3 routes
Mainland, free zone or offshore. Each has a different authority, cost and market reach.
Formation guide · 2026
Starting a Business in Dubai as a Foreigner
DET licenses the mainland, not a vague "the government." Real costs, real structures, and the visa options most guides skip.
- Filed with DET and FTA since 2009.The Exchange Tower, Business Bay, Dubai.
Start here
Introduction
Three decisions come first: jurisdiction, structure, and visa. The paperwork is the easy part.
At a glance
100%
Foreign ownership on most mainland and free zone activities since the 2021 reform.
0% / 9%
Personal income tax stays at 0%. Corporate tax is 0% to AED 375,000, 9% above it.
AED 12,500+
Realistic entry point for a zero-visa free zone licence; mainland runs higher once office and visa costs are added.
The short answer
Can a foreigner start a business here?
Yes, and you don't need a UAE national partner for most activities. Dubai DET licenses mainland companies directly, most free zones offer 100% foreign ownership by default, and since 2025 a free zone company can even apply to trade on the mainland without setting up a second entity.
DETlicenses mainland companies directly
0%local sponsor needed, most activities
3structures to pick before you file
Why Dubai
Why foreign founders choose Dubai
The reasons that hold up beyond the sales pitch, stated with real numbers where they exist.
7th
Dubai's rank in the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook, 1st in MENA for 8 years.
Ready to see which route fits your business?
Talk to a specialist100% foreign ownership
Available on most mainland and free zone activities since the 2021 ownership reform.
0% personal income tax
What you draw from the business is yours. This is separate from corporate tax.
Remote setup is genuinely possible
Most of the process runs online; you don't have to be resident to start.
A UK double taxation treaty
Prevents the same income being taxed twice, with the right record-keeping.
Free zone to mainland access
Since 2025, free zone companies can apply to trade onshore without a second entity.
A genuine global gateway
Direct access to the Middle East, Africa, South Asia and Europe from one base.
Foundational decision
Mainland, Free Zone or Offshore
DET Licensed
Mainland
Unrestricted access to the UAE domestic market, with eligibility to bid on government contracts.
Authority
Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism
Market access
Trade freely across the whole UAE
Ownership
100% foreign on most activities
Requires an Ejari-registered office lease before DET will finalise the licence, budget the time, not just the cost.
Best for: Businesses that need local clients, government work, or a genuine UAE-wide presence.
20+ Zones
Free Zone
A zone-regulated licence with 100% ownership by default, full profit repatriation, and now conditional mainland access.
Notable zones
DIFC, JAFZA, DMCC, IFZA, Meydan
Office
Flexi-desk options from a zero-visa package
Mainland trade
Possible via DET permit since Resolution 11/2025
Cheapest entry point of the three routes, but full onshore trade still needs a DET branch licence or permit.
Best for: Export-focused, remote-first, or sector-specific businesses (finance, tech, media, trading).
Holding & IP
Offshore
A vehicle for holding, investment structuring and international trade, without a UAE operating presence.
Office
No physical UAE office required
Visas
Not eligible for UAE residence visas
Purpose
Holding, investment and IP ownership
Cannot obtain a commercial licence to trade within the UAE local market.
Best for: Groups that need a UAE-registered holding vehicle, not a trading presence.
Choose your structure
Which legal structure fits you
Find your situation, the right entity is on the right.
If you areRunning the business alone, in your own nameRecommendedSole EstablishmentIf you areStarting with one or more partnersRecommendedLimited Liability Company (LLC)If you areExtending an existing foreign company into DubaiRecommendedBranch Office of Foreign CompanyIf you areA liaison presence only, no local invoicingRecommendedRepresentative Office of Foreign CompanyIf you areTwo or more licensed professionals as partnersRecommendedCivil CompanyIf you areRaising capital from a wider shareholder baseRecommendedPrivate or Public Joint Stock Company
What you'll need
Documents required
The same core paperwork applies whether you choose mainland or free zone, plus one mainland-only step that gates the final licence.
Every applicant
Identity & personal
Passport copy
Valid 6+ months, for every director and shareholder.
Signature sample
From the appointed manager or director.
Passport-size photo
Recent, white background.
About the company
Business details
Completed application form
Fully signed, matching your chosen structure.
Trade name reservation
Following UAE naming rules, filed with DET or your free zone.
Articles of incorporation
Required if you're setting up a branch or subsidiary.
Mainland only
Office & lease
Signed tenancy contract
For your licensed Dubai commercial address.
Ejari registration
DET won't finalise a mainland licence against an unregistered lease.
