MainlandFree zoneOffshore
just nowIndia flagConsultingSRTIPAED 5,500QUOTE14m agoUnited Kingdom flagIT / SaaSIFZAAED 23,400LICENCE47m agoPakistan flagTradingRAKEZAED 10,500REROUTED1h 12m agoRussia flagConsultingDIFCAED 5,500IBAN2h agoIndia flagE-commerceSHAMSAED 5,750LICENCE2h 44m agoChina flagGeneral TradingRAKEZAED 18,500QUOTE3h agoNigeria flagConsultingIFZAAED 16,700REROUTED3h 18m agoIndia flagFreelanceAFZAED 10,800IBAN4h agoEgypt flagMarketingSPCAED 5,750LICENCE5h agoUnited States flagFintechADGMAED 44,000QUOTE6h agoIndia flagConsultingSRTIPAED 5,500IBAN8h agoPhilippines flagFreelanceUAQAED 11,000LICENCE9h agoBangladesh flagTradingANCFZAED 15,200QUOTE11h agoUnited Kingdom flagCrypto / Web3DMCCAED 31,000LICENCE13h agoIndia flagIT / SaaSIFZAAED 23,400EID14h agoSouth Africa flagMarketingSHAMSAED 5,750QUOTE16h agoUkraine flagConsultingSRTIPAED 9,690LICENCE18h agoIndia flagGeneral TradingDMCCAED 51,684REROUTED20h agoSaudi Arabia flagConsultingDIFCAED 5,500IBANyesterdayPakistan flagE-commerceANCFZAED 10,800LICENCEyesterdayEgypt flagLogisticsJAFZAAED 25,000QUOTEyesterdayLebanon flagConsultingIFZAAED 12,200IBAN2d agoIndia flagIndustrialKIZADAED 145,000LICENCE2d agoUnited Kingdom flagInnovationInnovation CityAED 6,600LICENCEjust nowIndia flagConsultingSRTIPAED 5,500QUOTE14m agoUnited Kingdom flagIT / SaaSIFZAAED 23,400LICENCE47m agoPakistan flagTradingRAKEZAED 10,500REROUTED1h 12m agoRussia flagConsultingDIFCAED 5,500IBAN2h agoIndia flagE-commerceSHAMSAED 5,750LICENCE2h 44m agoChina flagGeneral TradingRAKEZAED 18,500QUOTE3h agoNigeria flagConsultingIFZAAED 16,700REROUTED3h 18m agoIndia flagFreelanceAFZAED 10,800IBAN4h agoEgypt flagMarketingSPCAED 5,750LICENCE5h agoUnited States flagFintechADGMAED 44,000QUOTE6h agoIndia flagConsultingSRTIPAED 5,500IBAN8h agoPhilippines flagFreelanceUAQAED 11,000LICENCE9h agoBangladesh flagTradingANCFZAED 15,200QUOTE11h agoUnited Kingdom flagCrypto / Web3DMCCAED 31,000LICENCE13h agoIndia flagIT / SaaSIFZAAED 23,400EID14h agoSouth Africa flagMarketingSHAMSAED 5,750QUOTE16h agoUkraine flagConsultingSRTIPAED 9,690LICENCE18h agoIndia flagGeneral TradingDMCCAED 51,684REROUTED20h agoSaudi Arabia flagConsultingDIFCAED 5,500IBANyesterdayPakistan flagE-commerceANCFZAED 10,800LICENCEyesterdayEgypt flagLogisticsJAFZAAED 25,000QUOTEyesterdayLebanon flagConsultingIFZAAED 12,200IBAN2d agoIndia flagIndustrialKIZADAED 145,000LICENCE2d agoUnited Kingdom flagInnovationInnovation CityAED 6,600LICENCE
formenz
Get a quote

Eligibility - Can you form a UAE company?

Short answer: yes, almost certainly. UAE company formation accepts founders from 100+ countries with no minimum capital, no UAE residency required to start, and no language requirement. The long answer is below — by passport, with approval rates and best-fit zones.

Six common passports

Approval rates from real 2026 filings.

Each card shows our actual first-pass bank approval rate for that passport, the two zones where founders of that nationality settle most often, and the single KYC item that drives outcome.

Indian

Eligible: Yes

96%bank approval
Best-fit zones
IFZA · Meydan
KYC note
Source-of-funds is the gating item. Six clean months of statements clear most banks.

Pakistani

Eligible: Yes

92%bank approval
Best-fit zones
RAKEZ · IFZA
KYC note
Notarized SoF + bank reference letter. PCC speeds approval but isn't required for licensing.

British

Eligible: Yes

98%bank approval
Best-fit zones
DMCC · DIFC
KYC note
Lightest KYC tier. UK-issued docs accepted as-is; HSBC and Emirates NBD pre-approve in days.

Russian

Eligible: Yes

88%bank approval
Best-fit zones
RAKEZ · SHAMS
KYC note
Apostilled + translated SoF. Sanction-screening pass first; we run that in the assessment.

Filipino

Eligible: Yes

94%bank approval
Best-fit zones
IFZA · ANC FZ
KYC note
NBI clearance is mandatory. POEA letter helps if you're moving from a UAE employer to a sponsor licence.

Chinese

Eligible: Yes

90%bank approval
Best-fit zones
DMCC · IFZA
KYC note
Translated business reference + Hukou copy. HSBC and Standard Chartered clear faster than local banks.

The narrow exception

What disqualifies you?

The disqualifying list is short. Founders connected to sanctioned jurisdictions — currently Iran, Syria, North Korea, and Cuba — cannot incorporate or open UAE bank accounts under standard rules. The same applies to anyone listed on UAE or UN watchlists, or seeking to operate activities prohibited by UAE Federal law — gambling, narcotics, and a handful of regulated financial activities outside DIFC/ADGM.

For everyone else — students, salaried employees, agency owners, e-commerce sellers, retired professionals, family offices — UAE incorporation is open. We screen every assessment against the live sanctions and PEP lists before quoting; if anything in your file would cause a problem, we tell you upfront, not after you've paid.

Frequently asked

The four questions before this one.

Do I need a UAE residence visa first?
No. The company comes first — the residence visa is included as part of the standard package and processed once your trade licence is issued. You can apply from your home country and only fly in for the medical and Emirates ID biometrics.
Can a single founder hold 100% ownership?
Yes. Since the 2021 Companies Law reform, both free zone and mainland LLC structures permit 100% foreign ownership. No local sponsor, no nominee shareholder, no Emirati partner required for almost any commercial activity.
Is there a minimum age?
21 in most zones. IFZA and ANC FZ accept 18-year-old founders with parental sign-off and a guardian undertaking. There is no upper age limit.
Do I need a UAE address to register?
No. A flexi-desk is included with every Formenzo package and registers as your official UAE address. You don't need to lease an office, sign a Ejari, or be physically present in the country to incorporate.

More questions on the full FAQ.

The clearest path forward

Confirm your eligibility in 60 seconds.

We screen your passport, activity, and source-of-funds against the same checks UAE banks run. You get a clear yes/no — and if yes, a 2-3 zone shortlist priced from AED 4,888.

Start the match →Message us instead
Eligibility — Can You Form a UAE Company in 2026? | Formenzo