One-Stop Company-Shop
Now you can start your business online with confidence in 3-easy steps. You can incorporate your business in Dubai or any of the other six Emirates in the United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al-Khaimah, Fujairah or Umm Al Quwain). We provide a total company formation service including document verification, quality check, incorporation, work permits, visas, bank accounts, marketing, family visas, housemaid and domestic help visas. We have a standard and affordable pricing policy. Most importantly, we are based in Dubai, U.A.E. Our consultants have extensive experience in helping thousands of businesses incorporate and succeed in the Middle East. We follow transparent procedures to ensure that you are aware of each step of the process. Welcome and thank you for your confidence in us.
This website if packed full with useful information. However, if you would rather get in touch with us and let us determine the best way for you to move forward, kindly click here.
Incorporation, sometimes referred to as setting up, company formation or forming a company is the process of legally registering your business as a separate entity with the government authorities. We say "separate" because U.A.E. law requires that all businesses be registered and licensed.
In Dubai or the UAE, incorporation is a 3-step process.
Please allow us to familiarize you with the various terms used in the U.A.E. There tends to be a lot of confusion because many incorporation companies use the wrong terms.
When your first come to Fortunum, we study your requirements very closely to determine which of the 3 incorporation options best suits your situation. We look at both your current situation and your goals for the future.
The 3 incorporation options are;
We come to a decision on which option to pick after carefully scrutinizing every piece of available information including your citizenship, your current tax exposure in your home country and/or your country of citizenship, where you clients are located, where your suppliers are located and a hundred other factors that you may not be aware of.
The term "Sponsor" is the most misunderstood term in Dubai. So many people use it to mean different things that most newcomers to Dubai are immediately confused about what "Sponsor" means.
U.A.E. law states that any company incorporated in the country by a foreigner MUST have a Sponsor. It is therefore crucial to understand the role that the Sponsor plays in your company. The important thing to remember is that depending on the structure of the company, the role that the Sponsor plays in your company can be very different to the role that the Sponsor plays in another company.
Just remember before we proceed, ALL companies incorporated in the U.A.E. by foreigners MUST have a Sponsor.
According to U.A.E. law a Sponsor must be a Citizen of the U.A.E. A company registered IN the U.A.E. can also act as a Sponsor provided the company is FULLY-OWNED by U.A.E. Citizens.
Now that we have understood that ANY company incorporated by a foreigner MUST have a Sponsor, let us now look at how the Sponsor's role in each company is different based on the structure of the company.
The only situation where the Sponsor takes on the role of a Partner owning 51% or more of your company is when you pick one of the following license types for your company;
U.A.E. law states that a foreigner MUST incorporate a Limited Liability Company if he picks any of the three license types shown above. A Limited Liability Company means that the Sponsor MUST hold a minimum of 51% shares in your company.
There is a way out of this problem. We can incorporate your company as a Branch of a Foreign Company and still apply for a Commercial, General Trading or Industrial License. In such a case, the Sponsor will take on the role of a National Service Agent who does not own any portion of your company. There are additional expenses to incorporating a Branch of a Foreign Company, but it does give you the peace of mind that comes along with 100% ownership in your company.
Certainly! In fact, we recommend that you use only our Sponsors for the following reasons;
A Free Zone is usually a unique organization set up by the government where businesses are allowed to register with special concessions and advantages. For example, a dominant theme of all the free zones in the U.A.E. is that a company incorporated in the free zone does not have to appoint a sponsor.
In reality the free zone acts as the sponsor for the company without taking any shares or ownership in the company.
Yes, there are restrictions placed on companies incorporated in the free zones. For example, a company incorporated in the free zone CANNOT SELL its goods or services to customers based in the U.A.E. In order to sell to customers based in the U.A.E., a free zone company must first appoint a Distributor in the U.A.E. and the local sale of goods or services must take place through this Distributor.
Yes, there are other restrictions. Visas tend to be generally more expensive in a free zone. So are rents. Free Zones can charge whatever rent they want as you are restricted to maintaining an office inside the free zone. Also the number of visas you can obtain is based on the area of the office you rent from the free zone. There are no such restrictions for companies outside the free zone.
When we first analyze your situation, your business goals and your future goals, we will recommend that you incorporate in a free zone ONLY IF YOUR MEET ALL of the following conditions;
Offshore Company is the term used to describe companies formed in certain countries which allow a type of company called an "International Business Company" or IBC. These are countries such as the British Virgin Islands (BVI), The Cayman Islands, The Turks & Caicos Islands (TCI), Panama, etc.
An Inernational Business Company is not allowed to conduct business within the country of incorporation, but is allowed to do business anywhere else in the world. For example, a British Virgin Islands (BVI) based International Business Company cannot conduct business within the BVI, but is allowed to carry on business anywhere else in the world.
Opening a Bank Account helps SAVE money. Setting up an Offshore Company helps MAKE money.
A hundred years ago, only the rich and well-to-do people had bank accounts. The rest hid their money under a mattress or buried their money in the back garden. Today, most parents open a bank account for their children a few days after the children are born.
It is our experience that setting up a company at a young age focuses the individual to earn money, just like how a bank account focuses your attention on saving money. Here are the two biggest reasons you should set up your own company as soon as your parents start giving you pocket money or at least as soon as you land your first job;
If you are plannig to live and work in Dubai or the U.A.E. then it is a MUST that you set up a Dubai Company. If you are living in another country then you can start with setting up an offshore company. We can set one up for you withing 1 week and open your bank account in Dubai about one week after that.
Remember, just like how a bank account helps you SAVE money, an Offshore Company helps you to MAKE money.
You could be an individual entrepreneur, a startup company or a multinational looking to set up your operations in the U.A.E. Fortunum can help you no matter what your size or investment. We provide a personalized and caring service. We are passionate about the companies we incorporate. Each company is like a baby that we help deliver. Our job is NOT COMPLETE after the company has been formed. We would like to see the companies we incorporate to succeeed and grow and become famous and rich.
To start your incorporation process, please click here. If we are not helping other customers, you can chat directly with us. If not, please send us a query telling us a little about the business you want to set up and we will be delighted to help you.
Thank you for your business and the confidence you have shown by getting in touch with us!