Business setup in Dubai
FreeZone, Mainland, Offshore.

Free-zone trade licenses start at AED 12,500 for a single-entrepreneur package in IFZA or Meydan (no visa). Adding visas brings the license into the AED 14,250–20,900 range depending on the zone and the number of dependants. Mainland licenses typically run AED 20,000–35,000 depending on activity. Residency, medical and Emirates ID add roughly AED 5,000–7,000 per applicant; corporate banking adds another AED 0–3,000 in setup fees. A written, itemised quote is sent within 24 hours of the brief.

Free Zone is best for 100% foreign ownership, international invoicing and lower running cost. It suits consultants, E-commerce, holding and SaaS Entrepreneurs who do not need to sell directly on the UAE Mainland. Mainland is required if you sell business-to-consumer in UAE shops or bid on local government work, and it allows unrestricted Dubai operations. Offshore (RAK ICC, JAFZA Offshore) is for asset holding only, with no residency and no UAE banking at most banks. We review your activity, customer location and ownership structure on the first call before recommending a route.

IFZA (Dubai) and Meydan (Dubai) are the low-cost entry points, with licenses from AED 12,500 to AED 17,500 and no mandatory physical office. SHAMS (Sharjah), SRTIP, RAKEZ and Ajman Media City are cheaper still on paper, but they trade off some banking acceptance and prestige. DMCC and DIFC sit on the premium side and are rarely the right choice for a solo consultant. The cheapest option is not always the best: banking, visa quota and how customers see you matter as much as the license price.

Most free-zone licenses are issued in 3 to 5 working days once the brief is confirmed and KYC (identity checks) are complete. Residency adds 2 to 3 weeks (entry permit, medical fitness test, biometrics, Emirates ID). Corporate banking is the longest stage, typically 2 to 6 weeks at a UAE bank, and faster at digital banks. End to end, from brief to active bank account, is usually 4 to 8 weeks.

Yes for most free-zone licenses. A passport scan, signed forms and a notarised, apostilled power of attorney are enough. For residency and corporate banking, you generally need to come to the UAE for at least 5 to 10 days (in-person medical, biometrics, bank interview). We coordinate the trip so the license, residency and bank account all close in one visit.

Yes. Your UAE company can sponsor your investor or partner visa and visas for your staff. Standard sponsored visas are valid 2 years and renewable. The 10-year Golden Visa is available separately to higher-tier investors, specialists and senior executives meeting specific income or capital criteria. Dependants' visa validity is capped at the sponsor's expiry date.

Yes. Once your own residency is issued, you can sponsor a spouse, children (sons under 18, daughters and full-time students with no age cap in practice) and parents, subject to a salary or income threshold. The full per-dependant package (visa, medical, Emirates ID, NOCs, professional fees) typically lands around AED 5,000 to 7,000 for a spouse and AED 4,000 to 5,500 for a child under 15.

We work with the main UAE banks: Emirates NBD, Mashreq and First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), among others. Bank appetite varies sharply by Free Zone, shareholder nationality, activity and expected flows. DMCC and DIFC companies clear Tier-1 banks most reliably; IFZA and Meydan applications often clear too, but the file needs to be tighter. Before we apply, we pre-screen your case against each bank's current appetite so we avoid a refused application on your record.

UAE Corporate Tax (effective June 2023): 0% on taxable income up to AED 375,000, 9% above. "Qualifying Free Zone Persons" can keep 0% on qualifying income if the substance, audit and qualifying-activity tests are met. Most active free-zone companies fall outside that exemption and pay the 9% rate on the slice above AED 375,000. VAT: 5% from AED 375,000 in 12-month turnover (mandatory registration), with international and inter-zone supplies often zero-rated. We handle the corporate-tax registration, the qualifying-activity assessment and the VAT registration alongside the license.

Not directly. A free-zone company can sell internationally and inside its own zone freely, but to invoice UAE-mainland customers as the customer-of-record you either appoint a registered local distributor, hold a dual license, or open a Mainland branch. For business-to-business services delivered remotely, the restriction is much looser in practice. We raise the Mainland question at the jurisdiction step, so you do not Choose a zone that limits you later.

Yes. UAE Corporate Tax law requires every taxable person to keep audited-grade books and file an annual return, regardless of free-zone exemption status. Several Free Zones (DMCC, DIFC, JAFZA, ADGM) require an annual audited financial statement to renew the license. FZM Solutions covers bookkeeping, VAT filings, Corporate Tax registration and audit coordination as an ongoing layer once the company is live.