UAE Company Setup
Mainland – Free Zone – Offshore
Most setup mistakes happen before a single form is filed. Wrong jurisdiction, wrong activity code, wrong ownership structure. Connect Group has set up over 15,000 businesses in the UAE by getting these three things right from the start.
This service is delivered through our dedicated group subsidiaries, ensuring niche expertise at every stage.
These are not edge cases. They are the calls Connect Group takes every week from businesses that set up without the right advice.
“These are not rare cases. They are the calls we take every week.”Speak to a Setup Specialist
A free zone licence cannot sell directly to UAE mainland clients without a distribution agreement or a separate mainland entity. Discovering this after the licence is issued means paying twice and waiting again. Connect Group confirms jurisdiction fit before a single form is filed.
UAE banks apply their own KYC standards, independent of any licensing authority. High-risk activity classifications, certain shareholder nationalities, and insufficient business documentation are the most common triggers for rejection. A rejected application delays operations by weeks. Connect Group introduces clients to banking partners whose criteria match their company profile before they apply.
Trading on an activity not listed on your licence is a DET violation. Amending an activity after the fact costs additional government fees and processing time that a correct initial filing avoids. Connect Group confirms every activity code against your actual business model before submission.
Since the 2021 FDI reform, 100% foreign ownership has been permitted across most mainland activities. But specific sectors still require UAE national participation or a corporate sponsor. Getting the structure wrong at incorporation creates a company that cannot trade and requires a full restructure to fix.
Six facts that explain why the UAE attracted over AED 170 billion in foreign direct investment in a single year and why that number is still rising.
Every dirham you earn stays yours. No personal income tax, no capital gains tax on personal investments, and no withholding tax on dividends.
The 2021 FDI reform extended full foreign ownership to the majority of mainland activities. A UAE national partner is no longer required for most business categories.
Dubai sits at the intersection of Europe, Asia and Africa. Emirates alone flies to over 140 destinations, making Dubai one of the world's best-connected business addresses.
Multi-currency accounts, SWIFT connectivity and private banking access through institutions like ADCB, Emirates NBD, Mashreq and HSBC, all operating under UAE Central Bank regulation.
Corporate tax at 9% applies above AED 375,000 per year from June 2023. Businesses below AED 3,000,000 in revenue qualify for small business relief. Qualifying free zone income retains a 0% rate.
Free zone licences issued in 3 to 7 working days. IFZA zero-visa packages from AED 14,000. Mainland DED licences in 5 to 10 working days when documentation is complete on the first submission.
Three structures. The right one depends on who your clients are, where they are based and what you plan to do with the company. Connect Group confirms the fit before anything is filed.
Option 01
For businesses that need to trade directly with UAE clients, bid on government contracts or operate from any physical location across the UAE. Licensed by DED or the relevant emirate authority.
Learn about Mainland Setup →Option 02
For businesses that operate internationally, want full foreign ownership and tax exemptions, and do not need to sell directly to UAE mainland consumers. Over 40 free zones covered by Connect Group.
Learn about Free Zone Setup →Option 03
For businesses that want to hold assets, open a UAE bank account, and trade internationally without operating physically inside the UAE. Available through JAFZA, RAK ICC, and Ajman offshore authorities.
Learn about Offshore Setup →Not Sure Which Fits?
Six steps. One point of contact. Your only job is to tell us what you want to build. Every filing, every submission, and every follow-up is Connect Group's responsibility from that point.
We review your business model against the full DED and free zone activity list, confirm ownership eligibility under post-2021 FDI rules, and recommend the jurisdiction that fits your clients, your structure, and your visa requirements.
We check availability and reserve your preferred trade name with the relevant authority. This happens after initial approval is confirmed, so the name is secured before the licence application is submitted.
Memorandum of association, shareholder documentation, passport copies, application forms. We prepare the complete package and submit it correctly on the first attempt, which is the single biggest factor in keeping timelines on track.
Every UAE licence requires a valid registered address. We arrange your office, serviced workspace or flexi-desk through our network of approved UAE workspace providers, matched to your licence type and visa requirements.
We collect the issued licence from the authority and verify every detail against your original brief before delivery. Activity codes, ownership structure, and trade name are confirmed accurate before you receive the document.
Establishment card, MOHRE registration, and investor visa applications filed simultaneously. Bank account introductions made to partner institutions whose KYC criteria match your company profile, reducing rejection risk before you apply.
From the People Using It
I came to Connect Group having already wasted three weeks with another provider who got my activity codes wrong. Connect Group corrected the entire structure, resubmitted with the right documentation, and had my licence issued in six days. Everything was accurate on the first submission.
Connect Group helped us hire and relocate a team of 15 within a month. We had the mainland licence, the visas and the payroll structure in place before anyone landed. Best execution team.
We were entering the UAE from Singapore with no idea where to start. Connect Group walked us through mainland versus free zone, confirmed the right structure for our client base and handled every document. Three months in and we are fully operational.
A trade licence opens the door. What you need next is the infrastructure to operate. Connect Group covers every function a UAE business needs to run compliantly from day one.
Visa renewals, MOHRE filings and government liaison so no deadline is ever missed and no establishment card ever lapses.
Investor visas, employee work permits, Emirates ID and dependent sponsorship, all processed through Connect Group's licensed PRO team.
Introductions to UAE banking partners pre-screened against your company activity and shareholder profile, reducing rejection risk before you apply.
WPS payroll, MOHRE labour contracts, employee onboarding and ongoing HR administration through Connect Group's workforce division.
Common Questions
The questions every client asks before filing. Answered directly, without preamble.
Yes, and this is where most engagements start. Connect Group reviews your business activity, where your clients are based and what you need the company to do. From there, the right structure becomes clear. Mainland gives you full UAE market access. Free zone suits international trading with lower setup costs. Offshore works for holding, assets and privacy. You do not need to arrive with the answer. That is what Connect Group is for.
Free zone licences are issued in 3 to 7 working days once documents are submitted correctly. Mainland DED licences take 5 to 10 working days. Offshore registration completes in 3 to 5 working days.
The timelines hold when the documentation is complete and accurate on first submission. That is what Connect Group prepares before anything is filed.
Some regulated activities require approvals from sector authorities beyond the main licensing body. Healthcare needs DHA clearance. Education needs KHDA. Food activities need Dubai Municipality.
Connect Group identifies every required approval for your activity before filing and submits to all relevant authorities simultaneously where possible, which keeps timelines tight.
There is no fixed package because every setup is different. Your licence type, activity, emirate, office size and visa count all affect the cost. Connect Group builds a full itemised breakdown for your specific brief before anything is filed.
Government fees are passed through at cost. Your service fee is confirmed in writing. Nothing moves until you approve.
The licence opens the door. What comes next is the establishment card, MOHRE registration, investor visas, a bank account and corporate tax registration with the FTA. Connect Group manages all of these as part of the standard post-licence process. Most clients continue working with Connect Group for PRO services, visa renewals and HR support after setup is complete.
Yes. One named specialist manages your file from the first conversation to the delivered licence. They coordinate every submission, follow up with every authority and keep you updated at each stage. You are not passed between departments. You always know who to call and they always know your file.
Not always. Free zone and offshore setups can often be completed remotely with notarised documents. Mainland setups typically require physical presence for the MOA signing and bank account opening. Connect Group tells you exactly which steps need your presence before you book any travel. No unnecessary trips.
Tell Connect Group what you want to build and where your clients are. We confirm the jurisdiction, the activity codes, and the structure, then file everything correctly the first time. 15,000 businesses before you have done exactly this.
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