Referencia completa

Guías de creación de empresas en EAU

Una herramienta de decisión estructurada que cubre mainland, zonas francas, offshore, actividades, precios, visados, impuestos, banca, palancas para startups, estructuración familiar y flujos operativos — compilada de fuentes oficiales del gobierno y los registros de EAU.

Parte I: UAE Setup Architecture

Understand the three formation tracks — mainland, free zone, and offshore — and how to choose between them.

The UAE Business Setup System in One View

The three primary formation tracks — mainland, free zone, and offshore — and the five things your setup must match simultaneously.

Mainland vs Free Zone vs Offshore — How to Choose

Decision logic for choosing between mainland, free zone, and offshore based on your business model, not price.

Legal Forms Commonly Seen in the UAE

From sole establishments to FZCOs, branches, SPVs, and foundations — how legal form affects ownership, governance, and banking.

Business Activities, Codes & External Approvals

Activity selection is the core operating constraint. How zone activity lists work, regulated activities, and external approvals.

The Real Cost of Setup

A UAE company is never just a licence fee. Understand the full cost stack from formation to renewal.

Parte II: Immigration, Family & Banking

Visas, family sponsorship, medical fitness, Emirates ID, and corporate bank account readiness.

Owner Visas, Employee Visas & Residency Flow

The multi-layered residency path: company setup, visa quota, medical fitness, Emirates ID, and the full immigration cost stack.

Family Sponsorship, Dependents & Health Insurance

Salary thresholds, dependent visas, health insurance requirements from Jan 2025, and MOHRE work permits for family-sponsored dependents.

Medical Fitness & Emirates ID

The linked residence bundle — visa file, medical fitness, biometrics, and final residence permit.

Corporate Bank Accounts — Assistance vs Approval

Banking is a separate project. Bank readiness, KYC requirements, and why a low-cost licence isn't necessarily a high-bankability licence.

Parte III: Tax, E-Invoicing & Compliance

VAT registration, Corporate Tax, QFZP logic, e-invoicing timelines, UBO, and AML readiness.

VAT — Registration, Filing & Operating Logic

Mandatory at AED 375,000, voluntary at AED 187,500. Filing within 28 days. VAT as an operating system, not just a threshold.

Corporate Tax — Scope, Rates, QFZP & Filing

0% up to AED 375,000, 9% above. QFZP is not automatic. Free zone ≠ no Corporate Tax registration.

Corporate Tax Penalties & Deadline Discipline

AED 500/month penalty for late filing (rising to AED 1,000 after 12 months). Waiver pathways and how to stay compliant.

E-Invoicing — What Is Coming & Why It Matters

Pilot programme from July 2026. Businesses with AED 50M+ revenue must implement by Jan 2027. What founders should do now.

UBO, AML Readiness & Economic Substance

Ultimate beneficial ownership rules, AML readiness for banking, and the current status of Economic Substance Regulations.

Parte IV: Free Zone & Emirate Profiles

Detailed profiles for every major UAE free zone — best fit, pricing, visa logic, strengths, and watch-outs.

ADGM

Regulated finance, fintech, funds, family offices, private wealth, and sophisticated governance in Abu Dhabi.

Masdar City Free Zone

Sustainability, climate, clean tech, AI, life sciences, and innovation brands in Abu Dhabi.

KEZAD

Manufacturing, industrial land, logistics, warehousing, supply chain, and heavy operations.

DIFC & Innovation Hub

Financial services, fintech, venture studios, and innovation-led startups in a premium Dubai ecosystem.

DMCC

Trading, commodities, international SME hubs, premium Dubai presence, and consulting structures.

Meydan Free Zone

Fast digital setup in Dubai, multi-activity founder businesses, consulting, e-commerce, and startup teams.

Dubai South

Startups, SMEs, aviation-adjacent businesses, and logistics-linked growth.

JAFZA & JAFZA Offshore

Large-scale trade, re-export, manufacturing, warehousing, port linkage, and selected offshore structures.

IFZA

SMEs, consultants, holding structures, and flexible partner-driven company formation in Dubai.

SPC Free Zone

Low-cost startup entry in Sharjah — publishing, consulting, e-commerce, and founder packages.

Shams

Media, content, freelancer, consulting, SME and startup formations in Sharjah from AED 5,750.

SRTIP

Innovation, research-linked businesses, and cost-efficient startup entry in Sharjah.

