Offshore Company Setup UAE
Built for investors who mean business.
Since 2016, Connect Group has established over 15,000 international businesses in the UAE. We build robust corporate structures through premium jurisdictions like RAK ICC and JAFZA, securing you complete foreign ownership, zero tax on international income, and freedom from local physical obligations. Every entity is correctly filed, fully compliant, and operational in as few as three days.
Our Specialist Brands
This service is delivered through our dedicated group subsidiaries, ensuring niche expertise at every stage.
Who uses a UAE
Offshore company?
Connect Group sets up offshore companies for investors, founders and family offices across six common use cases.
Holding Structures
Use your offshore company to hold shares in UAE businesses or overseas subsidiaries. Dividends flow up to the holding level, keeping operating risk away from your accumulated wealth.
Property Investors
Both RAK ICC and JAFZA offshore companies can own freehold property in Dubai's designated investment zones. Holding property through a corporate structure makes succession planning simpler and avoids the probate process entirely.
IP Ownership
Register trademarks, patents and software copyrights at the offshore entity level, then license them to your operating companies. Connect Group advises on the substance requirements that apply under current UAE tax rules.
Family Offices
The UAE is among the world's top 10 wealth management jurisdictions in 2026. RAK ICC family office structures give families the privacy, flexibility and international credibility that serious wealth planning requires.
Special Purpose Vehicles
Create a separate legal entity around a specific asset, deal or liability. SPVs are widely used in real estate transactions, private equity and project finance where keeping one asset isolated from the rest of your structure matters.
International Trading
Invoice international clients, hold multi-currency accounts and manage cross-border transactions through a UAE-registered entity. No physical office in the UAE is required to operate this way.
What a UAE Offshore company formation gives you?
Six verified advantages. All in place from day one. All backed by current UAE law.
0% Tax on Offshore Income
Offshore companies are exempt from UAE corporate tax. They cannot generate UAE-sourced income, so the 9% rate does not apply to them.
Shareholder Privacy
No public register of shareholders exists for UAE offshore entities. UBO disclosure is required to authorities only.
100% Foreign Ownership
No local sponsor, no UAE partner, no equity sharing. Full ownership from day one under both RAK ICC and JAFZA frameworks.
UAE Banking Access
Both jurisdictions support UAE bank account opening with Emirates NBD, Mashreq and RAKBank, subject to KYC approval.
Dubai Property Ownership
Both RAK ICC (since Emiri Decree No. 12 of 2024) and JAFZA can hold freehold property in Dubai's designated investment zones.
No Audit Requirement
RAK ICC offshore companies have no mandatory audit. That saves AED 5,000 to AED 15,000 annually versus an operating entity.
RAK ICC or JAFZA Offshore:
Connect Group finds your fit
The UAE has two primary offshore jurisdictions. Connect Group has worked with both since 2016. We compare them against your objectives, budget and banking profile before recommending a single one.
- Setup time
- 3 to 5 working days
- Audit requirement
- None
- Dubai property
- Yes, since 2024
- Minimum directors
- 1
- Minimum capital
- None required
- Best for
- Holding structures, IP ownership, wealth planning, SPVs and cost-conscious investors. 35 to 40% cheaper than JAFZA.
- Setup time
- 5 to 7 working days
- Audit requirement
- May apply
- Dubai property
- Yes, long established
- Minimum directors
- 1 (reduced in 2024)
- Minimum capital
- Strongest of the two
- Best for
- Businesses needing maximum banking strength, a Dubai address or structures where institutional partners require the JAFZA name.
Need advice on finding the right jurisdiction?
How Connect Group handles your UAE Offshore company formation?
Five steps. One point of contact. Connect Group manages every submission, every follow-up and every authority interaction from brief to certificate.
It Starts With Your Objective
We understand what you want to achieve. From there, we recommend RAK ICC or JAFZA based on your purpose, banking profile and budget. The right jurisdiction is confirmed before anything is touched.
Your Company Name Is Secured
Three name options go in simultaneously. Approval typically arrives within 24 hours. We flag naming restrictions upfront so nothing comes back rejected.
Documents Prepared and Submitted
We prepare the full document set, notarised passport copies, proof of address, bank reference letters and beneficial owner declaration, and submit everything in one complete package. No back and forth, no missing items on first submission.
Your Certificate Arrives
RAK ICC typically delivers in 3 to 5 working days. JAFZA in 5 to 7. Your full corporate kit follows, including the certificate of incorporation, share certificates and statutory registers.
Registered, Banked and Ready
FTA corporate tax registration is filed the same day the certificate is issued. Then we prepare your bank-ready file and introduce you to a banking partner whose criteria fit your structure. Your offshore company is fully operational.
