As a business owner or budding entrepreneur, you must have come across the thought of setting up your company in a growing business hub. In Dubai, that’s precisely what you get. The clearly defined laws and appropriate support from the government helps you establish your business in Emirates.
To become a legal entity in Dubai, you need to register your company. Several factors decide the registration process for your particular business. Your business type, location, licensing, etc., all account for your dream company’s legal registration in the UAE. It can get confusing for a foreign investor to get around the process of company registration in Dubai. However, with the help of friendly business consultants, your job gets easier.
How to Register My Company in the UAE?
Company registration in Dubai is straightforward when you have the right guidance and correct documents. Moreover, your business model and trade name should abide by the region’s jurisdiction, failing to which your license would be terminated.
Follow these steps to register your company in the UAE successfully:
1) Decide Business Type and Establishment Category
Different laws regulate different business activities in the UAE. You need to have utmost clarity for all your business activities because they’ll decide the license you acquire, the location you choose, and the jurisdiction that your business comes under. Furthermore, you need to select the legal form of your company.
In Dubai, you can establish a sole proprietorship company, LLC (Limited Liability Company), public/private shareholding company, general partnership, etc. An LLC establishment in Dubai needs you to partner with a UAE national who holds 51% of company shares as the local sponsor. Free zone establishments enjoy 100% foreign ownership. Therefore, you should have a clear understanding of these policies before coming to a conclusion.
2) Register a Legal Trade Name
Choose a name for your company and make it official by filing an application for the same to the Trademark Registration Office. The UAE government follows a no-compromise policy for trade names that inflict intellectual or sentimental harm in any form. Therefore, ensure that your trade name complies with the defined criteria.
Once you have applied for the trade name, wait for its approval from the concerned authority. Remember that if you don’t pay the due fees for name registration within three days, it counts as a temporary trade name reservation.
3) Finalize the Company Location
You need to decide on a business location in the UAE that best suits your business activities. For example, if you plan to establish a trading company, you should pick a site that has convenient access to the airport and harbor. If it’s a financial firm, DIFC (Dubai International Financial Centre) is the optimum location as it’s the largest financial free trade zone in the Middle East.
Dubai mainland, free zones, offshore establishments – all have independent jurisdiction and business policies. Your company’s nature and target audience have a critical role in deciding the perfect business location to launch your company in the UAE. You’ll get an attested agreement for your office space from the Real Estate Regulatory authority. This document would be needed in the future for company registration and business licensing.
4) Acquire a Legal Business License
The prerequisites and permits of trade licenses required for registering a company in the UAE vary based on company type. It implies that some categories of companies, such as financial services, health services, printing and publishing, and food trade, need more approvals and agreements than a regular trading company.
There are three main types of company registration licenses issued in Dubai:
- Commercial License: enterprises engaged in some form of trading business require a commercial license.
- Industrial License: companies engaged in the production or other industrial operations need to acquire an industrial license.
- Professional License: professionals who offer service, artisans, and technicians obtain a professional license.
5) Visa Validation
Ensure that your visa is valid and up to date. There’s an investor visa/employee visa for company formation in Dubai. The investor visa gives investors a temporary residency for a maximum term of three years. Therefore, it’s the best choice for investors who want to register their company in the UAE. Visa procurement generally takes 4-5 business days. However, sometimes it takes upto 15 days to complete. The cost of an investor visa is around AED 4000.
Required documents:
- Copy of your passport
- Two latest photographs
6) Final Documentation for Company Registration
There’s a long list of documents that you need to submit for successful registration. It includes necessary paperwork for the branch office, registration process, and visa application. After acquiring a visa, the next phase is to get all the documents stacked for the branch office and final registration. Furthermore, you need to sign a Memorandum of Association based on the legal form of your company.
The memorandum is required for corporate or local service agents as it’s a legal obligation for particular business types in Dubai. The last stage of registration is at the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The government will grant a Certificate of Registration after duly examining all the documents and applications. It’s the confirmation that the overseas company is a legal establishment and can officially begin with its operations.
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Collaborate with Shuraa Business Setup
Several technical and administrative procedures are part of a company’s registration journey. When you connect with Shuraa Business Setup, we’ll do all the heavy lifting for you to ensure smooth company registration in Dubai. Our business consultants will help you secure the right license at the right price. We’ll prepare all the documents for you and work hand-in-hand for the successful establishment of your company.
