Business Setup in the UAE for Turkish nationals

Key points

Turkish construction groups, food brands and textile exporters are major players in the UAE market, which gives Turkish entrepreneurs a ready market and supply chain the moment their the UAE for Turkish nationals licence is granted. Turkish nationals are a growing community of traders, contractors and restaurateurs, especially in Dubai, so the the UAE for Turkish nationals authority, the banks and the immigration officers see Turkish applications every day and process them without hesitation. To be clear, payments between Türkiye and the UAE are routine: the dirham is pegged to the dollar, Turkish lira (TRY) transfers settle quickly and UAE banks are familiar with Turkish business profiles.

Step by step

1. 
   Step 1

   Consultation and activity selection

   We confirm that your activity is available in the UAE for Turkish nationals, choose the licence type and agree the visa package and office option that match your plan.

2. 
   Step 2

   Name reservation and initial approval

   GoldenKey reserves your trade name with the the UAE for Turkish nationals authority and obtains initial approval, usually within one to two working days (Monday to Friday). This is also the point at which we answer any question specific to starting a business in the UAE as a Turkish national.

3. 
   Step 3

   Document submission and payment

   You sign the application and memorandum, we file the attested paperwork with the UAE for Turkish nationals and the authority's licence fee is paid.

4. 
   Step 4

   Licence issued and next steps

   the UAE for Turkish nationals issues the licence, incorporation certificate and lease; from there we open the establishment card, process visas and arrange your bank introduction. Your portal shows the status of this step for starting a business in the UAE as a Turkish national in real time.

Documents required

Here is what you will need for starting a business in the UAE as a Turkish national; GoldenKey checks every item before submission.

• Educational certificates attested by the Türkiye authorities and the UAE embassy, for professional activities
• A short business plan or activity description for certain professional activities
• A passport-size photograph on a white background
• A police clearance certificate from Türkiye if the activity or the Golden Visa category requires it
• Attested parent-company documents and a board resolution if the shareholder is a company
• A bank statement from your Türkiye bank for the last three months, which banks use to understand your profile

Pricing

On the ground, pricing for starting a business in the UAE as a Turkish national depends on the package you choose; every option below includes GoldenKey's service and the government fees stated. In our experience, all prices for starting a business in the UAE as a Turkish national are indicative, shown in AED and confirmed in writing before you pay.

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

Where Turkish nationals usually register

Just as important, the most common choices for Turkish 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 Turkish nationals include construction, textiles and garments, food and beverage and furniture.

Documents from Türkiye

In short, you will need a valid passport, photographs and, for professional activities, educational certificates attested in Türkiye, at the UAE embassy there and at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. GoldenKey explains the attestation route for Türkiye documents before you start.

Visas for you and your family

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

Banking for Turkish founders

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

Tax

Yes. The UAE and Türkiye 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 Turkish nationals

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 Turkish nationals 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

The dirham has been pegged to the US dollar since 1997, which removes currency risk for starting a business in the UAE as a Turkish national and makes international pricing simple. English is the working language of business, contracts are routinely drafted in English, and government portals are bilingual, which simplifies starting a business in the UAE as a Turkish national for international founders.

Why GoldenKey

Our quotations for starting a business in the UAE as a Turkish national list every government fee and our service fee on one page, in writing, before you pay anything. Most of our the UAE for Turkish nationals customers come to us through referrals from other founders, which is why we take pride in keeping every promise we put in writing. GoldenKey is a licensed business setup consultancy, not a reseller, which means your the UAE for Turkish nationals application is prepared, checked and submitted by our own team.

Frequently asked questions