Pricing
Quoted around your structure. Not a rate card.
Every offshore engagement is different. Your jurisdiction, structure, shareholder profile and banking requirements all shape the cost.
Connect Group builds the full picture for your specific brief. Government fees are itemised at cost. Your service fee is confirmed in writing before anything is filed.
Get Your Custom QuoteWhy Connect Group for your
UAE Offshore company setup?
Hundreds of offshore formation providers operate in the UAE. Here is what separates Connect Group from the rest.
One Person. Full Accountability.
You are not passed between departments. One Connect Group specialist manages your file from the first brief to the delivered certificate. You always know who to call. They always know your structure.
Done Before You Think to Ask.
Most providers complete the incorporation and stop. Connect Group files FTA corporate tax registration immediately after the certificate is issued. Late registration carries a flat AED 10,000 penalty. With us, that never applies to you.
The Right Bank. First Time.
We build your full bank-ready file first. That includes the structure chart, source-of-funds narrative and expected transaction profile. We match you to banking partners whose KYC criteria align with your specific offshore structure.
9 Years of Knowing What Changes Next.
Connect Group has been forming companies in the UAE since 2016. Every change in the offshore landscape, from the 2024 RAK ICC property update to the FTA registration mandate, has been absorbed into our process before it affects our clients.
You Approve It. Then It Moves.
Government fees, registered agent fees and service charges are itemised separately and confirmed in writing. Nothing moves until you have approved the full breakdown. No surprises on the first invoice.
We Tell You What Fits. Not What We Prefer.
Connect Group recommends a jurisdiction based on your specific objectives, not on which one is easier to process. If RAK ICC fits, we say so. If JAFZA is the right call for your banking profile or property plans, we say that instead.
From the People Using It
What clients say about Offshore setup
with Connect Group?
"We needed a holding structure for three Dubai properties. Connect Group recommended RAK ICC based on the 2024 property rule change and our banking profile. Certificate in four days, bank account open six weeks later. Every step managed for us."
"Connect Group structured our IP holding correctly under the 2026 corporate tax rules. Two other providers had not flagged this as a consideration at all. The royalty arrangement is clean and the FTA registration was filed on day one."
"Connect Group made a complex process incredibly simple. They put together a proper, bank-ready file and made the right introduction, getting our account open in just a few weeks. The file preparation alone was worth the investment. Phenomenal service!."
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions About
UAE Offshore Company Setup
The questions every client asks before filing. Answered directly, without preamble.
What is a UAE offshore company?
A legal entity registered with RAK ICC or JAFZA. It can hold assets, open UAE bank accounts and trade internationally. It cannot conduct business inside the UAE, rent office space or sponsor visas. It is built for holding, asset protection and international trading.
How does Connect Group choose between RAK ICC and JAFZA for me?
Connect Group evaluates three things: your primary purpose, your budget and your banking requirements. RAK ICC suits most holding and wealth structuring needs at 35 to 40% lower cost. JAFZA is recommended when banking strength or a Dubai address is the priority. The recommendation is confirmed in writing before any filing begins.
Can my offshore company own property in Dubai?
Yes. JAFZA offshore companies have held this right since 2003. RAK ICC gained the right to hold Dubai freehold property following Emiri Decree No. 12 of 2024. Both can own property in Dubai's designated investment zones.
Does an offshore company pay UAE corporate tax?
Offshore companies are exempt from corporate tax. They cannot generate UAE-sourced income so the 9% rate does not apply. However, FTA registration is mandatory for every UAE entity. Connect Group files this on day one to avoid the AED 10,000 late registration penalty.
How does Connect Group help open a UAE bank account?
Banking takes 4 to 12 weeks and requires a complete file. Connect Group prepares:
- A clear corporate structure chart
- A credible source-of-funds narrative
- A description of expected transaction types
Connect Group then introduces you to banking partners whose KYC criteria match your structure. This significantly improves approval rates.
What documents does Connect Group need to start?
- Notarised passport copies of all shareholders and directors
- Recent proof of residential address
- Bank reference letters
- Beneficial owner declaration
- Three proposed company names
Connect Group provides a precise checklist at the start of every engagement.
Are there ongoing compliance obligations?
Yes. Annual renewal is required. RAK ICC late penalties start at 10% in month two and reach 50% by month five. FTA returns must be filed within nine months of the financial year end. Connect Group advises on all ongoing obligations at incorporation, not after the first deadline passes.
Your UAE Offshore company. Set up by people who have done this 15,000 times.
One conversation with the right person saves months of wrong decisions.
Start Your Offshore Setup