How to Start a Software Company in Dubai: Step-by-Step Guide (2026)
Key Highlights 0% personal income tax and 0% corporate tax on profits up to AED 375,000 for all UAE businesses. 100% foreign ownership available in all UAE free zones and for most mainland professional license activities. Software company license in a Dubai free zone starts from AED 11,900 inclusive of VAT, with setup typically in […]
How to Start a Cybersecurity Company in Dubai (2026 Guide)
Key Highlights Dubai’s cybersecurity market is projected to grow from USD 620 million in 2024 to USD 1.29 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 12.8%. A generic IT Consultancy license does not qualify for UAE government or semi-government security contracts—only DESC-recognized activity categories do. Free zone companies cannot directly serve UAE government clients without […]
How Kenyan Entrepreneurs Can Start an E-Commerce Business in Dubai, UAE: 2026 Complete Guide
Key Highlights Kenya-UAE bilateral trade hit Ksh. 445 billion in 2023, and the January 2025 CEPA makes Dubai the most accessible international business hub for Kenyan entrepreneurs right now. As a Kenyan national, you can own 100% of a UAE free zone e-commerce company with no local sponsor required, using only a passport copy to […]
How to Start an Ecommerce Business from UK to Dubai, UAE (2026 Guide)
Key Highlights The UAE ecommerce market is valued at USD 12.30 billion in 2026 and is growing at 11.29% CAGR toward USD 21.01 billion by 2031. A UK-registered company cannot sell on Amazon.ae or Noon without a valid UAE trade license. IFZA’s 1-year ecommerce license starts at AED 11,900 inclusive of VAT, with a free […]
Can You Teach Yoga Legally in the UAE Without a Company?
Key Highlights UAE expats make up approximately 89% of the country’s 11.35 million population, and most live and work under some form of visa sponsorship. The UAE’s wellness economy reached $34.1 billion in 2023, growing 58% between 2019 and 2023, the second-fastest growth rate globally among markets above $5 billion. You do not need a […]
How to Get a Freelance Visa in Dubai as a Graphic Designer (2026 Guide)
Key Highlights A “freelance visa” in Dubai is actually two documents: a freelance permit to work legally and a separate residence visa to live in the UAE. Graphic designers can set up legally through DDA from AED 7,500/year or through IFZA from AED 11,900/year with a free-for-life residence visa on renewal. Working on a tourist […]
How to Start an Import Export Business in JAFZA Free Zone (2026 Step-by-Step Guide)
Key Highlights JAFZA generated $190 billion in trade value over the 12 months to May 2025, a 15% year-on-year increase and the highest figure in the zone’s 40-year history. Jebel Ali Port processed 15.55 million TEUs in 2025 and set a breakbulk record of 630,000 tonnes in October 2025, making JAFZA the most strategically connected […]
Types of Trade Licenses for Export-Import Business in UAE (2026 Guide)
Key Highlights UAE law requires a valid trade license before any import or export activity can legally begin and licenses are activity-specific, covering only the goods explicitly listed on them There are four main license types for import-export businesses: commercial, general trading, free zone, and industrial/manufacturing, each with different market access rules Free zone companies […]
VAT Rules for Export-Import Businesses in UAE: 2026 Complete Guide
Key Highlights Exports from the UAE are zero-rated at 0% VAT under Article 45 of Federal Decree-Law No. 8 of 2017, but only when you hold the correct customs and transport documents. From 1 January 2026, you no longer need to issue a self-invoice when applying the reverse charge mechanism on imports, per Federal Decree-Law […]
How to Export Spices from India to UAE: Licenses, Demand, and Profit Margins
Key Highlights The India-UAE CEPA, in force since May 1, 2022, reduces customs duty on qualifying Indian spice HS codes to 0%, giving you a direct 5% cost edge over non-CEPA competitors in the UAE market. You need IEC, GST, FSSAI Central License, Spices Board CRES, and APEDA RCMC before a single spice shipment legally […]