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For European Founders

European founders, the UAE entity that survives a German audit.

Pillar Two pressure on EU group structures, post-Brexit corridor friction, and a UAE 9% corporate rate against a European 25 to 30% norm. You are not the first. We have built UAE entities for founders moving from Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam, Zurich, Milan, Stockholm, Madrid and London. Each one structured to hold up under the home-country audit it will eventually face.

See packages from AED 5,565
We serve founders from
UK DE FR NL IT ES SE PL CH IE BE AT
14 to 21 days
Typical UAE entity setup, licence to bank-ready
15 to 20 pp
Average tax differential between European HQ and UAE
3 to 7 days
Fastest banking via UAE fintech (Wio, Mashreq Neo)
30 to 45 days
From kickoff to first AED revenue invoiced
Real licence prices. No markup. No "from" trick.

Three setups. Three honest prices.
Pick the one that fits your stage.

These are the actual licence-fee numbers from our partner free zones. Government-set prices, no hidden markups. Our professional service fee is quoted separately based on your structure.

Cheapest UAE entity setup. No visa, scale up any time.
Lean Launch
Lowest-cost UAE entity. Add visas later.
AED5,565
Licence, year 1. No visa included.
  • 100% foreign ownership of your entity
  • 0% UAE corporate tax under QFZP regime, if you qualify
  • UAE trade licence with up to 10 mixed business activities
  • Up to 5 shareholders allowed under one entity
  • Cheapest legitimate UAE setup we offer
  • Add 1 to 10 residence visas later, on your timeline
Best for: tax-structure founders, holding companies, and non-resident solo founders who want a UAE entity for under AED 6,000 with no visa commitment.
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★ Most Chosen
⭐ 1 UAE residency visa FREE for LIFE. Renews free, every cycle, forever.
Live in Dubai
UAE residency. Lifetime visa. Living in Dubai.
AED14,900
Licence and 1 lifetime visa, year 1. Visa renews free forever.
  • ⭐ 1 UAE residence visa FREE for LIFE (saves AED 3,850 every 2 years, forever)
  • 100% foreign ownership of your entity
  • 0% UAE corporate tax under QFZP regime, if you qualify
  • UAE trade licence with 3 activities (commercial and professional combined)
  • Up to 3 individual shareholders, free of charge
  • Banking introduction through our partner network
  • UK-qualified accountant on your account from day one
Best for: founders who want to live in UAE, get a Dubai address, and lock in lifetime residency. Our most chosen package because the visa renewal stays free, forever.
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Premium Dubai address. 1 visa quota reserved for when you're ready.
Prestige Authority
When the address itself opens doors.
AED35,484
Licence, year 1. Premium licence, 0 visa applied.
  • 100% foreign ownership of your entity
  • 0% UAE corporate tax under QFZP regime, if you qualify
  • Premium Dubai licence in JLT. World's top-ranked free zone for 9 years running
  • 3 business activities under one entity (same business group)
  • Flexi-desk in JLT included (your own working address)
  • 1 visa quota reserved. Apply when ready, no extra licence cost
  • Banking introduction with our partner banks
Best for: trading firms, fund managers, family offices, brokers, and founders pitching for institutional capital. When the address itself is part of the pitch.
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Every setup above includes
✓
FREE UAE Corporate Tax registration
Worth AED 1,500. We register your entity with the FTA, lodge your TRN, and confirm your QFZP status if eligible.
✓
40% off the first 3 months of bookkeeping
When you bundle ongoing bookkeeping with your company setup. UK-qualified accountant supervises every entry from month one.
Want a different visa count, zone, or activity mix?
Compare all 6 free zones side-by-side with our live cost calculator. Every line item, every fee, every currency.
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Three European founder archetypes

Which European founder are you?

Most European founders setting up in the UAE fit one of three patterns. Each has a different free zone fit, different banking sequence, and different home-country exposure.

Germany · Netherlands · Sweden

The SaaS scale-up

Series A or B with European HQ. Wants a MENA-region hub plus a tax-efficient holding layer. Investor base accepts a UAE topco only if substance is real and audit trail is clean. Pillar Two question is live.

Best fit DMCC or IFZA operating entity, hybrid structure with UK or NL holdco above, real office and one local hire to satisfy economic substance. ARR over £400k threshold before topco move makes sense.
France · Italy · Spain

The professional services consultant

Solo founder or 2 to 3 person consultancy. Tired of 45 to 55% effective personal tax in France or Italy, wants UAE residence and corporate vehicle in 90 days. Often selling to European or US clients remotely.

