The ease of doing business in UAE, the robust business ecosystem, improved lifestyle, secured corporate banking network, lowest crime rates, etc., make UAE the perfect destination for establishing a company.

Why is Investor Visa a Popular Visa Category in UAE?

For business owners, there is a separate visa category known as the Investor or partner visa. Business Owners can register their companies in the mainland, or Free Zones and can apply for the investor visa.

Investor Visa in UAE allows an individual to manage a company of their own and sponsor employees and family members under the newly incorporated company.

Based on the location where the company is established the entrepreneur can apply for the UAE Investor visa.

How to Get a Dubai Investor Visa?

In Dubai, the entrepreneur can obtain an investor visa in two ways –

1. Registering a Mainland Company
2. Incorporating a Free Zone Company

There is one more popular way of obtaining an investor visa in Dubai and that through property purchase of a residential apartment, or a villa worth value (current sale price) above AED 1 Million for a 3-year visa, and AED 5 Million or above for a 5-year visa.

Also, there is a 10-Year investors visa where the applicant must invest about 40% of the total investment value (AED 10 million) in real estate in UAE and the rest in any business establishments or funds in the region.

Documents Required for Obtaining an Investor Visa in Dubai Mainland

• Passport copy
• Photograph with white background
• Memorandum of association for the company
• Copy of the Local Sponsor Agreement with UAE Nationality
• Immigration Establishment Card
• Trade License
• Office Space Lease Agreement
• Bank Statement for last 3 months

How to Apply for Dubai Investor Visa?

In Dubai Mainland, the Investor Visa can be applied in Amer Centres across the city.

After registering the company and obtaining the trade license, the entry permit for the entrepreneur must be applied if he/she is not in UAE currently (if in UAE, apply for the changing status by paying the in-country status change fees).

Steps in Applying Dubai Investor Visa

Once the confirmation of change status is received, the investor visa will be stamped on the entrepreneur’s passport. The required visa stamping fee must be paid to obtain the Investor Visa in Dubai.

The required documents must be submitted to the Amer Center for processing of the investor visa.

There will Extra charge for the medical testing and Emirates ID. The immigration Establishment Card would be required for applying for the investor visa.

Dubai Investor Visa for Free Zone company

The Free Zones in Dubai plays a vital role in attracting significant foreign investment through facilitating company formation.

It also provides the required infrastructure and support functionality to entrepreneurs wishing to invest and settle in UAE.

There is a steady growth in economic activities that are centered around the Free Zones of UAE.

Free Zones in UAE – Major Highlights

The major highlight of a Free Zone company formation is the 100% foreign ownership, ease of business setup, and the tax savings from VAT while being in a VAT Exempted Free Zone.

Free Zones are the favorite choice of foreign entrepreneurs for company incorporation due to the umpteen business benefits and the ease of setting up a company.

Also, obtaining an investor visa is hassle-free with the Free Zone.

How to Obtain Investor Visa for Free Zone Company?

For Obtaining the investor visa for a Free Zone Company, the following documents are submitted to the respective Free Zone Authority.

• Investor passport copy & photograph (white background)
• Establishment Card for the Company
• Company Trade License
• Memorandum of Association
• Tenancy Contract for the Office
• Bank Statement for 3-6 months

It usually takes 5 to 7 working days to complete the whole process of processing the investor visa.

Starting from applying for the visa to the final stamping of the investor visa on the passport the process is streamlined by the immigration authorities in UAE.

Depending on the Free Zones, the time taken to process the investor visa varies as the schedule of processing the visas differs across the Free Zones.

10-Year and 5-Year Investor Visa (Golden Visa)

UAE Government has launched a long-term Golden Visa to boost the economy and provide a platform for long-term investments in the region.

The long-term investor visa enables entrepreneurs to extend their tenure and expand their business investments in UAE.

There is a set of criteria specified by the UAE Government for the investors to be eligible for the investor visa.

To know more about it, read the criteria for Golden Visa in UAE here.

Other Residence Visas Launched in UAE

To make UAE a global tourist, family-friendly, and business-centric country, UAE Government has a list of specific UAE Residence Visas for individuals from different walks of life.

