Company Set-Up, Visa and Advisory Services in Dubai and the UAE
Establishing a corporate presence in the UAE involves a sequential series of structural, regulatory, and operational decisions. For entrepreneurs, international groups, and family offices across the UAE, the wider GCC, and South Asia, launching an enterprise requires aligning your initial business structure with long-term commercial goals, banking criteria, and tax obligations.
This category outlines the building blocks required when entering the UAE market. From selecting the appropriate entity type and securing corporate licences to executing document attestations, managing residency visas, and establishing asset protection frameworks, we guide your business through each phase of corporate launch and ongoing governance.
What we do in this area
Advisory on the type of entity
We evaluate your commercial model, target markets, and ownership preferences to recommend the corporate legal structure that fits. Our team analyses mainland, free zone, and offshore options to align your entity setup with operational needs, banking requirements, and tax obligations.
Full pageCompany formation & licensing (Mainland, Free Zone, Offshore)
We assist investors and overseas parent companies through the complete corporate incorporation process. Our team coordinates trade name reservation, initial approvals, constitutional document drafting, and licence issuance across UAE mainland authorities, free zone jurisdictions, and offshore registries.
Full pageCorporate governance advisory
We advise management boards and business owners on establishing effective governance structures. Our team assists in drafting shareholder agreements, defining board powers, structuring voting rights, and establishing internal oversight frameworks to maintain operational transparency and protect investor interests.
Full pageRegulatory filings and compliance
We assist established and new entities in fulfilling mandatory corporate register updates, Ultimate Beneficial Owner filings, and other statutory notifications. Our team maintains your ongoing regulatory reporting so your filings stay current.
Full pageBank account opening
We support newly incorporated businesses and foreign companies through the administrative preparation required to apply for UAE corporate bank accounts. Our team helps draft commercial profiles, assemble corporate verification dossiers, and coordinate introductory meetings with banking institutions.
Full pageVisa & labour compliance
We manage the administrative processing of investor visas, employment residency permits, and corporate quota allocations. Our team compiles required documentation, coordinates medical fitness tests and Emirates ID registrations, and maintains compliance with Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation guidelines.
Full pageFoundation
We advise family offices, high-net-worth individuals, and corporate groups on structuring UAE foundations for asset protection and wealth preservation. Our team assists with foundational governance design, asset transfer frameworks, and administrative setup within relevant financial centres.
Full pageWill and succession planning
We guide non-Muslim foreign nationals and business owners through the process of registering wills to protect UAE-based assets and corporate shares. Our team advises on estate structuring options, coordinates legal translation, and assists with formal registration before official registries.
Full pageDocument attestation & notarization
We manage the authentication of foreign and domestic corporate instruments, including board resolutions, powers of attorney, and constitutional documents. Our team reviews your paperwork for compliance, coordinates required legal translations and notary procedures, and tracks files through the legalisation chain for authority and banking submissions.
Document attestation & notarization
Establishing a foreign subsidiary, registering a branch office, or executing corporate actions in the UAE requires verifying legal documents through official channels. Document attestation and notarisation is the legal process of authenticating foreign and domestic corporate instruments, such as board resolutions, powers of attorney, certificates of incorporation, and memorandum of association, so that UAE government authorities, free zone registries, and commercial banks recognise them as valid.
Foreign corporate documents must typically undergo a multi-step legalisation chain, starting with notarisation in the country of origin, followed by attestation by the relevant Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the UAE Embassy abroad, before receiving final legalisation from the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
We manage this administrative procedure on your behalf. Our team reviews your corporate documentation prior to submission to identify missing seals or incorrect formatting that could cause rejection. We coordinate with official translation services, local public notaries, and government ministries to handle the legalisation workflow. KSB tracks your documents through each stage of the attestation process, delivering verified paperwork so your company setup, visa applications, or banking submissions can proceed.
Frequently asked questions
In what order should a business complete its set-up steps in the UAE?
A company typically begins by determining its legal structure and obtaining its commercial licence. Once incorporated, the entity completes establishment card registration, processes residency visas for shareholders and employees, and prepares the administrative documentation required to apply for corporate bank account opening.
How do we decide which service within this category our business needs first?
Your starting point depends on whether you have an existing entity or are launching a new enterprise. New entrants should begin with legal entity advisory to determine structural requirements. Established companies expanding operations usually move directly to document attestation, governance reviews, or visa processing.
What is the difference between entity advisory and company formation?
Entity advisory is the strategic evaluation conducted before incorporation to analyse which jurisdiction, ownership structure, and licence type suit your business model. Company formation is the subsequent administrative execution phase that involves submitting applications, paying government fees, and securing the physical licence.
Can KSB manage document attestation if our corporate files originate outside the UAE?
Yes. We assist businesses in legalising corporate documents issued in foreign jurisdictions. Our team guides you through the necessary attestation steps required in your home country and handles the final legalisation procedures with the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs upon arrival.