The office lease is a real gate
Free zone packages can start from a flexi-desk with no separate lease step. Mainland is different: DET requires an Ejari-registered tenancy before it will issue the licence. Sign the lease, register it, then submit, in that order, not the other way round.
Free zone first? You can still apply for mainland access later via a DET branch licence or permit.
Reserve the name early. Trade name reservation typically holds for a set window, so don't wait until documents are perfect.
Keep signatures consistent. Mismatched signature samples across forms are a common cause of avoidable delay.
Decision Guide
Visa options for foreign founders
Your licence is the first step. The visa is what lets you actually live and work in Dubai.
OwnerInvestor / Partner Visa
For company owners and shareholders. Tied to your trade licence and share capital, and the route to sponsoring family.
Shareholders2-year & 10-yearSponsor family
Investor visa
TeamEmployment Visa
For staff hired under a labour contract. Quota scales with your office space, so plan it alongside headcount.
EmployeesQuota-basedLabour contract
Employment visa
High-net-worthGolden Visa
A 10-year renewable residency for eligible investors, entrepreneurs and specialists, extending to dependents.
10-yearDependents includedEligibility-based
Golden Visa
DependentsFamily / Dependent Visa
Sponsor your spouse, children and parents once you hold a valid residence visa and meet the salary rule.
Spouse & kidsParentsSalary threshold
Family visaApply for your residence visa once the trade licence is issued, not before.PRO services
Real ranges, 2026
What It Actually Costs
Free zone figures below are well corroborated; mainland is a genuine range, not a fixed DET total. Confirm against your activity.
Cheapest entry point
Free Zone (zero-visa)
A licence-only package with no residence visa attached, the true entry price, not the all-in cost.
100% foreign ownership
Flexi-desk included
No visa or Establishment Card yet
AED 12,500 – 12,900 (IFZA/Meydan, corroborated)
Adds real presence
Free Zone + 1 visa
The realistic starting point for a founder who actually wants to live in Dubai on this licence.
Establishment Card
One residence visa
Medical test & Emirates ID
AED 17,600 – 24,500, zone-dependent
Full UAE market access
Mainland (DET)
DET's licence fee is only one line item. Office lease, Ejari and your first visa push the real total higher.
DET licence fee: AED 10,000–25,000
Ejari-registered office (separate cost)
At least one visa (separate cost)
AED 25,000 – 60,000+ all-in, estimate
Not sure which route is cheapest for your activity?
Tell us your activity, visa needs and timeline and we return an itemised quote across all three routes, not a headline number.
Free zone figures corroborated across independent 2026 sources. Mainland range synthesised from multiple 2026 cost guides; DET's own fee schedule and your specific activity should confirm the final number before you commit.
The process
How Setup Actually Runs
Seven stages, starting with the jurisdiction decision and ending with your residence visa. Get the first one right and the rest follow.
7 stagesDays to weeks1 dedicated manager
- 1
Choose your jurisdiction
Day 1Mainland, free zone or offshore. This single decision shapes your authority, cost and market access for everything that follows.
Jurisdiction confirmed - 2
Choose your legal structure
Day 1–2Sole establishment, LLC, branch, civil company or joint stock, depending on ownership and partner count.
Structure confirmed - 3
Reserve your trade name
Day 2–3Submit name options following UAE naming rules, through DET or your chosen free zone authority.
Trade name reservation - 4
Submit initial approval
Day 3–5Authority review of your application and chosen activities before you can proceed to premises.
Initial approval certificate - 5
Secure and register your lease
Day 5–8Mainland applicants sign a physical office lease and register it via Ejari, DET will not finalise the licence without it. Free zone applicants may only need a flexi-desk.
Ejari certificate (mainland) - 6
Pay fees and receive your licence
Day 8–10Once all approvals and, for mainland, the registered lease are in place, your trade licence is issued.
Trade licence issued - 7
Apply for your residence visa
Day 10–14Entry permit, medical test, Emirates ID and stamping follow once the licence is in hand.
Residence visa - Timeline indicative, confirm with DET
Licensed and visa-ready
Trade licence issued, lease registered where needed, visa in progress.
