Empowering your business journey in Dubai and the UAE
Formation, licensing, visas, banking and compliance, handled end to end by one Dubai based team.
- Dubai based corporate services provider, Business Bay
- Mainland, free zone and offshore under one roof
- A dedicated consultant and PRO on every file
- Calls answered through the working day
A global hub with local access
Dubai sits within eight hours of two thirds of the world's population, taxes profit lightly, and lets a founder hold their company outright. What it asks for in return is paperwork, filed correctly and on time.
That is the part we take. You choose the direction of the business. We handle the jurisdiction, the license, the visas and the filings that keep it current.
Building success, one business at a time
One team from license to visa
Five lines of work, one file, one point of contact.
Book a consultationRequirements beyond the standard scope, including digital asset and private client matters, are arranged discreetly through vetted specialists.
- 01Business setupMainland, free zone and offshore formation, chosen around your activity and ownership.
- 02PRO servicesResidence visas, Emirates ID, attestation and legal translation, handled by your PRO.
- 03Bank account openingDocuments prepared and introductions made to banks that suit your structure.
- 04Accounting and taxBookkeeping, VAT and corporate tax registration, returns filed on time.
- 05Legal and complianceEmployee registration, license renewals and the filings that keep you current.
Mainland, free zone or offshore
The right answer depends on who you sell to, who owns the company and how many visas you need.
Mainland
- Ownership
- Full foreign ownership on most activities
- Where you can trade
- Trade anywhere in the UAE, government contracts
- Office requirement
- Physical office or approved flexi desk
- Best suited to
- Trading, contracting and services selling to the UAE market
Free zone
- Ownership
- Full foreign ownership
- Where you can trade
- Within the zone and internationally
- Office requirement
- Flexi desk upward, zone dependent
- Best suited to
- Consultancies, holding companies, regional headquarters
Offshore
- Ownership
- Full foreign ownership
- Where you can trade
- No UAE trading activity
- Office requirement
- Registered agent address
- Best suited to
- Asset holding, international structuring
Four stages, clearly stated
Most free zone licenses are issued in days rather than weeks, once documents are in order.
Start your setupConsultation
We map your activity, ownership and visa needs against mainland, free zone and offshore, then tell you plainly which route fits and what it costs.
Documents and approvals
Trade name reservation, initial approval and the paperwork that follows. We prepare the file and deal with the authorities on your behalf.
License issued
Your trade license and establishment card are issued. You receive the originals and a digital set for your records.
Visas, banking and beyond
Residence visas, Emirates ID, a bank account and the ongoing accounting and compliance work. The same team stays with you.
One founder, one standard
The license is the easy part. What you are actually buying is someone who answers the phone.
Gulf Gateway opened in August 2023 to do corporate services the way I wanted them done for my own companies: one consultant who knows the file, a PRO who picks up, and costs stated in full before anything is signed. Since then we have formed companies across mainland, free zone and offshore, and carried far more clients through visas, banking and compliance. The team scales with the season, but the person on your file does not change.
Quiet, thorough, accountable
One team, start to finish
The consultant who scopes your setup stays on your file. Your PRO is a person you can call, not a ticket queue.
The route that fits, not the easy one
We recommend mainland, free zone or offshore based on your activity and ownership, even when it means a longer file for us.
Costs stated in full
Government fees and our fee, itemized before you commit. No surprise charges at renewal.
After the license
Visas, banking, accounting, tax filing and renewals. The relationship continues once the trade license is framed on your wall.
Asked before every setup
If your question is not here, it is the one worth calling about.
Ask us yoursMost free zone licenses are issued in days rather than weeks, once your documents are in order. Mainland timelines depend on the activity and any external approvals it needs, so we give you a realistic date in the first consultation instead of a headline figure.
Tell us what you are building
Send the outline of your plan. A consultant reads it, then comes back with the route, the cost and the timeline.
Whichever you choose, your enquiry arrives with your details already in it.
Clover Bay Tower, Office 1912, 19th Floor, Business Bay, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm Gulf Standard Time