Company Registration in Dubai | The Ultimate Checklist

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) enacted a slew of adjustments during the last decade to make the nation more welcoming to foreign investors and businesses. The country is now rated 16th in terms of ease of doing business, but it has set a target for itself to be ranked first by the end of 2022.

In Dubai, starting a business or launching a new enterprise is certain to be a success. It offers all of the components essential to help a wide range of businesses develop. In a single year, it attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists. It’s currently home to locals and foreigners from all over the world.

Prospective company owners who are interested in beginning their businesses in Dubai have two options to choose from. One alternative is to obtain a head start in a tax-free free zone in Dubai, while the other option is to begin operations on the main land mass of the city itself. It doesn’t matter whatever road you choose, setting up a business in Dubai will surely benefit you.

For those of you who have been contemplating starting a new business in Dubai, you’ve arrived at the right source. Our goal is to make starting a business as easy and straightforward as possible. For this reason, we have compiled a Company Registration in Dubai checklist that will certainly help you throughout.

Why you should Register a Company in UAE?

In recent years, Dubai has become one of the most desirable destinations in the world to create a business for a number of reasons. Numerous firms opt to register their activities in the United Arab Emirates since it is one of the many nations in the world that does not levy business taxes.

1. Free From the Burden of Tax

The United Arab Emirates has some of the most liberal tax regulations in the world compared to many other countries. As Dubai has become one of the most competitive commercial hubs in the world, it has become a magnet for both newly started and existing businesses seeking a tax-free zone to launch their operations. It is crucial to know that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has signed double taxation agreements with a number of other countries to ensure that company owners may run their businesses without having to pay taxes to their home country.

2. Business Hub

In recent years, Dubai has attracted a great deal of attention from individuals who are contemplating launching their own enterprises. This has resulted in Dubai’s emergence as a global financial center where business owners from almost every part of the globe want to register their enterprises.

3. Easy and Simple Banking

The availability of the proper kind of funding, the ease of banking, and the accessibility to banks with a presence in several nations all have a big influence in determining the final degree of a company’s success. All of this is never an issue for companies who register in Dubai since if you are going to create a company in Dubai, you will be able to open an account with one of the major banks here and get simple financing for the development of your firm inside the Tax-Free Zones. Dubai is home to a significant number of multinational banks.

4. World Class Infrastructure

Dubai is renowned for its skyscrapers, remarkable architecture, and buildings that stand out from the crowd. In addition, there is an abundance of high-quality municipal amenities, well-maintained roads, and an efficient network of public transportation. After 12 years of delivering business consultancy services to a broad range of firms, we have concluded that the availability of such world-class infrastructure is one of the key reasons why so many companies have opted to locate their headquarters in Dubai.

5. Stable Economy

Dubai’s government climate is stable and beneficial to the development of businesses. The presence of a great number of major and small firms adds to the fierce competition that defines Dubai’s economic landscape. Competition inspires companies to develop, which in turn encourages them to establish more ambitious targets for their profitability and return on investment.

6. UAE Residency

The majority of investors feel that registering their business in Dubai is advantageous due to the city’s wealth of resources that may support the growth of a business. When you have a firm established in Dubai, obtaining UAE residency will be significantly easier.

Obtaining residence in the UAE is useful for investors since it allows them to operate their enterprises without worrying about tax ramifications. In addition, holding residency permits unrestricted movement inside and outside the nation’s borders.

How to Register a Company in Dubai?

You are making the right decision to incorporate your business in Dubai, since not only will you get aid from the local government, but the formation fees are also affordable. To establish a company in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the following actions must be taken:

Step 1: Define Your Business Activity

Before you can register a company in Dubai, you must first identify the nature of your enterprise. Depending on the location of your business and its legal structure, the Department of Economic Development (DED) or another economic body may provide you with a list of activities from which to choose.

Step 2: Choose Your Company Name

Choose a name for your firm in the following step. If you have any names you’d like to consider, gather them into a list and submit it to the relevant authorized authority so they may be considered and approved. Always adhere to the following rules when selecting a name for your company:

You will also be forced to pay extra costs if you choose a name of a foreign origin. When selecting a commercial name, it is prohibited to employ a nickname. You may also use a person’s name as the official name of your company enterprise; however, you must use the person’s full name and not just their first, middle, or last name.

Step 3: Define Your Legal Structure

Additionally, you must pick the kind of legal structure for your company in the UAE. Depending on the demands of your business, it might be an LLC (limited liability company), a branch office, an online institution, or something altogether different. It is an important decision, therefore you should never make it on the spur of the moment.

Step 4: Choose Your Desired Business Location

The United Arab Emirates is a land of many opportunities. Nevertheless, a great deal also depends on the commercial location that you pick for your business. For instance, a media firm would be sensible to begin operations in the free zone that is part of Dubai Media City (DMC) in order to take advantage of the favorable working environment.

