Company
Business, tax and banking
Results: 11
Buying property in Dubai as a foreigner: permitted areas, the 2 + 2% registration fees and real estate investor residence
In Dubai, foreigners, whether UAE residents or not, can buy property with full ownership in designated areas. The Dubai Land Department charges 2% to the buyer and 2% to the seller to register a sale, plus some fixed fees. This article explains the permitted areas in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, the fees, documents, steps and the link between property and residence, with a worked example.
Trademark registration in the UAE: official steps, the AED 6,500 cost, the objection period and ten-year renewal
Trademarks in the UAE are registered by the Ministry of Economy and Tourism under Federal Decree-Law No. 36 of 2021. The regular examination, publication and final registration fees total AED 6,500, and after publication there is a 30-day objection period. This article explains the steps, fees, late fines, the rule for foreign applicants, ten-year renewal and three examples.
Hiring in the UAE: the 13 work permit types of the Ministry of Human Resources, duration, fees and conditions
In the UAE, a private-sector employer cannot employ anyone without a work permit from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. The official UAE Government portal lists 13 types of work permit with the duration of each and gives the cost of issuing and renewing a permit as AED 250 to AED 3,450, depending on the company's classification. This article explains the permit types, conditions, fees and three examples.
Bank accounts in the UAE: documents, the 2-day deadline, refusals and your rights under the Central Bank's rules
In its "Consumer Protection Standards" the UAE Central Bank says a personal account must be opened within 2 complete business days of the application, except in financial crime cases, and a refusal must be given in writing with the right to complain. This article explains the usual documents, the rules on opening, refusing, blocking and closing accounts, and accounts for small and medium-sized companies, with official sources.
Registering a company's "real beneficiary" in the UAE: the 25% rule, the 60-day and 15-day deadlines and penalties
Every company licensed or registered in the UAE must keep a "Real Beneficiary Register" and a "Partners or Shareholders Register" and give them to the Registrar. Cabinet Resolution No. 109 of 2023 treats as real beneficiary an individual with 25% of the ownership or voting rights or control by other means. This article explains the definition, deadlines, required information, confidentiality, penalties and three examples.
UAE corporate tax: the 9% rate, small business relief until 2029 and registration
The UAE has had corporate tax for financial years starting on or after 1 June 2023: 0% on taxable income up to AED 375,000 and 9% above it. In August 2026 the UAE Ministry of Finance extended small business relief to tax periods ending on or before 31 December 2029. This article explains the rates, who is taxed, the exemptions, registration, the penalty and three worked examples, with official sources.
E-invoicing in the UAE: the official 2026 and 2027 timeline and what companies must do
The UAE Ministry of Finance is making electronic invoices mandatory in phases for all transactions between businesses and with the government: companies with annual revenue of AED 50 million or more from 1 January 2027, smaller ones from 1 July 2027 and government entities from 1 October 2027. This article explains the scope, the deadlines, the October 2026 amendment and a checklist, with official sources.
Setting up a company in the UAE: mainland or free zone? Official steps, licence types and foreign ownership
In the UAE a company can be registered on the "mainland" or in one of the free zones. The official UAE Government portal sets out nine steps for mainland registration, five legal forms in free zones and the rule on full foreign ownership. This article explains the two routes with a comparison table, the steps, the licence types and three practical examples.
The 0% corporate tax rate in UAE free zones: the conditions of a "Qualifying Free Zone Person" and the 5% rule
A UAE free zone company pays 0% tax on its "qualifying income" only if it meets every condition of a "Qualifying Free Zone Person": adequate substance, qualifying income, no election for the standard rate, compliance with transfer pricing rules, audited financial statements and the threshold of 5% or AED 5 million. This article explains the conditions, the activities, the 2025 amendment and two examples.
UAE tax residency certificate: the 183-day and 90-day tests, documents, fees and timing
The UAE Federal Tax Authority issues a "tax residency certificate" to individuals and companies that are UAE tax residents. This article explains the residency tests under Cabinet Decision No. 85 of 2022, the documents for each route, the fees from AED 50 to AED 1,750, the processing time and the period a certificate covers, with two examples.
UAE VAT: the 5% rate, registration thresholds, returns and the tourist refund
The UAE has charged value added tax at 5% since 1 January 2018. Registration is mandatory for a business whose taxable supplies exceed AED 375,000 in 12 months and optional above AED 187,500. This article explains the thresholds, documents, zero-rated and exempt supplies, returns, the tourist refund and three worked examples, with official sources.