Seven real engagements from the past year, from a single founder’s company to a multi-shareholder holding structure with visas for the whole founding team. Where a client has not gone ahead, you see the plan we proposed and no claimed result.
We have changed names and details to protect our clients. Every case comes from a real proposal or engagement, and we only describe outcomes we can confirm.
“It’s great to talk to a human.”
“I looked online but there’s too much contradicting information.”
The founders of a UK technology business
A multi-shareholder holding company with visas for the founding team
The situation
Several shareholders wanted a new UAE venture kept apart from their UK companies, with residence visas for the founding team and their shareholdings held privately. Partway through, they asked whether a financial-centre company would suit them better.
“Thank you so much for all the support you have given so far.”
What we did
Designed a two-tier structure: a RAK ICC holding company owned by the shareholders, above a free zone operating company.
Put the visas on the employee route under the operating company, so nobody had to produce the personal bank statements an investor visa asks for.
Agreed flexi desks with the free zone in place of the office space a multi-visa licence normally needs.
Set out why a financial-centre company did not fit them: a longer timeline, a public shareholder register, audited accounts and a physical office, at several times the cost.
Combined both companies, every visa, VIP visa stamping and VIP medicals into one invoice, as they asked.
Included corporate tax registration for the operating company.
Later, when the shareholders needed to change their share arrangements, brought in a partner law firm to draft the documents.
Outcome
They went ahead within two weeks of receiving the proposal. The operating company was licensed about five weeks later, over a holiday period, and the visa applications began straight after.
Timeline: Proposal to go-ahead: under two weeks. Go-ahead to licence: about five weeks.
A UK founder planning the move with business partners
A founder’s free zone company, set up from the UK
The situation
They needed a UAE company that could sponsor the founder’s visa now and the rest of the team later, on a tight timeline. Buying a home in the UAE was also on the list, so a mortgage mattered.
What we did
Compared a single company with a two-tier holding structure and set out both options in writing.
Formed a free zone company with room for more visas, so the partners can join without changing the licence.
Applied for the founder’s residence visa from outside the UAE, so the process started before landing.
Registered the company for corporate tax and obtained the establishment card it needs to sponsor visas.
Sent the free zone’s naming rules early, so names could be shortlisted while the paperwork moved.
Introduced them to a UAE mortgage adviser who works with British expats.
Outcome
The incorporation documents arrived less than four weeks after payment, and the mortgage introduction went ahead.
Timeline: Payment to incorporation documents: under four weeks.
A couple weighing up a free zone company with two visas
The situation
They wanted a Dubai company with a residence visa for each of them, and were comparing our proposal with a free zone’s own offer.
“Does this include absolutely everything we need?”
What we did
Proposed a free zone company with a two-visa allocation, timed so a free zone promotion covered the second visa.
Added their second business activity to the licence and flagged early which activity a bank was likely to question.
Went through their “is everything included?” question line by line, and showed separately the medicals and biometrics, which sit outside the free zone’s fees.
Outcome
This is the plan we proposed: one company, two residence visas and a banking application prepared around their activities. They decided not to go ahead at that point.
They wanted the UAE company in place before moving, might not be on the ground for a month or two, and asked whether everything had to be paid upfront.
What we did
Proposed a UAE company we could form entirely from the UK, leaving only the medicals for arrival.
Split the timing: formation first, with the visa stage held back until a couple of weeks before the flight.
Explained that the free zone takes full payment before it starts work, so the formation part is paid upfront.
Pointed to banks that now open UAE business accounts remotely, so the company could trade from the UK.
Re-quoted when the free zone offered a better rate on a longer licence.
Outcome
This is the plan we proposed. They have not gone ahead yet, and have since introduced other founders to us.