There a student visa for students studying in UAE colleges with the eligibility to sponsor their parents by meeting specific criteria.

Similarly, there is a retirement visa for ex-pats aged above 55 years subjected to few criteria such as having a financial saving of more than AED 1 million, property investment of value more than AED 2 million, etc.

To know more about various UAE residence Visa and steps in obtaining an investor Visa in UAE, connect with our expert team right away!

Contact Us: Aurion Business Consultants

The post Investor Visa Types in UAE – How Company Formation helps in Settling in UAE with Family? appeared first on AURION.

The Branch/Subsidiary of a foreign company in UAE must be registered with the respective Government authorities in UAE.

Branch Office Vs. Subsidiary

Branch Office is an extension of an existing business and is not a separate legal entity from the Parent Company. Also, the Branch Offices are eligible to conduct the same business activities as of their parent company in UAE.

On the other hand, a Subsidiary company is considered to be separate from the Parent Company as a legal entity. The subsidiary company is eligible to conduct any desired activities as per their trade license in the UAE.

How to Setup a Branch Office/Subsidiary in UAE?

The business operations of a subsidiary company must be carried from UAE and it has 100% liability for its actions, business activities, and management.

A Branch Office/Subsidiary can be formed in two of the business jurisdictions of UAE – The Free Zones, & Mainland.

The setting up process of a Branch office/Subsidiary is a simple and hassle-free process.

Our team will assist you in the company formation by preparing the right documentation, coordinating with the Government authorities for approvals, arranging for bank account opening, and more.

Document Attestation For Setting Up Branch / Subsidiary Office in UAE

The registration of Branch Office or Subsidiary Office requires attestation of the 4 main company documents from the UAE Embassy in the home country of the parent company as well as counter-attested from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in UAE.

The attestation fees from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs per document is approximately AED 2000 (USD 545) per document in UAE.

The equivalent amount would be required for attesting the parent company documents from the UAE Embassy in the home country of the Parent Company.

Documents Required for Setting Up Branch Office in UAE

Documents that must be Attested by the Government Authorities in the Home Country and UAE

• Certificate of incorporation/ Memorandum of Association (MOA), Article of Association (AOA)
• Board Resolution stating the formation of a Branch Office/Subsidiary
• Parent Company Good Standing Certificate
• Power of Attorney in Favour of General Manager giving him the rights to open/operate/Management Bank Accounts on behalf of the Parent Company

Supporting Documents Required for Branch/Subsidiary in UAE

There are a few more mandatory documents required to set up a Branch Office in UAE which are:

• Trade Name Reservation Application Form
• Director/Investor/Manager Passport Copy
• Audited Accounts of the parent company for the last two years
• A statement listing out the company’s business objectives, plan, major operation activities
• Attested agreements with the Local Service Agent (LSA)
• Required Government Approvals (if any)

Benefits of Establishing a Branch/ Subsidiary in UAE

• 100% ownership to foreign investors
• Tax savings as there is no corporate/income tax in UAE
• UAE Resident Visa and corporate/personal bank account
• Confidentiality in business
• Very low import duty (5%) in the mainland of UAE
• Reduce the administrative burden of managing a large multi-national company
• Separate auditing, bookkeeping, and decentralize global offices for enhanced management
• Cost-effectively enter new market territories. There is no share capital requirement for a Branch Company in UAE. hence, investors can grow their business with a minimum upfront cost.

How to set up a Foreign Company Branch in UAE? – Steps Explained

1. Choose the Right Business Jurisdiction

The foreign company must choose the respective business jurisdiction – Where the Branch Office needs to be setup – Mainland, Free Zone, Offshore.

For setting up in the mainland in UAE, there is a mandatory requirement of appointing a Local Service Agent to liaise the administrative works with the Government Authorities.

2. Identify the Local Service Agent

The Local Service Agent is appointed for one year for a yearly fee. The contract is renewable every year with a provision to change the agent in case of any disagreement.

For Free Zones and Offshore, there is no requirement of appointing a Local Sponsor, and the Manager/Director will be the authorized person for conducting the business activities of the Branch Office.

