The jurisdiction decides everything. Get it right first.
Pistos Group incorporates companies across Dubai and Abu Dhabi mainland and every UAE free zone we partner with — then handles the visas, the PRO work and the compliance that follows.
Where should you incorporate?
Pick what the business will actually do.
Real estate brokerage in Dubai can only be licensed through Dubai mainland, because the activity requires RERA approval and a broker registration that no free zone licence can satisfy. A free zone company cannot hold a Dubai brokerage permit.
What We Do
Get you licensed, get you resident, keep the books and the compliance straight, and help you grow. The accounting side runs through our sister company, The One Accountant.
Company Formation
Dubai and Abu Dhabi mainland, and every UAE free zone we partner with.
Read moreClick to read moreRAK ICC Foundations
A legal person that owns itself — used to hold family wealth, protect assets and plan succession.
Read moreClick to read moree-Trader Licence
The DET licence for selling from home and on social media — AED 1,370, issued in minutes.
Read moreClick to read moreGolden Visa
Property-route golden visas, approved in as little as three working days.
Read moreClick to read moreVisas and PRO Services
Renewals, amendments, immigration filings and government liaison.
Read moreClick to read moreBank Account Opening
Choosing the right UAE bank and account type, then getting the application through.
Read moreClick to read moreAccounting, CFO and WPS
Delivered by our sister company, The One Accountant — bookkeeping, tax, payroll and WPS.
Read moreClick to read moreCompany Liquidation
Closing a company properly, so it does not follow you around later.
Read moreClick to read moreTrademark and ISO
Registering the brand, certifying the system.
Read moreClick to read moreAttestation and Legalisation
Degree certificates, marriage certificates, commercial documents.
Read moreClick to read moreAudit Services
Free zone filings, FTA compliance, lending, M&A and partner disputes.
Read moreClick to read moreMarketing
Demand generation for companies we helped build.
Read moreClick to read moreAI Implementation
Putting AI into the parts of your business that actually repeat.
Read moreClick to read moreOur Preferred Free Zones in Dubai
We work with nearly every free zone in the country. These two are where most Dubai clients end up, and we will tell you plainly when a different zone suits you better.
IFZA
Our first recommendation for most Dubai free zone companies. Broad activity list, no physical office required for smaller packages, and a licensing process we can run end to end without the client attending in person. Based within Dubai Silicon Oasis.
IFZA in detailClick to open IFZAMeydan Free Zone
The other zone we lead with in Dubai. A Dubai address with a strong banking reputation, fast digital issuance, and entry packages that start at around AED 12,500.
Meydan Free Zone in detailClick to open Meydan Free ZoneA Worked Example of Why This Matters
A client came to us last year with a signed flexi-desk agreement in a Sharjah free zone and a plan to open a property brokerage in Dubai. The licence had been issued. The money was spent.
Real estate brokerage in Dubai can only be licensed through Dubai mainland, because the activity needs RERA approval and a broker registration that no free zone licence can carry. The free zone company was useless for the purpose it was bought for.
That is a three-minute conversation before you pay, or a five-figure write-off afterwards. The assessment exists so it is the former.
Activities that are mainland-only
- Real estate brokerage and property management
- Construction, contracting and fit-out
- Retail shops, restaurants and cafés
- Clinics, medical centres and pharmacies
- Recruitment and manpower supply
- Travel agencies and tour operators
Selling directly into the UAE mainland market is the other common trigger. A free zone company can import and re-export freely, but onshore sales need a mainland licence, a distributor or a branch.
Questions We Get Asked
What is the actual difference between mainland and a free zone?
A mainland licence lets you trade anywhere in the UAE and bid for government work. A free zone gives you customs relief and a cheaper, faster setup, but selling onshore needs a distributor, a mainland branch or a dual licence. The assessment works out which applies to you.
Can a foreigner own 100% of a UAE company?
Yes. Free zone companies have always allowed it, and over a thousand mainland activities now do too. A short list of strategic-impact activities still requires Emirati participation, and we check yours against the current list rather than last year's.
How long does it take to set a company up?
Roughly three to seven working days in a free zone and five to ten on mainland, assuming documents are in order and no external regulator is involved. Visas add a further one to two weeks on top.
What will it cost?
It depends on the activity, the facility and how many visas you need, which is why we quote rather than publish a price. Government fees move, so we confirm them on the day we send the figure.
Do I need to be in the UAE to set up?
Not for most free zone incorporations — we can run the whole licensing process without the shareholder travelling. You do need to be here for the medical and biometrics when your residence visa is issued.
Which activities cannot go in a free zone at all?
Real estate brokerage, construction and contracting, retail premises, clinics and pharmacies, recruitment and manpower supply, and travel agencies. All of those are mainland-only, whatever anyone has quoted you.
Speak to someone who does this every day
Send us your details and we will call you back with a straight answer and a written quote. No obligation, no drip campaign.
Not Covered Above? Ask Us.
Send the question as you would ask it on the phone. One of the team answers it properly — not a template, and not a sales call dressed up as an answer.