Company Formation
Freezone, mainland, offshore, trade licences and self-sponsorship.
Setting up a UAE company properly: freezone vs mainland vs offshore, choosing the right emirate (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, RAK and beyond), what a trade licence really costs, self-sponsorship, and how to choose help, or whether you need it at all. The licence is the easy part; fitting it to your plans is the bit worth getting right first time.
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How to set up a company in Dubai from the UK
You can set up a UAE company entirely from the UK, and most founders do. Here is what registration actually involves, the freezone vs mainland choice, and the two decisions that matter most before you start.
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Best Dubai freezone for consultants and service businesses
A practical guide to choosing the right UAE freezone if you run a consulting, professional services or knowledge-based business. Covers DMCC, IFZA, DIFC, Meydan and more.
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What is a UAE holding company, and do UK founders need one?
A UAE holding company can consolidate businesses, hold assets and ring-fence risk, but it's not a UK-tax shield. Here's what it actually does, when it helps a UK founder, and when it's overkill.
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How to choose a UAE company-setup partner (and the red flags to watch)
If you're going to use a setup firm, choose well. The honest signs of a good UAE company-formation partner, and the red flags that tell you to keep looking.
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Why creators and digital nomads base their business in the UAE
Creators and location-independent founders increasingly base their business in the UAE, a credible, stable, 0%-personal-tax home for the brand, while living and travelling anywhere. Here's why, and the catches.
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Do you need a consultant to set up in the UAE, or can you do it yourself?
An honest look at when you can set up in the UAE yourself and when a consultant earns its keep, it's less about the licence and more about the cross-border joins that are costly to get wrong.
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Can I base my company in Dubai but live abroad?
You can own and run a UAE company while living elsewhere, but residence visas need periodic UAE presence, and where you personally pay tax depends on your own circumstances. Here's the honest picture.
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Dubai vs Abu Dhabi vs RAK: which emirate should you set up in?
Dubai isn't the only option. How Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) compare for company setup, cost and lifestyle, and why the right emirate depends on what you're actually doing.
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Self-sponsorship in Dubai: can I sponsor my own visa?
How self-sponsorship works in the UAE, using your own company to sponsor your residence visa and your family's, who it suits, and how it differs from an employer-sponsored visa.
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What is a UAE freezone and how does it work?
Freezones are the most common way Brits set up in the UAE, 100% foreign ownership, a simple licence and a route to a visa. Here's what a freezone is, how it works, and when it's the right choice.
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Freezone vs mainland vs offshore: which UAE company do I need?
The three UAE company types in plain English, what each is for, and which fits a UK founder moving over. Most service businesses want a freezone; here's why, and the exceptions.