’s debts equally. Only the names of the partners can be part of the entity’s name if certain conditions are met. The partnership agreement might document each partner’s stake. In the following situations, the partnership will dissolve:

  • The death of one member
  • Bankruptcy of a partner
  • Withdrawal of a partner
  • Insanity of a partner
Partnership businesses may be either of the 3 namely:
  • General partnership
  • Simple limited partnership
  • Partnerships-en-comandante

What is Public Shareholding Company in Dubai ?

Public Joint Stock Companies are another name for these businesses. Equal shares of the capital are distributed. In most circumstances, at least 10 founders are required to form a Public Shareholding Company. PSCs must have a minimum capital requirement of AED 10 million. A minimum of three directors are required on the board of directors. Another requirement is that the Chairman of the Board of Directors, as well as the majority of the board of directors, be Emirati nationals. Only 35% of the share capital will be kept by the founders, with the remainder having to be sold to the general public. Each member of a PSC is exclusively responsible for the value of the shares he owns.

What is Private Shareholding Company ?

In Dubai, a private shareholding company is comparable to a public one. To form a PrSC, you must have at least three shareholders. The shares, however, are not available to the general public. If any shares will be made available to the public, it must be stated in the documentation.

What is Limited Liability Company ?

In Dubai, the most frequent type of business formation is an LLC. These businesses can be established on the Dubai mainland. An LLC licence grants you full operational rights in the United Arab Emirates. There is a minimum capital requirement for these businesses, which varies depending on the type of business. You must have actual offices in the nation to form an LLC. An LLC’s foreign owners are limited to owning no more than 49 percent of the company’s shares.

Free Zone Companies (FZC and FZE)

Free zone has two main types of companies:

  • Free Zone Companies
  • Free Zone Establishments
Both are similar and can be opened in any allotted free zone with single shareholder

What is a Branch Office

These establishments can include branches of foreign organizations operating with the same name in Dubai. Branches of free zone companies, GCC companies, and civil companies also fall under the same category.

Types of business licenses in Dubai

The three types of licenses offered in Dubai are: Commercial License, Industrial License & Professional License

What are business activities under Commercial License

A commercial license has to be obtained by entrepreneurs who wish to conduct trading activities in Dubai. The business activities under this license are:

  • Commercial brokerage services
  • Importing & exporting goods
  • Real Estate
  • Rent-a-car services
  • Retail stores
  • Selling electronic products
  • Selling of construction material
The most common type of organizations set up under a commercial license is The Legal Liability Companies (LLCs) and the license can be used either on shore or in free zone.

How to Obtain a Commercial License in Dubai?

  • Firstly, list of the activities you intend to carry out has to be established to obtain a commercial license.
  • The next stage is writing a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) outlining the activities.
  • The third stage is to register the business with the Department of Economic Development.
  • You’ll need to pay the money and apply for a commercial licence, after you’ve completed the registration process.

What is a Industrial License ?

Industries undertaking manufacture activities like Production, Segregation, Accumulation, Packaging get this type of license.

How to Obtain an Industrial License in Dubai?

Industrial license to business-owners is provided by the DED. the eligibility for license has few prerequisites like

  • Local Sponsor
The company share of 51% should be held by an Emirati.
  • Office Space
Physical office should have a space.
  • Local Industrial License
Thirdly, local license have to be obtained from the company’s area of operation.
  • Minimum Capital Requirement
The minimum requirement for the share capital is around AED 250,000.
  • Number of Workers
Lastly, there should be more than 10 workers in the company.

Procedure for Industrial License in Dubai

  • To begin, documents must be submitted to the DED for preliminary approval.
  • You can apply for an industrial license after receiving clearance that could take up to three months.
  • Permissions from the municipality and other authorities have to be obtained.
What is Professional License in Dubai ?

Depending on abilities and knowledge, Individuals are granted the third and final sort of licence The most significant benefit of a professional licence is that it permits 100% foreign ownership. The only stipulation is that your service agent must be a local.

How to Obtain a Professional License in Dubai?

