Offshore, a company that holds. Not one that trades here.
An offshore company owns property, shares or IP, and invoices clients abroad. It gives you no visa, no office and no access to the UAE market. Read this before you ask for one.
Fact sheet · Offshore
What it can do for you
- Own Dubai property
- Hold shares in other companies
- Hold IP and assets
- Invoice international clients
No visa, office or UAE trading. For those, see free zone or mainland.
What offshore actually is
Most people arrive with the wrong idea. Here is what it is, and what it is not.
Offshore is
- A holding and asset companyIt owns property or shares in other companies.
- A place to hold IPTrademarks, software or content can sit in the company.
- A way to invoice internationallyIt bills clients outside the UAE.
Offshore is not
- A way to trade in the UAEIt cannot sell to UAE customers or run a business here.
- A visa routeIt cannot sponsor a residence visa for you, family or staff.
- A tax dodgeUAE rules and the tax rules where you live still apply.
Read this first
The three things offshore does not give you.
Most people who ask me for offshore actually want a free zone licence. If any of these is the reason you are here, that is where you should look.
Offshore · Not included3 items
- 01Residence visaNot included
An offshore company cannot sponsor a visa for you, your family or your staff. If you want to live here, you need a free zone or mainland licence.
Need it? Go Free zone - 02UAE office or presenceNot included
You cannot lease an office, shop or warehouse in the company's name. The company exists through a registered agent.
Need it? Go Free zone - 03Trading in the UAENot included
It cannot sell to customers in the UAE. If your customers are here, the answer is a mainland licence.
Need it? Go Mainland
When offshore is the right answer
A narrow list. Tick what applies to you.
Tap each case that describes you. The answer below updates as you go.
What I can do for you
One conversation. You leave with the right structure.
- 01Tell you if offshore fitsMost people asking for offshore need a free zone. I check what you want the company to do before anything else.
- 02Quote it per caseJurisdiction, structure and what it holds set the price. My fee and the government fee on separate lines.
- 03Take it on, or hand it overI either set it up with the relevant authority, or point you to someone who has done it before. You know which before you pay me.
- 04Set up what you actually needIf a free zone or mainland licence is the answer, I set that up, with both numbers shown upfront.
Offshore, free zone or mainland
Three structures. Only one of them holds without trading.
| Side by side | OffshoreThis page | Free zone | Mainland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main use | Holding assets and shares | Trading in the zone and abroad | Trading anywhere in the UAE |
| Residence visa | No | Yes, per package | Yes, set by office size |
| Office | Not allowed | Not needed | Required, with an Ejari |
| Selling to UAE customers | No | Through a distributor or branch | Directly |
| Own Dubai property | Yes, in approved areas | Possible | Possible |
| Published price | Quoted per case | From AED 4,888 government + AED 600 my fee | From AED 25,000 government + AED 2,500 my fee |
If you need a visa, an office or UAE customers, offshore drops out. Pick between free zone and mainland.
Who offshore is wrong for
If one of these is you, I'll send you somewhere else.
- 01You want to live in the UAE.Offshore cannot sponsor a residence visa. A free zone licence with one visa is usually the cheapest route.Free zone: You want to live in the UAE.
- 02Your customers are in the UAE.Selling to UAE customers, walk-in or business, needs a mainland licence.Mainland: Your customers are in the UAE.
- 03You want a cheap licence to start trading.Offshore is not a trading licence. A free zone is the cheaper start, from AED 4,888 government fee plus AED 600 my fee in Ajman.Free zone: You want a cheap licence to start trading.
Offshore still fits if youHold propertyHold sharesInvoice abroad
What this costs
No published price. Quoted per case.
A "from" figure would be a guess, so I don't publish one. Three things set the price. Tell me about them and I'll quote it, with my fee and the government fee on separate lines.
- 01JurisdictionWhich registry the company sits with. Each one sets its own fees and rules.
- 02StructureShareholders, directors, and whether a company sits above or below it.
- 03What it holdsProperty, shares, IP or client contracts. Property adds its own steps.
- Government fee, paid to the registry
- Quoted
- My fee, paid to me
- Quoted
Documents you'll need
What you would likely need. Confirmed per case.
A general list. I confirm the exact set for your case before you start.
- 01Passport copyEvery shareholder and director.
- 02Proof of addressA recent utility bill or bank statement.
- 03Bank reference letterOften asked for. Depends on the registry.
- 04CV or business profileFor each shareholder.
- 05What the company will holdProperty, shares, IP or client contracts.
- 06Corporate shareholder papersOnly if a company is a shareholder.
Before you choose offshore
Questions people ask before they realise they want a free zone.
Can I get a UAE residence visa with an offshore company?
No. Offshore companies cannot sponsor visas. For a visa you need a free zone or mainland licence, and a free zone is usually the cheaper of the two.
Can an offshore company trade in the UAE?
No. It cannot sell to UAE customers or run a business here. If your customers are in the UAE, you need a mainland licence.
Is offshore a way to pay no tax?
No. UAE corporate tax rules and the tax rules of the country you live in still apply. Get tax advice for your own situation before you set one up.
Can an offshore company own property in Dubai?
In approved areas, yes. It is one of the main reasons people set one up. Which areas and registries qualify is confirmed per case.
Can it open a UAE bank account?
Some banks open accounts for offshore companies, but it is slower and they ask more questions. That is checked before you commit.
Why is there no price on this page?
It depends on the jurisdiction and the structure, and I have not completed an offshore setup yet. I would rather quote your case than publish a number I cannot stand behind.
Rather talk it through
Not sure offshore is right? Tell me what it's for.
I'll reply personally. Most of the time the honest answer is a free zone, and I'll tell you if it is.