Private advisory service — not a UAE government website. UnionSPACE is a private business consultancy and commercial services provider. We are not part of, affiliated with, or endorsed by Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism, any Dubai Free Zone authority, the UAE Federal Tax Authority, immigration authorities or any bank. Business licences, residence approvals, Emirates ID, tax registrations and bank accounts are issued or controlled by the relevant authorities and institutions.
Dubai Mainland or Free Zone? Choose the Structure Before You Buy the Licence.
Dubai company setup is not only a question of price. The right route depends on what the company will do, where its customers are located, which activities must appear on the licence, workspace and visa needs, expected banking flows and the intended UAE tax position.
Start with a Dubai Company Fit Review: tell us your activity, target customers, shareholders, visa requirements and banking expectations. We will help frame the Mainland-versus-Free-Zone decision before you commit to a licence, workspace or setup route.
Advisory page reviewed: 14 September 2026
Request a Dubai Private Case Review
Share the essentials. The form opens WhatsApp with your answers so our team can continue the discussion there.
Commercial advisory and coordination. UnionSPACE does not issue UAE government licences or residence approvals.
Mainland versus Free Zone should be decided around the operating model—not simply the cheapest setup option.
Banks independently assess KYC, source of funds, activity and commercial substance.
WHY REVIEW FIRST
A Dubai Trade Licence Is Only One Part of the Setup
The licence, workspace, residence process, tax position and bank profile need to fit together. Choosing a jurisdiction before reviewing these dependencies can create unnecessary cost or operating restrictions later.
1. Activity & Customer Mapping
Clarify the exact business activities, where customers are located and whether the company needs direct access to the UAE Mainland market.
2. Jurisdiction & Workspace
Compare Mainland licensing and eligible premises / Ejari requirements against Free Zone activity, flexi-desk, office and visa-quota rules.
3. Tax Position
Review the general UAE corporate-tax framework, VAT exposure and whether a Free Zone structure could satisfy the conditions for qualifying treatment.
4. Banking Readiness
Assess ownership, source of funds, expected transactions, counterparties and substance before treating a bank account as an automatic consequence of incorporation.
STRUCTURE SELECTION
Dubai Mainland vs. Free Zone: Compare the Operating Model
The attached source page uses these practical decision factors to distinguish the two routes.
CLEAR RESPONSIBILITIES
What UAE Authorities and Banks Do — and What UnionSPACE Does
This distinction matters for Google Ads compliance and for setting realistic expectations.
- Set licensing, immigration, tax and regulatory requirements.
- Issue or control trade licences, residence approvals, Emirates ID and tax registrations.
- Determine whether applications are accepted, approved, delayed or rejected.
- Set Free Zone operating and workspace rules where applicable.
- Banks independently decide KYC, onboarding and account approval.
- Compare Mainland and Free Zone options around your actual business model.
- Prepare a practical licence, workspace, residence and banking roadmap.
- Coordinate documents, professional parties and applications within the agreed scope.
- Provide private support for business setup, workspace and ongoing compliance planning.
- Help prepare bank files and introductions without guaranteeing approval.
Prefer to use official UAE channels directly?
Businesses may use official UAE government and authority channels directly where eligible. UnionSPACE's fees are for private advisory, coordination and commercial support and are separate from government, Free Zone, immigration, insurance, medical, banking and other third-party charges unless expressly stated in a written proposal.
HOW WE WORK
Dubai Company Setup in Five Coordinated Stages
Licence issuance, residence processing and bank onboarding are separate stages with different approval requirements.
Business-Model Review
Review activities, target customers, ownership, staffing, visa needs and banking profile.
Mainland or Free Zone Selection
Compare licence scope, permitted markets, workspace, visa allocation, annual renewal and tax implications.
Licence & Company Registration
Coordinate name reservation, constitutional documents and the application with DET or the selected Free Zone authority.
Investor Residence & Emirates ID
Where included and eligible, coordinate medical, biometrics and residence processing. Approval remains with the authorities.
Corporate Bank Application
Prepare the bank file and coordinate introductions. The bank independently assesses KYC, source of funds and business substance.
PRIVATE CASE REVIEW & PLANNING
Start With a Written Dubai Setup Recommendation Before You Commit to Implementation
Before spending on incorporation, workspace, residence processing or banking, we first review the commercial facts and map the most suitable way forward for your specific case.
Dubai Private Case Review & Planning
This is a paid private advisory engagement with UnionSPACE. It is not a UAE government fee, licence fee, immigration fee, tax payment or bank charge, and it does not purchase or guarantee any government or bank approval.
Advisory fee for the case review, planning analysis and written recommendation report.
- Detailed situation review: understand the proposed business, shareholders, target customers, expected UAE activities, banking flows, staffing and residence needs.