The professional license in Dubai is provided by the Department of Economic Development. The process for obtaining the license is includes:

  • Firstly, make a list of business activities for the professional license which you will undertake.
  • Service agent appointment.
  • Submission of documents to the DED for initial approval.
  • Trade name application and registration
  • Renting office space and submission of documents.

Cost of Setting up a Business in Dubai

This is a major factor where a realistic calculation will enable better planning. Cost affecting factors are

  • business license type
  • The type of business you
Other charges for LLC formation in Dubai may include
  • Rental charges
  • DED fees
  • mainland trade license fees
  • Administrative fee
  • One-time Contracting license fee
  • Brokerage Fee

How much does it cost for Investor Visa?

The investor visa costs approximately 3200 AED including basic insurance, medical and Emirates ID.

How much does it cost for Employee Visa?

The average cost for hiring an employee is between 7000 to 7500 AED approximately including insurance, medical and residency card.

How do setup Business in Dubai

In Dubai, starting a business is a quick and painless process. Before a business owner can open up shop in Dubai, several paperworks must be checked and a few approvals from government officials must be obtained. Although the application procedure for starting a business in Dubai is simple, someone with limited awareness of how things work in Dubai may be unable to finish it. The steps to set up a business in Dubai are following:

  • If someone wants to start a business on the mainland of Dubai, they should first get a UAE citizen as local sponsor.
  • After obtaining a sponsor, the next step is to secure a letter of authorization from the local sponsor.
  • The company’s Memorandum of Agreement is now being prepared. The Memorandum of Association (MoA) lay forth the essential terms under which the firm will operate.
  • The business owner must get first clearance from the Dubai Department of Economic Development (DED) at this stage.
  • The firm must be registered under a distinctive trade name after receiving first permission from the DED.
  • Once the business’s trade name has been finalised, the proprietor must hunt for a physical office location for their company.
  • The business owner must apply for a trade licence after establishing a physical office.
  • The business will be set up in Dubai within a week after acquiring a trading licence.

Personal and Corporate Taxes in Dubai

Personal and corporate taxes are exemption for mainland companies. But there is no exemption for municipality and custom tax.

Capital Requirement for Setting up Business

The amount of minimum share capital required is unrestricted. Most free zones have a set of minimum values that each business operating in the zone must declare.

Business Operations in Dubai

There is more flexibility and lesser restrictions for mainland companies with option to operate anywhere. But restrictions for free zone companies prevail. Businesses on the Dubai mainland are also permitted to trade with other companies in Dubai or the United Arab Emirates. Unlike free zone companies, you won’t have to worry about legal consequences if you want to engage in any type of trade. Of course, there are criteria that must be fulfilled. However, the majorities of administrative procedures is straightforward and require little time to complete.

Can i do Multiple Activities in Dubai ?

Many free zones prohibit businesses from engaging in activities that are not relevant to the sector. For example, in a free zone where you can create a financial management firm, you might not be able to open a different type of business. Even if it is a possibility, you will need to follow legal procedures to obtain the necessary approvals. As a result, there will be limited company diversification inside free zones. This will not be an issue for mainland businesses. You can engage in a variety of business activities on the Dubai mainland without having to deal with any complications.

Can i rent Rent Multiple Offices ?

Diversification and expansion along with rental options are possible with mainland businesses.

Employee Visas for companies in Dubai

Visa can be obtained for many employees by a mainland company owner and depends on the office space. Furthermore, the registration procedures are much more efficient. There are no limitations on currency or recruitment, and annual audits are not required. Overall, establishing a firm on the mainland of Dubai allows for greater commercial growth and easier adaptation to new markets.

Start Your Business in Dubai with 100% Full Ownership

Best Chance to Setup your Company in UAE

MAINLAND

UAE Mainland company formation package starting from AED 17000*

  • Cost may differ depending on the type of license required

FREE ZONE

Affordable UAE free zone packages starting from AED 5500*

  • Cost may differ depending on the type of license required

OFFSHORE

Business Incorporation in UAE economic hub starting from AED 12000

  • Cost may differ depending on the add-on's required.