How long does UAE company formation take?

Free zones typically issue in 2–5 working days, mainland in 4–7, offshore in 1–2. Residence visas add 5–10 working days per person, and bank accounts open in 1–3 weeks with a well-prepared file.

What is the UAE Golden Visa property route?

AED 2 million or more of UAE real estate — completed, mortgaged, or off-plan within limits — qualifies for the 10-year self-sponsored Golden Visa, with spouse and children included in the same file. Files typically complete in 2–6 weeks.

The UAE Setup Answer Engine · 2026

Every UAE business question, answered before you ask.

Q: Can foreigners own 100% of a UAE company?

Yes. Every free zone allows full foreign ownership, and since the Commercial Companies Law reforms most mainland activities do too. Choose your structure on market access, banking and cost — not the outdated ownership myth.

5,145 guides across 45 free zones, 88 activities, 7 emirates and 58 nationalities — with live 2026 pricing, free calculators and the honest advisory of GoldenKey, from inside Ajman Free Zone.

Cheapest licence 2026 Golden Visa AED 2M IFZA vs Meydan Corporate Tax deadline Bank KYC pack

5,145Knowledge pages

45Free zones covered

88Business activities

1,500+Companies formed

98%Bank approval rate

Explore the platform

Fifteen sections. One answer engine.

Every section below is a full library — separate, indexable pages with unique content, structured data and honest numbers.

486🏛️Free Zone Directory45 zones profiled — plus visa, banking, documents, renewal and tax subpages for each. 2,641🔑Activity + Zone Combos"E-commerce in IFZA", "restaurant in RAKEZ" — 88 activities × 30 zones, each answered directly. 617🏙️Mainland by EmirateOnshore licensing for all 88 activities across all 7 emirates and their authorities. 138💰Setup Costs 2026Year-one budgets by zone, by activity and by tier — itemised like our written quotes. 301⚖️Zone ComparisonsHead-to-head on cost, speed, visas and fit — the whiteboard session, written down. 349🌍By NationalitySetup, Golden Visa and zone guides for founders from 58 countries. 13🛂Visas & ResidencyGolden Visa lanes, investor, family, remote-work and every route in between. 13🧾Tax DeskCorporate Tax, VAT, QFZP and FTA practice — rules, deadlines, filing reality. 11🏦Banking DeskKYC, source-of-funds and the file-building behind a 98% approval rate. 28🛡️OffshoreJAFZA Offshore, RAK ICC and Ajman Offshore — holding, protection, property. 32📍LocationsEvery emirate and 24 districts — address economics and honest local context. 102📖GlossaryThe terms that decide licences, taxes, visas and bank accounts — in plain language. 55💬FAQ LibraryThe questions our desk hears weekly, answered the way we answer across the desk. 41🧭GuidesLong-form playbooks: structures, banking, compliance calendars, exits. 215✍️InsightsField notes from live files, in six editorial layouts.

Ajman Free Zone from AED 5,750RAKEZ from AED 6,500Sharjah SPC from AED 6,500Meydan from AED 12,500IFZA from AED 12,900Abu Dhabi from AED 13,000Dubai Mainland from AED 14,500DMCC from AED 22,000Golden Visa property AED 2M+Corporate Tax 9% > AED 375kVAT 5%Bank success 98% Ajman Free Zone from AED 5,750RAKEZ from AED 6,500Sharjah SPC from AED 6,500Meydan from AED 12,500IFZA from AED 12,900Abu Dhabi from AED 13,000Dubai Mainland from AED 14,500DMCC from AED 22,000Golden Visa property AED 2M+Corporate Tax 9% > AED 375kVAT 5%Bank success 98%

Free tools

Model it before you spend it.

Calibrated to the same 2026 data our advisors quote from — instant, free, no signup.

🧮Setup Cost CalculatorZone + visas + office → an itemised year-one estimate. 🛃Visa Cost CalculatorPrice the residency chain for founders, family and team. 📊Tax & VAT CalculatorCorporate Tax exposure and VAT position from two numbers. 📈ROI CalculatorPayback timing on your UAE expansion. 🆚Zone ComparisonAny two zones, side by side, from live directory data. 🪄Setup WizardFour questions → a reasoned shortlist, not just a name.

How an engagement runs

Five steps. One advisor. Zero surprises.

Discovery call15 minutes on your model, customers, banking and visa horizon — no pitch.

Written recommendationJurisdiction comparison, fixed quotation, dated timeline.

DocumentationNames, approvals, MOA — remote-friendly with POA and e-signature.

Licence & residencyLicence, establishment card, visas, medical, Emirates ID.

Bank, tax & renewalsAccount opened, CT/VAT registered, calendar diarised. We stay.

Quick answers

Asked every week

How much does it cost to start a business in the UAE in 2026?

Free zone licences start around AED 5,750 (Ajman Free Zone tier); a working licence-plus-one-visa setup realistically lands between AED 11,500 and AED 15,000, and Dubai mainland starts near AED 14,500 before office costs. Our quotations itemise every line in writing.

Can foreigners own 100% of a UAE company?

Yes — every free zone allows it, and since the Commercial Companies Law reforms most mainland activities do too. Decide on market access, banking and cost, not the outdated ownership myth.

How long does formation take?

Free zones: 2–5 working days. Mainland: 4–7. Offshore: 1–2. Visas add 5–10 working days per person; bank accounts open in 1–3 weeks with a strong file.

What is the Golden Visa property route?

AED 2M+ of UAE real estate — completed, mortgaged, or off-plan within limits — earns a 10-year self-sponsored residency, family included, typically in 2–6 weeks.

Ready to turn the key?

Book a free consultation: a fixed written quotation, honest jurisdiction advice and a dated launch timeline — in about thirty minutes, no obligation.

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GoldenKey · Led by CEO Mohammad Sajid

B1 Building, Level 03, Office 318, Ajman Free Zone, UAE

+971 55 671 5001 · +971 50 260 0409

info@goldenkeybcs.com · Su–Th 09:00–18:00

Instalments via Tabby & Tamara · Fixed written quotes · 4.9/5 from 1,500+ founders