UAE mainland consists of all business entities which are directly registered under economic department of each emirates. These entities can perform different business activities in the local market subject to government approvals.

Business Setup In Dubai Mainland

Company formation in Dubai Mainland has the benefit of choosing a wide range of locations. The preferred business set up in Dubai are as:

• Business Bay – the business hub for service and the hospitality business sectors. It is the ideal location for small shops to MNCs. This region is situated between Sheikh Zayed and Dubai Creek road.
• Deira – the oldest part of Dubai. It is situated in Dubai north. Sharjah lies on the border of Deira and is the best location to establish shops and medium enterprises.
• Al Quoz – Situated in the South-West region in Dubai. This is an industrial area running parallel with Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Khail roads, connecting with the sides of Al Quoz road in the north-south direction. This can be the preferred destination to set up industrial, warehouses and business activities.
• Al Qusais – situated next to Dubai International Airport. It is a well-known industrial region. This belongs to the suburbs of Dubai, which is preferred to set up educational concerns and commercial establishments.
• Jumeirah – situated on the west coast. It has a lot to offer for the tourism and real estate sectors. Restaurants and resorts in this area grasp the attention of tourists.

Benefits Of Dubai Mainland Business Setup

• Office space – mainland business is accomplished in the country. Offshore and free zone business entities have to operate in geographical locations.
• Business anywhere in UAE – no restrictions to carry the business endeavour in any place of UAE.
• Preferred geographical location – Dubai or UAE is the gateway of the middle east. It has scope for business diversification in GCC countries.
• Exemption of corporate tax – Dubai mainland companies benefit from corporate tax exemptions.
• Exemptions of income tax – Dubai mainland companies get exempted from income tax.
• Capital incentives – as the pro-business government, UAE has incentives and concessions for investors. No minimum capital prerequisite is needed to set up the business in UAE.
• No restrictions in currency exchange – mainland companies of UAE, don’t go through currency exchange regulations.
• Enhanced business opportunity – you have international exposure if starting your business in the UAE mainland. Get better reach with international markets and clients. Also, leverage the mainland’s international exposure to diversify your business.
• Professional business ethos – has consideration for business enterprises of all kinds. A professional work culture environment keeps Dubai the favourite place for startups, seasoned professionals and entrepreneurs.
• Hassle-free business – mainland business set the formalities to easily accomplish the mentioned guidelines that gets issued by governmental agencies and License issuance authorities. The professional guidance and assistance from Dubai business consultants accomplish a complete Company Incorporation formalities of the mainland with ease.

Dubai Mainland business licenses for Company Formation

Major licenses get issued to operate in the UAE’s mainland. These licenses have business endeavours like:

• Professional License – is for firms undertaking service-oriented endeavours. It is needed for activities like consulting. The cost of professional license issuance is less.
• Commercial License – is for business establishments undertaking selling and buying goods, services or trading. Generally, traders choose a general trading license to conduct multiple trading endeavours with one license. These licenses are common in UAE and Dubai. These formalities connect with the professional license for amendment, issuance, and cancellation.
• Industrial License – is for firms involving the manufacture of goods also for industries and factories. Get approval from government departments and external ministries for your industrial activity.

Steps Setting up of Company in Dubai Mainland

• Memorandum Of Association – this indicates the operational guidelines like share details, purpose and capital involved.
• DED Approval – It performs the MOA notarization and issues the Initial approval. Contact with a business consultant to do it with formality.
• Registering Trade Name – Get a suitable trade name for the business to register with DED.
• Office Space – it is mandatory for setting up the mainland business in UAE/Dubai. The registered office can get the issuance of a trade license.
• Apply License – Get a trade license if the prerequisites are satisfied.
• License Fee Payment – all documents are submitted for the company incorporation to DED and the Commercial registration department by paying the license fee.
• Get License – the trade license can be obtained from DED. The procedures of company registration can be accomplished within a week.

If you’re new to UAE, and need help with company incorporation, then outsource to an experienced business consultant. Black Swan Business Set Up Services guide you in Company formation in Dubai & Entire UAE. Our consultants and advisors are ready to help you.

Documents Needed For Mainland Business Incorporation

Based on the type of shareholder, the needs of documents differ. A specific group of documents is required by the individual shareholders. While corporate shareholders need another set. All the requirements are mentioned below:

Documents Of Individual Shareholder

• The passport copies of directors, foreign shareholders, and managers, have to be submitted.
• When the shareholder is on the employment visa, then the employer’s NOC is applicable.
• Copy of UAE’s shareholder National ID Card

Removal Of Mandatory Needs Of A Local Emirate Sponsor In The United Arab Emirates

Previously, the company formation regulations needed the support of a local Emirate Sponsor to start a business in the UAE. It was an uphill task to get a reliable sponsor. The risk here was the sponsor holds 51% of company shares and all official documents must be addressed to him. But the country’s decision on removal of mandatory needs brings a quantum leap in the arrival of expatriate business persons. This strengthens the business sectors as well the UAE’S economy.

Corporate Sponsorship

A corporate sponsor is required by the mainland LLC companies. The corporate sponsor works behalf of an individual sponsor. The corporate sponsor should have the corporate company owned by the United Arab Emirates nationals.

Kinds Of Company Formation In UAE’s Mainland

1.Incorporation Of Professional Company

Professional companies depend upon the intellectual or professional capabilities of its shareholders. Business establishments offer all types of consultancy services, which has a category of professional companies. Legal firms, accounting firms, consultancies, and educational consultants dealing with administration & management come in the category of professional companies. A professional trading license is necessary for the professional companies to work in the UAE’s mainland. Sometimes the professional company licenses require educational qualification of shareholders to facilitate the quality of services.

