Guides

Short, sourced answers to the questions that decide a UAE setup.

• Mainland or free zone: how to chooseUAE mainland vs free zone company: foreign ownership, selling to UAE customers, customs, corporate tax and Dubai's mainland permit, with official sources.
• What a free zone residence visa costsThe separate fees behind a UAE free zone residence visa (immigration card, allocation, permit, medical, Emirates ID) and what Meydan, SPC, RAKEZ, SHAMS and DMCC publish.
• Corporate tax for free zone companiesHow UAE Corporate Tax applies to free zone companies: the Qualifying Free Zone Person conditions, the de minimis test and when income is taxed at 9%. From the FTA guide.
• The lowest published free zone pricesUAE free zones ranked by their own lowest published year-one price, with and without a visa: Meydan, RAKEZ, SPC, SHAMS, DMCC.
• How to choose a free zoneA short checklist for choosing a UAE free zone: activities, visa capacity, customers, year-two cost, banking and substance, and where you will live.