The UAE side is the easy half.
No personal income tax, no capital gains tax, no inheritance tax. That part lives up to the headline. What the brochures skip: you do not stop being a UK taxpayer the day you collect a Dubai licence. Whether HMRC still has a claim turns on your UK residency and how the entity is controlled, not on where the company is registered. Sold as a tax exit without that conversation, a Dubai setup is the most expensive mistake a UK founder can make.
What the brochure says, against what is true.
Four beliefs that cost UK founders. None show up on a setup quote.
The brochure
A free zone means tax-free income.
The reality
No UAE corporate tax on qualifying income, yes. But stay UK-resident with a UK-controlled company and the UK's Controlled Foreign Company rules can attribute its profits back to you. The structure moved the income, not the liability.HMRC decides this, not us
The brochure
A UAE visa ends my UK tax residency.
The reality
Not on its own. The Statutory Residence Test weighs your UK days against ties like a home, a spouse, and work. Keep meaningful ties and HMRC still sees your worldwide income, visa or not. Confirm day counts with a UK adviser first.The SRT decides this, not the visa
The brochure
Pick the cheapest free zone now, ask the accountant later.
The reality
That order is backwards. By the time the accountant looks, the wrong vehicle is already filed. Structure and UK position are one decision. Deciding them together, before incorporation, is what we are for.
The brochure
A UK passport gets any UAE bank account.
The reality
UK nationals do read as lower-risk, but a rushed application at the wrong bank does not just fail, it flags your profile for the next one. A correct first attempt is always cheaper than a second.The bank decides this, not us
We own one column. We name the other.
A clean Dubai setup means holding both columns at once. We build the left; we tell you where the right belongs to a UK-qualified adviser, before anything is filed.
Our side · the UAE
What we build and own
- The structure that fits your clients: mainland, free zone, or offshore
- Activity codes matched to your real business, not the nearest approximation
- The banks realistic for a UK-owned entity, file built right
- Residency visas, and the Golden Visa route if you relocate
- UAE corporate tax and QFZP substance on the entity itself
Your other side · the UK
What we flag, for your UK adviser
- Your UK tax residency under the Statutory Residence Test
- Controlled Foreign Company exposure on a UK-controlled entity
- How profit extraction and dividends are taxed back home
- Whether the UK-UAE CEPA touches your specific activity
- Timing the move so the structure and your residency line up
We do not pretend to be your UK tax adviser. We name the UK questions, sequence them before incorporation, and build the UAE structure to support the answer rather than fight it. Our UK to Dubai expansion guide sets out the full treatment; the QFZP free zone tax guide covers the 0% substance test.
Three questions set your structure.
Not a price comparison. The vehicle you need turns on where your clients are, what the entity is for, and whether you relocate. Settle these and the rest is execution we handle.
A starting point, not a quote. The right structure is confirmed in conversation, not from a price list. See the full company setup picture across mainland, free zones, and offshore.
From first call to a running entity.
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Stage 1
Structure conversation. We map your UK setup, clients, and goals to the UAE structure that fits, and name the UK tax questions for your adviser before anything is filed.
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Stage 2
Jurisdiction and activity. Free zone, mainland, offshore, or a combination, with the activity code confirmed against your real business, not the nearest approximation.
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Stage 3
Licence and visas. Incorporation handled in full, with residency visa options confirmed for you and any dependants.
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Stage 4
Banking. We pick the banks with the strongest odds for a UK-owned entity and build the file. Banks decide independently, regulated by the Central Bank of the UAE. We do not promise approval; we improve the odds.
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Stage 5
Ongoing. Renewals, compliance, and expansion as you grow. One point of contact for the UAE side.
We will not set up a structure we think creates a UK problem you have not been warned about.
A free zone is powerful for founders who operate internationally, have relocated, or have taken qualified UK advice. It is not a way for a UK resident to shelter UK client income, and we say so rather than take the fee. You pay us for the judgment to get the UAE side right, and the candour to flag the UK question before it becomes a bill.
Founders who made the same move.
Everything was perfect, very fast, easy and super professional. You helped me and my family get our Golden Visas without any stress.
From the initial assessment to final implementation, the team demonstrated strong expertise, structured methodology, and clear communication.
They delivered what they promised without any hidden agenda and informed me of better and less costly ways to achieve what I need.
Thanks to Manish Kumar, we were finally able to speed up the process of getting our visa after months of struggling with other agents.
He was super quick to reply, very efficient and honestly the best I have worked with. He made the whole process so much easier.
Manish demonstrated deep expertise, professionalism, and a thorough understanding of the incorporation process. Proactive, responsive, and efficient.
They've assisted me and my family obtain golden residency in the UAE. All timelines were clearly defined and all processes transparent.
Communication was clear from the start, everything managed end to end with full transparency on costs.
Manish was instrumental in setting up our company in Dubai. Always responsive, readily available to answer our questions.
A trusted advisor, a skilled navigator of complex regulatory landscapes, with unshakeable integrity.
Great and professional support from Manish. I recommend working with him on any project.