Services · Business Setup
Business setup in Dubai and across the UAE
We match your activity, ownership and visa needs to the right jurisdiction, then run the trade name, approvals, licence and company documents through to a business that is ready to trade.
Three routes into the UAE — and the decision shapes everything after
Where your company is licensed decides who you can sell to, how many residence visas it can sponsor, what office it needs and how its income is treated for tax. Mainland companies trade anywhere in the UAE. Free zone companies are fully foreign-owned and quick to form, but sell mainly within their zone and abroad. Offshore companies hold assets and contracts, and do not trade inside the UAE at all.
We start from your activity and your plans rather than a package. Once the route is clear we run the whole formation — name, approvals, constitutional documents, licence, establishment card and visa allocation — and stay on the file for every renewal after it.
Mainland
Licensed by the Department of Economy and Tourism. Trade with any customer in the UAE, bid for government work and size your visa quota to your office.
Free zone
Full foreign ownership, packaged licences and flexi-desk options. Best for international trade, services and businesses that sell mostly outside the UAE.
Offshore
A holding and asset vehicle for international structures. It cannot trade in the UAE or sponsor visas, but it can own shares, property and intellectual property.
Professional licence
For consultants and service professionals on the mainland, with full ownership and a Local Service Agent who takes no share of the business.
Everything in Business Setup
Mainland, free zone and offshore companies, structured right from day one.
One adviser, start to finish
Every engagement follows the same four steps, so you always know what happens next and what it costs.
- 01
Free consultation
We learn what you are trying to do, check the facts that change the answer, and tell you the cleanest route — including when the simpler option is the right one.
- 02
Scope & itemised quote
You receive a written scope and a quote that separates our fee from government and authority fees, before you commit to anything.
- 03
We do the work
One adviser prepares the documents, submits to each authority, answers their queries and keeps you updated at every step.
- 04
Ongoing support
Renewals, filings and deadlines are tracked on our calendar, so the next obligation is handled before it becomes urgent.
Business Setup questions
Straight answers to what clients ask us most. If yours is not here, ask us directly.
Often at entry level, because free zone packages bundle the licence with a flexi-desk. But the comparison only holds once activity, visa numbers and office needs are fixed — a mainland company that saves you a second licence later can be the cheaper choice. We compare both on the same assumptions before you decide.
A company generally cannot be converted from one jurisdiction to another. The usual routes are opening a mainland branch of the free zone company, or forming a new mainland entity. Planning for this at the start avoids paying for two setups.
It depends on the jurisdiction and the workspace attached to the licence. Free zone packages state their visa allocation; on the mainland the quota follows the size of the office. We size the setup around the number of visas you actually need.
Most of the formation can be done remotely. You will normally need to be in the UAE for the residence visa medical test, Emirates ID biometrics and, for most banks, the account-opening meeting — we schedule these together so the visit is short.
Let’s plan your next move
Tell us what you are planning. An adviser will come back with the route, the documents and an itemised quote — no obligation, no pressure to commit.
Visit our office
Office 44, Floor M2, BN Complex, Deira Al Muteena, Dubai, UAE
Mon – Sat, 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM (GST)
Get directions