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MIRR ASIA · Abu Dhabi Mainland (ADDED / DED)
Abu Dhabi Company Formation
Abu Dhabi mainland company setup with Mirr Asia — establishment process, required documents and attestation chain, corporate tax and VAT, accounting and economic substance, banking, business visas, and itemised cost estimates.
Overview · 01
Establishment of an Abu Dhabi Corporation
In the case of regulated industries, a separate license must be obtained, and in the case of industries not classified as regulated, the procedure for general incorporation and business license acquisition can be followed.
Abu Dhabi requires that a local permanent business establishment be in place at the time of incorporation and that a lease agreement be submitted after the business premises are leased. After incorporation, you can apply for a business visa, and you must stay in the UAE for two to three weeks when obtaining the visa.
Estimated duration
3–4 weeks
Regulatory basis
ADDED (Department of Economic Development — Abu Dhabi) / TAMM. Foreign commercial documents typically require final attestation by UAE MoFAIC and, where needed, Ministry of Justice (MoJ) legal Arabic translation.
UAE / Dubai Incorporation Comparison (February 2024)
The comparison brochure above is dated February 2024 and may predate the cost figures in sections 05–06.
Comparison · 02
Do you really need visas after incorporation?
| Item | No visas | With visas |
|---|---|---|
| Legal requirement | Not mandatory for incorporation itself | Separate from incorporation (operational convenience ↑) |
| Bank account opening | Limited — Many banks tend to require the signatory's Emirates ID / residence visa Major banks usually require the signatory/authorized person to have a valid Emirates ID (i.e. residence visa). Alternatives (fintech/EMI) may have limited features/limits. | Smoother — KYC, branch visit, and mobile verification are easier Residence visa & Emirates ID for the signatory makes KYC/branch visits/mobile verification smoother and can speed up account opening approval. |
| Labour & WPS | If hiring staff/using WPS, you will ultimately need manager/employee visas WPS (Wage Protection System): employee salaries must be paid via WPS; non-compliance may lead to penalties/sanctions. Practically, a responsible person's visa & Emirates ID are needed. | Easier access to labour/WPS/government e-services |
| Recommendation | OK for initial testing / non-resident operations | Recommended in most cases — considering banking, labour, and tax (CT/VAT) |
* Bank requirements vary by bank/product. We can also support via intermediaries.
Documents · 03
Required Documents & Attestation Chain
- Board ResolutionSubsidiary approval; appointment of GM/POA
- Company Constitution (MoA/AoA)Latest amended version recommended
- Certificate of Incorporation/Registratione.g. Korean corporate registry (in English)
- Business Registration Certificate (in English)Comparable to ADDED's Trade License
- Colour passport copies of CEO/directors/shareholdersValid for 6+ months
MoFAIC "Commercial Document" scope
Documents typically treated as commercial documents for MoFAIC final attestation: Board Resolution, Power of Attorney, Certificate of Incorporation/Registration, and MoA/AoA. Fees apply *per document*, so the total depends on how many are submitted. (Depending on the case/authority, additional items like Good Standing may be requested.)
- Required documents (individual shareholders/directors)
- 1. A copy of the shareholder/director's passport
- 2. Original verification of the shareholder/director's passport
– Korean passport: English passport copy certificate (issued by the district office) ( View sample )
– Passport of another country: Certified True Copy or Notarial Certificate ( View sample ) - 3. Two types of recent (within three months) English address verification documents of the shareholder/director (addresses must be the same)
– Residence in Korea: English certified copy (resident center) + front and back scans of the license ( View sample )
– Residence in another country: Utility Bill + Bank Statement (or equivalent official document) (View Sample) - 4. Fill out the application for incorporation
- 5. Lease agreement for the local office
- 6. Business plan
- Capital requirement
For businesses that are not classified as regulated, there is no minimum capital requirement. - Shareholders and officers registration requirements
There must be at least one shareholder/director/manager, and one person can hold all positions.
Process · 04
Establishment Process & Timeline
Both approved sources describe the same setup at different granularity; both are reproduced below.
- 1Submit required documents and fill out the application form.
- 2Conduct KYC and suitability assessment.
- 3Check local commercial license issuance and other regulatory matters.
- 4After confirmation of engagement, issue an invoice and make payment.
- 5Proceed with temporary business approval (takes at least 5 business days).
- 6Register and incorporate the company (takes 3-4 business days).
- 7Obtain a business license (takes 6-10 business days).
