Dubai attracts millions of visitors from around the world every\nyear. Some come to take in the incredible sights, sounds and scenery of our\nemirate. Others have more long-term aims and flock to Dubai to take advantages\nof its incredibly welcoming business environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For\nthose looking to do business here, it\u2019s not hard to see why. Dubai, and the\nwider UAE, is home to one of the most attractive tax regimes in the world \u2013 0%\non both corporate and personal income. Then there\u2019s country\u2019s location at the\nheart of the Middle East, putting it in the perfect spot to trade with every\ncorner of the globe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dubai\u2019s\neasy incorporation process is yet another reason why international\nentrepreneurs choose to set up here. With the right guidance, you could make\nyour license application, obtain your visa and be up and running in a matter of\nweeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Applying\nFor A Business License In Dubai<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n There\nare several steps to take before applying for your business license in Dubai.\nWhile no step is particularly complex on its own, each requires a knowledge of\nthe business incorporation process and it is therefore best undertaken with the\nassistance of a company formation expert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Step\n1: Choose Your Business Activity<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Every\nbusiness in Dubai must list a business activity, or activities, on its business\nlicense. This must be chosen from a pre-determined list published by the\nDepartment of Economic Development. It\u2019s important that you list every activity\nthat applies to your business when making your application as failure to do so\ncan lead to fines or even license revocation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\nare over 2,000 to choose from so no matter your industry or the type of\nbusiness you undertake, you are sure to find an activity that fits the bill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Step\n2: Understanding License Types<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Once\nyou have outlined your business activities, you can determine your license\ntype. It\u2019s important that you decide on your activities first as they will\nimpact the type of license you require.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If\nyou are carrying out industrial services such as manufacturing, for example,\nyou will require an industrial license. Similarly, if you are providing\nservices such as marketing or consulting, you\u2019ll require a professional\nservices license. Other available licenses include commercial, e-commerce, and\ntrading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Step 3: Choosing Your Company Name<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A\nstep of the business incorporation process that takes on more importance here\nin Dubai is the choosing of your company name. That\u2019s because as well as the\nneed for a name that\u2019s catchy and captures the essence of your business, you\u2019ll\nalso need to stick to the UAE\u2019s clearly defined naming conventions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In\nshort, UAE company names must not contain any blasphemous or offensive\nlanguage, any references to well-known institutions or any abbreviations of\nyour name \u2013 though your full name is acceptable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your\nname should also have a legal entity attached to it such as FZE or LLC. It must\nalso relate to your business activity, not resemble the name of any other\ncompany and be available to register.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Step\n4: Setting Up In A Free Zone Or The Mainland<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The\nnext key step to starting your business is to decide on the type of setup you\nrequire. There are two common options in the UAE \u2013 free zone and mainland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Both\nbring their own advantages and have several distinct differences. If you choose\nto set up in the mainland, for example, you can trade directly with the local\nmarket without the need for a distributor or local agent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If\nyou set up in a free zone you cannot do this, however you do benefit from\ncustoms tax exemptions and other financial incentives such as the ability to\nrepatriate all capital and profits to your country of origin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Step\n5: Applying For Your License<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Now\nwe come to the most important step \u2013 applying for your business license.\nExactly how you do this will depend on whether you have chosen to set up in the\nmainland or in a free zone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If\nyou\u2019re setting up in the mainland, you can make your license application\ndirectly to the Department of Economic Development. If you\u2019ve chosen a free\nzone setup, you should apply directly to the managing authority of your chosen\nfree zone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In both\ncases, you are usually required to submit several documents along with your application\nform, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Step 6: Applying For Your Visa<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Another\nhighly important step in starting your own business here in Dubai is applying\nfor your residency visa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This\nprocess involves four stages including a medical fitness test and biometric\ncapturing. In all, it usually takes less than a week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As the\nholder of a Dubai business license, you can also sponsor others such as\nchildren, a spouse or domestic staff for their visas too, providing you meet\nthe eligibility criteria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How Much Does A Business License Cost In\nDubai?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The\ntotal Dubai business license cost will depend on many factors. It may be more\ncost-effective to set up in a free zone rather than the mainland, for example.\nEqually, you will pay less for your license package if you only require one\nvisa, or if you do not take on premises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If\nyou\u2019re looking to estimate the Dubai license cost alone \u2013 not inclusive of\npremises or visas \u2013 you should expect to pay somewhere in the region of AED\n15,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Starting Your Dubai Business<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n By\nfollowing the steps above, it is possible to obtain your trade license and\nestablish your business in Dubai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However,\nit is always advisable to undertake the steps with the assistance of a\nregistered company formations agent to eliminate any potential hassles that\nmight arise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With\nmore than 15 years of experience in company incorporation, Worldwide Formations\ncan help you get your business up and running within a week or two. We\u2019ll\nmanage your license and visa application and correspond with all relevant\nauthorities for you. All you need to do is wait for the green light to start\ntrading.<\/p>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Dubai attracts millions of visitors from around the world every year. Some come to take in the incredible sights, sounds and scenery of our emirate. Others have more long-term aims and flock to Dubai to take advantages of its incredibly welcoming business environment. For those looking to do business here, it\u2019s not hard to see why. Dubai, and the wider UAE, is home to one of the most attractive tax regimes in the world \u2013 0% on both corporate and personal income. Then there\u2019s country\u2019s location at the heart of the Middle East, putting it in the perfect spot to […]<\/p>\n