Dubai -UAE  Company Formation: Abu Dhabi

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Company Formation United Arab Emirates (UAE): Abu Dhabi

Company Formation United Arab Emirates (UAE): Abu Dhabi

Licensing Procedures

Registration of New Membership

  1. Trade Name Approval issued by the Department of Planning & Economy
  2. Photocopy of :
    • Passport
    • Tenancy Agreement
    • Specimen Signature duly attested by the Notary Public
    • Amendment in the Ownership or Services Agency Agreement
    • License & Approval Issued by the Competent Authority ( Department of Planning Economy – Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority – Higher Corporation For Specialized & Economic Zones

Renewal or New Branch

Photocopy of  :

  • Passport
  • Tenancy Agreement
  • Specimen Signature duly attested by the Notary Public
  • License & Approval Issued by the Competent Authority  Department of Planning  Economy – Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority – Higher Corporation For Specialized &  Economic Zones
  • Original Membership Certificate

Alteration & Modification

Trade Name

Photocopy of :

  • Trade Name Approval issued by the Department of Planning & Economy
  • Tenancy Agreement
  • Amendment in the Partnership Agreement  Modifying in the Capital
  • Advertisement in the Newspaper
  • License Issued by the Competent Authority with change of Name ( Department of Planning  economy – Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority – Higher Corporation For Specialized &  Economic Zones
  • Original Membership Certificate

Relocation

Photocopy of: 

  1. Tenancy Agreement for the new Location
  2. Alteration of Trade Name in the Partnership or Services Agency Agreement  ( Department of Planning, Economy – Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority – Higher Corporation For Specialized & Economic Zones)
  3. Original Membership Certificate

Ownership Alteration

Photocopy of:

  1. Amendment in the Ownership or Services Agency Agreement
  2. Advertisement in the Newspaper
  3. License Issued by the Competent Authority with Change of Name Department of Planning  Economy – Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority – Higher Corporation For Specialized &  Economic Zones
  4. Original Membership

Capital Alteration

Photocopy of :

  1. Amendment in the Partnership Agreement  Modifying in the Capital
  2. License Issued by the Competent Authority with change of Name  Department of Planning  Economy – Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority – Higher Corporation For Specialized & Economic Zones

Original Membership Certificate

Foreign Company Branch

  1. Trade Name Approval issued by the Department of Planning
  2. Economy Service Agent Agreement duly legalized by Notary Public&
  3. License Issued by the Department of Planning & Economy
  4. Approval Letter from Ministry of Planning & Economy
  5. Decision Board of Directors
  6. Specimen Signature duly attested by the Notary Public
  7. Passports of the Resident Representative & Service Agent
  8. Service Agent Agreement duly legalized by Notary Public
  9. Documents issued from the Mother Company must be duly legalized by the  Concemed Authority & UAE Embassy from the Count

Company formation Dubai /UAE- Introduction/summary

Dubai has a unique set of selling propositions, namely:

  1. No corporate tax
  2. No income tax
  3. No capital gains tax
  4. No property tax
  5. No wealth tax
  6. Low property transaction cost
  7. Ease of access to home finance

 Dubai/UAE has double taxation agreements = DTA with most other countries. EU freedom of establishment is not applicable. For approval of the permanent establishment according to tax laws, a commercially equipped business operation must be installed in Dubai/UAE, and active business must be transacted in UAE/Dubai.

Since only oil companies and banks are subject to taxation in the UAE/Dubai, and any other companies do not pay any taxes, this results in interesting opportunities for investment in Dubai/UAE. In order to be able to use the tax advantages, a permanent establishment according to DTA must be installed in Dubai. On the one hand, a Dubai company is no offshore company in this sense, since the UAE/Dubai also maintain double taxation agreements with many countries – including Sweden and Denmark – but on the other hand, the EU freedom of establishment is not applicable. Therefore, the following prerequisites for approval of a permanent establishment according to tax laws in Dubai must be met:

  • Place of management: A manager resident in the UAE/Dubai according to tax laws must – at least on the outside – control the company’s businesses.
  • There must be a commercially equipped business operation, i.e. at least one office and one employee.
  • It must be demonstrated that the Dubai company does actively transact business in the UAE.