RAKEZ

One of the strongest all-round value propositions: e-commerce, education, consultancy, media, manufacturing.

Ajman Media City

Media, creative, freelancer, IT, and low-cost founder setups with transparent public pricing from AED 4,999.

UAQ Free Trade Zone

Lean founder entry, simple service businesses, e-commerce, and remote-friendly packages.

SAIF Zone

Trading, warehousing, logistics, aviation-linked commerce, and straightforward Sharjah operational setups.

Hamriyah Free Zone

Industrial, manufacturing, maritime, storage, and larger operational footprints in Sharjah.

Ajman Free Zone

Broad low-to-mid-cost SME setups, trade, services, selected industrial activity, and general flexibility in Ajman.

RAK ICC

International holding, offshore company work, foundations, succession planning, and premium structuring.

DAFZ & Dubai CommerCity

Airport-linked trade, logistics, e-commerce fulfilment, premium infrastructure, and international operator profiles.

Fujairah Free Zone & Creative City

Trade/logistics in Fujairah and low-cost creative/media/freelancer setups — two distinct models.

National Free Zone Map by Emirate

The Ministry of Economy and Tourism's official registry of free-zone registrars across all seven emirates.

Parte V: Startup Leverage & Frameworks

Decision frameworks, ecosystem strategies, and the annual operating model after incorporation.

How Startups Can Leverage the UAE Properly

Hub71, DIFC Innovation Hub, ADGM fintech, Green Visa — combining the right structure with the right ecosystem.

Decision Framework — Which Setup for Which Objective?

A structured shortlist matrix: cheapest entry, fastest digital setup, premium ecosystem, industrial, fintech, media, and innovation.

The Annual Operating Model After Incorporation

Your compliance calendar: licence renewal, tax filings, insurance, bank KYC refresh, UBO updates, and more.

Parte VI: Structuring & Operating Depth

Holding companies, branches, SPVs, foundations, family offices, payroll, accounting, and renewals.

Holding Companies — When a HoldCo Beats a Trading Licence

When to use a holding company vs an operating company. Ring-fencing risk, managing exits, and family wealth.

SPVs, Foundations & Succession Planning

Ring-fenced transactions, family governance, ADGM structures, and RAK ICC foundations.

Accounting, Audit & Finance Stack

Setting up bookkeeping from day one, audit readiness, and choosing software for VAT, Corporate Tax, and e-invoicing.

Branches of Foreign Companies

When a branch beats a subsidiary — parent continuity, liability, banking, and customer perception.

Family Offices & Private Wealth Structures

ADGM vs DIFC, governance design, active investment management, and cross-border asset administration.

Offshore Structures — What They Are and What They Are Not

JAFZA Offshore and RAK ICC — when offshore is right and when it's the wrong framing entirely.

Labour, Payroll, WPS & Employer Operations

Moving beyond founder-only setup — labour files, work permits, payroll discipline, and insurance.

Renewals, Amendments, Share Transfers & Liquidation

Model over three moments: incorporation, first renewal, and material change. Where real complexity accumulates.

Parte VII: Mainland Dossiers by Emirate

Emirate-by-emirate mainland profiles — when mainland beats free zone and how to evaluate it.

Dubai Mainland

The benchmark operating structure for direct onshore UAE trade — retail, services, tenders, and contracting.

Abu Dhabi Mainland

Abu Dhabi domestic trade, government-linked work, and when mainland beats ADGM, KEZAD, or Masdar.

Sharjah Mainland

Cost-competitive onshore operations — local services, retail, contracting, and industrial spillover.

Ajman Mainland

Lean SMEs that need real domestic access without premium-city cost.

Ras Al Khaimah Mainland

Onshore RAK operations — when mainland pairs better than RAKEZ for industrial and logistics work.

Umm Al Quwain Mainland

Niche onshore choice for local UAQ trading and services.

Fujairah Mainland

Domestic Fujairah operations, port-adjacent service businesses, and East Coast economy structures.

Modelo de evidencia

Estas guías se basan primero en fuentes gubernamentales federales o de cada emirato, luego en fuentes oficiales de registros y zonas francas, y después en fuentes bancarias oficiales. Los consultores externos y los sitios de revendedores se excluyen intencionadamente.

Este contenido es educativo y no constituye asesoramiento legal ni fiscal. Confirme siempre los requisitos oficiales más recientes.