UAE company setup from Egypt
Founders from Egypt often set up in the UAE to sell Arabic-language consultancy, marketing and digital services to Gulf clients, or to trade between Egypt and GCC markets, from a company and residence base in the region.
Setup planning
- Contracting with Gulf clients for consultancy, marketing, media and IT services from a UAE company
- Food and general trading between Egypt and GCC markets
- Moving from UAE employment to owning a company, with the residence visa held through that company
- A UAE bank account and invoicing entity for regional work
Documents to prepare
Confirm the checklist for your authority, legal form and document origin. These preparation notes are not a universal filing checklist.
- Egyptian passport with validity for the full entry-permit and residence process
- Egypt-issued documents authenticated at an Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs authentication office, then attested by the UAE Embassy in Cairo, with UAE MOFA attestation where the receiving authority asks for it; Egypt is not listed as a party to the Apostille Convention, so there is no apostille route
- Police good-conduct certificate, attested through the same route, if the zone asks for it under the reported 2026 requirement or its own checklist
- For an Egyptian company as shareholder: commercial register extract, articles and board resolution, with Arabic originals or certified translations as the zone specifies
Travel and sequencing
Egyptian nationals are not among the nationalities GDRFA lists for its visa-on-arrival style routes for residents of the US, UK, EU and similar countries, so plan on a visit visa or the zone's investor entry permit arranged before flying. On RAKEZ's investor route, Egyptian applicants receive an approval and must complete a UAE embassy step within 45 days. Confirm the entry step for your zone before booking travel.
Check the required appointments and entry or status-change route before booking travel.
Where to start
Explore a Dubai free-zone licence; activity eligibility and the residence sequence need confirmation.
From AED 12,900, no visa
Explore an Ajman licence with activity, premises and renewal costs checked for your business.
From AED 5,555, no visa
Explore the mainland activity, legal form and approvals for your intended operations.
Licence estimate AED 14,000, licence only
Related activities
Management Consultancies
IFZA (Dubai) · Ajman Free Zone · Dubai mainland (DET)
Marketing Management
IFZA (Dubai) · Ajman Free Zone · Dubai mainland (DET)
Marketing Services Via Social Media
IFZA (Dubai)
Information Technology Consultants
IFZA (Dubai) · Ajman Free Zone · Dubai mainland (DET)
General Trading
IFZA (Dubai) · Ajman Free Zone · Dubai mainland (DET)
Foodstuff Trading Import & Export
Ajman Free Zone
What this page does not cover
- Whether you stop being tax resident in Egypt. That depends on your own circumstances and the rules there, and it needs an adviser in that country, not a UAE directory.
- How a UAE company is treated by your home tax authority, including reporting obligations that may continue after you move.
- Immigration eligibility. We describe the residency steps that follow a licence, not who qualifies for one.
Country-specific checks
For RAKEZ's new investor/partner visa route, Egyptian nationals must follow the listed embassy step within 45 days after entry-visa issuance. Egypt also appears in its conditional good-conduct list for non-residents outside the UAE or applicants inside on tourist/entry permits. These are service-specific steps, not proof of a general prohibition or a fixed end-to-end processing time.
Sources
- RAKEZ new investor/partner visa service
- Egypt Ministry of Foreign Affairs — Authentication offices (Arabic)
- HCCH — Apostille Convention status table
- UAE MOFA — Documents Attestation service
- GDRFA Dubai — Visa for citizens of certain countries resident outside the UAE
- UAE Government portal — Check if you need a visa to enter the UAE
FAQ
How do I attest Egyptian documents for a UAE company or visa?
Have the document authenticated by the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs at one of its authentication offices, then attested by the UAE Embassy in Cairo. Ask the zone whether it also needs UAE MOFA attestation and a translation. Because neither Egypt nor the UAE is listed under the Apostille Convention, an apostille is not an option.
Is there an extra entry step for Egyptian investors?
On RAKEZ's investor/partner visa route, Egyptian applicants receive an approval rather than an entry permit and must visit a UAE embassy within 45 days to complete it. A good-conduct certificate is also reported as required for Egyptian nationals from 16 June 2026 (not published by ICP). Other zones may differ; confirm with yours and see the visa section of How it works.
Setting up from Egypt?
Compare the published setup routes and check which documents apply to your case.