Company Formation in the UAE
Mainland, free zone or offshore — the structure you pick early on determines your ownership, costs and visa quota for as long as the company exists. Get it right the first time.
The Structuring Decision
Setting up a company in the UAE is straightforward once you know which jurisdiction and licence type fit your business — the harder part is making that choice with a clear view of the trade-offs, since restructuring later costs more than getting it right at the outset. We start with your business activity and target market, not a generic recommendation.
Your Three Options
Mainland
Licensed by the Department of Economic Development. Trade anywhere in the UAE, take on government contracts, with 100% foreign ownership available for most activities.
Free Zone
Offers 100% ownership and streamlined setup. Since 2023, free zone companies can also operate in mainland Dubai under a dual-licence permit — worth considering if your customers are mainland-based.
Offshore
For holding assets, international trade or tax structuring rather than operating inside the UAE. Cannot lease UAE office space or sponsor employee visas, but fast and inexpensive to set up.
What Hayakom Handles
Once the structure is decided, we manage licensing through to a bank-ready company:
- Jurisdiction and legal structure advice (mainland, free zone or offshore)
- Trade name reservation and initial approval
- Licence activity selection and additional-authority approvals where required
- MOA/AOA drafting and submission
- Trade licence issuance
- Bank account opening support and documentation
- Visa quota assessment and office/flexi-desk arrangement
How We Help You Decide
Most business activities now allow 100% foreign ownership on the mainland, following reforms to UAE Commercial Companies Law — though a small number of “strategic impact” activities still require a UAE national partner or agent. We walk through your activity, customer base and growth plans against these options rather than defaulting to whichever structure is fastest to set up.
How It Works
1. Structure Review
We review your business activity, target market and ownership goals to recommend mainland, free zone or offshore.
2. Name & Approval
Trade name reservation and initial approval from the relevant authority.
3. Licensing
MOA/AOA drafting, licence application, and issuance.
4. Banking & Visas
Bank account opening support and visa processing for you and your team.
What We Need From You
- Passport copies of all shareholders and managers
- A clear description of your intended business activity
- Decision on ownership split between shareholders (if more than one)
- Preferred company name options
- For mainland: an office or Ejari agreement once the licence is ready to issue
Related Services
Questions We Get Asked
What founders ask before choosing a structure.