Best fit IFZA solo licence (AED 14,900 with 1 visa, AED 12,900 Zero Visa) or Meydan for 60-minute issuance (from AED 12,500). Golden Visa via property purchase (AED 2M) or via AED 30k salary self-pay. Home-country exit certificate critical.
Switzerland · Austria · UK private clients

The family office or HNW

Wealth structuring play. UAE holdco above operating entities, or multi-entity structure for IP, trading, and real estate. Wants Swiss-grade substance, banking that talks to UBS or Julius Baer, and a Golden Visa anchor.

Best fit DIFC or ADGM holdco with real substance (board, office, local director), RAKEZ or DMCC operating entities below, AED 2M property anchor for Golden Visa, ENBD or Mashreq Private banking ladder.
European tax landscape vs UAE

10 European jurisdictions, side by side.

UAE corporate tax is 9% on profits above AED 375,000, 0% on Qualifying Free Zone Person income. No personal income tax. No capital gains tax. Here is how that compares to the European home countries our clients move from most.

Country Corporate rate Top personal rate DTT with UAE CFC strictness Capital controls
Germany15% and ~15% trade tax45% and 5.5% solidarityYes (2010)HighNone
France25%45% and 4% surchargeYes (1989)HighNone
UK25% (19% small)45%Yes (2016)MediumNone
Netherlands25.8% (19% to €200k)49.5%Yes (2007)MediumNone
Sweden20.6%52.3%Yes (2018)HighNone
Italy24% and 3.9% IRAP43% and regionalYes (1995)HighNone
Spain25%47%Yes (2006)HighNone
Switzerland12 to 21% (canton)~40% blendedYes (2011)LowNone
Ireland12.5% trading40% and USCYes (2010)MediumNone
Belgium25%50%Yes (1996)HighNone
UAE (target)9% over AED 375k0%N/ANoneNone

Sources: each country's revenue authority and the UAE Federal Tax Authority. Rates as of January 2026. CFC strictness reflects look-through risk for UAE subsidiaries, not whether the regime applies in principle.

European founder FAQ

Questions we hear from every European founder.

If the question you have is not here, book a call. We will not ask you to fill a 12-field form first.

Will my home country tax me on UAE dividends?
It depends on whether you remain tax resident there. If you keep German, French or Spanish tax residence, dividends from a UAE company are usually still taxable at the personal level (often around 25 to 30%) under domestic dividend taxation, even if the underlying corporate tax was paid in the UAE at 9%. The DTT typically prevents double taxation but does not eliminate the home-country charge. The structural answer for most founders is to break residence cleanly using the home-country exit rules, not to rely on the treaty alone.
Do I need to give up European residence to benefit?
For meaningful personal tax saving, yes. Holding a UAE company while remaining German or French tax resident gives you 9% UAE corporate plus full German or French personal tax on extraction. The benefit is real only if you become UAE tax resident (183 days, or 90 days with a permanent home and economic interest) and properly file your exit return in your home country. For pure corporate-structure plays without personal relocation, the saving is smaller and depends on CFC rules.
Can I still travel freely to Schengen from the UAE?
Yes. UAE residence does not affect Schengen access for EU citizens, who retain freedom of movement regardless of where they live. For UK passport holders, the 90/180 Schengen rule applies the same whether you live in Dubai or in Manchester. For UAE residents holding non-Schengen passports, the standard Schengen visa rules apply. The UAE is well connected: Emirates and Etihad fly direct to every major European capital, typically 6 to 8 hours.
Does BEPS Pillar Two (15% global minimum) kill the UAE benefit?
Only for groups above the EUR 750M consolidated revenue threshold. For groups under that threshold (which is the vast majority of our European clients), the UAE 9% rate stands. For groups above it, the UAE introduced a 15% Domestic Minimum Top-up Tax from January 2025 for in-scope entities. The UAE benefit is still real for small and mid-sized groups, and for personal residence relocation regardless of group size. We model this on a case-by-case basis.
What about remote European staff if I move to the UAE?
If you keep staff in Germany, France or the Netherlands, you almost certainly create a permanent establishment for your UAE company in that country, which means local corporate tax and payroll obligations apply. The clean route is to either restructure those roles (contractor with own entity, employer of record) or accept a hybrid taxable presence. We map this out in the discovery call and route the gnarly bits to local European counsel where needed.
Does the UAE-Germany or UAE-France treaty actually help?
The treaties are real and used regularly, but they do not turn 0% into 0%. Both treaties reduce withholding tax on cross-border dividends, interest and royalties, and provide a tie-breaker test for dual residence. They do not override domestic CFC rules in Germany or France, both of which can attribute UAE company income back to a controlling resident shareholder if substance is weak. The treaty helps; substance is what makes it stick.
Banking, can I still bank in Europe alongside UAE?
Yes, and we recommend it. Most clients keep a European business account (often Wise Business, Revolut Business, or their existing Sparkasse/BNP relationship) for European-receivable invoicing, alongside an Emirates NBD or Mashreq AED account for UAE-resident operations. The dual setup smooths client payments, reduces FX cost, and keeps both regulators visible to each other. Fintech ladder (Wio first, then ENBD) typically banks in 3 to 7 days.
VAT in Europe vs UAE, what changes?
UAE VAT is a clean 5% standard rate, with zero-rating for many exports outside GCC and a registration threshold of AED 375,000 in taxable supplies. Compared to 19 to 25% EU VAT with the OSS, MOSS and reverse-charge maze, UAE VAT is materially simpler. For B2B sales into the EU from a UAE entity, reverse charge usually applies (your EU customer self-accounts) and you do not register for EU VAT. We handle UAE VAT registration as part of setup.
How we work

