TaxSavvyAE

Full foreign ownership of a mainland LLC

Do I still need an Emirati partner to open an LLC in Dubai mainland?

The situation

Since the 2021 reform of the company law, most mainland activities allow full foreign ownership. A small set of activities with strategic impact still have conditions set by the authorities.

The law

  • Federal Decree-Law 32 of 2021 on Commercial Companies: Allows foreign ownership of mainland companies subject to activity lists

What it means for you

For trading, consulting, IT and most services, you can hold 100 percent. Some activities need a local service agent or regulator approval, and the portal shows this when you pick the activity. Example: a general trading LLC owned by two Indian nationals can be licensed without an Emirati shareholder. Always check the activity on the DET or ADDED list before paying for a name.

What to do

  1. Search your activity on the DET or ADDED activity list.
  2. Note any ownership or approval condition shown.
  3. If none, apply for initial approval with full foreign ownership.
  4. Keep the approval for the bank KYC file.

We can do this for youMainland company setup in Dubai or Abu Dhabi: activity, legal form, trade licence, office and first registrations: AED 4,500

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