Consultation and choosing the Free Zone
We review your activity and pick the Free Zone for the task: some are better on price, others on the activity list, visa quota or reputation with banks. We select the licence type right away.
1–2 days
Company setup in a Free Zone (Dubai, UAE)
Turnkey registration: we pick the Free Zone for your business, arrange the licence and Flexi Desk, residence visas, Emirates ID and a bank account. A fast start and a low entry cost — ideal for international and online businesses.
- Licence — from 5 working days
- 100% foreign ownership
- 0% Corporate Tax on Qualifying Income
- Remote registration
Free Zone or Mainland?
Working in the UAE
Free Zone
Business is mainly conducted inside the Free Zone and with international clients. Working fully on the Mainland may require an additional DET permit.
Mainland →
You can work directly with individuals and companies across Dubai and the wider UAE.
Company ownership
Free Zone
100% foreign ownership.
Mainland →
100% foreign ownership for most business activities.
Office
Free Zone
A Flexi Desk or a workspace within the Free Zone is often enough.
Mainland →
A physical office and a registered Ejari tenancy contract are usually required.
Visas
Free Zone
The number of visas depends on the chosen package and the type of workspace.
Mainland →
The number of visas depends on the office, the activity and the assigned quota.
Setup cost
Free Zone
More affordable starter packages are often available, but visas and other fees may be charged separately.
Mainland →
Can be higher due to office rent and additional approvals.
Corporate Tax
Free Zone
0% only on Qualifying Income when the required conditions are met. Other taxable income may be taxed at 9%.
Mainland →
0% on the first AED 375,000 of taxable profit and 9% on the amount above it.
Bank account
Free Zone
Opening an account is possible, but the bank additionally assesses the activity, office, clients and economic substance.
Mainland →
Well suited for active work with clients and payments inside the UAE.
Who it suits
Free Zone
International consulting, IT, digital, online businesses, export, logistics and international trade.
Mainland →
Local businesses, services, trade, restaurants, salons, construction and other companies operating in the UAE market.
The short answer: choose a Free Zone if your business is international or online, you work with clients abroad and don't need the local UAE market. choose Mainland if you work with clients inside the UAE, open a physical location or plan to hire a team.
Not sure? We'll review your case on a consultation and tell you honestly if Mainland suits you better.
When a Free Zone is the right choice
A Free Zone doesn't fit every case. Here are the situations where it's genuinely justified.
International business and export
Working with clients outside the UAE, export, logistics, international trade. A Free Zone is built exactly for cross-border business — with no tie to the local market.
IT and online business
Development, digital, consulting, SaaS, e-commerce. You don't need a physical office for customers — a Flexi Desk is enough, and the team can work remotely.
A minimal budget at launch
Packages are cheaper than Mainland: you don't need a full office or Ejari. You can start with a licence and a Flexi Desk, then add visas as you grow.
Remote registration
Many Free Zones let you register remotely, by power of attorney. Your presence is usually needed only for the visa biometrics.
Tax optimisation
0% Corporate Tax on Qualifying Income when conditions are met, no personal income tax, and convenient terms for holding structures.
How the registration works
Eight stages. You get a status update on each one — not a month of silence.
Choosing the package and reserving the name
We fix the package (zero-visa or with a visa quota), check the name against the Free Zone's requirements and reserve it.
1–2 days
Submitting documents and Initial Approval
We prepare and submit the document package and obtain the Free Zone's preliminary approval for the activity and company structure.
1–2 days
Signing the incorporation documents
Articles, share split, applications. Most Free Zones sign documents electronically — no presence required.
1–2 days
Obtaining the licence
We pay the fees and receive the Free Zone licence. From this point the company exists legally. In some Free Zones the licence is issued the same day.
2–5 days
Establishment Card and visa quota
We register the company with immigration and open the quota — it determines how many visas you can issue under the package.
3–7 days
Residence visas and Emirates ID
Visa application, medical test, biometrics and Emirates ID — for you, partners, family and employees.
5–10 days
Opening a bank account
We shortlist a bank for your profile, prepare the documents and support opening the account through to approval. We prepare you for the bank interview — for a Free Zone this is the key stage.
2–4 weeks
Ready to start?
We'll review your case, pick the Free Zone and give an exact timeline for your activity.
What we need from you
The list is shorter than it seems. Everything else is on us.
Documents
- A passport valid for at least 6 months
- A colour photo on a white background
- A copy of your visa or entry stamp if you're already in the UAE
- Proof of qualifications or a CV — for a professional licence
- Proof of residential address
Information
- What you plan to do — as specifically as possible
- The ownership structure and share split
- Approximate turnover and client geography
- Whether you need visas for family and staff, and how many
Many Free Zones let you complete registration fully remotely — by power of attorney. Your presence is usually needed only for the visa biometrics (medical test and Emirates ID) and sometimes for opening the account.
How much it costs
Approximate figures. We give the exact number on a consultation — before work starts, with no items added along the way.
- ServiceCost
- Free Zone licence (zero-visa package)from AED 9,000
- Package with a visa quotafrom AED 14,000
- Flexi Desk / workspacefrom AED 5,000 / year
- Residence visa (one)from AED 5,500
- Banking supportfrom AED 5,000
The final cost depends on the chosen Free Zone, the number of visas and the activity. Some Free Zones include the Flexi Desk in the package, others charge it separately — on the consultation we compare the options before you pay for anything.
Why work with us
A specialist for every stage
A consultant selects the jurisdiction, a PRO specialist handles the paperwork, a banking specialist opens the account. Not one person doing 'a bit of everything'.
We're based in Dubai
We work on the ground in the UAE. We know how the procedures actually run in practice, not from a government-website description.
Timelines without surprises
We quote realistic timelines, not convenient ones. If a stage slips, you hear about it immediately — not after a month of silence.
Support after registration
The work doesn't end with the licence. Document renewals, new visas, PRO tasks, banking questions — we stay in touch.
Frequently asked questions
A Free Zone company generally can't operate on the local market directly — that's Mainland territory. To work with clients inside the UAE you use a local distributor or a separate DET permit. If your main market is the UAE, it's more honest to look at Mainland from the start.
Let's review your case in 20 minutes
Tell us what you do and where you plan to grow. We'll tell you whether a Free Zone suits you, which one to choose, how much it will cost and what timeline is realistic. If Mainland suits you better — we'll say so too.
We reply within one business day. No spam and no 'just checking in' calls.