- 8Apply for a visa and open a bank account (if necessary).
| Step | What happens | Location / Visit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Korean notarization → Korean MOFA consular legalization | Korea / by agent | Prepare originals & notarized chain |
| 2 | UAE Embassy in Korea consular legalization (or via VFS) | Korea / by agent | Courier/authorized submission possible |
| 3 | UAE MoFAIC final attestation | UAE / by agent | Online application + originals by courier |
| 4 | MoJ legal Arabic translation for required documents | UAE / by agent | Performed by MoJ-registered translators; no visit needed |
| 5 | ADDED/TAMM eServices — name reservation, initial approval, lease, license | Mostly remote/by agent | Online with POA. Some landlords may require personal signature per their policy |
| 6 | Visas & Emirates ID (biometrics) | UAE / in-person required | Biometric capture requires presence |
Costs · 05
ADDED Itemised Quote (USD)
Excludes VAT & third-party disbursements.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Initial Approval & Trade Name Reservation | $1,096 |
| License Fee (Activity: O&G / Environmental) | $8,219 |
| Establishment Card | $548 |
| Company Stamp | $30 |
| Agency Fee Document preparation & filing, government submissions, translation/notary support, end-to-end license management, client–authority communications | $5,300 |
| Total | $15,193 |
| Government / Authority Fees (reference, AED) | Fee | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| MoFAIC Final Attestation — commercial docs (per document) | AED 2,000 | MoFAIC |
| Economic license line items | Varies by activity / external approvals | TAMM |
| Municipal fees related to lease | ~5% of annual rent | Per municipality rules / lease terms |
* License total is finalized by the line-item calculation at eServices submission time.
Costs · 06
Standard Setup & Annual Cost Estimate (USD)
Two published quotes — not additive
Two approved sources quote Abu Dhabi mainland setup differently: the ADDED itemised quote ($15,193, no VAT applied — section 05) and the standard setup estimate below ($22,550 + 5% VAT = $23,677.50). They cover different scopes of work and are reproduced here exactly as published; the applicable figure is confirmed at engagement.
* The costs presented below are estimated costs for general industries, and a final quote may be provided after confirming the details of the business.
* In the UAE, business activities are only possible after obtaining a commercial license, and the government fee is not presented as a fixed standard cost as it varies depending on the industry or business activity.
| Expected costs at the time of establishment | Amount |
|---|---|
| 1. Business application | $300 |
| 2. Company name reservation | $200 |
| 3. Company registration application | $1,500 |
| 4. Commercial license issuance | $4,000 |
| 5. Business activity license | $4,000 |
| 6. Information protection registration | $300 |
| 7. Mailbox | $250 |
| 8. Company establishment and license-related consulting fees | $9,500 |
| 9. Bank account opening (Dubai) | $2,500 |
| Total | $22,550 |
| VAT 5% | $1,127.50 |
| Total including VAT | $23,677.50 |
| Annual estimated cost | Amount |
|---|---|
| 1. Business activity license | $4,000 |
| 2. Information protection registration | $300 |
| 3. Mailbox | $250 |
| 4. Secretary services | $6,000 |
| Total | $10,550 |
| 5% VAT | $527.50 |
| Total including VAT | $11,077.50 |
Visa · 07
Business Visa — Cost, Documents & Procedure
After establishing a corporation, you can stay in the UAE for 2–3 weeks to obtain a visa.
| Business visa application cost | Amount |
|---|---|
| 1. Establishment Card (government cost) | $1,030 |
| 2. New E-Channel account (government cost) | $4,907 |
| 3. Residence visa (government cost) | $1,500 |
| 4. Consulting fees for visa application and medical insurance | $2,500 |
| Total | $9,937 |
| 5% VAT | $496.85 |
| Total including VAT | $10,433.85 |
- Required documents for visa application
- 1. Passport
- 2. Employment contract (to be prepared after the establishment of the corporation)
- 3. Medical examination results
- 4. Health insurance
- 5. Application form and three photos
- 6. Applicant's bank statement for the last three months (in English)
- 7. Lease contract
- 8. (When applying for a companion visa) Notarized marriage certificate or family relationship certificate
- 1Employment contract preparation
- 2Employee's application for an Employment Visa Entry Permit (EVEP) (takes 5-7 business days)
- 3Receipt of EVEP at the airport immigration office
- 4Physical examination and X-ray at the immigration office
- 5Receive a visa and apply for an Emirates ID (Visa issuance usually takes 5 business days)
- 6If you have accompanying family members, you can apply for an accompanying visa after obtaining a visa.