Under the stated conditions, for example the Swedish could be a majority shareholder of the Dubai company, but nevertheless Dubai/UAE has the sole right of taxation, provided that the Articles of Association state that all relevant decisions are made at the shareholders’ meetings, which exclusively take place in Dubai, at which the Swedish shareholder must be present. However, the UAE company law stipulates that 51% of the company shares must be held by persons resident in Dubai. As a rule, the founder will use a “sponsor”. This requirement may be omitted in case of company formations in the free zones. In the free zones, 100 % of the shareholders may be foreigners.

Introduction

The basic requirement for all business activity in Dubai is one of the following three categories of licence:

  • Commercial licences covering all kinds of trading activity;
  • Professional licences covering professions, services, craftsmen and artisans;
  • Industrial licences for establishing industrial or manufacturing activity.

These licences are all issued by the Dubai Economic Department. However, licences for some categories of business require approval from certain ministries and other authorities: for example, banks and financial institutions from the Central Bank of the UAE; insurance companies and related agencies from the Ministry of Economy and Commerce; manufacturing from the Ministry of Finance and Industry; and pharmaceutical and medical products from the Ministry of Health.

More detailed procedures apply to businesses engaged in oil or gas production and related industries.

Practising some trade activities (e.g. jewellery and insurance) requires the submission of a financial guarantee issued by a bank operating in Dubai.

In general, all commercial and industrial businesses in Dubai should be registered with the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Fifty-one per cent participation by UAE nationals is the general requirement for all Dubai-established companies except:

  • Where the law requires 100% local ownership;
  • In the Jebel Ali Free Zone, Dubai Internet City, or the Dubai International Financial Centre;
  • In activities open to 100% AGCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) ownership;
  • Where wholly owned AGCC companies enter into partnership with UAE nationals;
  • In respect of foreign companies registering branches or a representative office in Dubai;
  • In professional or artisan companies where 100% foreign ownership is permitted.

In the past, each emirate followed its own procedures governing the operations of foreign business interests. In practice, however, Dubai and the other emirates followed the same general system, whereby foreign companies operated in one of three ways: with a local sponsor, through a partnership with a UAE national or company, or through a private limited company or public shareholding company incorporated by Ruler’s decree.

Since 1984, steps have been taken to introduce a codified companies law applicable throughout the UAE. Federal Law No. 8 of 1984, as amended by Federal Law No. 13 of 1988 – the “Commercial Companies Law” – and its by-laws have been issued. In broad terms the provisions of the Law are as follows:

The Federal Law stipulates a total local equity of not less than 51% in any commercial company and defines seven categories of business organisation which can be established in the UAE. It sets out the requirements in terms of shareholders, directors, minimum capital levels and incorporation procedures. It further lays down provisions governing conversion, merger and dissolution of companies.

The seven categories of business organisation defined by the law are:

  • General partnership company
  • Partnership-en-commandite
  • Joint venture company
  • Public shareholding company
  • Private shareholding company
  • Limited liability company
  • Share partnership company
  • Partnerships

Partnership companies are limited to UAE nationals only. The Dubai government does not presently encourage the establishment of partnerships-en-commandite or share partnership companies.

Joint Venture Company

A joint venture is a contractual agreement between a foreign party and a local party licensed to engage in the desired activity. The local equity participation in the joint venture must be at least 51%, but the profit and loss distribution can be prescribed. There is no need to license the joint venture or publish the agreement. The foreign partner deals with third parties under the name of the local partner who – unless the agreement is publicised – bears all liability.

In practice, joint ventures are seen as offering a suitable structure for companies working together on specific projects.

Public and Private Shareholding companies

The law stipulates that companies engaging in banking, insurance, or financial activities should be run as public shareholding companies. Foreign banks, insurance and financial companies, however, can establish a presence in Dubai by opening a branch or representative office.

Shareholding companies are suitable primarily for large projects or operations, since the minimum capital required is Dh. 10 million (US$ 2.725 million) for a public company, and Dh. 2 million (US$ 0.545 million) for a private shareholding company. The chairman and a majority of directors must be UAE nationals and there is less flexibility of profit distribution than is permissible in the case of limited liability companies.

Limited Liability Company

A limited liability company can be formed by a minimum of two and a maximum of 50 persons whose liability is limited to their shares in the company’s capital. Such companies are recognised as offering a suitable structure for organisations interested in developing a long term relationship in the local market.

