What We Handle
Nine services in three movements — establishing the entity, structuring what it holds, and everything that happens to it afterwards.
Choosing between jurisdictions
The choice is driven by four questions, in this order.
Where are the customers?
Selling inside the UAE generally points to mainland; serving clients abroad, or holding assets, to a free zone. A free zone company can reach the local market — through a distributor or a mainland branch.
Which banks will onboard this profile?
Not every bank treats every free zone the same way. This constrains the choice more than most founders expect — and is why a licence should not be selected on price alone.
What is the tax consequence?
Free zone entities may qualify for 0% on qualifying income — conditions met continuously, not once. Mainland entities fall under the standard regime. Both must register and file.
Who needs residency?
Visa allocations differ by jurisdiction and office arrangement. A structure that suits the business but cannot sponsor the family is the wrong structure.
Where the work usually goes wrong
The cheapest free zone package frequently produces the hardest banking conversation. The saving at incorporation is recovered several times over in the months spent trying to open an account.
Licensed activities determine what may lawfully be invoiced. A mismatch surfaces during bank review, tax filing, or an audit.
Ownership that works for a single founder often obstructs the first investor, the first partner, or the eventual sale. Restructuring later means new approvals, sometimes a new licence, occasionally a new bank account.
An entity that simply stops renewing does not disappear. Obligations, penalties and complications for the shareholder continue to accrue.
How We Work
Assessment
Activity, ownership, customer base, banking profile and residency requirements — before any jurisdiction is recommended.
Fixed scope, in writing
Deliverables, sequence, timeline and cost in a single document, anchored to the work rather than to the value of the business.
Execution
Reservation, constitutional documents, licence, establishment card and the visa sequence, with a named person accountable.
Handover
Corporate tax registration, a first-year compliance calendar, and corporate documents in the form the bank will ask for.
Questions
How long does incorporation take?
Straightforward free zone formations are typically completed within about seven working days. Mainland, ADGM and DIFC formations, and any structure involving corporate shareholders, external approvals or attested foreign documents, take longer — largely because of document preparation rather than the registry.
Can a foreigner own 100% of a UAE company?
Yes, in free zones and for most mainland activities. A limited set of activities remains subject to specific ownership or approval requirements, which we identify at assessment.
Do I need a physical office?
Requirements vary by jurisdiction and by the number of visas required. Flexi-desk and shared arrangements satisfy many free zones; mainland and higher visa allocations generally require leased premises.
Can I change jurisdiction later?
Yes — by re-domiciliation, which preserves the company's legal identity, or by incorporating a new entity and transferring the business. The first is usually preferable where contracts, licences or banking history need to survive.
Do I have to be in the UAE to incorporate?
Much of the process can be completed remotely under power of attorney. Certain steps — biometrics, some bank onboarding — require presence.