Countries/UAE/UAE Business Setup
UAE · Business Setup
UAE Business Setup.
Incorporate the right vehicle, in the right jurisdiction, for the right reason.
Setting up in the UAE is not a single decision; it is three. Where to incorporate, what to licence and how to structure ownership for tax, visas and family protection. We coordinate all three through Morifar Corporate Services Provider LLC — a licensed UAE vehicle — so the structure you live with for the next decade is the right one from day one.
What it is
The full picture, in plain language.
UAE business setup is the formation, licensing and post-incorporation work required to legally operate a company in the United Arab Emirates. It covers entity choice (LLC, FZE, FZ-LLC, Branch, Holding), jurisdiction choice (Mainland Department of Economic Development, one of approximately 45 Free Zones, or the financial free zones DIFC and ADGM) and activity licensing aligned to the company's real-world operations.
Done well, the company supports investor visas for the principal and family, opens a UAE corporate bank account, qualifies the founder for UAE tax residency and produces a clean structure for future growth, succession and exit. Done badly, it creates licensing mismatches, banking friction, redundant fees and structural decisions that are expensive to unwind.
Who it's for
Designed for these situations.
Founders relocating to Dubai
Entrepreneurs moving themselves and their families to the UAE who need a real operating company, not just a paper licence.
International groups expanding to the UAE
Existing businesses opening a Middle East entity for clients, contracts or staff in the region.
Family offices and holding structures
Families using a UAE entity as a holding company for international investments, real estate or operating businesses.
Professionals & consultants
Senior individuals running a personal advisory or consulting business from a UAE base.
Benefits
What the right structure delivers.
Zero personal income tax
Salary, dividends and capital gains drawn personally are not subject to UAE personal income tax for tax residents.
Investor & family visas
A correctly structured company supports two-year investor visas and, for qualifying structures, the 10-year Golden Visa for the principal, spouse, children and parents.
Predictable corporate tax
9% federal corporate tax on profits above AED 375,000, with Free Zone qualifying income still 0% under defined conditions.
Real banking access
A genuine operating company with a coherent activity profile and real substance opens UAE corporate bank accounts cleanly.
Common-law options
DIFC and ADGM offer English common law, independent courts and globally familiar contract law for sophisticated structures.
100% foreign ownership
Across Mainland and Free Zones, 100% foreign ownership is now the default for the vast majority of activities.
The process
Step by step — nothing hidden, nothing skipped.
- 01
Discovery & structure design
Week 1We map the operating model, target clients, banking needs, visa requirements for the family and the long-term goal. We agree the entity type, jurisdiction and activity list. This is where most mistakes are prevented.
- 02
Name reservation & activity approval
2-3 working daysWe file the trade-name reservation and confirm the activity codes with the relevant authority — DED for Mainland, the registry for a Free Zone, or DIFC / ADGM for the financial free zones.
- 03
Initial approval & MOA
3-5 working daysInitial approval is issued and the Memorandum of Association (or equivalent constitutional documents) is drafted, executed and notarised where required.
- 04
Trade licence issuance
1-2 working daysOn payment of government and registry fees, the trade licence is issued. The company is now legally formed and may contract in its own name.
- 05
Establishment card & visa quota
5-7 working daysWe file the establishment card and immigration file, unlocking the visa quota for investor and employee residence visas.
- 06
Investor & family residence visas
10-15 working daysEntry permit, status change, medical, Emirates ID and visa stamping for the principal, followed by dependants under the company sponsorship.
- 07
Corporate bank account opening
3-8 weeksWe introduce two or three bank options aligned to the activity, prepare the application pack and accompany the client through compliance interviews.
- 08
Post-incorporation compliance
OngoingCorporate tax registration, UBO filings, Economic Substance where applicable, annual licence renewal and ongoing PRO / government services.
Timeline
What a typical engagement looks like.
Week 1
Discovery, structure design, name and activity selection.
Weeks 2-3
Initial approval, MOA execution, trade licence issuance.
Weeks 3-4
Establishment card, immigration file, investor visa processing.
Weeks 4-6
Emirates ID issuance, family visa processing, bank account introduction.
Weeks 6-12
Bank account activation, corporate tax registration, ongoing compliance setup.
Documents required
The evidence pack we will ask for.
Passport copies
All shareholders, directors and dependants — clear colour scans, minimum 6 months validity.
Passport-style photographs
White background, recent.
Proof of address
Utility bill or bank statement, less than 3 months old, in English or with certified translation.