An experienced Business Consultants such as AURION will assist you with the documentation approvals, visa processing, bank account opening assistance, and more.

3. Reserve a Trade Name

The Branch Office must have the same name as the Parent Company in the Home Country.

To get the name approved, the application has to be submitted to the Department of Economic Development (DED) in the case of Mainland Company.

The application must be submitted to the respective Free Zone/ Offshore authority if the investor is choosing these jurisdictions for the setup

4. Document Attestation from UAE Government Authorities

The company documents must be attested by the UAE embassy in the home country and also counter-attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the UAE.

The following documents are to be attested by the UAE Authorities in Home Country as well as counter-attested in UAE.

• Certificate of incorporation/ Memorandum of Association (MOA), Article of Association (AOA)
• Board Resolution stating the formation of a Branch Office/Subsidiary
• Parent Company Good Standing Certificate
• Power of Attorney in Favour of General Manager giving him the rights to open/operate/Management Bank Accounts on behalf of the Parent Company

5. Obtain License from Respective Government Authority

Submit the attested documents along with the supporting documents to the respective Government Authority for obtaining the Branch Office License.

There is a fee to be paid to the authorities along with the document submission. Post assessment of documents, the Branch Office License will be issued to the investor.

6. Fulfill Administrative Requirements

Now, the investor can apply for a UAE residence visa, open a corporate bank account, appoint Director/General Manager, recruit employees, process immigration cards, Labour contracts, expand office space, and conduct business in the UAE.

To know more about Opening a Branch Office/Subsidiary in UAE, talk to our expert Business Consultants right away!

Contact: Aurion Business Consultants

The post How to Setup a Foreign Company Branch/Subsidiary in UAE? appeared first on AURION.

Also, there is immense growth potential in the country and the business landscape of UAE is quite promising with many businesses waiting to venture into several high-value projects.

The technological advancements are driving huge business growth in the region. Additionally, they open up new opportunities for many businesses in the feild of healthcare, aviation, shipping, tourism, and more.

So, here are few of the upcoming Industry Sectors in UAE for Foreign Direct Investment. These are industries are expected to be the future of UAE and drive growth.

1. Healthcare sector in UAE

The Healthcare sector in Dubai is going through a technology transformation with a key focus on research and development.

The healthcare and Pharma sectors in UAE have displayed a remarkable level of readiness in facing the Covid-19. The efficient way of tackling the patients at the hospital as well as the drive-in test centers helped UAE to contain the pandemic.

Growing Confidence in the UAE Healthcare Sector

Along with the efforts from the front line staff at health centers and the National Disaster & Recovery Unit, the national sterilization drive helped a long way in combating the virus in the UAE.

Also, the medical research facilities and healthcare infrastructure in the UAE are all set for tackling the virus. Furthermore, UAE has the support systems like ICU units, makeshift hospitals, ventilators, PPEs, and testing kits in place to keep things under control.

Investments in Healthcare and Pharma sector

In the UAE, government investments in healthcare accounted for around USD 15 billion in 2018. The private sector healthcare spending is set to grow at a CAGR of 9.5% from 2018 to 2022.

Similarly, Foreign Direct investments into healthcare, pharma, and medical equipment sectors over the past five years are seeing an enormous spike. Also, the FDI in this sector is having a valuation of about AED 3.82 Billion (2015-2020). So, the FDI investment, more healthcare services, medical equipment trading and manufacturing units will be set up in UAE.

So, Medical Research facilities and healthcare centers are given high priority by the UAE government. Also, it will help in elevating the medical standards of the region and convert UAE into a popular medical tourism destination in the Middle East.

2. Aviation Sector in the UAE

The Airports of UAE, especially Dubai Airport have become the prime infrastructure to power economic growth in the region. UAE is investing significantly in the aviation sector, with the state-owned Emirates Airlines and the airport infrastructure on the key focus.

Dubai is a strategic location and the airports and seaports facilitate trade and transfer of people between the east and west as well as the north and the south.

Airports Expansion, Technology Adoption, and Promoting Trade

The Airport expansions and equipping them with the newest technologies is a continuous and essential process. Additionally, to maintain a competitive advantage as a leading global aviation hub, UAE is investing heavily in the aviation sector.

