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Mainland Company Formation in UAE

Form your company in the UAE and receive all the benefits

No minimum capital

Trade locally and internationally

Unlimited visas

Dubai Licenses Starting From AED 18,835

includes govt fee – See Pricing Details

The Steps

Follow these steps and set up your mainland company formation in UAE

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Step 1

Pick your location and activity based on your company's needs

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Step 2

We will complete all paperwork and prepare all legal documents

Step 3

Receive your license and start your company operations in the UAE

Documents Required for Mainland Company Formation in UAE

The following documents are required for an individual shareholder for Mainland Company Formation in UAE:

  • Copy of shareholder(s) passport(s).
  • Shareholder(s) passport photo(s) .
  • Copy of shareholder(s) Emirates ID (if the shareholder is a UAE resident).
  • Shareholder(s) Visa copy (if the shareholder is a UAE resident).
  • NOC from shareholder(s) current sponsor (if required).
  • 3-5 potential company names

The following documents are required for a corporate shareholder for Mainland Company Formation in UAE:

  • Notarized and attested copy of board resolution.
  • Notarized copy of memorandum and articles of association.
  • Notarized copy of trade license.
  • Notarized copy of certificate of incorporation.

Location

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License Options for Mainland Company Formation in UAE

100% Foreign Ownership Packages - Commercial License

Prices may vary depending on company activity

Sole Establishment

AED18,835
Tradename reservation - AED 620
Initial approval - AED 220
Submission of documents - AED 420
Memorandum & Articles of Association (MOA) - AED 575
License fee – AED 12,000
Connect Zone Setup fee - AED 5,000

Limited Liability Company

AED 20,835
Tradename reservation - AED 620
Initial approval - AED 220
Submission of documents - AED 420
Memorandum & Articles of Association (MOA) - AED 575
License fee – AED 14,000
Connect Zone Setup fee - AED 5,000

General Trading

AED 31,835
Tradename reservation - AED 620
Initial approval - AED 220
Submission of documents - AED 420
Memorandum & Articles of Association (MOA) - AED 575
License fee - AED 25,000
Connect Zone Setup fee - AED 5,000

Terms and Conditions:

  1. All government fees are subject to change and will be charged as per actual. 
  2. Government fees may vary due to factors such as activity, office space, amount of shareholders, etc. 
  3. Some activities may require additional approval and this price (if any) shall be added on additionally. 
  4. A tenancy agreement is required before the license is received. This is not included and should be obtained through Connect Business Center or independently. 
  5. There will be a 5% market fee (5% of your business’s annual rent) added to the license as it is a government requirement. 
  6. Certain activities require a fully attested degree related to the subject and also 3 year related experience. An exam may be required also. 
  7. A fee of AED 2,000 will apply for a company name that is not of Arabic origin.
  8. There will be an additional fee for corporate shareholders.

Additional factors to consider depending on the company’s needs:

  1. Immigration and MOHRE establishment card
  2. Investor Visa
  3. Employee Visa 
  4. Medical test and Emirates ID 
  5. Office space
  6. Corporate shareholders
  7. Legal form of company
  8. Additional visa quota 

Timeline

The process when forming your Mainland Company Formation in UAE

1 - Trade Name and Initial Approval
Send us the documents for all shareholders so we can begin the process. We will need 3 potential names in order reserve one for your company. After the name has been approved we can put all documentation together for final checks.
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2 - Document Signing and Submission
If required we will prepare legal documents so they are ready to be signed at the Notary Public. All shareholders must be present in order to sign these documents. After this we will submit the documents on your behalf.
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3 - Tenancy Contract and Approvals
Once the legal documentation has been accepted we will need to present a tenancy contract for your company. Only after this will the authorities check if there are any approvals necessary and once the approvals are complete they can prepare your trade license.
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4 - Trade license is issued
Once your trade license has been issued you will need to begin with your immigration and MOHRE establishment card. You will not be able to add visas to your license without it. After this you may begin to add the visas you require.
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Mainland Company Formation in UAE

A Mainland company has far more freedom when it comes to selling products or services in the UAE than a free zone company. It can carry out it’s operations all over the emirate it was established whereas a free zone company is restricted to that free zone. 

The Benefits of Establishing A Mainland Company Formation in UAE 

  • Ability to deal with the UAE or GCC governments
    • Ability to bid for government tenders
  • Easy bank account opening
    • Banks favor more towards mainland companies making opening corporate accounts easier
  • Can be 100% foreign owned due to recent changes in regulations
    • Previously there was a requirement for an Emirati to have 51% shares in a commercial license however, that rule has recently changed meaning it can be 100% foreign owned
  • Trade Locally, with free zones and internationally
  • No restrictions on office location
    • Chose an office anywhere
  • No restrictions on visa quota
    • The price of your license does not affect your visa allowance meaning you can keep applying for more quota
  • There is also no requirement for a yearly audit
    • Most Free Zones require yearly auditing of the companies
  • More comprehensive range of permissible business activities
  • No Corporate or income tax

Licensing Options Through the Department of Economic Development for Mainland Company Formation in UAE

 

Professional License:

This type of license is based around services. The skills and expertise of the shareholder(s) will be the main selling point for the business. Professional licenses in the UAE only come under the legal form sole establishment. The shareholder may establish the company 100% under his/her own name, with the exception of some activities. You may have more than 1 shareholder for your company but for a professional license you will always need a Local Service Agent. This is an Emirati who will have no shares in your company but will be paid a yearly LSA fee.

Commercial License:

A commercial license is issued in the legal form of Sole establishment or limited liability company (LLC). These will usually be for trading and import/export activities.

A commercial company may now be 100% foreign owned due to a change in UAE regulations earlier this year. There is also no Local Service Agent required for this license making it extremely popular at the moment.

Branch Office:

When making a branch company you are making an extension of the current local or foreign company. It will have the same name and business activities with no separate legal personality. A special approval is required from the UAE Ministry of Economy when forming a branch office.

Representative Office:

When setting up a representative office it will be primarily to promote the business and give the parent company more accessibility through expansion.

Corporate Bank Accounts

We work closely with several UAE banks so we can best assist our clients with opening their corporate bank accounts.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the most common questions we receive about Mainland Company Formation in UAE

Government Departments

We can help you with the processes in the following government departments.

Government Department
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Get In Touch

We would love to discuss your project and ideas with you.
Get in touch to go over legalities and pricing in order to make your idea a reality. 

location

Our Location

804, City Tower 2, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai

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