Your personal gateway to the UAE: Professional business set-up and relocation
If you are considering basing your business in Dubai, you are not alone. 100% foreign ownership is now available across the vast majority of business activities. There is no personal income tax charged in Dubai when earnings are drawn. The infrastructure is world-class, the time zone is conveniently located between Europe and Asia, and the visa pathways for business owners and their families are well-structured. For many people who come to us, the decision to move to Dubai has already been made. What they need is someone who knows exactly how to make it work.
Cécile Hodgens has been based in Dubai for more than 20 years, working directly with entrepreneurs, investors, and relocating families to help them navigate the UAE’s business and regulatory landscape. As an official Professional Partner of the International Free Zone Authority (IFZA) we provide hands-on guidance through the entire setup process, from initial structure planning through to licence issuance, visa applications, and the ongoing management of your business as it grows.
What the rules actually say: cutting through the misconceptions
The volume of information available online about setting up in Dubai is enormous, and a significant proportion of it is outdated, oversimplified, or incorrect. Three misconceptions come up more than any others.
The first is that free zone companies are automatically tax-free. They are not. The UAE introduced corporate tax in 2023, and while free zone companies can qualify for a 0% rate on qualifying income, that status, known as Qualifying Free Zone Person status, is not automatic. It must be earned annually by meeting specific conditions around economic substance, the nature of your income, and compliance with UAE transfer pricing rules. A free zone company that derives revenue from UAE mainland clients above a defined threshold will be subject to corporate tax at 9%. Getting the structure right from the outset, and managing it correctly year on year, is essential.
The second is that a free zone licence gives you unrestricted access to the UAE market. It does not. If your business involves selling directly to UAE mainland clients, a free zone structure alone will not cover you; you will need either a mainland branch or a registered local commercial agent. Choosing the wrong structure for your business model is one of the most common and costly mistakes we see.
The third is that the process is straightforward enough to manage without help. For most internationally mobile entrepreneurs with any complexity to their personal or business circumstances, the consequences of errors in licence selection, naming conventions, document requirements, or corporate tax registration can be expensive to unwind.
Free zone or mainland: choosing the right structure
The right structure depends entirely on what your business does and who it sells to. IFZA suits businesses that are internationally focused, export-oriented, or operating in professional services, technology, or consulting. It offers a streamlined setup process and competitive licence costs. A mainland licence is the right choice for businesses that need unrestricted access to the UAE domestic market, supply local clients, tender for government contracts, or operate physical premises. Since UAE ownership reforms removed the requirement for a local national sponsor across most activities, mainland setup is now significantly more accessible to foreign entrepreneurs than it once was.
The process and getting it right
The setup process moves through a defined sequence: activity selection, licence type, company name approval, initial authority approval, document submission, licence issuance, and visa applications. For an IFZA setup, licences can be issued within days once documentation is in order. Beyond setup, every licence must be renewed annually; missed renewals trigger penalties. Corporate tax registration with the Federal Tax Authority is mandatory for all UAE businesses, with returns due within 9 months of the financial year-end.
How we can help
When you work with us on your Dubai setup, you work directly with Cécile Hodgens throughout. We take the time to understand your business model, personal circumstances, and long-term plans before recommending a structure. As an official Professional Partner of IFZA, we can manage the entire process on your behalf. And because Hodgens also operates as a UK tax advisory practice, we are particularly well placed to help clients relocating from the UK who need both their UAE business setup and their UK tax departure position handled by the same team.
If you are planning to move to Dubai, or if you are already there and want to make sure your business structure is as efficient as it should be, we would be very happy to talk it through with you.
Thinking about setting up in Dubai? Get in touch with Cécile and we will make sure you start on the right foundations.