Company registration · UAE
Company registration in the UAE freezone and mainland
- Support
- from $4 500
- Registration time
- 5-10 days
- Corporate tax: 0% up to AED 375,000, relief for qualifying income
- 9% / 0%
We match the company form, zone and licence to your activity, register the business, arrange residence visas and run the banking process.
First we calculate the full launch and upkeep budget — then we sign the engagement.
Registration
from $4 500
Turnkey work by BRIDGES. Government fees and duties appear as a separate line in the estimate at actual rates.
See packages5-10 days
Freezone incorporation once documents are complete
Owner visa
Residency and Emirates ID for the owner and family
9% / 0%
Corporate tax: 0% up to AED 375,000, relief for qualifying income
Who it suitsUAE
Who the UAE suits
Working on the company structure- 01Trade and services with Asia, Africa and the Middle East
- 02IT, consulting and online business with international clients
- 03The owner needs a residence visa, Emirates ID and a personal account
- 04You need a neutral hub between Europe and Asia with direct flights
- 05A holding for assets and shares in other companies
Does not suit
- Clients in the EU and you need an EU VAT number — look at Cyprus or Hungary
- A shelf company with no activity: UAE banks require a real business
- Budget for the first year only: UAE upkeep costs more than classic offshores
- The activity needs a regulator licence you are not prepared to obtain
Company forms6
Which company to open
The legal form, the platform (freezone or mainland) and the licence type are three different things. Below are the forms: what each is, who it suits, the upside and the limitation. Names differ between zones, so the exact wording is fixed once the zone is chosen.
- 01Free Zone Company · FZ-LLC, FZCO, FZ-Co — the name depends on the zone
International trade, IT, consulting, services, e-commerce.
100% foreign ownership, a clear procedure, visa quotas tied to the licence and office.
Direct work with the UAE market is restricted: retail and government contracts need mainland or a distributor.
- 02Free Zone Establishment · FZE — in zones that split forms by shareholder count
A single owner with no partners.
Simple management and minimal corporate paperwork.
Adding a partner means converting the form — a zone procedure.
- 03Mainland LLC · Onshore company, licensed by the emirate department of economy
Retail, restaurants, clinics, contracting, tenders, government work.
Access to the domestic market without intermediaries, wider visa quotas.
Stricter office requirements; some activities need approvals or local participation.
- 04Sole Establishment · Professional licence in several emirates
Consultants and specialists working personally, without staff.
A simple structure and a low launch cost.
Liability is personal, not corporate; not available for every activity.
- 05Branch · Branch of a foreign company
An operating business that needs a UAE presence under the same name.
The parent company keeps its track record and brand.
Activity is limited to the parent's activity, and the parent carries the liability.
- 06Holding / SPV · A holding structure; an SPV in certain zones
Group ownership, partnership structures, transactions.
A clean split between assets and the operating business.
Usually gives no residence visas, and a bank account is harder to open.
Packagesfrom $4 500
Three ways to launch
The packages follow real scenarios. There is no single shop-window price and there cannot be: it is made up of the zone, the licence, the visa count and the office — so we calculate individually and fix the figure before the engagement.
01 · 5-10 working days once documents are collected
Company
A legal entity for contracts and payments — no relocation
- Zone and form selected for the activity
- Name check and reservation
- Licence and constitutional documents
- Registered address in the zone for the first year
- Full set of corporate documents
02 · 3-5 weeks
Company + visa
The owner gets residency and an Emirates ID
- Everything in "Company"
- Company establishment card
- Owner residence visa
- Medical and biometrics — accompanied on site
- Emirates ID
03 · 6-10 weeks; the bank sets its own timing
Turnkey
A working business: account, books and office from month one
- Everything in "Company + visa"
- Banking profile, filing and interview support
- Family and key staff visas
- Office or flexi-desk matching bank requirements
- Bookkeeping set-up, FTA registration, VAT at the threshold
Government zone fees, visa charges and bank tariffs appear in the quote as separate lines at official tariffs, without mark-up. The final figure is fixed before the engagement letter is signed.
TaxesUAE
Tax: 9% or 0%
Registering in a free zone does not by itself give a zero rate. The rate depends on the requirements the company meets and on the income it earns.
Tax: 9% or 0%
UAE
- from 5-10 days
- Registration
- from $4,500
- Cost
- available
- Owner visa
- 0% / 9%
- Corporate tax
- separate onboarding
- Bank account
- Corporate tax
- 0% on profit up to AED 375,000 and 9% above that — the general rule for UAE companies.
- Free zone relief
- The zero rate applies to qualifying income of a free zone company that meets the conditions, including no ordinary mainland activity. Applicability is checked against your model.
- Registration and returns
- Every company must register with the tax authority and file a return — including those on a zero rate.
- VAT
- The rate is 5%. Registration is mandatory from AED 375,000 of taxable turnover and voluntary from AED 187,500.
- Bookkeeping and audit
- Accounting records are mandatory; several zones require an audit for licence renewal.
- Economic substance
- Real presence matters for relief and for banks: office, staff, management from the UAE.
Annual upkeep
- Licence renewal
- Office or flexi-desk
- Visas and Emirates ID
- Bookkeeping
- Corporate tax
- VAT
- Audit
- Bank compliance
Government zone fees, visa charges and bank tariffs appear in the quote as separate lines at official tariffs, without mark-up. The final figure is fixed before the engagement letter is signed.
Bank
The bank account after incorporation
The account is a separate process with its own rules. A bank looks not at a pretty licence but at whether the business is clear: who pays, for what and where the money comes from. That is why we build the banking logic in before incorporation, not after.
