Abu Dhabi Business
If your company has a good business plan and wants to get into one of the most wealthy, fastest growing and safest markets in the world, then Abu Dhabi is the ideal place to establish a base. Whether your company is new to the Emirates, or it has a nearby presence, the procedures to start a branch in the UAE are simple and non-time consuming. To do business in Abu Dhabi, you need to understand the legal requirements and the local culture as well.
* All businesses in Abu Dhabi are regulated by trade licensing laws, which stipulate that neither a person nor an entity are allowed to participate in a licensable activity without the proper documents. Licenses issued in Abu Dhabi are: agricultural, fishing and livestock, industrial, commercial, professional and vocational. The law requires that all companies and individuals, foreign or not, need to join the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce before they obtain a trade license.
* Under the commercial company law, foreigners can open a business only if they have an Emirati partner who holds 51% or more equity. However, there are free zones where foreigners can have full ownership of a business.
* The law also allows foreign entities and individuals to open branch locations, provided that each branch has a UAE services agent. If the agent is a company rather than an individual, all employees must be UAE natives. Foreign companies who don't want to establish a direct UAE presence can sell their wares by hiring a commercial agent, who may redistribute the products and services with an agreement with the Ministry of Economy.
* To start a business in Abu Dhabi, the first step is to get an approved trade name from the Department of Economic Development. Once the company trade name is approved, go to the licensing committee in one of Abu Dhabi's municipalities. There, the application will be reviewed and possibly forwarded for final approval.
*Following final approval from the appropriate agency and the municipality, the application will go to the Chamber of Commerce for issuance of a membership certificate.
*After the membership certificate is issued, a visit will be made to your branch to ensure that all conditions pertaining to safety, health, and advertising have been met.
When the requirements have been fulfilled, apply for registration from the DED. Then, go to the Abu Dhabi ADNRD for a facility card, and to the Ministry of Labor for a company card. The final step is to apply for employee work permits at the Abu Dhabi Naturalization and Residency Directorate.
More Information
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