Marhaba! And welcome to the Dubai section of the Sovereign Group.

We have 30 staff and two offices in Dubai (in Emirates Towers near DIFC, and Jumeirah Lake Towers opposite Dubai Marina).

We have been licensed and operating in Dubai since 1998, and are now the largest corporate services provider in the Middle East.

Setting Up In Dubai

There are a number of different ways of creating a business establishment in Dubai, depending upon the function to be carried out. A “Limited Liability Company” or LLC, is the most common way of registering in Dubai and is recommended where the purpose of the entity is to make retail sales within the region. It should be noted, however, that 100% foreign ownership of such an entity is not permitted. A “Professional Licence” will enable the provision of professional services, while a “Branch” or “Representative Office” will be suitable where there is no requirement to actually conduct sales or manufacturing, only to provide information and negotiate sales. Specific details on each entity are covered here.

About the United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) comprises seven member states: Abu Dhabi (the capital), Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Qaiwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah. Dubai is the second largest and ranks as the UAE’s most important port and commercial centre.

The UAE has concluded advantageous tax treaties with China, Czech Republic, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Netherlands (air transport), Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Singapore, Sri Lanka (air transport), Switzerland (air transport), UK (transport). It should be noted that the UAE is not on the OECD, UN or EU blacklists so Companies incorporated in this jurisdiction, if carefully structured with professional advice, may be extremely useful for tax planning purposes.