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HBS Corporate Services · Company formation

Set up your company in Dubai, once and properly.

Free zone, mainland or offshore, chosen against your activity, your clients and the visas you need. Licence, establishment card, lease and bank file handled together.

Get a written quote
5,000+ companies
Set up and supported since 2004
100% ownership
Most activities, mainland or free zone
Written quote
Before any engagement

Company formation

The structure decides the next five years.

A licence is easy to buy and expensive to change. The free zone that looks cheapest often carries the visa quota you will outgrow, the activity list that excludes half your invoices, or a bank that will not open an account for your profile. We work backwards from where your clients are, how many people you will sponsor and how you intend to get paid.

Once the structure is settled, everything else runs on one timeline: name reservation, licence, establishment card, lease, visas and the bank file. You sign remotely wherever the authority allows it, and you are told at the start which steps genuinely need you in Dubai.

What is included

01

The structure decision

Free zone, mainland or offshore compared against your activity, your clients, your visa needs and your banking profile, in writing.

02

Licence and registration

Name reservation, activity selection, licence application, memorandum of association where required, establishment card and lease.

03

Residence visas

Investor and employee visas, entry permit, medical, Emirates ID, and family sponsorship once your own visa is issued.

04

Bank account file

A complete KYC pack, an introduction to the bank that suits your profile and support at the meeting. The bank decides, but the file is ready.

05

The year after

Bookkeeping, VAT and corporate tax registration and filings, licence and visa renewals, with a reminder before each deadline.

From decision to operating company

  1. Diagnosis

    A call on activity, clients, visas and banking. You receive a written recommendation and a fixed quote.

  2. Incorporation

    Name reservation, licence application, establishment card and lease, signed remotely where allowed.

  3. Visas

    Entry permit, medical, Emirates ID and residence visa for you, then for family and staff.

  4. Bank and first filings

    KYC file presented to the right bank, then the tax registrations that follow from the licence.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions.

Free zone, mainland or offshore: which one?
A mainland company is licensed by the Department of Economy and Tourism and invoices freely across the UAE; since 2021 most activities allow full foreign ownership. A free zone company sits under its own authority with a one-stop counter and, under conditions, a specific tax regime. An offshore company holds assets without local operations or visas.
How long does formation take?
A free zone licence is usually issued within one to three weeks once documents are complete. A mainland licence takes longer because of external approvals. Residence visas add two to four weeks after that, and a bank account two to six weeks depending on the bank and your profile.
Do I have to live in Dubai?
No. A non-resident can own a free zone or offshore company without living in the UAE, and most of the file is prepared remotely. If you want a residence visa, your company sponsors it. You then need to enter the UAE at least once every six months to keep it valid.
What does it cost?
It depends on the jurisdiction, the activity, the number of visas and whether you need a physical office. Government fees are a large part of the total and vary widely between free zones. After a short call we issue a fixed, all-inclusive quote, so the total is known before you commit.

Formation with HBS

Tell us what the business does.

Activity, clients and how many visas you need. We come back with a structure and a fixed quote.

What do you need?
A few details, so the right adviser calls you.
How can we reach you?
We reply during office hours, usually the same day.

Also at HBS

Already running a company in the UAE?

Accounting, VAT and corporate tax, visas and renewals sit on the main Corporate Services page.

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