Four steps from Berlin or Paris to UAE operating.

No 40-page proposal. No sales pipeline. We do paid discovery, then build, then operate.

01
Discovery

Tax and structure call

60-minute paid session (AED 1,500 or £350, credited if we proceed). We map your home country exit, UAE entity options, banking sequence, and Pillar Two exposure. You leave with a one-page recommendation.

Day 1 to Day 3
02
Scope

Engagement letter

Fixed fee engagement letter with all jurisdictions, fees and milestones priced in AED with EUR/GBP parenthetical. We list home-country counsel needed (e.g. German Steuerberater for exit return) and refer where we do not advise.

Day 3 to Day 5
03
Setup

Build, licence, bank

Activity selection, licence, MoA, Establishment Card, immigration file, Emirates ID, Golden Visa if eligible, fintech account day 7 to 14, traditional bank account day 21 to 35. UK-qualified partner signs everything off.

Day 5 to Day 35
04
Operate

Monthly compliance

UAE VAT returns, corporate tax registration and filing, FTA AML and UBO maintenance, payroll if applicable, and annual audit. Quarterly check-in with your partner. Cliq channel for fast questions. No surprise bills.

Day 35 onwards

Honest pricing, in AED first.

All prices listed AED-first with EUR and GBP parenthetical. Government fees billed separately at cost. Fixed-fee engagement letters only. No success-fee structures or unbundled add-ons we did not tell you about.

Quoted ranges based on 2026 government schedules and Entegrix engagement letters signed January to May 2026. Banking deposits, Golden Visa property purchase, and audit fees not included.

Starter (IFZA Zero Visa)
from AED 12,900≈ €3,290 or £2,775
Most setups
AED 20,000 to 50,000≈ €5,100 to €12,750
Holdco and substance (DMCC, ADGM)
over AED 50,000≈ over €12,750 depending on activities
Monthly compliance from
AED 1,400 / month≈ €355 or £300

Book a FREE strategy call for your European to UAE move.

One hour, AED 1,500, credited against any engagement we sign. You will leave the call with the structure, the timeline, and the costs in writing. No pitch deck.

Book a FREE strategy call Try the Free Zone Calculator
Talk to a qualified partner

Tell us where you are coming from, we will map your route in.

No sales script. No pitch deck. A 30-minute working call with Hussnain or Tanveer where we map your EU tax exit, the right UAE free zone, the right structure, and a realistic timeline. You walk away with a written 5-bullet plan whether you engage us or not.

  • → ACCA and CBA qualified
  • → EU exit experience: Germany, Netherlands, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden
  • → CFC, exit-tax, place-of-effective-management aware
  • → One firm. One named partner. End-to-end.
Book your strategy call

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UK office hours: 9am – 6pm GMT. UAE office hours: 9am – 7pm GST.

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