38 questions founders actually ask.

Free Zone licences start from around AED 12,500 and Mainland from AED 18,900 for the standard package, plus visa costs of roughly AED 3,500 to 4,500 per person. The estimator on the home page gives an instant figure, and a written quote itemises every government fee.

Most Free Zone licences issue in 3 to 5 working days from complete documents. Mainland takes 7 to 10. A handful of zones issue instant licences on the day the name is approved. Visas add two to three weeks and run in parallel with banking.

Not for the licence. Free Zone and Offshore companies are formed entirely remotely with digital signatures. A visit is only required for residency biometrics, which we schedule inside a single trip.

A passport copy, a proof of address and, for some zones, a short business plan or CV. Corporate shareholders need attested incorporation documents. We send a checklist tailored to your zone on the Day 0 call.

Names must be available, not offensive, not religious and not similar to an existing brand. Personal names are allowed in full. We check availability across the register before you fall in love with one.

Most free zones allow three related activity groups on one licence and charge for more. Mainland licences can combine several related activities with authority approval. We map activities to what you will actually invoice.

Yes. All Free Zone and Offshore companies allow full foreign ownership, and since 2021 so do most Mainland commercial and industrial activities. A short list of strategic activities still requires Emirati participation.

Mainland if your customers are in the UAE, you want government contracts or need a physical shop or clinic. Free Zone if you sell internationally, want the 0% qualifying tax rate or need the cheapest possible start. Many groups end up with one of each.

Holding shares, property or IP, and international invoicing. Offshore companies cannot trade inside the UAE or sponsor visas, but they are cheap, private and can open a UAE bank account.

Directly, only in limited cases. Common routes are a Mainland branch, a distributor agreement or a dual licence, which some zones now offer. We advise case by case.

Not by transfer. You form a new entity in the new zone and wind down or keep the old one. Licence amendments within the same zone are straightforward.

Not for most Mainland activities since 2021. Where a local service agent is still required, they hold no shares and no control and are paid a fixed annual fee under a notarised agreement.

Free Zone quotas depend on your workspace, typically one to three with a flexi-desk and more with a dedicated desk or office. Mainland visas scale with office size at roughly one visa per 80 to 100 square feet.

About two to three weeks from immigration file to Emirates ID: entry permit in 2 to 5 days, then medical, biometrics and stamping. Investor and employee visas follow the same route.

Yes. Once your residency is stamped you can sponsor a spouse, children and parents, subject to a minimum salary and attested marriage and birth certificates.

A 10-year renewable residency with no sponsor and no minimum stay. Investors from AED 2 million in property, executives earning AED 30,000 a month, founders of companies with AED 1 million turnover and holders of specialist degrees all qualify. We assess you against every category.

A standard residency lapses after six consecutive months outside the UAE. Golden Visa holders are exempt from this rule.

Yes. Employee entry permits can be filed as soon as the establishment card is issued. Their contracts are registered with MOHRE or the free zone in the same step.

No bank guarantees approval, and anyone who says otherwise is selling. What we guarantee in the Scale package is placement: if the first bank declines, we place you with the next at no extra service fee until an account opens. Our first-time approval rate is 98%.

Digital banks can open in 48 hours for eligible residents. Traditional banks take 10 to 20 working days after the interview. Our median is 11 working days.

Almost always documentation: unclear activity, missing source of funds, no track record narrative, or a mismatch between the licence and what the founder describes. Our file preparation addresses each point before submission.

From AED 0 at digital banks to AED 50,000 or more at traditional banks, with fees if you fall below. We match you to a bank whose requirement fits your cash position.

Some banks accept non-resident shareholders with one visit. Most prefer a resident signatory, which is why we run visas and banking in parallel.

A 9% rate applies to profits above AED 375,000. Qualifying Free Zone income stays at 0% if you meet substance and audit conditions. There is no personal income tax on salaries or dividends.

Yes. Every company must register with the Federal Tax Authority and file an annual return. Late registration carries a AED 10,000 penalty, so it is part of our post-licence pack.

Mandatory once taxable supplies exceed AED 375,000 in any 12 months, voluntary above AED 187,500. Returns are quarterly.

Some zones such as DMCC and JAFZA require an annual audit. Others do not, but banks and buyers often ask. Free Zone companies claiming the 0% rate need audited accounts regardless.

Economic substance notifications, ultimate beneficial owner registers and anti-money-laundering registration apply to certain activities. We identify which apply and include them in your compliance calendar.

Fines accrue monthly, visas cannot be processed and the bank may freeze the account. PRO retainer clients have renewals filed 30 days before expiry automatically.

Yes. Both are licence amendments handled through the authority in a few days. Shareholder changes need a notarised resolution and updated MOA.

Liquidation takes 4 to 8 weeks: visa cancellations, bank closure letter, authority clearance and a liquidator report where required. Leaving a licence to lapse instead creates fines that follow the shareholders.

Yes. Flexi-desk and virtual office packages include a business address that satisfies licensing and banking requirements.

Yes. We register contracts, run Wage Protection System payroll, track leave and end-of-service and plan Emiratisation where it applies.

No. Every quote itemises government fees, our service fee and optional extras. What we quote is what you pay, and receipts for government payments are shared.

Government fees are paid in advance. Our service fee is 50% on engagement and 50% before licence release. Bank transfer and cards in most currencies.

One named consultant from the first call through to your licence and visas, backed by a processing officer. The same person runs your PRO or accounting retainer if you keep one.

Most of our clients start abroad. We work across time zones on WhatsApp and video, with document collection through a secure portal.

We resubmit at no extra service fee. Government fees are refundable only to the extent the authority refunds them, which is why we pre-check every file against the examiner's checklist before filing.