Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers to the questions we are asked most often in first conversations. Where a figure or a rule is set by UAE law we have stated it plainly; where the honest answer is “it depends on your position”, we have said that instead.
How long does it take to set up a company in Dubai?
Most free zone companies are incorporated within one to two weeks once documents are in order, and mainland LLCs typically take two to four weeks. The timeline depends far less on the authority than on how well the application is prepared. Name approval, activity selection, shareholder documents and attestations are where delays actually happen, and all four are decided before anything is filed.
What is the difference between a free zone and a mainland company in the UAE?
The practical difference is where you may trade and which authority licenses you, not who may own the company. Since Federal Decree-Law No. 26 of 2020 took effect in 2021, foreign investors can own 100% of a mainland company across most activities, so the old rule that free zones were the only route to full ownership no longer holds. A mainland licence, issued by the Department of Economy and Tourism, lets you contract freely with customers anywhere in the UAE and bid for government work. A free zone licence is issued by one of the individual zone authorities and is designed around a defined activity list and a specific premises, with its own tax and customs treatment.
A small group of activities, including banking, insurance, telecommunications, defence and commercial agencies, remains restricted and needs approval or local participation regardless of route. The choice between the two is driven by who your customers are, where they are, what your licence activities require, and what you intend the structure to do in five years. It is expensive to unwind, which is why we start with the structure question rather than the licence question.
Which Golden Visa route is right for me?
There are five broad routes to the UAE’s 10-year Golden Visa: property ownership, investment, salary, specialist talent, and retirement. The property route requires qualifying real estate with a Dubai Land Department certified valuation of AED 2 million or more, and as of 2026 mortgaged and off-plan property can qualify provided the certified valuation meets that floor, with a bank no-objection certificate where a mortgage exists. The salary routes turn on basic salary rather than total package, which catches people out.
The right route depends on your assets, your income, how long you intend to stay, and what happens if your circumstances change. A route chosen for speed can leave you with no fallback when an employment ends, and re-applying means starting again.
Do I pay tax if I live in Dubai?
The UAE levies no personal income tax on salaries, dividends or capital gains for individuals. Businesses pay corporate tax at 0% on taxable profits up to AED 375,000 and 9% above that. Small Business Relief is available to businesses with revenue of AED 3 million or less, and in August 2026 the Ministry of Finance extended it to tax periods ending on or before 31 December 2029. Qualifying free zone entities cannot use it, but can access a 0% rate on qualifying income under separate conditions.
Your home country’s tax residency rules do not switch off because you have moved. For British clients in particular, the interaction between UAE residency and the post-non-dom regime is the part that needs designing, not assuming, which is why we treat residency planning and corporate structuring as one conversation.
What is a DIFC foundation, and why would I use one instead of a trust?
A DIFC foundation is a legal entity in the Dubai International Financial Centre that holds and governs assets under its own charter, combining the control of a company with the succession function of a trust. For families with UAE assets, foundations have largely displaced offshore trusts because they sit onshore, are backed by a common-law court in the DIFC, and are recognised by UAE authorities and banks without the explanatory friction an offshore trust attracts.
The consequence of not having one is concrete. A Dubai property held in personal name enters UAE probate on death, and a single-shareholder operating company with no succession vehicle and no UAE will can be paralysed for a long time while the estate is resolved.
Can I move my existing UK company to Dubai?
Often yes. Redomiciliation lets an existing company migrate its legal seat to a UAE jurisdiction, keeping its incorporation date, contracts, banking history and track record rather than starting again as a new entity. Not every jurisdiction accepts inbound migration and not every company should use it.
The alternatives are a UAE holding company above the existing business, or a UAE subsidiary that takes on new trade. Which one is right depends on where the assets sit, where the customers are, and what the move is actually for. Getting this wrong is one of the more costly mistakes we are asked to unwind.
How much does it cost to set up a company in Dubai?
It depends on the jurisdiction, the licence activities, the number of visas and the structure around them, which is why we quote each engagement individually rather than publishing a price list. In an initial conversation we can usually give you a realistic all-in range for your situation, and, just as importantly, what the second year costs. Most unexpected year-two costs are year-one decisions that were made without anyone mentioning the consequence.
Do I need to live in Dubai to keep my UAE residence visa?
A standard UAE residence visa lapses if you remain outside the country for more than 180 consecutive days, while Golden Visa holders are exempt from that rule and can stay abroad without losing status, provided the visa itself is renewed before it expires. For internationally-mobile families who will not be in the UAE continuously, this single difference often decides the route.
Why do you limit the number of clients you take on?
Because what we sell is senior attention, and senior attention does not scale. Each engagement is assigned a dedicated senior advisor who stays with the client through all four phases of the architecture, so we accept a small number of new engagements each quarter and ask the rest to wait for the next one. Volume providers exist for clients who want the opposite trade, and we will say so plainly if that is the better fit for you.
Two tools that answer the first questions
Before a conversation, two things may help. Our free quote tool gives an indicative figure for the structure you have in mind, and the visa eligibility check tells you which residency routes your circumstances fit.
Still have a question?
An initial conversation lasts thirty minutes, is by appointment, and is without charge or obligation. We respond to every enquiry within one Gulf Standard Time business day.
Last reviewed August 2026. Thresholds, reliefs and visa rules change, and the treatment of any particular structure depends on facts specific to it. Nothing on this page is advice on your own position.