Guides
Guides and updates
Plain-English guides to UAE company formation, visas, corporate tax, VAT and attestation, checked against official sources and dated.
Guide · Corporate tax · 5 min readUAE corporate tax registration deadline: what applies to youIf your company was incorporated on or after 1 March 2024, the Federal Tax Authority (FTA) expects its corporate tax registration application within three months of incorporation, and missing that window carries a penalty of AED 10,000. Companies formed before then had their own deadlines, which have now passed, so if you are not registered yet, the right step is to register now. This guide explains who must register, how the deadline is counted and what follows once you are registered.Read the guide
Guide · E-invoicing · 5 min readUAE e-invoicing: dates and what to do nowE-invoicing in the UAE goes live on 1 January 2027 for businesses with revenue of AED 50 million or more. Businesses below that must appoint an Accredited Service Provider (ASP) by 31 March 2027 and go live on 1 July 2027, while sales to consumers are excluded for now. Here is what the rules cover, how to tell which phase you are in and what to prepare before your date.Read the guide
Guide · PRO services · 5 min readWhat does PRO mean in the UAE?PRO stands for public relations officer. In the UAE, a PRO is the person who handles a company's government transactions, such as trade licenses, visas, work permits and attestations, with authorities like the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) and the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE). Every licensed business needs this work done at some point; the real choice is whether to employ a PRO or outsource the work.Read the guide
Guide · Business setup · 6 min readHow to start a business in Dubai, step by stepTo start a business in Dubai, you choose your activity, decide between the mainland and a free zone, pick a legal form, reserve a trade name, get initial approval, sign your memorandum of association, secure premises and collect your license. This guide takes each step in order, explains who decides what, and covers the tax registrations to plan for once you start trading.Read the guide
Guide · Golden Visa · 5 min readGolden Visa through property: the AED 2 million rulesYes, you can get a 10-year UAE Golden Visa by owning property in Dubai, as long as its purchase value was at least AED 2 million. Mortgaged property can qualify with a no-objection letter from your bank, and the Dubai Land Department (DLD) lists government fees of AED 9,884.75 for the 10-year permit. This guide covers the rules, the off-plan question, the documents and the most common reasons files stall.Read the guide
Comparison · Business setup · 5 min readMainland vs free zone vs offshore: which suits your business?Choose the mainland if your customers are in Dubai and you want to trade across the local market, a free zone if your business is international or sector-focused and mainland limits will not hold you back, and offshore only if you need a holding or international structure that will not trade in the UAE. This guide compares the three on where you can trade, ownership, visas and running costs, so you pick the structure that fits rather than the one that looks cheapest.Read the guide