The assets of professional companies get subjected to government monitoring. The assets are monitored, such as their websites to protect its professional standards.

Foreign shareholders or investors can completely own the professional company. Also, the service of the UAE national is required for the company’s incorporation. The United Arab Emirates have no equity share or ownership rights in the company but get a fixed annual service fee.

2.Incorporation Of Branch Office

You have to set up a branch office in Dubai. The branch company acts as the child company for the parent companies and does all business transactions and activities vested on the parent company. The activities are settling the agreements of a parent company, and customer-oriented services as well interactions. Branch offices must not undertake any operations which the parent company is not allowed for. Business establishments in financial sectors such as financial institutions, banks, and insurance companies are likely to set up branch offices in Dubai.

A Guide For Dubai’s Branch Office Incorporation

Fix your business activity to form a company in the Dubai mainland.

Frame Your Company Structure

Reservation of a trade name- Approach the DED (Department of Economic Development) to register a trade name of your branch.

Initial Approval From The Ministry Of Economy

You can apply for the commercial license, after obtaining the initial approval of the Ministry of Economy. DED carries out the license issuance and the validity is upto 1 year.

• Get a suitable office space for the branch, then confirm the location.
• Obtain a corporate bank account.
• Employee-related formalities such as visas and labour cards must be accomplished.
• Get the membership from Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

Documents Needed To Obtain Initial Approval, To Get A MOE

• Proof of trade name registration
• Registration forms
• Certificate of Incorporation from the parents company
• Parent company’s Memorandum And Articles Of Association
• Director’s passport copy
• NOC of parent company
• Board resolution of parent company
• Naturalization book and passport
• Power of Attorney
• Authorization of the management from the parent company

Documents Required For DED (Issuance Of Commercial License)

• Get an initial approval from MOE
• Parent company must issue the statement which defines the branch’s business undertakings
• Last 2 years audited financial statement from parent’s company
• A copy of property lease contract
• Copy of Initial approval documents.

Black Swan Branch Incorporation Services (Dubai)

When your company needs a branch in Dubai, Black Swan can assist you with the Business Incorporation process. We can guide you with:

• Documentation related services
• Get a reliable local service agent
• Branch location assistance
• Coordinate with government agencies for approvals
• Opening the corporate bank account

1.Limited Liability Company

LLC is the preferred mainland business that accommodates multiple shareholders. Many business activities come under LLC’s except banking or insurance.

No need to follow the company’s share ratio to check the loss and profit acquired. LLC licenses get issued by the DED.

A Guide For LLC Set Up In Dubai

• Office space registration
• Trade name reservation
• Name and nationality of shareholders
• Capital shares of individual shareholder
• Loss and profit shares of shareholders
• Identity information like nationality and name.

1.Representative Office

To get an UAE-wide representation you must set up the representative office in Dubai. It is used for business promotions. The international company forms a representative office to halt all business transactions with their clients. The representative office cannot perform business transactions in the United Arab Emirates.

Get the approval from the Ministry of Economy to register a representative office.

Benefits Of Setting Up A Representative Office

Cost For Company’s Set Up

The cost for forming a UAE’s Representative Office is AED 100,000.

More Shareholders

A maximum of 50 shareholders can form a company. So, the representative office gets the flexibility.

Benefits Of Share Capital

No minimum share capital is needed for the representative office formation.

Dubai’s Mainland Business Setup Jurisdictions

A vast range of locations can be chosen for the mainland business setup. Some of the suitable business setup jurisdictions in Dubai are mentioned below:

Business Bay

It is the business hub suited for the hospitality and service sectors. This is an ideal location for several business establishments. This region is located in between Sheikh Zayed and Dubai Creek road.

Deira

One of the ancient parts of Dubai is Deira, located in the north of Dubai. It shares borders with Sharjah and is ideal to start medium enterprises and small shops.

Al Quoz

This is situated in the South-west regions of Dubai, with industrial areas. Al Khail Road and Sheikh Zayed Road run parallel in the side of Al Quoz.

Al Qusais

It is situated next to Dubai’s International Airport. Al Qusais has residential complexes as well. It is suited for educational concerns and commercial establishments.

Jumeirah

It is situated in the west-coast, which has tourism and real estate sectors. The restaurants and resorts attract the attention of tourists.

Ways To Set Up A Mainland Company (Dubai)

• Get the MOA with operational guidelines of the company such as share details, purpose, and capital involved.
• Get initial approval from DED. It performs the notarization of Memorandum of Association and obtains the initial approval. Get the help of a business consultant for obtaining the approval.
• Register the suitable trade name for your business with the DED. They can change or discard the name if previously chosen by a company.
• You need an office space to set up a mainland business in UAE or Dubai. It requires the issuance of the trade license.
• Information related to tenancy or ownership agreement must be produced.
• If the aforementioned prerequisites are completed, you can apply for the trade license.
• DED issues the mainland license in UAE.
• You must submit all required documents to the DED and to the Commercial registration department, also pay the license fees.
• Obtain your trade license from DED. The procedures of company registration will be completed in a week, if all formalities are done.
• Get the guidance of a professional business consultant if you’re new to UAE/ Dubai.
• At Black Swan Business Set Up Services, we assist you with the tasks related to the main business formation in UAE and Dubai.

Our consultants and advisors can always help you out with these procedures.