In Dubai, the minimum capital is currently Dh. 300,000 (US$ 82,000), contributed in cash or in kind. While foreign equity in the company may not exceed 49%, profit and loss distribution can be prescribed. Responsibility for the management of a limited liability company can be vested in the foreign or national partners or a third party.

The following steps are required in establishing a limited liability company in Dubai:

  • Select a commercial name for the company and have it approved by the Licensing Department of the Economic Department;
  • Draw up the company’s Memorandum of Association and have it notarised by a Notary Public in the Dubai Courts;
  • Seek approval from the Economic Department and apply for entry in the Commercial Register;
  • Once approval is granted, the company will be entered in the Commercial Register and have its Memorandum of Association published in the Ministry of Economy and Commerce’s Bulletin;
  • The licence will then be issued by the Economic Department;
  • The company should then be registered with the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Branches and Representative Offices

The Commercial Companies Law also covers the formation and regulation of branches and representative offices of foreign companies in the UAE and stipulates that they may be 100% foreign owned, provided a local agent is appointed.

Only UAE nationals or companies 100% owned by UAE nationals may be appointed as local agents (which should not be confused with the term “commercial agent”). Local agents — also sometimes referred to as sponsors — are not involved in the operations of the company but assist in obtaining visas, labour cards, etc and are paid a lump sum and/or a percentage of profits or turnover. In general, branches and offices of foreign commercial companies are not licensed to engage in importing activity except for re-export or in the case of products of a highly technical nature.

To establish a branch or representative office in Dubai, a foreign commercial company should proceed as follows:

  • Apply for a licence from the Ministry of Economy and Commerce, submitting an agency agreement with a UAE national or 100% UAE owned company.
  • Before issuing the licence, the Ministry will forward the application to the Economic Department to obtain the approval of the Dubai government and will forward the application specifying the activity that the office or branch will be authorised to undertake in the UAE, to the Federal Foreign Companies Committee for approval;
  • Once this has been done, the Ministry of Economy and Commerce will issue the required Ministerial licence specifying the activity to be practised by the foreign company;
  • The branch or office should be entered in the Economic Department’s Commercial Register, and the required licence will be issued;
  • The branch or office should also be entered in the Foreign Companies Register of the Ministry of Economy and Commerce;
  • Finally the branch or office should be registered with the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Branches and Representative Offices of Foreign Professional Companies

Branches and representative offices of foreign professional firms may be 100% foreign owned provided UAE nationals or 100% UAE owned companies are appointed as local agents. Such agents are not involved in the operations of the firm but assist in obtaining visas, labour cards etc and are paid a lump sum as remuneration. The Economic Department is the authority in charge of licensing such branches or representational offices.

Sole Proprietorships

In setting up a professional firm, 100% foreign ownership, sole proprietorships or civil companies are permitted. Such firms may engage in professional or artisan activities but the number of staff members that may be employed is limited. A UAE national must be appointed as local service agent, but he has no direct involvement in the business and is paid a lump sum and/or percentage of profits or turnover. The role of the local service agent is to assist in obtaining licences, visas, labour cards, etc.

Offshore-Companies in the United Arab Emirates

Since the year 2003 the United Arab Emirates allow the formation of offshore companies in the Jebel Ali Freezone in Dubai. With this step Dubai is positioning itself as a regional alternative among the worldwide network of offshore locations such as Liechtenstein, Madeira, Malta and the Canal Islands.

The advantages of establishing an offshore company in the United Arab Emirates are obvious: there are no corporate or individual taxes existing in the Emirates as well as no value added tax, inheritance tax or tax on assets. In addition to the tax free environment there is a double taxation treaty existing since 1995 between Germany and the Emirates, which exempts German producers located in the Emirates from taxation according to the German tax law.

Substantial legal regulations for forming and operating an offshore company can be found in the „Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority Offshore Companies Regulations“ (consists of 126 paragraphs). Concerning the activity of the offshore business there is no limitation except for banking or insurance businesses. The offshore company does not require its own personnel or maintain office space in the Emirates. In every case the company has to appoint a local representative (so called registered agent), who acts as the contact person for authorities in the United Arab Emirates.

Due to the low magisterial requirements the formation of an offshore company in the Jebel Ali Freezone offers an interesting alternative for foreign companies.

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