7 Common Mistakes When Starting Import & Export in the UAE

Key takeaways

• Choosing a jurisdiction on headline price alone instead of where customers are.
• Listing too few activities and paying for an amendment within months.
• Underestimating the documents banks ask for an import & export business.
• Missing the corporate tax registration deadline after incorporation.

Background

7 Common Mistakes When Starting Import & Export in the UAE is located in Jebel Ali Port area, Dubai — adjacent to Jebel Ali Port (world's 9th busiest), and the registrar's processing time for a standard file is around 10 business days. 7 Common Mistakes When Starting Import & Export in the UAE licences are renewed annually with a simple online payment and updated passport copies, and GoldenKey sends a reminder 60 days before the due date. Unlike some zones, 7 Common Mistakes When Starting Import & Export in the UAE does not require a large paid-up capital to be blocked in a bank account before the licence is issued.

What to do, in order

1. 
   Step 1

   Consultation and activity selection

   Day to day, in the first call we check that 7 Common Mistakes When Starting Import & Export in the UAE lists your activity, settle the licence type and match the visa package and office to what you actually need. Your portal shows the status of this step for the mistakes founders make when starting import & export in the UAE in real time.

2. 
   Step 2

   Name reservation and initial approval

   We submit your preferred trade names to 7 Common Mistakes When Starting Import & Export in the UAE and secure initial approval, normally within a day or two of submission.

3. 
   Step 3

   Document submission and payment

   You sign the application forms and memorandum, we submit the attested documents and the licence fee is paid to the issuing authority. Expect clear updates from your GoldenKey consultant while this step runs for the mistakes founders make when starting import & export in the UAE.

4. 
   Step 4

   Licence issued and next steps

   Your 7 Common Mistakes When Starting Import & Export in the UAE licence, certificate of incorporation and lease are issued, and we move straight on to the establishment card, visas and bank introduction.

Documents you will need

Keep these ready before you start:

• A short business plan or activity description for certain professional activities
• A no-objection certificate from your employer if you hold a UAE employment visa
• Attested parent-company paperwork and a board resolution if the shareholder is a company
• A clear passport copy for each shareholder and manager, valid for at least six months
• Proof of address such as a utility bill or bank statement, requested by some zones

Costs

Prices for the mistakes founders make when starting import & export in the UAE are drawn from GoldenKey's live price list and confirmed in writing ahead of payment. Government fees change from time to time; the figures on this page update automatically when they do.

Pricing available on request — message us for a written quotation.

Why the UAE

Day to day, the dirham has been pegged to the US dollar since 1997, which removes currency risk for the mistakes founders make when starting import & export in the UAE and makes international pricing simple. Day to day, english is the working language of business, contracts are routinely drafted in English, and government portals are bilingual, which simplifies the mistakes founders make when starting import & export in the UAE for international founders.

How GoldenKey helps

GoldenKey is based in Ajman Free Zone and has helped entrepreneurs from more than 60 countries with the mistakes founders make when starting import & export in the UAE, so the paperwork, approvals and timing hold no surprises for us. We will tell you plainly if 7 Common Mistakes When Starting Import & Export in the UAE is not the right choice for your plan and point you to a better option, even when that option costs less.

Frequently asked questions