Serves UAE customers direct
Mainland branch
Trades UAE-wide, needs an Ejari lease, generally the higher fee.
UAE-wide trade
Ejari lease required
Visa quota by office
Foreign company setup
Branch office in Dubai
Open your foreign company's branch in Dubai under the parent name.
- 100% foreign ownership
- No local service agent
- Parent company name retained
- Mainland or free zone
15+ years10,000+ engagements4.8 Google, 163+ reviewsISO certified
Foreign company setup
What is a branch office in Dubai?
The same legal person as its foreign parent, licensed to operate in Dubai. It keeps the parent name and may only do what the parent does.
SameLegal person as the parent, not separate
100%Foreign ownership, no local agent
9%Corporate tax above AED 375,000
Choose your structure
Branch, rep office, or subsidiary: which do you need?
Pick the structure first, because it sets your cost, your tax, and what you are legally allowed to do. Four options, and the wrong one costs months.
| Factor | Mainland branch | Free zone branch | Rep office | LLC subsidiary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legal status | Extension of parent | Extension of parent | Extension of parent | Separate entity |
| Can invoice | Yes, UAE-wide | Yes, in scope | No | Yes |
| Ownership | 100% foreign | 100% foreign | 100% foreign | 100% foreign |
| Liability | Parent on the hook | Parent on the hook | Parent on the hook | Stops at subsidiary |
| Best for | Serving UAE direct | Regional hub | Testing the market | Containing liability |
What changed for foreign branches in 2024
Two requirements that made branches expensive and slow are gone. Most guides online have not caught up, so you may be reading cost tables two years out of date.
- 01
Guarantee gone
Ministerial Resolution No. 138 of 2024 repealed the old regime. The refundable AED 50,000 deposit with the Ministry of Economy is no longer lodged.
- 02
No local agent
The same resolution removed the mandatory Emirati service agent for most mainland branch activities. No annual fee, no equity, no third party who can hold up a renewal.
- 03
Lower day-one cash
With the deposit gone and no recurring agent fee, opening cash and ongoing cost both drop. Full control of the licence stays with the parent.
- 04
One exception
Strategic Impact sectors, such as banking, insurance, and defence, still require a local agent under federal law.
How a Branch Is Taxed
A branch is a taxable person. Its UAE-sourced income is taxed at 9% above AED 375,000. The parent is the registered taxpayer, but the branch's UAE profits are what the FTA assesses.
| Authority | What they do | When you meet them | Key output |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic rule | The branch registers with the FTA and files annual returns. | On annual UAE profit | Federal Decree-Law 47 of 2022 |
| Free zone trap | The FTA treats it as a domestic permanent establishment, taxed at 9%. | From the first month, not the first audit | 9% domestic PE |
| Pillar Two | Effective for financial years from 1 Jan 2025; applies to the UAE branch. | In the group's consolidated accounts | BEPS Pillar Two |
- Basic rule9% on UAE-sourced income above AED 375,000; 0% up to it.You meet them:On annual UAE profit
- Free zone trapA mainland branch of a free-zone parent does NOT inherit the 0% rate.You meet them:From the first month, not the first audit
- Pillar TwoGroups above EUR 750m global revenue may face a 15% top-up tax.You meet them:In the group's consolidated accounts
Cost
What each branch route costs
Regional hub or re-export
Free zone branch
Trades within its scope, zone authority sets the base fee.
In-scope trade
Zone authority licence
Flexi-desk options
Testing the market
Representative office
Cannot trade or invoice, so it is the cheapest route in.
Marketing and liaison only
No revenue
Lowest cost
Want a costed branch quote?
Four things move a branch cost: business activity (some need external approvals from KHDA, RERA, DHA, or the Central Bank, each adding fees and time), mainland vs free zone (the authority sets the base fee), the office lease (a mainland branch needs an Ejari lease of at least 12 months), and year-one visa count (priced per person). DMCS gives a personalised quote after reviewing the parent and activity list.
Branch vs new company
Should you open a branch instead of a new company?
A branch keeps the parent's name, track record, and contracts intact, and you operate under that same identity. For a company whose reputation opens doors, that continuity is the whole point.
Recommended
Likely5 signs
A branch fits if
- You want to trade under the parent's nameThe parent's reputation and contracts carry over.
- You want 100% ownership, no partnerNo Emirati partner required after the 2024 reform.
- You have no share capital to injectA branch has none, so nothing to capitalise.
- You run the same activities as the parentApproved and operating quickly, no new scope.
- You want to repatriate profit in fullProfit flows back to the parent, no LSA fee.
