For US founders, not offshore tourists
You don’t need a Dubai company.
You need a visa, a bank, and someone in the room.
We set up US founders, consultants, and operators with a UAE free-zone company, an investor visa, and a real bank account — and we tell you, in writing, what it does and does not do to your US taxes.
- 1–7 days
- License issued
- 3–8 wks
- Visa + bank live
- 0%
- UAE personal income tax
- 100%
- Still a US filer
What people actually mean
The honest ranking, not the brochure
Every setup call starts the same way. Here’s what the words usually translate to — and it’s how we figure out which zone and package actually fits you.
California-specific note
CA state tax runs up to 13.3%. People who actually relocate can drop that. A UAE company while you still live in LA, with a California home, kids in school, and a CA driver’s license, does not — the FTB will still treat you as a resident. We will not sell you “move your LLC to Dubai and stop paying CA.” We sell relocating, or building a real Gulf presence.
The sentence every agent skips
US citizens are taxed on worldwide income.
A free-zone company does not change that.
UAE side
- 0% personal income tax.
- Corporate tax: 9% above AED 375k, or 0% for a Qualifying Free Zone Person on qualifying income — with real substance rules.
- That is UAE tax. Not IRS tax.
IRS side
- Your UAE company is usually a foreign corporation. If you own it, it’s often a CFC — Form 5471.
- Profits can be taxed in the US even if not distributed (GILTI, becoming NCTI from 2026). No US–UAE income tax treaty to lean on.
- FBAR / FinCEN 114, and likely Form 8938, on your accounts.
“UAE tax can be very low. You still file in the US. We are not your CPA. We introduce one who does 5471 before you sign anything.”
Source: US tax rules for Americans in the UAE. This page is general information, not tax or legal advice.
Free zone vs. mainland
Which zone actually fits you
For most US founders who aren’t selling into Dubai storefronts, this is a free zone company, not mainland. Clients outside the UAE → free zone. Clients inside Dubai malls or mainland companies → mainland, or a free-zone-plus-branch setup later. We pick this on the first call — before you pay anything.
IFZA
The default for consultants, ecom, “I just need a company + visa.” Cheap, fast, plenty of US clients already there. Banking is okay, not elite.
Meydan
You want “Dubai” on the license. Similar price to IFZA, often one visa bundled.
RAKEZ / SPC
Budget. Fine for a freelancer. Weaker brand when a US bank or a Saudi client googles you.
DMCC
You trade, commodities, want banks to say yes, and will spend for it. Banking reputation is the whole reason to pick DMCC.
DIFC / ADGM
Financial services. Not a first product — expensive and regulated.
Free-zone invoices sent to UAE mainland customers can pull that income into 9% UAE corporate tax, and can break Qualifying Free Zone status if the books get mixed. We don’t shrug this off, and neither should you.
Pricing
Three packages, priced honestly
Government and agent fees pass through at cost, itemized separately. Our fee is only for the parts that are actually us: picking the right structure, sitting in the room, and keeping you out of trouble with the IRS.
Package A
Company & Visa
The most common deal
$4,000–$8,000
concierge fee, on top of government + agent costs (10k–18k all-in)
- ✓Zone selection call (free zone vs. mainland, which zone)
- ✓IFZA / Meydan license filed through our licensed partner
- ✓Investor visa application coordinated end-to-end
- ✓KYC checklist so nothing stalls at the agent
- ✓US CPA intro for your Form 5471 / FBAR before you sign
50% deposit to start · balance due before filing
Package B
Banked & Living Here
For people actually relocating
$8,000–$12,000
concierge fee, on top of government + agent costs
- ✓Everything in Package A
- ✓We sit with you at the Wio / Mashreq NeoBiz bank appointment
- ✓Medical, biometrics, Emirates ID stamped — coordinated live
- ✓Apartment intro, SIM, notary — the annoying first-week admin
- ✓WhatsApp support through the whole visa sequence
50% deposit to start · balance due before filing
Package C
Golden Visa & Property
For $500k+ movers
$5,000–$10,000
concierge fee + property referral, on top of AED 2M+ property track
- ✓Everything in Package B
- ✓Realtor introduction for the AED 2M+ freehold property track
- ✓Golden Visa processor introduction (5–10 year residency)
- ✓Company + visa bundled in if you want to invoice from the UAE too
- ✓One point of contact instead of three separate vendors
50% deposit to start · balance due before filing
Not sure which package fits? Book a free 20-minute call first — we’ll tell you honestly, even if the answer is “you don’t need us yet.”
