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An Intro to Free Zone Company Setup in the UAE

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It is always preferable to set up a business in a free zone owing to the relatable ease in the establishing a company there. It requires minimal paperwork and the approval duration is considerably less.

Free Zone Company Setup in the UAE

The basic steps and pointers to keep in mind before setting up a business are to make sure that you determine the type of legal entity your business would be affiliated with; to choose an appropriate trade name; choose an office space that is conveniently placed; and get pre-approvals to get a license and register your company. We will go over all these steps in brief below.

Type of Legal Identity

In a free zone you can set up the following two types of companies- Free Zone Establishment (FZE) and Free Zone Limited Liability Company (FZ LLC), also known sometimes as Free Zone Company (FZ Co.). It is not necessary that all the free zone areas would register both these types of companies. The two types of companies differ on the criteria of shareholders: both the number of shareholders, and the nationality of the shareholders, whether he is a natural person, or a legal person. Both local and foreign companies can set up their branches at the free zones.

Choosing a Company Name

When deciding on a trade name, keep in mind to check with the free zone authority or the Department of Economic Development (DED) for the permitted trade names and their availability. The names ‘United Arab Emirates’ and ‘Abu Dhabi’ cannot be used by a FZ LLC. There is a similar list of restricted trade names available with the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC).

In general the key considerations to keep in mind when choosing the name are to not violate the public order or morals of the company; to follow the legal form as specified, such asFZE, LLC, DMCC, etc.; to keep in compliance with the type of activity or legal status as registered; and not include the names of any religions and government authority, or the logos of any external bodies. Your company should also not be previously registered as a business.

Applying for a Business License

The prime activity of the business you registered will determine the type of business license you have to apply for. In DMCC there is an option for more than 600 business activities, from energy, technology, jewels to construction, shipping, education, healthcare and more. You can find the complete range of permitted business activities on the DMCC website.

Meanwhile in Dubai International Financial Sector (DIFC), you can conduct both financial and non-financial types of businesses, such as banking, insurance, capital marketing and wealth management. Non-financial services include art galleries, academic institutions, retail shops, restaurants and five-star hotels.

Selecting the Correct Office Space

Leasing and buying are both available to businesses when it comes to setting up an office in a free zone. The specifications of the office space will depend on the number of employees and or the type of business activity. You need to get the necessary approval, pay the registration and license fees, and get the licensing approved, after which your visa processing starts.

The UAE is a major business hub, ideal for setting up a business. There are over 40 different Free Trade Zones. There is a lot of information to consider and review before deciding on the free zone company setup and requires a lot of decision-making on things like location, business type, pricing, auditing and outsourced bookkeeping services, share capital requirements and more.

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