Turnkey company setup in the UAE
One engagement that ends with a working company: the licence issued, visas in place, the bank account open and accounting running. It is itemised like everything else we quote, because “turnkey” describes the scope of the work and should not blur the invoice.
A turnkey UAE setup combines four deliverables in one project: the licence and establishment card, residence visas, the bank account application and the first 12 months of accounting. The end-to-end timeline is typically 3–6 weeks. The government costs are the same as for any setup: about AED 13,000–15,000 in year one for one founder with one visa in a budget zone, or AED 20,000–24,000 in a Dubai zone. Bookkeeping starts from AED 750 a month, and our work appears as its own line. Each line stays separate on the invoice, so you can remove anything you would rather do yourself.
- One engagement produces four things (licence, visas, bank account, 12 months of accounting) under a single project plan with an owner and a date for each line.
- The invoice is itemised: each government fee at cost and our work as a separate line. Remove any line and the price falls by exactly that amount.
- End to end typically takes 3–6 weeks, and most of that is banking; the licence and visas are usually done within two weeks.
- Corporate tax and VAT registrations are made in year one where the rules require them: corporate tax is 9% above AED 375,000 of taxable income, and VAT registration is mandatory above AED 375,000 of taxable supplies.
- No bank or agent can guarantee an account, because approval is the bank’s decision. We control the quality of the file and the match between bank and profile.
What a turnkey engagement includes
It covers the choice of zone from our Free Zone Index data, with the reasons in writing; the trade licence and establishment card; residence visas for founders and family where needed; preparation and submission of the bank application (the profile file, a description of the company’s substance and the meeting with the bank); and the first year of bookkeeping, with corporate tax and VAT registrations where the thresholds require them.
You get one project plan with an owner and a date for each line, and you can see every step. The typical end-to-end timeline is 3–6 weeks, most of it taken up by banking; everything else is usually done within two weeks. If you only want part of this, the standalone formation routes price each block separately.
The four deliverables in order
The blocks run in a set order because each one makes the next possible. The licence creates the company, the establishment card lets it sponsor visas, the first visa gives a founder the Emirates ID that banks ask for, and audit-ready books give the tax registrations something to rest on. Skipping ahead in that order is where mistakes are made.
| Deliverable | What it produces | Typical window |
|---|---|---|
| Licence + establishment card | The company exists and can sponsor visas | Days to about 2 weeks |
| Residence visas | Entry permit, medical test, Emirates ID and residence visa for each person | About 1–3 weeks after the card |
| Bank account | Submitted file, compliance review, live IBAN | 2–6 weeks, set by the bank |
| Accounting + registrations | Bookkeeping running; corporate tax and VAT registered where required | Throughout year one |
The zone decision at the start shapes everything after it: the activity list, the visa allocation, the audit obligation and the cost. If you are still weighing structures, mainland vs free zone is the choice that changes the whole plan.
Itemised turnkey pricing compared with packages
Bundled all-inclusive pricing is where margins are easiest to hide. The licence is on promotion, the visa is described as free, and the difference comes back later in a renewal or a bank-introduction fee nobody mentioned. Our single invoice lists each government fee at cost and our work as its own line, and if you remove a line you want to handle yourself, the price falls accordingly.
That is the simplest check of any turnkey offer: if removing a component does not reduce the price, you were paying for the bundle rather than the component. Use your own accountant or handle your own visas, and the quote falls by exactly those lines.
You can see the arithmetic before you speak to us. The setup-cost calculator builds the same itemised total from the zone, the number of visas and the activity, so the turnkey quote should confirm figures you have already seen.
The bank account and the timeline
Three to six weeks end to end is mainly the time the bank takes. The licence and visas follow known steps; the bank account is a decision made by a compliance team outside our control. Most of the calendar, and nearly all of the uncertainty, sits here.
What we control is the file: a clear profile, a description of the company’s substance that explains why this company exists and why it is in the UAE, a bank that suits your activity and residency, and a meeting prepared around the questions the bank is likely to ask. Many rejections come from a thin file or a poor match between bank and profile. Our bank account service is the same work offered on its own, so you can see exactly what the turnkey line covers.
Tax and accounting in year one
A company without books is exposed from its first FTA query. Turnkey includes the first 12 months of bookkeeping so the company’s position can be supported from the start, because the 0% band and the reliefs depend on what the accounts show.
We register the company for corporate tax as required, and for VAT once taxable supplies exceed AED 375,000 over 12 months (voluntary registration is available from AED 187,500). Registrations and returns are submitted in your own EmaraTax account and approved by you. If someone other than your company has to act for it before the FTA, for example in a tax audit or a reconsideration request, that must be an FTA-registered tax agent; we tell you if your case needs one. Corporate tax is 0% on taxable income up to AED 375,000 and 9% above it. A free zone company that is a Qualifying Free Zone Person can pay 0% on qualifying income, and a company with revenue of AED 3M or less in each tax period can elect Small Business Relief for tax periods ending on or before 31 December 2029. E‑invoicing becomes mandatory on 1 January 2027 for businesses with revenue of AED 50M or more and on 1 July 2027 for the rest, so starting on structured books now avoids rebuilding them later. You can model your own figures in the corporate tax calculator.
Renewals after year one
The trade licence, establishment card, residence visas and accounting each renew on their own date. You get the renewal table when you sign, so the cost of year two is known from the first day.
Founders who plan to stay often look beyond the annual cycle. Property worth AED 2M or more can support a Golden Visa (10 years in Dubai under GDRFA rules; check the issuing emirate), which changes the visa costs considerably. Where that is likely, we raise it during setup so the year-one structure fits the longer-term plan, and our Golden Visa service takes it from there.
Frequently asked questions
Can I remove parts of the package?
Do you guarantee the bank account?
How much does turnkey cost?
Are corporate tax and VAT included?
What happens after year one?
How long does the whole thing take?
This is general information on UAE rules. It is not legal, tax or immigration advice for your situation. Rules and government fees change; we confirm the position for your facts in writing before you act.