Business Setup in the UAE for Romanians

Key points

From day one, romanian IT talent and construction firms are well represented in Dubai, which gives Romanian entrepreneurs a ready market and supply chain the moment their the UAE for Romanians licence is issued. The most common businesses Romanians open through GoldenKey are in IT and software, hospitality, construction and aviation, although the UAE for Romanians supports almost any activity. Romanians are a large community working in hospitality, aviation, construction and IT, so the the UAE for Romanians authority, the banks and the immigration officers see Romanian applications every day and process them without hesitation.

Step by step

1. 
   Step 1

   Consultation and activity selection

   In the first call we check that the UAE for Romanians lists your activity, settle the licence type and match the visa package and office to what you actually need. Expect clear updates from your GoldenKey consultant while this step runs for starting a business in the UAE as a Romanian national.

2. 
   Step 2

   Name reservation and initial approval

   Your trade name is reserved with the the UAE for Romanians authority and initial approval is obtained; this stage rarely takes more than two working days.

3. 
   Step 3

   Document submission and payment

   As a rule, you sign the submission and memorandum, we file the attested paperwork with the UAE for Romanians and the authority's licence fee is paid. This is also the point at which we answer any question specific to starting a business in the UAE as a Romanian national.

4. 
   Step 4

   Licence issued and next steps

   To be clear, your the UAE for Romanians licence, certificate of incorporation and lease are granted, and we move straight on to the establishment card, visas and bank introduction.

Documents required

Just as important, gather these papers and GoldenKey will take care of the rest of starting a business in the UAE as a Romanian national.

• A short business plan or activity description for certain professional activities
• The UAE entry stamp or visa page if you are already in the country
• A passport-size photograph on a white background
• A clear passport copy for each shareholder and manager, valid for at least six months
• Educational certificates attested by the Romania authorities and the UAE embassy, for professional activities
• Your current residence visa and Emirates ID copy if you are a UAE resident

Pricing

Use the table below to compare packages for starting a business in the UAE as a Romanian national; we will confirm the exact total for your case in a written quotation. For most clients, the figures below for starting a business in the UAE as a Romanian national are updated by GoldenKey whenever the authority changes its fees, so the price you see is the current one.

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

Where Romanians usually register

The most common choices for Romanian founders are Ajman Free Zone for budget-conscious trading and services, IFZA or Meydan for a Dubai address, and Dubai or Sharjah mainland for retail, restaurants and contracting. Popular sectors among Romanians include IT and software, hospitality, construction and aviation.

Documents from Romania

As we tell every client, you will need a valid passport, photographs and, for professional activities, educational certificates attested in Romania, at the UAE embassy there and at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. GoldenKey explains the attestation route for Romania documents before you start.

Visas for you and your family

Your company sponsors your investor residence visa, after which you can sponsor your spouse and children. Golden Visa routes are available to Romanian investors, entrepreneurs and professionals who meet the criteria.

Banking for Romanian founders

UAE banks are familiar with Romanian business profiles. A clear activity, a resident signatory and clean statements from your Romania bank make the request smoother. GoldenKey prepares the file and introduces a suitable bank.

Tax

Yes. The UAE and Romania have a double taxation agreement, and a UAE tax residency certificate lets you claim treaty relief on qualifying income. GoldenKey can obtain the certificate once your company is established. UAE corporate tax applies at 9% above AED 375,000 with a 0% rate for qualifying free zone income, and there is no personal income tax.

Compare jurisdictions for Romanians

Ajman Free ZoneOne of the UAE's most affordable free zones — 0-visa packa…Ajman New Venture CentreAjman's newest entrepreneurial free zone — built for start…Ajman Media CityUAE's media and content-creator hub — licences from AED 5,…Meydan Free ZoneDubai's entrepreneurial free zone at the iconic Meydan rac…IFZA Free ZoneDubai's fastest-growing free zone — multi-activity licence…DMCC Free ZoneWorld's #1 free zone — the premium choice for commodity tr…Shams Free ZoneSharjah's media free zone — creative and digital licences …SAIF ZoneSharjah's industrial free zone — warehousing, logistics an…RAKEZRAK's all-in-one economic zone — business, industrial and …JAFZAJebel Ali — the world's largest free zone and gateway to g…Dubai mainlandThe UAE's commercial capital — trade anywhere in the UAE w…Abu Dhabi mainlandThe capital — government contracts, energy supply chains a…Sharjah mainlandIndustrial heartland of the UAE — manufacturing, trading a…Ajman mainlandGoldenKey's home emirate — one of the most affordable main…Ras Al Khaimah mainlandThe emirate of industry and tourism — low costs, strong ma…Umm Al Quwain mainlandThe quiet emirate — one of the lowest-cost mainland licenc…Fujairah mainlandThe UAE's east-coast gateway — shipping, bunkering and Ind…

