Resources · Company setup
Setting up a company in Dubai: the steps guide
What to understand before you start: the main steps, the documents, the investor visa and the points of caution.
Why set up a company in Dubai
Dubai offers a readable regulatory framework, a central hub for international trade and a dense business ecosystem. Setting up a structure locally can let you domicile an activity, obtain a company-linked residency and operate from the UAE. This guide is informative: taxation, substance and compliance must be validated by a qualified professional.
The main setup steps
- Frame the activity: define the scope precisely, as it drives the licence and the jurisdiction (free zone or mainland).
- Choose the structure: legal form, shareholding and location suited to the project.
- Reserve the name and file the application with the relevant authority.
- Obtain the licence matching the declared activity.
- Handle the visa aspect: quotas and sponsorship depending on the chosen structure.
- Open the corporate bank account, with the decision resting with the bank.
The documents usually required
- Shareholders' passports and, where applicable, proof of residence.
- Description of the activity and choice of licence.
- Articles and incorporation documents depending on the jurisdiction.
- Additional supporting documents requested by the authority or the bank.
The exact documents vary by zone and activity: detailed list to be framed case by case.
The investor visa
Setting up a company may open the door to a company-linked residency, which then allows sponsoring spouse and children. Conditions depend on the structure and the activity; legal validation is the responsibility of a qualified professional.
The bank account
Opening a corporate account is a step in its own right. It can be prepared (file, consistency of the activity, supporting documents) but remains subject to the bank's decision. No opening can be guaranteed in advance.
The costs
The overall cost combines the licence, zone fees, visas, domiciliation and, where applicable, offices. It depends heavily on the jurisdiction and scope.
The pitfalls to anticipate
- Choosing a licence or zone unsuited to the real activity.
- Neglecting the substance (effective presence, resources) expected of the structure.
- Setting up a company without articulating the personal residency that goes with it.
- Overlooking exit taxation and obligations in the country of origin.
To choose between the two main families of structures, see our dedicated guide: free zone or mainland.
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