- 01What the bank looks at
The activity, counterparty countries, expected turnover, source of funds, the owner experience in this field.
- 02Documents usually required
The corporate set, passports and CVs of the owners, a business description, contracts or invoices, proof of address.
- 03Why the bank comes first
The zone, licence and office affect the bank decision. Changing them after incorporation costs more than choosing correctly at the start.
- 04What we do
Build the banking profile, prepare you for the interview, file with suitable banks and run the correspondence to the result.
Nobody can guarantee an account: the bank decides. We design the structure around bank requirements and support you to the result — and we will say plainly if the profile is difficult.
Stages5-10 working days once documents are collected
How the work runs
Timing is split by responsibility: what depends on us, what on the authorities and what on the bank. Nobody guarantees the banking timeline — and neither will we.
- 01Consultation and structure
Activity, visas, bank, upkeep budget. We propose two or three options with a calculation.
One meeting - 02Quote and engagement
Scope and total are fixed. Government fees are a separate line at zone tariffs.
1-2 days - 03Documents and checks
We assemble the set and pass the zone review. Fully remote.
3-5 days - 04Licence and incorporation
Filing with the zone, licence and constitutional documents issued.
5-10 days - 05Visas and Emirates ID
Establishment card, entry, medical, biometrics, resident card.
2-4 weeks - 06Banking process
Profile, filing, interview, account opening and payment set-up.
The bank sets the timing
Result: The outcome is not "the company is registered" but a working structure: licence and corporate documents, visas and Emirates ID where needed, an account with payments set up, bookkeeping and a compliance calendar for the year ahead.
ComparisonUAE
Freezone or mainland
| Freezone | Mainland | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | International trade, IT, services, consulting | Working with clients and the public sector inside the UAE |
| UAE market | Direct access restricted: retail via a distributor or a mainland entity | No territorial restrictions |
| International business | The core scenario of a zone | Also available, no restrictions |
| Office | From a flexi-desk to a full office — per zone rules | Usually a physical office with an Ejari contract |
| Visas | Quota tied to the licence and office area | Wider quota, depends on area and activity |
| Bank account | Opened with real activity and clear counterparties | Banks are traditionally more comfortable with mainland |
| Launch cost | Usually lower, depends on zone and visa count | Usually higher because of office and approvals |
| Restrictions | Activities limited to the zone list | Certain activities require authority approvals |
Not sure which to choose? We first review the activity and the banking case, then propose two or three suitable options with a full calculation.
TeamBRIDGES
Company team
Questions
Registration questions
Freezone or mainland — which to choose?+
A freezone suits international activity: simpler and cheaper. Mainland is for clients inside the UAE, retail or public sector work. The choice follows a review of the activity and the banking case.
How much does it cost to open a company?+
There is no single price: it is made of the zone, the licence, the visa count and the office. We calculate individually and fix the total before the engagement, showing government fees as a separate line.
How long does registration take?+
In a free zone usually 5-10 working days once documents are collected. With visas — 3-5 weeks. A bank account adds its own timeline, set by the bank.
Can I incorporate without travelling?+
Yes, incorporation is remote. Travel is needed for the visa: the medical and biometrics take place in the UAE.
Can I get a residence visa?+
Yes, the company is a basis for the owner visa, as well as staff and family — within the quota tied to the licence and office.
Can I open a company without a residence visa?+
Yes. The visa is a separate stage and the company works without it. A personal account and some everyday services are harder without one.
What tax does the company pay?+
Corporate tax: 0% on profit up to AED 375,000 and 9% above. Qualifying income of free zone companies enjoys a zero rate where the conditions are met.
When does 0% apply?+
When a free zone company meets the requirements and earns qualifying income without ordinary mainland activity. It is assessed against the actual business model, not granted automatically on registration.
Do I have to rent an office?+
It depends on the zone and activity: sometimes a flexi-desk is enough, sometimes a room is required. The area also drives the visa count. Mainland normally needs a physical office.
Can a bank account be opened?+
Yes, but the bank decides. We assess the profile before incorporation and run the process to the result. Nobody guarantees an account — promises to the contrary are a warning sign.
Can the company take international payments?+
Yes, that is a standard scenario for UAE companies. Currencies, counterparty countries and expected turnover are discussed with the bank at filing.
Can I work with clients inside the UAE?+
A mainland company — yes, without restrictions. A free zone company serves the domestic market through a distributor or a separate entity; some zones allow exceptions.
Which activities need approvals?+
Regulated ones: finance, insurance, medicine, education, certain transport and trade activities. We check the list before filing so the licence is not redone.
How much is the annual renewal?+
The main items: licence, address or office, visas, bookkeeping and tax filings, audit where required. We project three years ahead in the overall quote.
What if the activity changes?+
A licence can be extended or amended — a routine zone procedure. Sometimes moving to another zone is easier; we handle those transfers too.
Can a new shareholder be added?+
Yes, by amending the corporate documents and updating the licence. In some zones a change of shareholders converts the company form.
Can the structure move to another free zone?+
Yes, a transfer procedure exists; timing and requirements depend on both zones. We assess whether it is worthwhile beforehand.
What documents does the client receive?+
The licence, constitutional documents, registers of members and directors, the establishment card where visas are arranged, and a compliance calendar for the year ahead.
A company for your task
Tell us what the company will do: we will check whether the country fits and show the launch and upkeep budget before the contract.
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- Other jurisdictionsCountry comparison for company registration.
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- EstoniaRegistration: 1-5 days · from €900
- Hong KongRegistration: 5-7 days · from $1 600
Company registration
Want a company in the UAE?
Write to us, we will set it up. We will choose the form, calculate the launch and the annual upkeep, register the company and help open the account.
