ComplyKart Services
Business Setup in UAE Mainland
Trade anywhere in the UAE, bid for government contracts, and own 100% of your company — no local partner needed for most activities. We handle the licence, the office paperwork, the visa, and the tax registrations, so you land running.
CA/CS-guided review
Your documents and structure are checked before anything is filed.
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Inclusions and payable charges are explained before work begins.
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Find your setup in Business Setup in UAE Mainland
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Experience behind every filing
A quick snapshot of the work so far.
Fees
Fees and packages for Business Setup in UAE Mainland
Every requirement is a little different, so we quote after a short discussion — the consultation itself is free.
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Business Setup in UAE Mainland
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Overview
Why Indian businesses choose UAE mainland
The UAE mainland is the "real economy" licence. It lets you sell to anyone in the Emirates — walk-in customers, local companies, government departments — with no geographic restriction. A freezone licence can't do that without a distributor in between. If your customers are in the UAE, this is the licence that reaches them.
Ownership changed in 2021, and most people still haven't caught up. Federal Decree-Law No. 32 of 2021, followed by Cabinet Decision 55 of 2021, removed the old rule that forced a 51% Emirati shareholder. Today, a foreigner — Indian founder included — can own 100% of a mainland company for most activities. A small restricted list (defence, certain utilities, a few strategic sectors) still needs local involvement. Everything else is yours.
The trade-off is simple. Mainland costs more than a freezone and needs a real office with Ejari registration. In return you get unrestricted market access and government-contract eligibility — the two things freezones can't offer. I tell clients: freezone is for serving the world from the UAE; mainland is for serving the UAE itself.
Benefits
Why set up here
Open each benefit to see what it means for you.
100% foreign ownership for most activities — Federal Decree-Law No. 32 of 2021 scrapped the old 51% local-shareholder rule. You own the company outright; no nominee arrangements, no side agreements.
Unrestricted UAE market access — Sell to anyone in the Emirates: walk-in customers, local companies, government departments. Freezone companies cannot do this without a distributor. If your customers are in the UAE, mainland is the licence that reaches them.
Government contract eligibility — Only mainland companies can bid for UAE government tenders. In an economy where the state is the biggest buyer, that door matters.
Sensible tax position — 0% corporate tax on profits up to AED 375,000, then 9% above that. No personal income tax. The India-UAE Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement protects you from being taxed twice on the same income.
Residence visas for you and your family — Your company sponsors your investor visa, and you sponsor family visas after that. Living in Dubai while running an India-linked business is a genuine, legal structure — not a grey area.
Documents
Documents you will need
Clear, current documents matter more than a long checklist. Names, dates of birth and addresses should match across every record — that's what the authorities check first. Tick what you already have below.
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Identity and ownership documents (all shareholders & managers)
Verified against official requirements
Company and office documents
Verified against official requirements
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How the process works
You’ll see each stage, what’s pending and what we need from you — so filings don’t bounce back.
Step 1 of 7
Pick your business activity
Every licence maps to specific DED activity codes. Get this wrong and you will be re-applying. We match your actual business to the right codes before anything is filed, and flag activities that need external approvals.
Reserve your trade name
Submit 2-3 name options to the DET/DED. Names must follow UAE naming rules (no religious references, no abbreviations of your own name as the company name). Approval usually comes within a day.
Get initial approval
The DED confirms your activity is permitted and you can proceed. If your activity is regulated (consultancy is fine; clinics and schools are not), the external approval happens here. This is the step that separates a 7-day setup from a 30-day one.
Notarize the MOA
Shareholders sign the Memorandum of Association before a UAE notary. If a shareholder cannot travel, a legalized Power of Attorney lets someone sign on their behalf. Indian POAs need the MEA + UAE Embassy attestation chain.
Secure office space and register Ejari
Sign a tenancy contract and register it on Ejari. Flexi-desks work for most service businesses; trading companies usually need more space. Remember: office size sets your visa quota.
Submit the licence application and pay
File everything with the DED, pay the licence fee, and collect your trade licence. Government fee from around AED 12,500 for a commercial licence; the realistic first-year all-in with flexi-desk and one visa runs AED 18,500–35,000.
Open your establishment card and process visas
Register with immigration (establishment card), then process your investor/partner visa: entry permit, medical test, Emirates ID biometrics, visa stamping. Then you can sponsor family visas.
Why ComplyKart
How ComplyKart helps in this Entire Process
You should know who’s doing what. Open a stage to see how the work is shared.
Step 1
India-side FEMA and ODI compliance, handled with the UAE setup — Your investment into the UAE company needs Form ODI fil...
Step 2
Document legalization without the runaround — Indian documents for UAE use need MEA attestation plus UAE Embassy attesta...
Step 3
Banking introductions and file preparation — UAE banks run strict compliance on new companies. We prepare your applicati...
Step 4
Tax registration from day one — Corporate tax and VAT registration with the Federal Tax Authority is mandatory from the...
Step 1: India-side FEMA and ODI compliance, handled with the UAE setup — Your investment into the UAE company needs Form ODI filings and Annual Performance Reports to the RBI. We run both sides together so the Indian parent and the UAE subsidiary never trip over each other.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Search all 5 answers, or filter by the stage you’re thinking about.
Showing 5 of 5 answers
For most activities, yes. Federal Decree-Law No. 32 of 2021 and Cabinet Decision 55 of 2021 scrapped the old 51% local-shareholder rule. You can be the sole owner. Only a small list of restricted activities — defence, certain utilities and strategic sectors — still needs local involvement. We check your exact activity against the current list before you spend a dirham.
Mainland needs a real one. Your trade licence requires an Ejari-registered tenancy contract — a flexi-desk in a business centre qualifies and is the minimum most founders start with. Your visa quota is tied to office size, roughly one visa per 9 square metres, so plan the office around how many visas you'll actually need.
Typically 7–10 working days from the day documents are submitted to licence issuance. Name reservation and initial approval move fast; the Ejari and visa steps set the real pace. If an activity needs an external approval (healthcare, education, food), add time for that.
The UAE has corporate tax now, but the threshold is generous: 0% on profits up to AED 375,000, then 9% above that. VAT is 5%, and registration becomes mandatory once taxable turnover crosses AED 375,000. Registration with the Federal Tax Authority is required from day one — not when you hit the threshold. Miss it and the fines arrive before the revenue does.
Yes — that's one of the main reasons founders choose mainland. The company sponsors your investor/partner visa, and you can sponsor family visas after that. Your visa quota comes from your office size, so a flexi-desk gets you started and you scale the office as the team grows.
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What clients say about working with us
Real stories from businesses we've worked with.
Our Trademark was applied in all the classes with a short span of time by Complykart Trademark Experts and I can say the level of expertise and commitment they carry is remarkable. It's an A+ from my side. We are now sticking to ComplyKart only.
I found the professionalism of the staff at complykart.com, a pleasure to work with. As a foreigner to India, they took the time to explain the documentation and assisted in every question I raised. I was pleased that complykart.com made it easy for my Business.
Trust, Commitment, Dedication and responsiveness are the best things with ComplyKart. Thanks for handling our Merger assignment with so much care. After my business disputes, complykart handles all things with own sense of understanding.
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