Licence what you advise on
Professional Consultancy Setup in UAE
A consultancy is among the simplest companies to licence — unless your field is regulated, in which case your qualifications are assessed before anything else.
GCC business setup specialists
Simple, until the field is regulated
Management, marketing and IT consultancies are usually straightforward. Engineering, legal, medical, financial and educational advisory are not: they require recognised qualifications and sign-off from the relevant body, and that is assessed before the licence.
- Regulated or not, established on day one
- Qualification requirements checked before you apply
- Light premises options where the activity allows
20+
Mainland, free zone and offshore jurisdictions we file in — so the recommendation is based on your activity, not on which authority we happen to be registered with.
7,000+
Companies successfully established.
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Know which you are
Regulated and unregulated advisory
The distinction decides your timeline, your cost and sometimes whether you qualify at all.
| Field | Typically | What is assessed |
|---|---|---|
| Management consultancy | Usually unregulated | Activity description and jurisdiction |
| Marketing and media | Usually unregulated | Content-related approvals in some cases |
| IT and software | Usually unregulated | Telecoms approvals for certain services |
| Engineering consultancy | Regulated | Qualifications, experience and professional registration |
| Legal and accounting advisory | Regulated | Professional body approval and credentials |
| Health and education advisory | Regulated | Authority approval and practitioner credentials |
Which fields are regulated, and what they require, differs by emirate and free zone and changes. Your field is checked against the current requirements before any application.
How it works
Setting up the consultancy
For unregulated fields this is quick. For regulated ones, credentials come first.
01
Field and credentials
We establish whether your advisory field is regulated and, if so, what qualifications and professional registration the authority will require, before anything is filed.
02
Jurisdiction and premises
Free zone or mainland chosen against your clients and visa needs. Many consultancies qualify for light premises, which keeps the cost down.
03
Licence and operations
Trade name, approval, memorandum and licence issue, then establishment card, visas, bank introduction and corporate tax registration.
Before you apply
What a consultancy licence needs
Regulated fields need the top half of this list in order first.
- A precise description of what you advise on
- Degree certificates, attested where required
- Professional qualifications and memberships
- Experience certificates from previous employers
- CV covering relevant experience
- Professional registration, where the field requires it
- Passport copies and photographs
- Three proposed trade names
- Chosen emirate or free zone
- Premises or flexi-desk arrangement
- Expected number of visas
- Professional indemnity insurance, where expected
Scope
What is included, and what is not
Stated plainly, so nothing is added once the engagement starts.
Included in the service fee
- Assessment of whether your field is regulated
- Qualification requirements confirmed before filing
- Jurisdiction and premises recommendation
- Trade name reservation and initial approval
- Memorandum drafting and notarisation
- Licence application end to end
- Co-ordination of professional approvals
- Establishment card and immigration file opening
Not included, quoted separately
- Government, authority and approval fees, paid at cost
- Qualification attestation and equivalency assessment
- Professional body membership fees
- Professional indemnity insurance premiums
- Office space or flexi-desk rental
- Legal translation into Arabic
- Experience certificate procurement
- Ongoing accounting and tax filing
Verify independently
Official UAE authorities
We file directly with these bodies on your behalf.
Federal Tax AuthorityMinistry of Human Resources & EmiratisationIdentity, Citizenship, Customs & Port SecurityAbu Dhabi Department of Economic DevelopmentIFZA — International Free Zone AuthorityUAE Government Portal
Questions
UAE consultancy setup — FAQs
Do I need a degree to set up a consultancy?
For unregulated fields such as management or marketing consultancy, usually not. For regulated fields such as engineering or legal advisory, recognised qualifications and professional registration are assessed before the licence.
Can I work from home or a flexi-desk?
Many consultancies can be licensed on a flexi-desk, particularly in free zones. The premises you hold affects your visa quota, so it is decided alongside headcount rather than purely on cost.
Free zone or mainland for consultancy?
If your clients are mostly international or inside the zone, a free zone licence is usually efficient. If you will invoice UAE mainland clients regularly, mainland is often the simpler answer.
Can I consult in more than one field?
Often yes, where the activities are compatible. Mixing an unregulated field with a regulated one usually pulls the whole licence into the regulated process, which is worth knowing first.
What about a freelance arrangement instead?
Freelance permits exist and suit some individuals, but they differ from a company in liability, visa sponsorship and how clients contract with you. We will say which fits rather than defaulting to the company.
Careers
Apply for a role
Tell us which role you are applying for and what you have done that is relevant. If you have UAE or GCC experience, say which jurisdictions and authorities you have worked with.
Connect with us
Request a setup assessment
For founders and business decision-makers considering paid business services. Not for job applications, employment searches or personal visa-only requests.
Talk to a consultant
At Black Swan Business Setup Services, our mission is simple: to empower entrepreneurs and companies of all sizes to establish and expand their presence in the UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and beyond.
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