How to Register to Do Business in the United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates is a great place to start a business. Not only is the economy booming, but the government encourages foreign investment by providing lots of benefits to new investors.

Instructions

1. Fill out and present an application to open a company. You can obtain the form itself and then bring it back to the Department of Economic Development (DED). Until this application is approved, you won’t be able to do anything else, as all further steps require this paper.

2. Deposit the capital you are planning to invest in a local bank and obtain a bank certificate showing how much money is there and what type of account you have. You will need to pay a small fee to have that paper notarized and authorized by the DED in order to prove that you have the actual money (rather than the promise of a credit or future investment) in order to be able to open your business.

3. Get a lease. Whether you’re renting a small office or a large factory, you will need to show that the contract is already in place before you can get authorization to start the business. Keep in mind that the place will need to be inspected by the Planning and Building Section of the city and pass fire and safety regulations in order to be approved.

4. Apply for the actual trading or commercial license. This can only be done after all previous papers have been registered and you have been granted all necessary permits. The Trade License and Commercial Registration Certificates are rather expensive and are calculated based on a series of numbers, including the price of your lease or property.

5. Make sure you have all necessary immigration paperwork for the people you plan on bringing along to work with you. Depending on how long their contracts will be, you may have to act like a sponsor and register them with the Naturalization and Residency Service and the Ministry of Labor and provide proof of residence.

Tips & Warnings

• Everything must be notarized before presented for filing or application.

• All papers must be submitted in both English and Arabic in order to be approved. Translations must be done by a certified translator and/or notarized, depending on the city.