Reconsider5 signs
A subsidiary fits better if
- Your UAE work could draw large liabilitiesA branch puts the parent on the hook; a subsidiary contains it.
- You want an activity the parent lacksA branch cannot; a subsidiary can hold its own.
- You plan to bring in a local partnerA branch has no shareholder structure for a stake.
- Your banking needs a UAE entitySome banks underwrite branches more conservatively.
- You may sell the Dubai business laterA subsidiary has shares to transfer; a branch has none.
The process
How you open a branch office in Dubai
With attested documents in hand, a mainland branch takes 3 to 6 weeks. The parent-company paperwork sets the pace, not the UAE side.
- Critical stage
Structure and activity
Decide mainland, free zone, or rep office, matched to what the parent is licensed to do at home.
Approval and trade name
Secure Ministry of Economy approval and reserve the trade name with DET.
- Critical stage
Attest parent documents
Run the parent documents through the four-step legalisation chain in the next section.
Register with DET and MoE
Submit the file, obtain the licence, and complete MoE branch registration within a month of issuance.
Office, cards, and visas
Sign the Ejari lease, collect the establishment and immigration cards, open the first visa file.
Tax and banking
Register for corporate tax and open the account. Bank onboarding runs 4 to 8 weeks, the slowest step.
Documents and attestation
Documents and attestation
The attestation chain is where most first-time applications fail. Miss one stamp and the file is rejected at the counter, not flagged early, which resets you by four to six weeks.
From the parent
Parent company documents
Certificate of incorporation
Proving the parent's legal existence, name, and activity.
Memorandum and articles
The parent's constitutional documents.
Board resolution
Approving the branch and appointing the manager.
Power of attorney
For the appointed branch manager.
Audited financials
The parent's recent audited statements.
Auditor appointment letter
For the UAE branch.
Four steps, in order
The attestation chain
Notarise
Before a notary in the parent's home country.
Home-country MFA
Certifies the notary's signature.
UAE embassy
Attests the file in the home country.
UAE MOFA
Applies the final stamp in Dubai or Abu Dhabi.
Then translate, before submission
The UAE is not part of the Hague Apostille Convention, so an apostille on its own is never enough: every document needs full consular legalisation, and an Arabic translation from a UAE Ministry of Justice-licensed translator. DMCS handles both in the same engagement.
Start attestation first. The home-country chain sets the pace; a missing stamp resets you 4 to 6 weeks.
Use a licensed translator. Only a UAE Ministry of Justice-licensed translator is accepted.
Match activities to the parent. A branch cannot run a line the parent is not licensed for at home.
Annual compliance
Who regulates a branch, and the yearly duties
Why DMCS
Why open your Dubai branch with DMCS
Parent-side attestation, UAE registration, tax setup and annual compliance from one office. Not handed between three vendors.
Where branch setups go wrong
We tell you branch or subsidiary on the first call
We verify if a branch or subsidiary fits your liability profile and partner plans before any DET filing begins.
01
Attestation and translation, end to end
Your team is not chasing an embassy in one country and a ministry in another. We run the four-step chain and the legal translation as one job.
02
Tax modelled before you sign
Including the free-zone permanent-establishment trap that catches groups using a free-zone parent for a mainland branch. You see the 9% coming, in your own numbers, ahead of time.
03
One team for setup and every renewal
The people who registered the branch file the annual renewal and coordinate the audit, so nothing falls through the gap between setup and compliance.
Real results from our clients
What our clients say about working with us
Real Google reviews from founders we have set up and kept compliant on the Dubai mainland.
A
Abdul Sami3 months ago
Thank you to the team for supporting us with our company setup. Our case was not straightforward, especially the bank account opening, but they stayed committed and got it done.
P
Paolo Chua8 months ago
I had a great experience opening a corporate bank account. The process was smooth and efficient. The staff were friendly, professional, and explained everything clearly.
A
Amy Elliott Dunne4 months ago
The accounting and bookkeeping service has been exceptional. Attention to detail is impressive, and communication is always clear. Tasks are handled promptly.
R
Rashed Al Falasi5 months ago
They confirmed our activity grouping before filing and flagged an issue the bank would have raised. Licensed in under two weeks with no surprises on the invoice.
M
Marwa Khalil2 months ago
We came for a mainland LLC and stayed for renewals and PRO work. The same team answers the phone after the license is issued, which is rare here.
Straight answers
Dubai branch office: FAQs
Get a branch-or-subsidiary recommendation.
Send us your parent company details and the activities you want to run in the UAE. We come back with the right structure, a costed quote, and the full document list.
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