Business Setup · Offshore Setup
Offshore Company Formation in the UAE
Form a UAE offshore company with RAK ICC, JAFZA Offshore or Ajman Offshore to hold shares, property, IP or investments and trade internationally — with the registered agent, corporate documents, tax registration and bank file arranged.
- RAK ICC, JAFZA & Ajman
- Registered Agent Arranged
- Corporate Tax Registration
Licensed by Dubai DET · Licence 1394564
At a glance
- Plus JAFZA Offshore and Ajman Offshore registries
- RAK ICC
- Offshore companies cannot sponsor residence visas
- No visas
- Registered agent required for every offshore company
- Agent
- Corporate tax registration still applies
- FTA
An offshore company holds and contracts — it does not trade here
A UAE offshore company is incorporated with a registry such as RAK International Corporate Centre (RAK ICC), JAFZA Offshore or Ajman Offshore. It is built to own things — shares, intellectual property, investments and, in some cases, real estate — and to contract and trade outside the UAE. It cannot trade inside the UAE, open an operating office or sponsor residence visas, and it must act through a registered agent. Because it is UAE-incorporated, it also falls within corporate tax.
We begin with what the company will hold or do, and who will deal with it — banks, counterparties, land departments — because that decides which registry fits. We then work through the registered agent to clear due diligence and prepare the memorandum and articles, director appointments and share certificates. After incorporation we register the company for corporate tax, prepare a well-documented bank file and, where you also need UAE operations or visas, set up the free zone or mainland company that sits alongside it.
Key facts
- Plus JAFZA Offshore and Ajman Offshore registries
- RAK ICC
- Offshore companies cannot sponsor residence visas
- No visas
- Registered agent required for every offshore company
- Agent
- Corporate tax registration still applies
- FTA
Everything covered in Offshore Company Formation
The concrete scope our team delivers, grouped the way we actually run your file.
Registry & Structure
The choices that decide what the company can do.
- Registry comparison: RAK ICC, JAFZA Offshore, Ajman Offshore
- Permitted-use and activity check
- Shareholder, director and UBO structure
- Registered agent and registered office
- Company name reservation
Incorporation Pack
The documents banks and counterparties ask to see.
- Memorandum and articles of association
- Certificate of incorporation
- Share certificates and statutory registers
- Incumbency certificate
- Attestation and legalisation for use abroad
After Incorporation
What keeps the company in good standing.
- Corporate tax registration on EmaraTax
- Bank account application support
- Annual renewal through the registered agent
- Register updates when owners or directors change
- Free zone or mainland licence where UAE operations are needed
What you gain with Offshore Company Formation
The practical difference when the work is planned and filed properly the first time.
A Clean Holding Vehicle
Hold shares in UAE or foreign companies through one entity, keeping ownership separate from the businesses that carry operating risk.
IP in One Place
Hold trademarks, software or other intellectual property in the offshore company and let your operating companies use it under written, arm’s-length agreements.
International Trade
Contract with suppliers and customers outside the UAE, invoicing internationally while a separate licensed entity handles anything done inside the country.
The Right Registry
RAK ICC, JAFZA Offshore and Ajman Offshore differ in permitted uses, property options and costs; we match the registry to what the company will hold.
Tax Duties Covered
Offshore does not mean outside corporate tax — we register the company with the FTA and keep its returns and records on schedule.
Realistic Banking Plan
Banks look closely at offshore entities, so we prepare a file showing owners, source of funds and purpose, and tell you honestly what to expect.
A clear process, step by step
One adviser owns your file from first call to completion, and you always know which step you are on.
- 01
Purpose & Registry
We confirm what the company will hold or trade, who owns it and where its counterparties are, then recommend RAK ICC, JAFZA Offshore or Ajman Offshore.
- 02
Name & Due Diligence
Through the registered agent we reserve the company name and submit KYC for every shareholder, director and beneficial owner, answering the registry’s questions as they come.
- 03
Constitution & Incorporation
We prepare the memorandum and articles of association and the director and shareholder details; the registry then incorporates the company and issues its certificate.
- 04
Corporate Documents
You receive the certificate of incorporation, memorandum and articles, share certificates and registers, plus an incumbency certificate and attested copies where a bank or counterparty needs them.
- 05
Tax Registration & Banking
We register the company for corporate tax on EmaraTax, set up its bookkeeping and annual obligations, and prepare the bank account application with the supporting evidence.
Who it’s for and what you’ll need
Have these ready and we can move quickly. If something is missing, we will tell you what the authority accepts instead.
What a UAE offshore company suits
- Holding shares in other companies, where each authority accepts it as a shareholder
- Owning trademarks, software or other intellectual property
- Holding investments, or property where the registry and land department allow it
- Contracting and invoicing for trade that takes place outside the UAE
- Not suitable if you need UAE customers, an office or residence visas
Documents we’ll need
- Passport copies of all shareholders and directors
- Proof of residential address for each person
- Bank reference letters or CVs, where the registry asks for them
- A description of what the company will hold or trade
- Source of funds and source of wealth information
- Proposed company names
- Attested documents for any corporate shareholder
Need documents attested or translated? Our document clearing team can help.
Offshore Company Formation questions
Straight answers to what clients ask us most. If yours is not here, ask us directly.
No. An offshore company cannot trade with customers in the UAE, open an operating office or hire staff here. It can hold shares, investments and intellectual property, and contract for trade that takes place outside the country. If you also need UAE customers or a team, the usual answer is a free zone or mainland company alongside the offshore entity, often owned by it.
No. UAE offshore companies cannot sponsor residence visas for owners, directors or employees. If residence is part of your plan, you need a free zone or mainland licence with a visa allocation — the offshore company can usually own that operating company. We plan both together so the ownership chain is clear to the licensing authority and to the bank.
Yes. A UAE offshore company is incorporated in the UAE, so it falls within corporate tax and must register with the FTA whether or not it makes a profit. Some income, such as dividends from qualifying shareholdings, may be exempt under the participation exemption, subject to conditions, but the company still files a corporate tax return for every tax period and keeps proper accounting records.
It can, but expect closer scrutiny than an operating company receives. Banks typically ask for the ownership chain, source of funds and wealth, the purpose of the account and evidence of the underlying activity, and some do not onboard offshore entities at all. We prepare a complete file, approach banks that work with your profile and tell you honestly what is realistic; the decision rests with the bank.
All three are UAE offshore registries with similar core rules: no UAE trading, no visas and a registered agent. They differ in what the company may hold, how counterparties and land departments view them, and in set-up and renewal costs. RAK ICC is widely used for holding structures, and JAFZA Offshore is often chosen where Dubai property is involved. We recommend one once we know what the company will own.
Usually not. Incorporation runs through the registered agent, and KYC documents can normally be provided from abroad, with attestation where the registry requires it. A visit may be needed later for bank account opening, as many banks want to meet the signatories. We tell you at the start which steps, if any, need you in person.
Offshore Company Formation across every jurisdiction
Free zone, mainland or offshore — the jurisdiction changes the process, the fees and what you are allowed to do. These are the ones clients ask about most.
Related services
Most clients combine these. We run them as one engagement with a single point of contact.
Guides on Offshore Company Formation
In-depth articles from our team on the questions clients most often ask about this service.
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)
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