Relocate your business to the United Arab Emirates
Middle EastLaunch jurisdiction
Thinking about business immigration to the United Arab Emirates? Below are the residency routes for founders, investors and startups, and the set-up services a foreign-owned business needs: company registration, a bank account, tax, payroll, trademark and licences. Set-up comes first, because a company does not grant residency on its own. See also business immigration explained and relocating your business abroad.
7
emirates
828 m
Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world
About 9 in 10
residents were born abroad
- Capital
- Abu Dhabi
- Population
- About 10 million
- Currency
- UAE dirham (AED)
- Languages
- Arabic (English widely used in business)
Best things about doing business in United Arab Emirates
- No personal income tax
- Free zones that allow 100% foreign ownership
- A hub linking Europe, Asia and Africa
Fun facts
- Dubai and Abu Dhabi are in different emirates, each with its own business authorities.
- The weekend in the UAE is Saturday and Sunday, matching most of the world's business week.
Figures are rounded and approximate.
Business Setup Services
Company, bank, payroll, brand and licencesNot a residency routeWe handle company incorporation, bank account and payroll set-up, trademark filing and the licences and permits your business needs. Tell us what you need.
Cards without a "last verified" date have not been independently checked yet. Confirm the details with the official source before you act.
Warning: These do not grant residency on their own. A separate visa is required.
About United Arab Emirates: A UAE company does not give you residency by itself. Residency visas are a separate application. Your company can usually sponsor them, depending on your licence and office space.
Company Registration
Set up your legal entity so you can operate, hire and pay tax.
Business Bank Account
Opening an account with a bank in the United Arab Emirates
Open a business bank account for your new company. ORBIZLY prepares the application, and the bank decides.
Official source: centralbank.ae
Employer and Payroll Registration
Registering as an employer in the United Arab Emirates
Register as an employer so you can hire and run payroll. Handled by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (establishment card and labour contracts).
Official source: mohre.gov.ae
Trademark Filing
Trademark Filing (Ministry of Economy)
Last verified October 2026 · Official source: moec.gov.ae
IP and Patent Filing
IP and Patent Filing (Ministry of Economy)
Protect your invention with a patent. Filed with the Ministry of Economy.
Official source: moec.gov.ae
Licences
Permits that let your products and business operate legally: import permits, tax and goods/services registration, sector-specific permits, export licences, drug and health, food safety, lab test reports and product trials.
Customs Import Code and Import Permits
Register as an importer and get permits for regulated goods. Handled by the local customs authority such as Dubai Customs.
Official source: u.ae
Tax and Goods/Services Registration
Register for tax and for goods and services tax. Handled by the Federal Tax Authority (VAT and corporate tax registration).
Official source: tax.gov.ae
Sector-Specific Permits
Permits for regulated industries. Overseen by the emirate's economic department and the regulator for your sector.
Official source: u.ae
Export Licence
Get permission to export controlled goods. Handled by the Ministry of Economy and the customs authority of each emirate.
Official source: moec.gov.ae
Drug and Health Product Licence
Approval to sell medicines, devices and health products. Handled by the Ministry of Health and Prevention and the Emirates Drug Establishment.
Official source: u.ae
Food Safety Licence and Registration
Register your food business and get approval to import or sell food. Handled by Dubai Municipality or the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority.
Official source: u.ae
Lab Test Reports and Product Certification
Get your product tested and certified for the market. Overseen through the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (ECAS conformity scheme).
Official source: moiat.gov.ae
Product Trial and Sample Approval
Approval to trial a new product before launch. Handled by the Ministry of Health and Prevention.
Official source: u.ae
Residency & Visa Pathways
Programs that grant residenceThese grant a right to live and work in the country. Talk to an expert before you apply.
Golden Visa (Entrepreneur / Innovative Project)
5-year renewable residency for founders with an innovative project — as little as AED 500,000 with an accredited incubator's endorsement.
Last verified September 2026 · Official source: u.ae; ICP (Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security)
Golden Visa (Business Owner / Category B)
10-year residency for owners and partners of an established UAE company.
Last verified September 2026 · Official source: moet.gov.ae
Questions about moving a business to the United Arab Emirates
What business immigration options are there for the United Arab Emirates?
ORBIZLY lists investor programs (Golden Visa (Business Owner / Category B)) and startup visas (Golden Visa (Entrepreneur / Innovative Project)). Each is shown on this page with its status, the official source and when it was last verified. Rules change, so confirm the details with the official source before you apply.
Can I relocate my business to the United Arab Emirates?
It depends on your business and the route you choose, and it is really two separate things: setting up or moving the business, and getting the right to live there. Company registration, a bank account, tax and licences are the set-up side. A visa or residence permit is the residency side. A UAE company does not give you residency by itself. Residency visas are a separate application. Your company can usually sponsor them, depending on your licence and office space. Start with the free eligibility check to see which routes fit your business.
Does registering a company in the United Arab Emirates give me residency?
A UAE company does not give you residency by itself. Residency visas are a separate application. Your company can usually sponsor them, depending on your licence and office space.
What do I need to set up a business in the United Arab Emirates?
The usual order is: plan, register the company, open the tax and bank accounts, register as an employer, protect your brand, then get any licences and permits. For the United Arab Emirates, ORBIZLY lists import permits, drug and health licences, export licence, food safety, ip and patent filing, lab test reports, company registration, business bank account, product trials, employer and payroll registration, sector-specific permits, tax and goods/services registration, and trademark filing. Government fees are paid to the authorities and are separate from ORBIZLY's fees.
How do I start moving my business to the United Arab Emirates?
Take the free eligibility check, which takes about three minutes, or book a free 15-minute discovery call. ORBIZLY then shows which routes look like a fit and what to do first. ORBIZLY gives directional guidance and is not a law firm or immigration adviser.
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Brands built in United Arab Emirates
Well-known companies from United Arab Emirates, including unicorns and businesses that grew a global presence.
Emirates
Global airline based in Dubai
DP World
Port and logistics operator on six continents
Noon
Regional e-commerce platform
Careem
UnicornRide-hailing super app, started in Dubai
Examples only. Logos belong to their owners and are shown to identify the companies. A unicorn is a private start-up valued above US$1 billion at some point.
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