Partner with the Number 1 in Dubai

Mainland companies are onshore companies with their trade license issued by the Department of Economic Development or any related government department of each emirate. Every emirate has its mainland, and the license has to be taken from the emirate where you would like to set up your office or shop. E.g., Sharjah Mainland, Dubai Mainland, Ras Al Khaimah Mainland, …etc.

Free zone companies are those companies that are incorporated under the jurisdiction of concerned Freezone rules. There are around 40+ Freezone as of now in UAE. Each Freezone’s rules and regulations vary. Some names of Freezones are IFZA (International Free Zone Authority), RAKEZ (Ras Al Khaimah Free Trade Zone), Meydan, SPC FZ (Sharjah Publishing City Freezone), SHAMS (Sharjah Media City Freezone), and many more.

Offshore companies  are overseas companies. They cannot conduct business inside UAE but can conduct business anywhere outside of the UAE. Offshore companies are not eligible for a visa but allow the company to open their bank accounts in UAE.

• Do you want to open any shop or office in UAE Mainland? If yes, the Freezone license will not work; if no, the Freezone license will work.
• How many visas do you require? If you need more than 6. It is always better to go with a mainland license than a Freezone license.
• Nationality of the partner? According to the UAE government, some nationality classifications are restricted normally. So, if your partners are from restricted nationalities (nationalities that require pre-approval), then always go for a Dubai mainland or Dubai Freezone license and visa, as other emirates have rigid rules in this case.

No, having office space for a Mainland license is not mandatory. Because some activities are offered that do not require any office space, that can be valid for the first year, but at the time of the second-year renewal, you must show them your office to renew your license.

Such licenses include electronic trading, ready-made garments trading, corporate service provider, etc. This kind of license does not require office space in the first year.

The documents required to start your business here in UAE are as follows:

• 3 -4 trade name options that must be unique or can be in Arabic or English
• Passport copies of all the shareholders
• Emirates ID copy of all the shareholders (if any)
• Visa copies of all the shareholders
• Email addresses of all the shareholders
• The contact numbers of all the shareholders
• Home addresses of all the shareholders
• NOC (No Objection Certificate) from the sponsor

In the Freezone license, you can apply for it even if you are outside of UAE. In the case of the mainland, clients must be inside UAE for MOA signature.

In the Freezone, it will take a maximum of 4 –5 working days. Duration all depends on the Freezone. Some will take only 1 working day to release the license if the documentation is proper. Whereas in the mainland, an instant license will take 1 hour and 1-2 working days if it is a regular license.

The process is straightforward yet requires the below-mentioned documents to open a bank account in UAE are as follows:

• Trade license
• Tenancy contract or Lease agreement
• Memorandum of Association
• Passport copy
• Emirates ID copy
• UAE residence visa copy
• 6 months bank statement of shareholder
• 3 potential suppliers list
• Company profile
• Cv of the shareholder

It usually takes 15-30 working days to open a bank account. But time will vary depending on nationality and business License activities and documents they submit.

For Freezone companies, a local sponsor is not required at all. 100% ownership is offered to foreign expats. Also, on the mainland, a local sponsor is not required for a normal commercial license. But for professional and other categories of commercial license including tourism, customs related license, a local is mandatory, and the local will be just an agent to the license.

Yes, UAE is an excellent country to start your business as compared to other countries because of its market. UAE offers 100% ownership, low taxes, and 100% capital repatriation. Also, it is a tourist destination for most, its economy is well-developed, and it is safe for women and children. So, most people prefer to get settled in UAE.

Our payment process is straightforward and can be done in many ways. You can pay us via our payment link or cash or deposit directly to our bank account.

We do have an installment option for RAKEZ Freezone. Or, for others, you can pay us using your credit card, which is converted to an installment option with 0% interest. The only thing you need to do is to make sure to talk to the bank before making a payment.

Yes, you can add multiple activities under one license in Freezone. But when it comes to the mainland you cannot add different activities under one license of different groups. But UAE’s government introduced pre-decided groups for the mainland, where you can choose 8-9 activities of the same group.

Yes, Emirates Business Setup is about helping our clients grow their businesses and reach new heights. But it depends on the type of business you require and the budget. For more information, you can contact our professional advisors!