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Company formation in Dubai

Setting up your company in a Dubai free zone

We take you from choosing your business activity through to the trade licence, with a residence visa and Emirates ID if you want them. The process runs digitally, and you can prepare much of it from Germany or wherever you are based.

Fixed package pricesOne dedicated contactDigital formation process
Book a consultation Process
What we handle

Everything for your company in Dubai

Laptop workspace on a terrace in Downtown Dubai

Free zone company formation

We start by checking your preferred company name. Then we agree the business activity and licence type with you and handle the registration with the free zone. You get a list of every document required, so you always know what comes next. Your trade licence and company documents are issued digitally.

UAE Emirates ID card held in a hand

Residence visa and Emirates ID

Once the licence is issued, the residence visa can follow. We coordinate the establishment card, entry permit, medical fitness test and biometrics until your Emirates ID is ready. You do not need a visa to form the company itself.

View of the Dubai skyline from an office at sunset

Your bank account

Account models and fees differ from bank to bank. Silver and Gold include guidance on opening an account; in the VIP package we support you with your business and personal accounts.

Why NEXTLVL

What you can expect from us

Fixed package prices

Silver, Gold or VIP: every package has a fixed price and a clear list of what is included. You know what you get before anything starts.

One dedicated contact

From the first call to your Emirates ID, you deal with the same person. When the free zone or the visa office comes back with a question, it reaches someone who already knows your file.

A structured process

Each step depends on the one before. No registration without an approved name, no establishment card without a licence. For every step you receive a separate document checklist.

Possible from abroad

Name approval, documents and registration are all handled digitally and can be prepared from Germany or elsewhere. You only need to travel to Dubai when the medical fitness test and biometrics for the residence visa are due.

Process

How your company formation works

Seven steps take you from the first conversation to a company people can find. The first four lead to your trade licence. Everything after that is up to you.

Step 1 of 7
  1. 1

    Initial consultation

    We discuss your plans, the right business activity and whether a visa makes sense for you. Afterwards you know which package fits.

    Free of charge
  2. 2

    Company name and activities

    We check your preferred name and settle on the business activities that match what you plan to do. These determine the licence type.

  3. 3

    Documents

    You receive a list of everything needed, such as a passport copy for each shareholder. We check that it is all complete before anything is submitted.

  4. 4

    Trade licence

    After registration, the trade licence is issued. For selected business activities and with complete documents, this can take around 60 minutes.

    In some cases around 60 minutes
  5. 5

    Residence visa and Emirates ID

    If you wish, we apply for the establishment card and entry permit. You complete the medical fitness test and biometrics in Dubai, and the Emirates ID follows.

    Optional
  6. 6

    Your bank account

    Silver and Gold include guidance on opening an account. In the VIP package we support you in opening your business account and your personal account.

    Differences explained
  7. 7

    Website and visibility

    On request, we build the website for your new company and set up its Google Business Profile. The company name and activities on your licence give us the first search terms to work with.

    From one provider
Packages

Packages for your company setup

Three packages at a fixed price. Which one fits you is something we work out in the free initial consultation.

Silver
€5,900

Company formation without visa

For founders who need their free zone company and will apply for the visa themselves or plan it for later.

  • In-depth company formation consultation
  • Complete company formation in Dubai (free zone)
  • Guidance on the visa process
  • Guidance on opening a bank account
  • 1 month of ongoing support
Request Silver
RecommendedGold
€8,500

Company formation including visa

Company and residence permit in one process, with someone at your side for the appointments in Dubai.

  • In-depth company formation consultation
  • Complete company formation in Dubai (free zone)
  • Residence visa & Emirates ID
  • Driver service & personal escort
  • Guidance on opening a bank account
  • 2 months of ongoing support
Request Gold
VIP
€9,900

All-inclusive company formation

For anyone who wants a fast start and support at every step in Dubai, right through to the business and personal accounts.

  • In-depth company formation consultation
  • Complete company formation in Dubai (free zone)
  • Residence visa & Emirates ID
  • Express visa service (within 7 days)
  • Driver service & personal escort
  • VIP treatment at government appointments
  • Business account opening (support)
  • Personal account opening
  • 3 months of ongoing support
Request VIP
First step

Initial consultation

Free

We assess your plans, recommend the business activity and licence type, and tell you which package fits.

