Start, restructure or expand a business in the UAE with a licensed advisor. We help you compare freezone and mainland company setup, prepare the paperwork and line up banking and visas.
Where you register decides where you can trade, which visas you can issue and how you are supervised.
Registered with a freezone authority such as DMCC, IFZA, DAFZA, JAFZA, Dubai Silicon Oasis, RAKEZ, Sharjah or Ajman free zones. Typically allows full foreign ownership, simple licensing and flexible office options, ideal for consultants, traders, e-commerce and holding structures.
Learn more →Licensed by the Department of Economy and Tourism (Dubai) or the equivalent economic department of another emirate. Lets you trade directly with the UAE market and government entities, with a physical office requirement.
Learn more →A summary of how the two routes usually differ. Your activity and chosen authority can change the details.
We confirm your activities, shareholders, budget and visa needs, then recommend freezone, mainland or a combination.
Trade name reservation and initial approval from the licensing authority.
Memorandum or articles of association, shareholder documents and the office lease or flexi-desk agreement.
Payment of fees and issue of the trade licence, establishment card and any activity approvals.
Introductions for corporate bank account opening and guidance on investor, partner and employee residence visas.
Pointers on VAT, corporate tax registration, annual licence renewal and audit requirements.
Entrepreneurs launching a first company, professionals turning consulting into a licensed business, overseas companies opening a UAE branch, and investors who want a UAE holding structure alongside residency planning.
A UAE company can also support a residency application. Investors and entrepreneurs often review it together with the UAE Golden Visa options.
Straight answers to what applicants ask us most.
In freezones, yes in general. On the mainland, most commercial and industrial activities now allow 100% foreign ownership, while a short list of strategic activities remains restricted. We check your specific activity before you commit.
No. Many founders form a company from abroad, though a residence visa is needed to live and work in the UAE and some banks prefer to meet directors in person.
It depends on the authority, the activity and how quickly documents are signed. Straightforward freezone licences can be quick, while regulated mainland activities take longer because of external approvals. We give you a timeline after the activity review.
Yes, a licensed company can sponsor an investor or partner visa and employee visas, subject to the licence type, office space and authority rules.
It depends on where your customers are. If you sell inside the UAE or to government bodies, mainland usually fits. If you trade internationally or run a services or holding company, a freezone is often simpler and cheaper.
No. Authorities and banks make their own decisions. We prepare complete, accurate applications and guide you through the process.
Visatrix Global Services is an advisory firm. Assessing bodies, free zones and licensing authorities set their own rules, fees and timelines, which change from time to time, and only they decide the outcome. Always confirm current requirements on the official website before you apply.
Tell us your activity, shareholders and visa needs, and we will recommend the right structure.
