Mainland or free zone: choosing for your business
Compare your activity, customers, premises and staffing needs before choosing a UAE business jurisdiction.
Choose around the work you will do
Begin with the actual activity you intend to carry out, where you will operate and who your customers are. The licensing authority and any additional approvals must fit those facts. A package name alone does not determine whether you can carry out a particular activity.
Compare the same requirements
Ask each option to cover the same activity, number of owners, premises needs and visa requirements. Compare renewal costs and exclusions as well as the initial quotation.
Check any requirements for work outside the chosen free zone with the relevant authority. Do not assume one licence permits every activity or every operating location.
Documents and practical arrangements
Prepare a short business description, proposed ownership structure and expected office and staffing requirements. The final document checklist follows the selected legal form and authority.
Company formation, residence applications, banking and tax matters have separate requirements. A licence should not be presented as a guarantee of a bank account, visa or tax treatment.
Ask for a reasoned recommendation
Expedia can review your intended activity and prepare a quotation for the appropriate scope. Tell us whether your customers are local or international and whether you need premises or staff visas, so the comparison is useful to your case.