Business setup in the UAE means choosing where and how to register a company, getting a trade licence, and then putting visas, a bank account and tax registration in place. Foreign owners can hold 100% of most companies, there is no personal income tax, and the licensing process is fully digital in many zones. The […]
Each of the seven emirates runs its own licensing authority and its own free zones, so the best place to set up depends on your business, your customers and your budget. Dubai gets most of the attention, but Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah and Ajman all offer real advantages. This guide compares them so […]
Choosing between mainland, free zone and offshore is the first real decision in a UAE setup, and the wrong choice shows up later as blocked sales, visa limits or avoidable fees. Each route is built for a different kind of business. This guide compares them on the points that actually decide the outcome. It supports […]
FZE and FZCO are the two standard free zone company structures in the UAE, and the choice between them comes down almost entirely to how many shareholders the company has. Key Takeaways FZE stands for Free Zone Establishment, a structure built for a single shareholder, whether an individual or a single corporate entity. FZCO stands […]
An external audit in the UAE checks whether a company’s financial statements are accurate, and it is mandatory for most free zone companies and many mainland companies, not an optional extra. Key Takeaways Audit and accounting are different services. Accounting produces the financial records; auditing independently verifies them. Most free zones require the audit to […]
DMCC is Dubai’s largest and most established free zone, built originally around commodities trading and now home to over 24,000 companies across trading, crypto, media and professional services. Key Takeaways DMCC stands for Dubai Multi Commodities Centre. It was created in 2002 to support commodities trade and has since grown into one of the world’s […]
A holding company owns shares in other companies rather than trading itself, and setting one up in Dubai is one of the more common ways founders and family businesses separate ownership from operational risk as they grow past a single entity. Key Takeaways A holding company does not trade. Its role is to own shares […]
DIFC is the only UAE jurisdiction on English common law, not UAE civil law. What that means for your company, what it costs, and who actually needs it.
A full breakdown of what a RAKEZ licence actually costs, by licence type, facility, visas and the recurring charges most quotes leave out.
A full breakdown of what a SHAMS licence actually costs, by licence type, facility, visas and the recurring charges most quotes leave out.
