UAE company setup from Russia
Russian founders often look at a UAE company as an operating base with a residence pathway in a country Russian passport holders can visit without a visa while they compare zones, banks and premises.
Setup planning
- Visa-free visits make it practical to meet free zones, banks and landlords before committing to a licence
- A UAE entity for invoicing and trading with clients across the Gulf, Asia and Africa
- A UAE residence visa through company ownership for founders planning to relocate
- Free-zone licences that can be prepared largely remotely before the residence visa trip
Documents to prepare
Confirm the checklist for your authority, legal form and document origin. These preparation notes are not a universal filing checklist.
- Russian international passport valid for at least six months from the date of entry
- Proof of residential address and a CV or professional profile for activity selection
- Source-of-funds and source-of-wealth narrative with supporting bank statements for corporate banking KYC
- Russian-issued personal or corporate documents (company extracts, powers of attorney, certificates): the UAE is not listed as a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, and UAE MOFA attests documents issued abroad only once the competent authorities have certified them. Confirm with the UAE Embassy in Moscow whether your document needs Russian MFA legalisation, UAE embassy attestation and UAE MOFA attestation before paying for translation.
Travel and sequencing
Russian passport holders can visit the UAE without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, with a passport valid for at least six months, under the agreement in force since 17 February 2019; Dubai Airports also lists Russia among nationalities eligible for a free visa on arrival. Visit entry excludes work, study and residence, so the residence visa, medical test and biometrics follow once the licence is issued and need presence in the UAE.
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
General Trading
IFZA (Dubai) · Ajman Free Zone · Dubai mainland (DET)
Ecommerce
IFZA (Dubai) · Ajman Free Zone · Dubai mainland (DET)
Information Technology Consultants
IFZA (Dubai) · Ajman Free Zone · Dubai mainland (DET)
Computer Systems & Communication Equipment Software Design
IFZA (Dubai) · Ajman Free Zone · Dubai mainland (DET)
Management Consultancies
IFZA (Dubai) · Ajman Free Zone · Dubai mainland (DET)
Marketing Management
IFZA (Dubai) · Ajman Free Zone · Dubai mainland (DET)
What this page does not cover
- Whether you stop being tax resident in Russia. 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
The UAE Embassy in Moscow describes visa-free visits for Russian citizens for up to 90 days in any 180-day period under the agreement effective 17 February 2019, with passports valid for at least six months. The stated route excludes an intention to work, study or reside. Use the relevant residence route for relocation rather than treating visit entry as residence permission.
Sources
FAQ
Should I expect extra bank checks as a Russian founder?
Plan for them. Each UAE bank sets its own onboarding criteria. Applicants with Russian nationality, Russian-source funds or Russian counterparties can expect detailed source-of-funds and source-of-wealth questions and additional sanctions screening, which can lengthen account opening. Requirements and outcomes vary by bank, so confirm them with the bank before planning operations around one account.
Can I set up the company during a visa-free visit?
Visit entry covers meetings and appointments; it does not give residence or permission to work. Many free-zone licences can be prepared remotely, while the residence visa, medical test and biometrics need presence in the UAE.
Setting up from Russia?
Compare the published setup routes and check which documents apply to your case.