What is really in your UAE company setup proposal?
Two proposals can sound similar while covering different work. Start with your business model, then ask for a written scope that connects each service to a concrete outcome. These nine questions are a conversation guide, rather than a recommendation for one particular structure.
Download the first-call brief (.txt)QUESTION 01
What will the company actually do?
Describe a typical transaction: what you sell, who buys it and where the work happens. An online retailer, a consultancy and a property management business should not automatically receive the same proposal. The UAE Ministry's setup overview starts with the economic activity and links it to the legal form and licence type. Ask the provider to connect the proposed activities to your actual services.
Ask this
“Which exact activities are proposed, and which parts of my business do they cover?”
QUESTION 02
Which authority and legal structure are proposed?
A ‘Dubai company’ is not a sufficiently detailed description for comparing offers. Ask for the issuing authority or free zone, the emirate and the legal form. Explain where your customers are based and where you intend to operate. A useful proposal explains the choice in relation to that plan, and flags any questions that still need confirmation.
Ask this
“Who will issue the licence, and why is this structure proposed for my business?”
QUESTION 03
What does each stage actually deliver?
A reserved name, initial approval and an issued licence are different milestones. The official setup overview explains that initial approval allows the next licensing steps to proceed; it does not itself authorise the business to operate. Put the documents and services expected at each stage in writing so that both sides understand what a payment is intended to achieve.
Ask this
“Does this stage deliver preliminary approval, the licence, or another clearly defined outcome?”
QUESTION 04
What does ‘visa included’ mean here?
Break a package label into individual services. Confirm the number of people covered, the applications and fees included, the steps you must complete yourself, and any appointments or physical attendance to plan for. Treat this as a list of questions for your case, rather than an assumption that every setup follows an identical process.
Ask this
“Which visa-related services are included for each person, and what remains my responsibility?”
QUESTION 05
Which documents, premises and additional approvals are covered?
The Ministry's overview includes company documents, a business location and, where relevant, additional approvals. Ask what your proposed activity and structure require. For example, clarify whether company documents, notarisation, translations or an office arrangement are needed, who organises them and whether their cost is included. An unanswered item should remain an open question in the proposal.
Ask this
“Which documents and approvals apply to my case, and who is responsible for each one?”
QUESTION 06
Can you explain every cost line?
Separate professional service fees, government charges and third-party services. Identify fixed prices, estimates and exclusions. When one amount is quoted in euros and another in AED, ask how conversion and payment charges are handled. Compare the total for an equivalent scope rather than comparing headline prices that may include different services.
Ask this
“What is the total for this scope, in which currency, and what could cause an additional charge?”
QUESTION 07
What happens after each payment?
A useful payment plan connects each instalment to a defined service or the next expected expense. Record what must be supplied before work begins, when the next payment becomes due and how changes to the scope are approved. If you are starting in stages, distinguish the work commissioned now from optional work you may request later.
Ask this
“What happens after the first payment, and what progress information will I receive?”
QUESTION 08
What needs funding after the setup?
Ask for a separate view of the first operating year and the first renewal. Discuss ongoing administration, bookkeeping, tax-related work and support with bank documentation, and identify services that need a separate agreement. Describe bank application support as support; it is not the same as an approval from the bank. Confirm any estimated renewal figures again before relying on them.
Ask this
“Which recurring services and renewals should I plan for, and which amounts are confirmed?”
QUESTION 09
Who owns the next step?
Agree who answers questions, how documents are submitted and how progress is reported. Distinguish an estimated processing time from a committed service deadline and from a decision made by an authority or bank. A short list showing the next action, its owner and any missing input is more useful than a general promise that everything is in progress.
Ask this
“What is the next action, who is responsible, and what is still missing?”
Your first-call brief
Write down four things to help identify what needs clarification before a concrete proposal.
- Activity: what service or product will you sell?
- Customers: where are they, and where will the work take place?
- People: who is involved, and whose residence plans need discussion?
- Timing: when do you want to start, and what is already confirmed?
Common questions
Can I compare two package prices directly?
Only once their authority, structure, activities, people, included services, exclusions and renewals are described on a comparable basis. Ask about unclear items in writing.
Is this a complete list of legal requirements?
No. It is a proposal checklist. Requirements must be confirmed for your activity, structure and personal circumstances with the relevant authority and, where needed, a qualified legal or tax adviser.
What should I send for a first conversation?
A short description of your activity, customer markets, people involved and target start date is enough to begin. Agree a suitable document submission process before sending identity documents.
Source and scope
The points about economic activities, initial approval, company documents and additional approvals refer to the UAE Ministry of Economy & Tourism setup overview, checked on 24 September 2026. The remaining questions are our practical proposal-comparison checklist. Confirm the requirements and terms for your specific case.