Are you considering launching your own company and don’t know where and how to start? In this case, a business and foreign-friendly destination could really boost your confidence, and one of the places that gives you just that is Dubai. Why? Simply because it is easy to register an enterprise, but most importantly, you can operate in any sector you want, as the regulations here are straightforward for all types of activities, helping you understand from the start what to do.
Let’s see below how you can start a business in Dubai if you are a foreigner.
No need to restrict to a place of registration anymore
Yes, you read that well: you no longer need to spend time considering whether it is best to open a company in Dubai or one of its free zones. Most activities can now be conducted in Mainland, no matter your nationality.
However, if you are interested in obtaining certain tax benefits or operating in a designated sector that is better regulated in a free zone, you can do that. You can also consult a specialist who can advise, so that you make a good choice, if you are not sure about it, but you have the freedom to fully own your business, no matter where you form it.
Choose a good legal form for your activity
From this point of view, the safe option is the private limited liability company, as you can be the sole owner, and you don’t need a local director, which is ideal from a registration compliance point of view. Similar requirements apply to free zone companies.
Documents preparation and filing
Going to the practical side of opening a company in Dubai, you need to draft a few documents, such as:
These documents must be filed with the Trade Registry or free zone authority, depending on the chosen location.
The licensing phase
The licensing of a Dubai company is simpler than that of a business in Europe, for example. Why? Simply because you have 3 large categories of permits to choose from:
Free zones issue licenses appropriate to the activities you can complete there, so no need to worry.
The final steps to open a company in Dubai are bank account opening and tax registration.
Visa options
An interesting fact that could interest you as a foreigner in Dubai is that you have several immigration options dedicated to entrepreneurs. The Golden Visa is one of the most appreciated and is definitely worth looking into.
If you decide to open a company in Dubai as a foreigner, the steps above will help you navigate the procedure quite easily. However, it is never a bad idea to ask for professional help, especially when it can make things easier from a language point of view.
