Restaurant & Café in the UAE for French nationals

Why Dubai

Dubai hosts the region's largest airport, port and exhibition centre. For most clients, businesses that benefit most from Dubai mainland licensing include retail, restaurants, contracting, real estate brokerage and consulting with government clients, because they serve customers on site across the emirate.

How Dubai works with GoldenKey

1. 
   Step 1

   Activity and legal form

   GoldenKey maps your business to the right Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) activity codes and recommends the legal form that fits ownership and liability needs.

2. 
   Step 2

   Trade name and initial approval

   GoldenKey reserves your trade name and obtains initial approval from the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), including any external approvals your activity needs. Expect clear updates from your GoldenKey consultant while this step runs for opening a restaurant or café in the UAE as a French founder.

3. 
   Step 3

   Office, MOA and submission

   In practice, you sign the memorandum of association before the notary or online, we register your tenancy contract and submit the full file.

4. 
   Step 4

   Licence, Chamber and immigration

   The Dubai mainland licence is released, Chamber membership activated, and we open the establishment and labour files so visa processing can start. We keep a written record of this step so your file for opening a restaurant or café in the UAE as a French founder is audit-ready.

Documents required

In our experience, the document list for opening a restaurant or café in the UAE as a French founder is short, and most clients already have everything on it.

• A passport issued by France with at least six months' validity
• Attested parent-company documents and a board resolution if the shareholder is a company
• A bank statement from your France bank for the last three months, which banks use to understand your profile
• Proof of address such as a utility bill or bank statement, requested by some zones
• A short business plan or activity description for certain professional activities
• A clear passport copy for each shareholder and manager, valid for at least six months

Pricing

Pricing for opening a restaurant or café in the UAE as a French founder depends on the package you choose; every option below includes GoldenKey's service and the government fees stated. On the ground, all prices for opening a restaurant or café in the UAE as a French founder are indicative, shown in AED and confirmed in writing before you pay.

Why the UAE

English is the working language of business, contracts are routinely drafted in English, and government portals are bilingual, which simplifies opening a restaurant or café in the UAE as a French founder for international company owners. To be clear, banking, logistics, telecoms and digital government services in the UAE are among the most advanced in the region, which keeps the running costs of opening a restaurant or café in the UAE as a French founder predictable.

Why GoldenKey

Our quotations for opening a restaurant or café in the UAE as a French founder list every government fee and our service fee on one page, in writing, before you pay anything. Importantly, our office is a short drive from the Ajman Free Zone, Ajman DED and the immigration centre, so physical submissions for opening a restaurant or café in the UAE as a French founder happen the same day they are ready. GoldenKey's consultants have handled opening a restaurant or café in the UAE as a French founder for traders, consultants, tech founders and family offices, which gives us a realistic view of what each authority approves quickly.

Frequently asked questions