CV / professional profile
Bank compliance teams expect a clear picture of the principal's background.
Source of funds evidence
For both incorporation and bank account: payslips, dividend vouchers, sale proceeds, audited accounts — whatever is real.
Existing entity documents
Where a corporate shareholder is used: certificate of incorporation, register of directors, attested where required.
Marriage & birth certificates
For dependant visas — attested in the country of origin and at the UAE Embassy.
Costs & fees
What you should budget for.
UAE incorporation fees vary materially by jurisdiction, activity and number of visas. The figures below are typical Year-1 government and professional fees for a single-shareholder Free Zone company with two visas; Mainland and DIFC / ADGM cost more, simpler Free Zones cost less.
Government & registry fees
AED 12,500 - 25,000
Free Zone trade licence, registration and establishment card.
Office / flexi-desk
AED 6,000 - 25,000
Required by most Free Zones; supports visa quota.
Investor visa (per person)
AED 4,500 - 6,500
Entry permit, medical, Emirates ID, visa stamping.
Morifar professional fee
From AED 15,000
Discovery, structure design, end-to-end coordination, post-incorporation handover.
Bank account opening support
Included
Introductions, document preparation, compliance interview support.
DIFC and ADGM start materially higher — typically USD 25,000+ in Year-1 — and are appropriate where common-law contracting, fund structures or regulated activities are involved.
FAQs
Questions we are asked, and the honest answers.
Do I need to be in the UAE to incorporate?+
Most stages can be completed remotely. The principal generally needs to be in the UAE for the medical, Emirates ID biometric and bank account in-person interview. We plan a single trip of 3-5 working days to complete all in-person steps in one visit.
Mainland or Free Zone — which should I choose?+
Free Zones suit international-facing businesses, holdings and consultancies that do not need to invoice UAE government or contract directly with UAE Mainland customers. Mainland suits businesses serving the UAE domestic market, retail, hospitality and construction. DIFC and ADGM suit financial, fund and sophisticated holding structures. We pick by use case, not by default.
Will my UAE company be taxed at 9%?+
Profits above AED 375,000 are subject to 9% federal corporate tax. Qualifying Free Zone Persons earning qualifying income may continue to benefit from a 0% rate, subject to substance, activity and de-minimis conditions. We coordinate corporate tax registration and ongoing positioning through regulated tax partners.
How quickly can I get the Golden Visa?+
The Golden Visa is a separate residency pathway and is not automatic on incorporation. The most common routes are AED 2m+ real-estate investment, qualifying investor status or specialist / talent endorsement. See the UAE Residency guide for the full pathways.
Can my family come with me?+
Yes. Once your investor visa is issued, you sponsor dependants — spouse, children and (subject to income thresholds) parents. We process the entire family file alongside the company.
What happens after Year 1?+
Trade licence renewal, corporate tax filing, UBO updates, visa renewals every two years (Golden Visa: ten) and ongoing PRO. Morifar offers an annual retainer covering compliance, renewals and government services so nothing slips.
Common mistakes
What we see go wrong — so it doesn't happen to you.
Choosing a cheap Free Zone for the wrong activity
A low-cost licence in a Free Zone whose activity list does not match the real business creates banking rejections and re-licensing later. Activity choice drives banking; banking drives whether the company is actually usable.
Skipping the structure conversation
Picking a licence before agreeing the shareholder structure, the holding vehicle and the long-term plan locks in decisions that are expensive to reverse — particularly where parents, trusts or foreign holding companies should sit above the UAE entity.
Underestimating bank account timelines
Banking takes 3-8 weeks for a clean case and longer for complex cases. Plan cashflow accordingly; do not commit to UAE rent or salaries assuming the account will be open in week 2.
No real substance
A licence with no office, no staff, no local presence and no operations creates corporate tax, Economic Substance and banking problems simultaneously. If you intend to be in the UAE, be in the UAE.
Confusing investor visa with Golden Visa
The standard investor visa lasts two years and is tied to the company. The Golden Visa lasts ten years and is independent of any single company. They are not the same product; both have their place.
Explain like I'm 10
The simplest version of the whole thing.
Think of setting up a UAE company like opening a special kind of shop. First we decide which neighbourhood the shop sits in — the rules and the rent are different in each one. Then we get the right paperwork that says exactly what the shop is allowed to sell. Then we get the special card that lets you and your family live in the country because of the shop. Then we open a bank account for the shop so money can come in and out. We help you with every step so you don't accidentally end up in the wrong neighbourhood with the wrong paperwork.
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