Moving to Dubai Is Not Just a Change of Address
For a founder, moving to Dubai affects four areas at once: where the operating company is registered, where you are tax resident, which banks process your payments and who handles reporting. Changing the address without reviewing these links usually leads to expensive restructuring a year later.
Company Jurisdiction
The UAE offers two very different regimes. A mainland company holds an emirate licence and can trade on the domestic market without restriction. A free zone company is often used for exporting services and cross-border work. The choice affects permitted activities, office requirements, hiring and the annual cost of keeping the licence.
Tax
Corporate tax has applied in the UAE since 2023: the headline rate of 9% applies to taxable profit above AED 375,000, with 0% below that threshold. Certain free zone companies that meet the conditions (qualifying activities and adequate substance) may apply 0% to qualifying income. VAT of 5% applies. No exemption is automatic — it must be supported by documents and by how transactions are actually structured.
Personal Residence
A residence visa alone does not make you tax resident in the UAE. A tax residency certificate requires evidence of physical presence and genuine ties. At the same time, check whether the link with your previous country is broken: the 183-day test, centre of vital interests, registration, family and property. Dual residence is resolved under double tax treaties, but that process is slow and document-heavy.
Banking and Compliance
Opening a UAE bank account takes time and requires an explainable business story: source of funds, real counterparties, contracts and payment routes. Banks review the ownership chain (UBO), exposure to sensitive jurisdictions and whether turnover matches the declared model. A prepared file shortens the process but does not remove the review.
Reporting and Deadlines
Registration creates obligations: corporate tax registration, bookkeeping, filing returns and, where relevant, economic substance reporting and beneficial ownership disclosure. Missed deadlines in the UAE attract fixed penalties, so the reporting calendar should be planned from day one.
How We Approach This
We start from the actual situation: where your clients and cash are, which banks you already use, and where owners and managers live. We then compare the UAE with Türkiye and other options on tax, banking acceptance and running cost, and set out the sequence of steps. Rates and regulator requirements change, so they must be verified at the date of the decision.