Office costs
*Medical insurance is required when applying for a visa.
The office can be a co-working space like WeWork or Regus, or a separate office. Usually, you can apply for a visa for one person per reserved seat, and you will need to rent a larger space to apply for visas for multiple people.
In the case of SERVCORP, the monthly cost of renting an individual office is AED 5,500, and it varies depending on the location and type of office, so it is necessary to check individually.
Tax · 08
Corporate Tax, Dividends & VAT
Corporate tax rate
- If the taxable income is AED 375,000 or less, 0%
- If the taxable income is more than AED 375,000, 9%
The following tax rates will be applied in accordance with the revised tax law that will come into effect from June 2023.
Dividend tax rate
Dividends and capital gains are exempt from taxation if the annual participation rate is 10% or more.
Value-added tax
5%
Corporate tax registration
Within 3 months after license issuance.
- Tax exemption requirements for UAE free zone companies
If the requirements below are met, you are exempt from tax. - 1. A permanent establishment, decision-makers and employees reside in the UAE, and business operations and major income-generating activities are carried out in the UAE.
- 2. Major clients are located in the UAE free zone or outside the UAE
- 3. Not adopting a standard corporate tax rate
- 4. Income is not derived from UAE residents
- 5. Receive an accounting audit from an external, independent auditor
- 6. Meet transfer pricing requirements
- 7. Satisfy additional requirements set by the Minister
Compliance · 09
Accounting, Audit & Economic Substance
- Accounting and financial reporting
- The financial year can be set freely, and the first financial year after establishment must be at least six months, and the financial year-end date must not exceed 18 months from the date of establishment.
- Small companies with annual sales of less than USD 13.5M must report a financial statement, and companies above that must submit an audit report.
Note: this threshold is quoted in USD in the source, while the other Abu Dhabi thresholds are in AED — reproduced as printed.
- Economic Substance Regulations
To apply for tax exemption or in the following industries, you must have a permanent establishment, decision-makers and employees in the UAE, and conduct major income-generating activities. - 1. Banking and related businesses
- 2. Insurance business
- 3. Financial and loan businesses
- 4. Fund management business
- 5. Selling goods or services to affiliates within the same group
- 6. Head office role (providing management services to affiliates, etc.)
- 7. Intellectual property business (buying, acquiring, and lending patents or trademarks, etc.)
- 8. Logistics business, crew management, and travel product sales
- 9. Role of the holding company (limited economic substance)
| Aftercare (Annual) | Scope | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeping & Accounting | Bookkeeping, bank/card reconciliations, GL & journal; monthly P&L, balance sheet, cash flow; VAT filings (registration threshold: AED 375,000 in 12 months) | USD 6,000 / year USD 500/month (≤20 transactions). Excess billed separately. |
| Tax & Audit | Basic tax advisory, quarterly VAT returns, corporate tax (CT) return; corporate tax registration within 3 months after licence issuance | Statutory audit (required, revenue ≤ AED 10m): USD 2,000 |
| Compliance Assistant Service | ESR / UBO / AML (goAML) calendaring & filings; change monitoring; regulatory update briefings & reminders; risk-flagging and evidence collation; managing government portal notifications (FTA/TAMM/MoFAIC) | USD 2,000 ~ 3,500 / year Priced based on case complexity and number of filings. |
Banking · 10
Opening a Bank Account
You can open bank accounts at Emirates NBD, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, Mashreq Bank, RAK Bank, Dubai Islamic Bank, FAB, etc. However, to open an account, you must have a permanent establishment in the UAE and the signatory and owner must hold a business visa in the UAE. (If the annual revenue is more than USD 10 million and the initial deposit is more than USD 1 million, the bank can be contacted to discuss the possibility of relaxing the account opening requirements.)
- To open an account, all owners must have a UAE residence visa, and if there is no permanent establishment or employee in the UAE, at least one owner must submit a lease agreement for the residence (apartment) to prove that they are living in the UAE. (Affordable apartments can be rented for about AED 15,000 per year)
- For businesses closely related to cryptocurrency, it is difficult to open an account in the UAE.
Next Steps · 11
Frequently Asked Questions & Contact
Frequently Asked Questions
Contact a MIRR ASIA representative
© Mirr Asia — Information provided as general guidance only and subject to official changes.