Establishing a presence in the mainland zone permits enterprises to engage in unfettered trade not just inside Dubai but also across the whole United Arab Emirates. In addition to a variety of extra benefits for your business, it grants you access to Dubai’s wealthy local market. Due to the expenditures connected with relocating and reincorporating, making the wrong decision in this circumstance might be highly costly.

Step 5: Choose Your Local Service Agent (LSA) Or Provider

Foreign nationals launching a company in the United Arab Emirates must work with a local service agency or locate a sponsor. Depending on the kind of business you want to establish, you will either need a local service agent or a sponsor to get it off the ground.

For instance, if you want to establish a company that needs an industrial or commercial license, you will need a local sponsor, which may be a United Arab Emirates-based organization or an Emirati national. Despite the need that the local sponsor owns at least 51 percent of the company, earnings are not divided in line with this requirement, and the investors and founders of the foreign company continue to have entire control of the business.

Step 6: Preparation of Required Documents

Prior to submitting an application for a business license in the United Arab Emirates, you must first get authorization from the government. To get preliminary permission, you must have the following documents on hand:

• An application form filled out in full for the first approval
• Your company’s business plan
• If you already have a business, you need to share the trading license for that business (This is only required if you have a local company)
• Copies of the passports of all the company’s shareholders and the director
• Sample signatures of the shareholders and the director of the company
• A letter of recommendation from the bank of each individual shareholder
• Unit title deed
• NOC from the sponsors we have now (only for foreign individuals)
• Letter of Intent
• Original Registry Identification Code Form that has been signed by a notary (RIC)

Step 7: Apply for a Business License

To obtain a business license to operate in the UAE, you’ll the following documents. 

• The business registration form filled
• A company manager or director’s power of attorney
• A board resolution naming the company’s CEO.
• Any bylaws
• Director or manager passport-sized photographs and signature samples
• Few other necessary documents

Step 8: Apply For UAE Visa

You have the opportunity to apply for your personal visa as well as the visas of your employees and people at this point. To go to the next phase, you must have your status modified, get an entry permit, pass any required medical exams, register for an Emirates ID, and have your visas stamped.

The authorities in free zones often impose a cap on the total number of visas that may be awarded to a single firm. You may shift to bigger offices or file a request to raise your visa limit. These alternatives are both open to you.

Step 9:  Open Business Bank Account

Last but not least, to be able to receive payments and carry out transactions for your business activities it is time to open a corporate bank account.

Company Registration in Dubai: Cost

1. Limited Liability Company

Depending on the size of the firm, the cost of creating a Limited Liability Company in Dubai ranges between AED 22,000 and AED 24,000. This is around $6,000 to $6,500 in U.S. dollars. However, this amount does not include the fees required to get a business license as well as any other incidental expenses. It is predicted that the total cost of forming a limited liability corporation in Dubai would be much higher.

2. Freezone

The cost of registering a corporation in Dubai free zones starts at roughly 15,000 AED, which is around 4,000 USD. This charge is a fraction of what it would cost to create an offshore free zone. Depending on whatever duty-free zone you pick, this pricing may be different. Similar to the above, the costs connected with getting a business license are not included in this cost estimate.

3. Mainland

The price of a license to operate a mainland company in Dubai begins at merely AED 23,000. You may also submit your application using one of our flexible payment plans, which can lower your monthly fees to as little as AED 1,917 if you qualify.

4. Offshore

Even though all firms are free from paying corporation tax, an offshore company is the ideal business vehicle for multinational enterprises that do not conduct any commercial activity in Dubai. The cost of forming an offshore company may start as low as USD 1,500.

How Airzone Can Help With Company Registration in Dubai?

Airzone assists businesses in building a foundation in the UAE. Contacting us immediately away makes it easier to get started. We can put you in touch with the proper service providers to help you build your business in the UAE.

We can put you in touch with reliable partners who can help you register a new company and receive a trade license in UAE. While you focus on expanding your company, we’ll connect you with the right people to handle anything from visa applications to important administrative duties.

Conclusion

UAE’s economy is thriving. Entrepreneurs from all over the world are attracted to the country as a result of its improving economic outlook, its diverse firm start-ups, and its investor-friendly policies. Before starting the process of establishing your firm, you must choose which location you wish to operate in. You can choose between the land or free zone in which you will do business. 

The location you pick will be the key determinant of the legal structures that may be used by your company and the amount of cash necessary to establish a business in Dubai. Our Company Registration in Dubai checklist should help you establish your business in the UAE.

And if that is not enough, we have a comprehensive guide for you on how to setup a business in Dubai. With a thorough understanding of the UAE’s business scene, you should be well prepared to establish a company in the country.