Guides
Doing Business
E-commerce, consulting, trading and holding structures in the UAE.
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Running a real business from a UAE base: e-commerce setups, consulting and services, trading and holding structures, payments and logistics, and the base-here-live-anywhere model that location-independent founders use. The structure should follow how you actually trade; these guides show how to match them.
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How to set up a UAE company from India
Indians can set up a UAE free zone or mainland company without relocating first. The step many guides skip: whether you need a resident visa for banking.
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Setting up a trading company in the UAE: import/export licences
A UAE trading licence lets you import and export goods. Your licence activities must match the goods you ship, or customs can stop the shipment.
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Setting up a consulting or professional-services company in the UAE
Freelancers and consultants can set up a UAE company quickly. The right structure depends on whether you need a visa, local clients or a clean tax base.
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Business opportunities in Dubai: where the real openings are
Dubai's openings are in services, tech, logistics and consulting rather than retail. Sector and structure decide whether you pay 0% or 9% corporate tax.
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Business culture in the UAE: how business actually gets done
UAE business runs on relationships and trust before contracts. Pace varies by sector and emirate, and Ramadan changes the rhythm of the working day.
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Regional directors and substance-as-a-service: what are they?
Regional directors and substance-as-a-service providers give UAE companies resident staff and office presence for local substance. How they work.
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What does 'Dubai-it' mean? The city's new verb, explained
'Dubai-it', launched by Sheikh Mohammed on 17 June 2026, means achieving something extraordinary, with excellence, in record time. Where it comes from.
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The Eight Principles of Dubai: what they mean if you're setting up here
Dubai publishes a plain blueprint for how it is run: the Eight Principles. What each says, and what several mean if you are setting up or relocating.
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How to close or liquidate a UAE company properly
Closing a UAE company is a formal process, not letting the licence lapse. What it involves, why walking away causes problems, and how to close from abroad.
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The UAE as a base for location-independent founders
Why location-independent founders and consultants base their company in the UAE: a credible, stable, 0% personal tax home while they live anywhere.
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UAE vs Bali vs Thailand: where should an online business be based?
Bali and Thailand are good places to live, but a different thing from a business base. How the UAE compares on company, banking, residency and tax.
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Setting up an e-commerce business in Dubai
How to set up an online business in the UAE: the e-commerce licence and structure, free zone or mainland, and what to line up for payments and logistics.