Doing Business in Dubai and the UAE

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Getting started in dubai and the uae

The United Arab Emirates and Dubai is an economic powerhouse located in the heart of the Gulf. The UAE, and Dubai in particular, serve as not only a gateway to the MENA region, but effectively provide a door to business for the entire Asian and African continents as well. This is due to the country’s world class logistics and transportation infrastructure, which gives the region air transportation access to almost 80% of the world’s population within an 8 hour timeframe. This capability in itself is a remarkable achievement, and as a result, the UAE possesses a vibrant and throbbing economy.

Dubai is the most well known tourist and business destination, being home to almost 4 million people during the work week. It is also a world famous tourist hub, with sites such as an indoor ski dome, the huge skyscraper of the Burj Dubai, and the cultural heritage of Bur Dubai (“Old Dubai”).

Regardless of the economic season, there are almost always opportunities to succeed in the UAE and Dubai!

For general information on labor laws for expat workers, click here.


Procedures for company setup

Freezone Entities

Freezone entities are unique zones located within the jurisdiction of the UAE, which allow foreign companies to open entities with 100% control or ownership. Depending on the Freezone, almost any kind of activity can be permitted, from the practice of law, to the transportation of goods.

Each freezone has its own requirements, but generally speaking you will be required to rent an office space from the Freezone and/or acquire a smart desk for the year, in order to start doing business. You will also have to submit documentation, sign a contract with the Freezone, and submit your corporate memorandum to the Freezone Authority before receiving your business license. We can assist you with these procedures under our service packages described on our site.

Mainland Entities

Entities formed in the “mainland” require registration with the Department of Economic Development. The main difference between mainland and Freezone entities is the ability granted to mainland companies, to trade freely (in goods particularly) outside of the free zones. Otherwise, Freezone entities (apart from service entities) generally have to appoint a distribution agent for the sale of goods in the mainland (i.e. cannot open a shop directly located in a mainland location).

Most mainland companies also require an Emirati business partner to hold 51% of all shares in the entity. Many foreign business people establish a partnership agreement with an Emirati individual aside from the Corporate Memorandum, allowing them to retain full ownership, control and rights to profits in the entity, in exchange for an annual fee. We can assist you in fulfilling all the requirements associated with establishing a mainland company through our site as well.


Key Facts to be Aware of

  • The corporate bank account is not usually required prior to the establishment of a Free Zone entity. However, after creating the entity, you will have to visit a local bank to establish your corporate account, while fulfilling their requirements.

  • The opening of a Freezone company will grant you a residence visa allowance for your company, commiserate with your office space and requirements.


LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR OTHER KEY SERVICES FOR the UAE

  1. DISPUTE RESOLUTION

  2. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

To Learn more about GCC legal issues please check out the articles listed at the bottom of the page.

International Immigration Services (Available to Clients in Dubai)

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Many people want to go abroad for either studying or work. Borderless Counsel helps you with efficient and reliable migration services, whether for your studies or settling abroad. There are numerous immigration consultants in Dubai which help their clients in legal or illegal migration for a very high fee. Thankfully, we are not a firm who conducts our business in such a manner.

We are transparent with all our clients, and we work to pursue only legal immigration processes. In addition, our fees are clearly broken down for clients, so that the client is able to pay in manageable portions, for specific tasks, as opposed to investing heavily in uncertain outcomes.

We have conducted several surveys, and found out that the most preferred locations for students and young business people are the US, Canada, Australia/NZ, the UK, and the European Union countries. Therefore, we assist the majority of our clients with travel and migration to these regions. You can check our Immigration Law page to learn more.