Setting Up a Company in the Jebel Ali Free Zone

 Dubai is hard to beat when it comes to attractive tax incentives for enterprising business owners. Not only do investors benefit from a 0% tax rate but there is no Personal Tax for individuals, and Capital Gains and Property Tax is also restricted there.

Dubai has a proactive approach to foreign investment and historically holds friendly ties with the United Kingdom. 

The United Arab Emirates is the only country in the Middle East where investors can reap the benefits from a large number of free trade zones and free industrial zones. The first of these zones to be formed in 1985 was Jebel Ali, Dubai. 

In the years that followed, Dubai experienced a huge growth due to the number of investors who were attracted there. Many invested millions and made huge returns from the UAE free zones and around 12,000 companies nowadays operate under the UAE Free Zones Authority. 

Dubai is the seventh emirate and expands along the Arabian Gulf coast for 45 miles with an area of 2,400 square miles. 

With a population of around one million, Dubai is now the undisputed business hub of the Middle East. With exception of banks and companies involved in the oil industry, all Dubai companies are free from corporation tax, income tax, capital gains tax and inheritance tax. 

There is no public record of company’s directors or shareholders in Dubai, and no tax department so personal information and details of a company’s activities remain private in Dubai.

Dubai’s Jebel Ali Free Zone offers an offshore company vehicle for foreign investors. Trading inside the Free Zone can be carried out under several different types of license. 

Setting up a business in Dubai Free Zone

Type of company requires depends on the type of business. The main company forms are shown below: 
Free Zone Establishment (FZE) – one individual shareholder
Free Zone Company (FZCO) – more than one member
Branch 

Not all of the above will be available in every Free Zone, and it is highly advisable to seek the advice of a consultant with experience in setting up businesses in Dubai. They will understand the finer detail of the available company forms in any given Free Zone and advise you about your options. 

Listed below are the common documents for the three types of company mentioned:

Free Zone Establishment

1. Application form
2. Business profile of the owner
3. Copy of the owner’s passport
4. Original copy of banker’s reference

Free Zone Company

1. Application form
2. Business profile of individual
3. Copy of owner’s passport
4. Original banker’s reference
5. Board resolution
6. Copy of manager’s passport
7. Manager’s signature

Branch

1. Certificate of Registration
2. Memorandum and Articles of Association
3. Board resolution
4. Copy of Manager’s passport
5. Managers signature
6. Parent company’s profile

 For further information, please do not hesitate to contact us.