- Practical ability & eligibility review: assess whether the intended activities, ownership profile, workspace expectations and proposed operating model appear compatible with the relevant Mainland or Free Zone routes.
- Objective mapping: identify what the client is actually trying to achieve commercially, operationally, from a residence perspective and from a tax/compliance planning perspective.
- Route comparison: compare the most relevant Mainland and/or Free Zone approaches and highlight the practical advantages, limitations, dependencies and approval risks of each.
- Written recommendation report: provide UnionSPACE's recommended way forward, including the suggested structure, key next steps, major assumptions and matters that should be confirmed before implementation.
THB 20,000 can be credited if you proceed with UnionSPACE
If you proceed with UnionSPACE for the recommended implementation, the THB 20,000 case-review fee can be applied as a credit against UnionSPACE's own professional service fees. The credit does not apply to government, Free Zone, immigration, medical, insurance, banking, workspace or other third-party charges unless expressly agreed in writing.
UnionSPACE is a private advisory provider. This review is intended to help the client make an informed commercial decision before engaging implementation services. Authorities and financial institutions independently determine licensing, residence, tax-registration and bank-account outcomes.
WHAT YOU RECEIVE
A Decision-Making Report Before You Commit to the Setup
The objective is to give the client a clearer basis for deciding whether, where and how to establish the Dubai business before implementation costs are incurred.
Your Situation
Review the investor profile, ownership, existing companies, target market, business model, intended transactions and operational requirements.
Your Practical Ability
Identify material eligibility, licensing, workspace, residence, substance, banking and compliance considerations that may affect the proposed route.
Your Objectives
Define what the structure needs to accomplish—UAE-market access, international trading, regional operations, residence, banking or another commercial objective.
Written Recommendation
Receive a written report setting out the recommended route, alternatives considered, important assumptions, principal risks and the practical next steps to move forward.
TAX & COMPLIANCE
Plan the UAE Tax Position Before Assuming the Outcome
The source page highlights several points that should be considered before selecting a jurisdiction or pricing model.
Corporate Tax
For ordinary taxable businesses, the source page states 0% on taxable income up to AED 375,000 and 9% above that threshold, subject to current UAE rules.
Free Zone 0%
The source page expressly states that 0% Free Zone treatment is conditional and applies only to a Qualifying Free Zone Person's Qualifying Income when all requirements are met.
VAT
The source page states a standard UAE VAT rate of 5%, with mandatory registration generally above AED 375,000 of taxable supplies/imports and voluntary registration potentially available above AED 187,500.
Ongoing Compliance
The source page notes corporate-tax registration/filing, annual trade-licence renewal and possible audit requirements depending on authority, tax and company circumstances.
TO START
Information & Documents to Prepare
Identification
Clear passport copies of shareholders, with the source page specifying at least 6 months' remaining validity.
Address Proof
Residential address evidence such as a utility bill or bank statement.
Personal Details
The source page requests parents' names and nationalities plus highest academic qualification.
Company Details
Three preferred company names and a clear description of the proposed business activities.
FAQ
Dubai Company Setup Advisory FAQs
Practical questions foreign founders often ask before choosing a Mainland or Free Zone structure.
Official UAE Information Sources
For direct official information, the attached source page points users to the UAE Government's guidance on foreign ownership, the Ministry of Finance information on the corporate-tax threshold, and Federal Tax Authority information on Free Zone Persons and VAT registration.
Information on this page is general and is intended to explain UnionSPACE's private advisory service. It does not constitute legal, tax, immigration, banking or investment advice. Requirements, fees and authority practices can change. Obtain case-specific advice before acting.
NEXT STEP
Describe the Business. We’ll Help You Compare the Right Dubai Setup Route.
Start with your actual activity, customers, visa needs and banking profile—not with the cheapest licence.
Contact Our Multilingual Team in Thailand
Our team speaks English, Chinese (Mandarin), Russian, Kazakh, Burmese, Thai, and Indonesian — Monday to Friday, 9AM–6PM Bangkok time.
Get in Touch
Leave us a message and a UnionSPACE representative will contact you within 12 hours.
Location
Suite 201 - Level 2, 29 Sukhumvit Soi 39, Phrom Phong, Bangkok 10110, ThailandCall
Open Hours
Free Initial Consultation Available
Tell us what the business will do, who will own it and how you plan to operate in Thailand. Our Bangkok advisory team will identify the lawful structures available and explain the practical cost and consequences of each.
- A written structural recommendation
- Consultation fee confirmed before booking
- Advice available in seven languages
Prefer to speak directly? Call (+66) 02 1188 988
Monday–Friday, 9:00–18:00 Bangkok time.