The timeline you’ll actually live
Not the “24-hour license” ad
License in about a week. A usable company — visa and bank both live — in 3–8 weeks, if someone babysits it. Anyone promising “fully banked in 48 hours” is lying to you.
KYC & activity
1–3 daysPassport, proof of address, and what you actually do. This decides free zone vs. mainland and which zone.
License issued
1–7 working daysIn IFZA / Meydan once your docs are clean. This is the part the “24-hour license” ads oversell.
Establishment card & visa allocation
Days to 2 weeksPaperwork that has to happen before you can be sponsored on a visa.
You fly in (or we sequence it)
1 tripMedical, biometrics, Emirates ID, visa stamp. This is the part remote founders hate most — us coordinating it is the actual product.
Bank
Days to 12 weeksThe real bottleneck. Digital banks (Wio, Mashreq NeoBiz) can be days to a few weeks. Traditional banks run 4–12 weeks and want a resident signatory and a story.
Where we draw the line
What we will never tell you
This market is full of people who will say anything to close. We’d rather lose the deal than lose your trust — because the second one costs you a lot more than AED 9,999.
- ✕Zero US tax
- ✕Anonymous anything — UBO register, FATCA, and CRS still apply
- ✕Staying in California and “being” a Dubai resident
- ✕Private banking on a 1-week-old license with $3k in the account
- ✕Selling to Dubai mainland from a free zone with no tax consequences
- ✕Crypto / VARA as a starter product — that's a separate, expensive, regulated deal
Questions
Frequently asked, honestly answered
Will this get rid of my US taxes?+
No. US citizens are taxed on worldwide income regardless of where the company sits. A UAE free zone can lower what you pay in UAE tax to close to 0% — it doesn't touch your US filing obligation, including Form 5471 and FBAR if applicable. We'll introduce you to a US CPA who handles this before you sign anything.
Can I keep living in LA and still get the tax benefit?+
Not the way most agents imply. If you keep a California home, kids in school, and a CA driver's license, the Franchise Tax Board can still treat you as a resident. This works when you actually relocate or build a genuine Gulf presence — not as a mailbox move.
Free zone or mainland?+
If your clients are outside the UAE, free zone. If you need to invoice UAE mainland companies, sell retail, or work with government, you likely need mainland (or a free zone plus a mainland branch later). We figure this out on the first call, before you pay for a license.
How fast can I actually be banked?+
License: 1–7 working days. Digital banks like Wio or Mashreq NeoBiz: days to a few weeks. Traditional banks: 4–12 weeks, and they'll usually want a resident signatory and a real story. Anyone quoting 48 hours for a fully banked company is not being straight with you.
What's the difference between the investor visa and the Golden Visa?+
The standard investor/partner visa comes bundled with most free-zone packages — 2–3 years, tied to that company, and it's what 90% of our clients get. The Golden Visa is 5–10 years and not tied to a small license; the common track is an AED 2M+ freehold property, though other tracks exist. We'll tell you honestly which one you qualify for.
Do you give tax or legal advice?+
No. We are a relocation and setup concierge working alongside a licensed UAE formation partner. For tax and legal matters, we introduce you to a US CPA and, where needed, a UAE legal advisor. This site is general information, not advice.
Book a call
Tell us what you’re actually trying to do
20 minutes. We’ll tell you free zone or mainland, which zone, and roughly what it costs — and if the honest answer is “you don’t need this yet,” we’ll say so.
Prefer email? hello@meridiangulf.com