Dubai business setup, chosen by activity and market
Compare mainland and free-zone routes around the licensed activity, customer location, office, visas, ownership, banking and corporate-tax conditions.
- Professional fee
- Written quote
- Working timeline
- Confirmed after activity, authority, premises and visa assessment
- Government charges
- Shown before payment
Cross-border map
Dubai business setup
Activity. Market. Licence. Substance.
Built for
Founders entering the UAE
Best when
Activity and customer market are known
Mainland or
which free zone?
The right answer depends on where and how the company earns—not on the cheapest licence advertisement.
Dubai mainland
Often suits direct UAE-market activity, subject to the exact licence and any strategic-impact restrictions.
Free zone
Can fit international or zone-based activity, with market-access and qualifying-income rules reviewed carefully.
Visa-linked setup
Licence, establishment card, workspace and visa allocation must be planned together.
Tax-aware setup
Free-zone status does not by itself guarantee a zero corporate-tax rate.
Dubai Setup
Activity. Market. Licence. Substance.
“Zero tax” is not a complete free-zone answer.
The 0% corporate-tax treatment applies only to qualifying income when all Qualifying Free Zone Person conditions continue to be met.
What you receive,
ready to use.
We compare mainland and suitable free-zone routes, then map approvals, premises, visas, beneficial ownership, corporate tax and India-side investment before filing.
matched to the market.APPROVE · LICENSE · RENEW
Mainland versus free-zone decision note
Activity and authority map
Ownership, office and visa plan
Licence and establishment checklist
Corporate-tax and banking handoff
Renewal and compliance calendar
What must be
in place.
A precise activity list and target-customer geography.
Verified shareholders, managers and beneficial owners.
A suitable legal form and ownership structure.
Premises or flexi-desk arrangements meeting the selected authority’s rules.
An Indian overseas-investment and remittance plan where applicable.
External approvals, office requirements, visa quotas, ownership restrictions and capital requirements depend on the exact activity and authority.
Choose around customers and activity
Market access and substance matter beyond the licence price.
| Decision | Mainland | Free zone | Regulated activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common fit | Direct UAE market | International or zone ecosystem | Sector-specific business |
| Main check | Activity and premises | Market access and QFZP conditions | External authority approvals |
| Tax | Standard UAE CT rules | 0% only for qualifying income if eligible | Sector and general rules |
From activity map to
licence-ready business.
A practical sequence with clear ownership at every stage. Registry review times can vary.
Activity and market
Discovery
We handle
Map licensed activities, customer location, ownership and visa needs.
You provide
Share the operating model, products, customers and hiring plan.
Jurisdiction selection
Decision stage
We handle
Compare mainland and suitable free zones with full cost categories.
You provide
Approve the route after tax and market-access review.
Approvals and licence
Authority controlled
We handle
Coordinate name, initial approvals, constitutional records and licence filing.
You provide
Complete identity checks and external approvals.
Establishment and visas
Separate process
We handle
Map establishment-card, immigration and visa stages if scoped.
You provide
Complete medical, biometrics and personal steps.
Tax and operations
After licensing
We handle
Plan CT, VAT, UBO, banking and renewal readiness.
You provide
Maintain substance, accounts, registrations and renewals.
A checklist without
the back-and-forth.
We ask only for records or data relevant to your application, review, or audit scope.
- Passport and address evidence
- Photograph and contact details
- Ownership and UBO chart
- India ODI and funding plan where relevant
Before you begin
Use clear PDF, JPG, or PNG files.
Keep address records recent and readable.
Transparent fees,
before you commit.
Each registration carries its own government fee, and some are state-specific. We quote the exact combination for your business before any work begins.
Your written quote covers
- — Activity and market
- — Jurisdiction selection
- — Approvals and licence
- — Establishment and visas
- — Tax and operations
Not included automatically
- — Licence, registration and authority charges
- — Office, lease, flexi-desk and establishment-card costs
- — Visa, medical, Emirates ID and immigration charges
- — External approvals, attestations and translations
- — Tax, accounting, banking and India ODI costs
Costs that can repeat
- — Annual licence and premises renewal
- — Visa and establishment renewals
- — Corporate-tax, VAT and accounting compliance
- — UBO, payroll and sector filings where applicable
Licence issued,
tax and renewals continue.
These are the first recurring obligations to plan for before you commit to a company structure.
Trade licence
Annual or authority cycle
Renew the licence and connected premises arrangements on time.
Corporate Tax
FTA cycle
Register, maintain records and file according to the entity’s tax period.
VAT
If registered or required
Monitor threshold and complete periodic returns.
UBO and establishment records
Ongoing
Update ownership, managers, visas and authority records when facts change.
Got questions?
We’ve got answers.
Get clarity on mainland, free zones, ownership, activities, visas, tax, banking, costs and India-side reporting.
Still deciding?
AI CA can compare structures around cost, risk, compliance, and funding.