Set Up Your UAE Operations from the US
Entity, VAT, Corporate Tax, Banking — One Local Team, 14 Days.
Expanding into the UAE means more than picking a free zone. You need a UAE entity that can invoice MENA customers, hold a corporate bank account, comply with the FTA's 9% Corporate Tax (effective 2023), register for 5% VAT within 30 days of crossing the threshold, and meet Economic Substance Regulations if you're in a relevant activity. Missing any of these triggers penalties starting at AED 10,000 per violation, plus interest. Sky Sigma is your UAE compliance team — we get you operational in 14 days and keep you compliant year-round, while your US CPA continues handling your US-side filings.
Why Sky Sigma for UAE Setup?
FTA-Recognized Tax Agent
We are an FTA-accredited tax agent, which means we can represent you directly to the Federal Tax Authority — including in Arabic.
Built for US Companies
We coordinate directly with your US CPA. Quarterly UAE financials package, integrated reporting, no juggling between providers.
100+ UAE Entities Established
Zero FTA penalties for our clients. We know which free zones suit which use cases — we have direct contacts at every major one.
Penalty-First Mindset
Late VAT registration: AED 10,000. Late Corporate Tax registration: AED 10,000. Late ESR notification: AED 20,000. We make sure none of these ever apply to you.
100+
UAE Entities Established
0
FTA Penalties for Clients
14 days
Average Setup Time
AED 2M+
Input Tax Recovered for Clients
Everything Your US Company Needs in UAE
From entity formation to ongoing tax compliance — one engagement, one local team, transparent flat pricing.
What Going It Alone Actually Costs
Setting up a UAE entity sounds straightforward until you're inside the process. There are over 40 free zones plus mainland licensing options through DED, each with different cost structures, ownership rules, banking-friendliness, and trading restrictions. Choose wrong and you discover six months in that your free-zone entity cannot invoice UAE mainland customers without a local agent, or that your bank application has been pending for 90 days because your business model triggered a compliance flag.
The compliance load after setup is where US companies usually get caught. UAE VAT (5%) registration is mandatory once taxable supplies exceed AED 375,000 in any 12 months — and the registration must happen within 30 days of crossing the threshold. Miss it: AED 10,000 penalty. UAE Corporate Tax (9%, effective June 2023) requires registration with the FTA, even for free-zone entities claiming 0% qualifying income — miss the registration deadline and the penalty is AED 10,000. Economic Substance Regulations apply to holding companies, IP owners, distribution centers, and other relevant activities — the notification penalty alone is AED 20,000 to 50,000.
Sky Sigma exists to compress this entire stack into a single, locally-managed engagement. We are FTA-recognized as a tax agent, which means we can represent you directly to the Federal Tax Authority and resolve issues that would otherwise require you to fly in. We have direct contacts at every major free zone and corporate banking team at five UAE banks. Your US CPA continues handling your US-side filings; we send them a quarterly UAE financials package so consolidation is clean. Setup takes 14 days. Ongoing compliance takes a quarterly check-in plus filings. You stay focused on revenue.
Who We Help
We specialize in US companies of every kind expanding into the UAE.
US Tech Startups Expanding to MENA
VC-backed startup opening a Dubai office for regional sales or product? We set up the entity and FTA registrations within 14 days.
DTC Brands Selling into UAE
If you ship goods to UAE customers and cross AED 375,000 in annual taxable supplies, you must register for VAT. We handle registration and quarterly filing so you can keep selling.
SaaS with UAE Customers
Selling SaaS to UAE businesses? B2B place-of-supply rules apply. We confirm whether you need to register for VAT and handle the registration if you do.
US Holding Companies
Adding a UAE subsidiary or branch to your US holding structure? We advise on Mainland vs free zone, set up the entity, and coordinate with your US CPA on Subpart F implications.
Crypto / Web3 Firms Relocating
VARA-licensed entities, ADGM crypto frameworks — we navigate the regulatory zone selection and entity setup for US-founded crypto companies.
US Professional Services Firms
Consulting, legal, accounting firms opening a Dubai office to serve regional clients — we handle the licensing and Tax Agent registration where applicable.
14 Days from Strategy Call to Operating
Clear timeline. Clear deliverables. No surprises.
Strategy Call
45-min call. We map your UAE entity to your business model and recommend the right zone.
Entity Formation
Days 1-7. Trade name, license application, MOA drafting, Ejari for office or flexi-desk.
License & Bank
Days 7-12. License issued. Corporate bank account at Emirates NBD, Mashreq, ADCB, or RAKBank.
Tax & Regulatory
Days 12-14. FTA Corporate Tax registration, VAT registration if applicable, ESR notification, MOHRE setup.
Operational Handoff
License, bank, FTA TRN, MOA delivered. Quarterly check-ins begin. US CPA gets quarterly financials package.
Not Sure If Free Zone or Mainland Is Right?
The free-zone vs. mainland decision drives everything that comes after — tax treatment, banking access, customer reach. A 45-minute strategy call clears 80% of the confusion. We tell you the right entity, the right zone, the realistic timeline, and the actual cost — before you commit to anything.
Frequently Asked Questions
The questions US companies actually ask before opening UAE operations.
Stop Researching. Start Operating.
A 45-minute strategy call clears 80% of the confusion. We tell you the right entity, the right zone, the realistic timeline, and the actual cost — before you commit to anything. We've set up 100+ UAE entities for international clients. Zero FTA penalties to date.
Sky Sigma Accounting · Dubai, UAE · FTA-Accredited Tax Agent · Trusted by 100+ UAE businesses