Businesses Romanians open in the UAE

General Tradingimport, export, re-export and wholesale of a broad range o…E-commerceselling physical or digital products online through your o…IT & Softwaresoftware development, SaaS, app development, IT consulting…Business Consultingmanagement, strategy, HR, marketing or operations consulti…Marketing & Advertising Agencydigital marketing, social media management, advertising, b…Real Estate Brokeragebrokering the sale and leasing of property on behalf of ow…Restaurant & Caféoperating a dine-in restaurant, café, cloud kitchen or foo…Retail Shopselling goods to consumers from a physical shop, kiosk or …Logistics & Freight Forwardingfreight forwarding, cargo handling, courier services and s…Import & Exportimporting goods into the UAE and exporting or re-exporting…Manufacturing & Industrialproducing, assembling, processing or packaging goods in a …Construction & Contractingbuilding, civil works, MEP and specialist contracting for …Healthcare Clinicmedical, dental, physiotherapy or aesthetic clinics and ho…Education & Trainingtraining centres, tutoring, corporate training, e-learning…Media & Content Productionvideo production, photography, publishing, podcasting and …Recruitment & HR Servicesrecruitment, manpower supply, outsourcing and HR consultan…Travel & Tourism Agencyinbound and outbound travel, tour operating, ticketing and…Event Managementplanning and delivering corporate events, exhibitions, wed…Interior Design & Fit-outinterior design consultancy, space planning and, with the …Cleaning & Facilities Managementcommercial and residential cleaning, maintenance and integ…Beauty Salon & Spaladies' or gents' salons, barbershops, spas and nail studi…Fitness & Sportsgyms, personal training, yoga studios, sports academies an…Photography & Videographycommercial, wedding, product and real estate photography a…Legal Consultancyadvising on contracts, corporate structuring and complianc…Accounting & Bookkeepingbookkeeping, VAT and corporate tax filing, payroll and fin…Automotive & Spare Parts Tradingtrading new and used vehicles, spare parts, tyres and acce…Gold & Jewellery Tradingwholesale and retail trading of gold, diamonds, precious s…Crypto & Blockchainblockchain development, Web3 consultancy and, with VARA or…Fintech & Paymentspayment technology, lending platforms, wealth-tech and fin…Tourism & Hospitalityholiday homes, hotel management, desert safaris, yacht cha…Textile & Garments Tradingimporting and wholesaling fabrics, garments, uniforms and …Perfume & Cosmetics Tradingtrading, private-label and retail of perfumes, skincare an…Foodstuff Tradingimporting, distributing and re-exporting packaged food, be…Engineering Consultancycivil, structural, MEP and project-management engineering …Architecture & Designarchitectural design, urban planning and landscape archite…Printing & Packagingcommercial printing, signage, labels and packaging product…Car Rental & Leasingrenting and leasing vehicles to tourists, residents and co…Pharmaceutical & Medical Suppliesimporting and distributing medicines, medical devices and …Oil & Gas Servicesequipment supply, inspection, maintenance and consultancy …Maritime & Ship Servicesship chandling, bunkering support, crew services, marine s…Holding Companyowning shares in subsidiaries, property and investments un…

Why the UAE

Put simply, banking, logistics, telecoms and digital government services in the UAE are among the most advanced in the region, which keeps the running costs of starting a business in the UAE as a Romanian national predictable. The UAE's reputation as a trading hub means international clients and suppliers already trust a UAE licence, which shortens sales cycles for starting a business in the UAE as a Romanian national.

Why GoldenKey

GoldenKey is based in Ajman Free Zone and has helped founders from more than 60 countries with starting a business in the UAE as a Romanian national, so the paperwork, approvals and timing hold no surprises for us. GoldenKey is a licensed business setup consultancy, not a reseller, which means your the UAE for Romanians application is prepared, checked and submitted by our own team. Importantly, if a document is missing or an approval is delayed on your the UAE for Romanians file, we tell you immediately and explain the fix, rather than letting the application sit.

Frequently asked questions