Book a call
Add-on
  • Company stamp to UAE requirements€75
ServiceSilverGoldVIP
In-depth company formation consultationincludedincludedincluded
Complete company formation in Dubai (free zone)includedincludedincluded
VisaGuidance on the visa processResidence visa & Emirates IDResidence visa & Emirates ID, express within 7 days
Driver service & personal escortnoincludedincluded
VIP treatment at government appointmentsnonoincluded
Bank accountGuidance on account openingGuidance on account openingBusiness account (support) and personal account
Ongoing support1 month2 months3 months
Price€5,900€8,500€9,900

All prices are package prices in euros. The initial consultation is free and without obligation; afterwards you decide whether to start and with which package.

Why consultants and online businesses choose a Dubai free zone

If you advise clients, write code, produce content or sell online, you have no need for a warehouse or a shop in the city. For business models like these, a Dubai free zone is often the most direct route. You set up your own company and receive a trade licence for clearly defined business activities. Which free zone and which licence type suit you depends on what you actually offer. The Meydan Free Zone, where our own office is based, is one of the options we look at with you.

One misconception comes up again and again, and it concerns the visa. You do not need a residence visa to form a company in Dubai. You can set up the company and start trading. Whether you apply for a visa is something you can decide later.

When a trade licence is possible in around 60 minutes

For selected business activities and with complete documents, a trade licence for your Dubai company can be issued in around 60 minutes. The company name must also have been approved, and the activity must not require sign-off from another authority. Most of the work happens beforehand. We agree the business activity with you, carry out the name check and collect passport copies from every shareholder. Regulated activities take longer because other bodies have to give their approval. We will tell you in the initial consultation whether your activity is one of the quick cases.

What comes after the licence

Residence visa and Emirates ID

If you intend to live in Dubai or work here regularly, the residence visa comes next. We first apply for your company's establishment card, then for the entry permit. You attend the medical fitness test and give your fingerprints in person in Dubai. The final step is the Emirates ID, which serves as your identity document in the country.

Your bank account

UAE banks can differ widely in their account models and fees, and in what they expect from new business customers. The Silver and Gold packages include guidance on opening an account. In the VIP package we support you in opening your business account and open your personal account with you.

Website and visibility

Once the licence is in place, customers and business partners will look your company up on Google. We build websites with their own CMS and set up your Google Business Profile so the company also appears in local search. Your company formation in Dubai and your online presence are then handled by the same contact. We can work out what this looks like for your plans in a free initial consultation on Dubai free zones.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How does company formation in Dubai work?

After a free initial consultation, we check the company name and agree the business activity and licence type. You send us your documents digitally, we review them and handle the free zone registration. The trade licence is then issued, followed by a residence visa and Emirates ID if you want them.

How long does company formation take?

That depends on the business activity, the licence type and whether your documents are complete. For selected business activities and with complete documents, the trade licence can be issued in around 60 minutes. You get a realistic timeline for your case after the initial consultation.

Which documents do I need?

The starting point is a passport copy for each shareholder. Further documents may be needed depending on the business activity and the visa. We give you a complete list before anything begins.

Do you handle the whole process?

Yes. One dedicated contact stays with you from the initial consultation through the trade licence to your Emirates ID. If you wish, we then take care of the website and online visibility for your new company.

Does NEXTLVL help with opening a bank account?

Yes, depending on the package. Silver and Gold include guidance on opening a bank account: which documents the bank expects and how the process works. In the VIP package we support you in opening your business account and open your personal account with you. The decision on opening the account rests with the bank.

Do I need a residence visa to set up a company?

No. A residence visa is not required for the company formation itself. A visa makes sense if you want to live in Dubai or spend time there regularly. We look at whether that applies to you in the initial consultation.

Can I set up the company from abroad?

Yes. The formation process is digital, and you can prepare many of the steps from Germany or any other country. You only need appointments in Dubai for the residence visa, for example the medical fitness test and biometrics.

Is a trade licence in 60 minutes realistic?

For selected business activities and with complete documents, yes, in around 60 minutes. The company name and activity must also have been checked in advance. Other activities take longer because additional approvals are required. We tell you beforehand what applies to yours.

Contact

Start your project in Dubai

Tell us briefly what you have in mind. We will get back to you personally.

Free initial consultationNo obligation
Personal adviceOne dedicated contact
Fixed package pricesFrom €5,900
English and GermanFrom Dubai, for German-speaking Europe and beyond
Address
Meydan Grandstand, 6th floor, Meydan Road, Nad Al Sheba, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Available
Mon to Fri 9:00 to 19:00, weekends by appointment
How can we help?
When would you like to start?