Service · UAE company formation
Open a UAE company with Auditaxes UK
We help international founders set up a company in the United Arab Emirates — Free Zone or mainland — and fit it into a wider cross-border structure. Our role is advisory and coordinating: we match the licence and jurisdiction to your real activity, prepare the incorporation with you and stay alongside the company once it is licensed.
Who this service suits
- Founders and groups wanting a UAE base for trading, regional management or holding.
- Businesses serving clients across the Gulf, Africa and Asia from a well-connected hub.
- Entrepreneurs who want the UAE entity planned together with ownership, substance and the rest of their structure — not just a licence.
Free Zone or mainland
The UAE offers Free Zone jurisdictions and mainland licensing. Free Zones suit many international trading, services and holding activities, with their own regulators and rules on where the company can do business. Mainland licensing opens the domestic UAE market directly, with requirements that vary by activity.
We help you weigh substance, cost, office requirements, shareholder setup and where your clients and operations actually are — and coordinate the application with the relevant authority.
What company formation does not include
It is separate from banking. Banks and payment providers run their own checks and make their own decisions. We help you prepare clear information about the business and its owners, but we cannot promise that an account will be opened.
Residency visas linked to a UAE company follow their own immigration process with its own requirements. Where a step needs a local specialist, we coordinate with professionals in our international network or with your own advisers.
How we work with you
- 01
Initial consultation
We discuss your activity, where you and your partners are based and what the UAE entity should do in your overall plans.
- 02
Jurisdiction and licence design
We compare Free Zone and mainland options for your activity and agree the setup: licence type, shareholders, capital and office requirements.
- 03
Coordinating incorporation
We prepare the documentation with you and coordinate the application with the relevant UAE authority until the licence is issued.
- 04
Ongoing support
After licensing we help with renewals, governance and substance, and connect the UAE company with the rest of your structure.
Common questions
Can a foreigner own 100% of a UAE company?
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In most Free Zones, and for many mainland activities, foreign investors can own the whole company. The position depends on the jurisdiction and the activity, so we confirm the current rules for your specific case before you commit.
Do I need to live in the UAE?
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Generally no — most UAE structures can be owned and directed from abroad. Residency visas linked to a company exist but follow their own immigration process; we coordinate with specialists where needed.
Free Zone or mainland — which should I choose?
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It depends on what the company will do. Free Zones fit many international and holding activities; mainland licensing suits businesses serving the UAE domestic market. We map the options against your activity, cost and substance before recommending one.
Will I get a UAE bank account?
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Opening an account is a decision for the bank, after their own checks. We help you present the business and its ownership clearly, but no adviser can guarantee approval.
How long does it take?
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Free Zone licences are often issued within days to a few weeks, depending on the authority, the activity and how quickly documents are ready. Mainland timings vary more by emirate and activity.
Regulatory points on this page summarise UAE Free Zone and licensing authority guidance. Always check the current rules for your activity and jurisdiction.
Related
Tell us about the UAE company you want to open
Write to us with a short description of your activity and where the owners are based. We will reply to arrange an initial consultation.
contact@auditaxes.uk