So, efforts are focused on building the infrastructure for providing sufficient air space capacity to meet travel and Airline parking demand.

Airport Free Zones in the UAE Facilitating Trade and Supporting Economy

Additionally, investments are channelized for implementing essential technological advancements to facilitate smooth passenger and goods movement through the airports

With the opening of the new airport near Dubai South, the Al Maktoum International Airport. It has added additional capacity to handle the growing passenger traffic and space for halting aircraft. These free zones are also ideal for taking an Air Cargo Business License in UAE.

Aviation has been the heart of UAE’s economic transformation, the airport free zones are set up to promote business opportunities and seamless trade and business set up to support economic growth

3. Shipping Sector in UAE

Dubai is investing heavily in the shipping sector, with the Dubai Maritime City Authority and the Jebel Ali Port driving a significant volume of trade operations and managing international shipping lines.

The value of UAE’s investments in the ports and marine industries sector exceeded USD 66 billion between 2014 and 2017. The amount of cargo handled by UAE ports is increasing on a year-on-year basis and was worth USD 3.2 billion as of 2017.

Shipping is a Major Support System for Trade and Export Business in UAE

UAE plays an active role in bringing in significant foreign investment to the region and the shipping sector is one of the major lifelines to support the UAE economy. Dubai is in constant effort to connect aviation, shipping, and road transport to create a transport link that will help in seamlessly transporting goods across the UAE and overseas.

The free zones and mainland trading companies, warehouses, distributors, other logistic and freight forwarding and shipping companies are the ecosystems that make up the overall shipping and logistics network in UAE

4. Tourism Sector in UAE

As part of Dubai’s efforts to boost tourism and investment in the region, Dubai is setting up 50 regional offices across the world. An AED 1 billion fund and plans for subsidized housing for entrepreneurs are to be launched to target new areas of opportunity and move ahead with the non-oil dependent sectors.

Low-Cost Tourism Infrastructure and Entrepreneur Support

Also, build a future economy focused on low-cost tourism infrastructure. UAE is planning for building an economic research center, incubators, and accelerators and space for entrepreneurs in the tourism sector to grow their business.

Covid-19 has hit hard the tourism industry; however, it can be seen as a short-term slow down. Once the international borders are open and airlines start flying, the tourism sector will bounce back. Dubai has some of the world’s best hotels and travel destinations in the world.

Many tourism infrastructure projects are scheduled in the coming years. It includes the completion of hotels, hotel apartments, amusement parks, etc. Dubai is aiming to welcome the tourists in full-fledge once the pandemic situation eases and travel restrictions will be lifted.

5. Real Estate Sector in UAE

Real Estate sector is the face of Dubai. The property rental yields in Dubai are higher than the other popular financial markets such as New York, London, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

With a multitude of real estate projects completed such as the iconic Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, Dubai International Airport, Palm Jeremiah, and more, the city is in a continuous development phase. With the Government-funded infrastructure projects in line and more real estate project investments sanctioned, real estate investment in Dubai is one of the major support systems for the UAE economy.

The stable political situation in UAE, world-class lifestyle, business opportunities, tourism, and shopping areas make it a perfect choice for ex-pats to settle. Dubai has one of the world’s best luxury residential properties. Recently Dubai is also building districts that are focusing on affordable living too with attractive financing options.

The absence of a property tax makes it a lucrative choice when compared to other global destinations.

Most Attractive Real Estate Investment Options in UAE

• Purchasing a residential property in Dubai
• Purchasing a commercial property in a freehold mainland area and renting it out
• Buying commercial and hospitality facilities and taking the franchise for operating hotels and resorts
• Starting a real estate investment firm in the mainland or the free zones

Hence, in a nutshell, Dubai is an investment hotbed with a huge business opportunity across the core industry sectors as well as other niche sectors. Depending on your business expertise, and domain knowledge it is very easy to secure a business license and channel your investments in Dubai as per your interest.

To know more about the business opportunities, and resident visa via property investment, talk to our expert business consultants right away!

The post 5 Strategic Industry Sectors Ideal for Foreign Direct Investment in the UAE appeared first on AURION.