Who Approves Your Setup
Different bodies handle different parts of the process, knowing which one to ask saves real time.
| Authority | What they do | When you meet them | Key output |
|---|---|---|---|
| DET | Reviews the application, approves activity, issues the licence or permit. | Mainland or dual-licence | Trade licence or permit |
| Free Zone Body | Issues the free zone licence and manages office allocation. | Free zone route only | Free zone licence |
| Land Department | Registers your commercial lease before DET will finalise a mainland licence. | After securing a mainland office | Ejari certificate |
| FTA | Registers taxable persons under the federal 0%/9% law and 5% VAT. | After licensing | Tax registration |
| Bank | Reviews activity, ownership and licence documents. | After licensing | Corporate bank account |
- DETIssues the mainland trade licence and dual-licence access for free zones.You meet them:Mainland or dual-licence
- Free Zone BodyLicenses companies within its own zone, e.g. DIFC, JAFZA, DMCC, IFZA.You meet them:Free zone route only
- Land DepartmentRuns Ejari, the mandatory tenancy registration system.You meet them:After securing a mainland office
- FTAHandles corporate tax and VAT registration.You meet them:After licensing
- BankOpens your corporate account and runs KYC.You meet them:After licensing
Straight answers
Dubai Setup Myths, Corrected
The claims that still circulate in foreigner-focused setup advice.
Myth
Dubai has zero tax of any kind, full stop
Reality
Personal income tax is 0%. Corporate tax is 0% up to AED 375,000 and 9% above it, plus 5% VAT above the registration threshold.
Myth
You always need a UAE national partner
Reality
Most mainland and free zone activities allow 100% foreign ownership since 2021. Strategic-impact activities are excepted.
Myth
Free zones can never trade on the mainland
Reality
Since Resolution 11 of 2025, most free zone companies can apply to DET for a branch licence or permit to trade onshore.
Myth
You must be physically present to set up
Reality
Most of the process runs online. You can start a Dubai company remotely, though visas require entry at some stage.
Myth
A signed lease is enough for a mainland licence
Reality
It has to be registered through Ejari first, DET won't finalise the licence against an unregistered tenancy contract.
Myth
The licence fee is the entry cost.
Reality
That is the entry cost for a zero-visa free zone licence. Mainland runs higher once an Ejari office and visas are added.
Avoid these
Where foreign founders lose time and money
The errors that cost foreign founders time and money in 2026.
Tax
Blurring personal and corporate tax
Advertising 0% tax without separating personal income from corporate profit misleads on budget expectations.
Do this instead: quote personal and corporate tax as two separate numbers.
Cost
Quoting the licence fee as the total
Zero-visa free zone prices and DET licence fees are only one line item; office, Ejari and visas add materially more.
Do this instead: itemise licence, office and visa costs separately.
Lease
Signing a lease, assuming it's ready
An unregistered tenancy contract will not satisfy DET, even if it's fully signed.
Do this instead: register the lease via Ejari before expecting licence issuance.
Compliance
Assuming an informal presence is fine
Free zone companies trading on the mainland without DET authorisation had to regularise by 3 March 2026.
Do this instead: confirm your status is regularised if you set up before 2025.
Ownership
Assuming a local partner is required
Most activities allow 100% foreign ownership since 2021. Only strategic-impact activities still need local involvement.
Do this instead: check your specific activity before assuming either way.
Why choose us
Both jurisdictions, one desk
DET and free zone, correctly
We file directly with DET or your chosen free zone authority, and never blur which body handles which approval.
Itemised, not from-AED-X
Licence fee, office cost, Ejari and visa quoted as separate confirmed line items, not one headline number.
Dual-licence guidance included
If a free zone start now, mainland later path fits your plan, we structure it under Resolution 11/2025 from day one.
Visa strategy from the start
Investor, employee and Golden Visa eligibility mapped before you commit to a structure, not after.
10K+
Companies formed
15 yrs
In business since 2009
50+
Nationalities served
4.8★
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Real results from our clients
What our clients say about working with us
Real Google reviews from founders we have set up and kept compliant on the Dubai mainland.
A
Abdul Sami3 months ago
Thank you to the team for supporting us with our company setup. Our case was not straightforward, especially the bank account opening, but they stayed committed and got it done.
P
Paolo Chua8 months ago
I had a great experience opening a corporate bank account. The process was smooth and efficient. The staff were friendly, professional, and explained everything clearly.
A
Amy Elliott Dunne4 months ago
The accounting and bookkeeping service has been exceptional. Attention to detail is impressive, and communication is always clear. Tasks are handled promptly.
R
Rashed Al Falasi5 months ago
They confirmed our activity grouping before filing and flagged an issue the bank would have raised. Licensed in under two weeks with no surprises on the invoice.
M
Marwa Khalil2 months ago
We came for a mainland LLC and stayed for renewals and PRO work. The same team answers the phone after the license is issued, which is rare here.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Get a setup plan built for your business.
Send us your activity, budget and visa needs and we return an itemised plan across mainland, free zone and offshore, real DET and free zone fees, not a headline number.
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