For Chinese founders
Setting up a UAE company from China
What applies to Chinese founders and investors: the tax treaty position, how you enter the UAE, and how we set the company up for you from our office in Dubai. Every fact below links to the official source we checked.
- In forceTax treaty with the UAE
- Visa freeEntry to the UAE
- 0% to AED 375,000Corporate tax, then 9%
- 100%Foreign ownership on most mainland activities
The facts, with sources
What applies to Chinese founders
Rules change, so each line shows where it comes from and when we last checked it.
| Topic | Position | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| Double taxation agreement | In force since 1994 (signed 1993). | UAE Ministry of Finance, treaties dashboardChecked 21 October 2026 |
| Entering the UAE | Passport holders from mainland China and Hong Kong do not need a visa arranged in advance: the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists them as visa free. The permitted length of stay is set by the UAE authorities, so we confirm it for your passport before you travel. Macao passport holders are listed as visa required. | UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, visa informationChecked 21 October 2026 |
| UAE corporate tax | 0% on taxable income up to AED 375,000, and 9% above that. A separate rate applies to large multinational groups under the global minimum tax rules. | u.ae, corporate taxChecked 21 October 2026 |
| Owning the company | Since 2021, foreign investors can fully own most mainland (onshore) companies. A short list of strategic activities, such as defence, banking and telecoms, stays restricted. | u.ae, full foreign ownershipChecked 21 October 2026 |
| Personal income tax | The UAE does not levy income tax on individuals. | u.ae, other taxesChecked 21 October 2026 |
What it means in practice
The UAE side and the home side are two questions
A double taxation agreement can stop the same income being taxed twice, but whether it helps you depends on where you are tax resident and on your home country’s own rules.
- UAE side
Structure, licence, visas, bank file
We choose the jurisdiction with you, form the company, and handle residence visas, the Emirates ID and the documents banks ask for.
- Home side
Your home-country tax position
Moving abroad or owning a foreign company can have tax consequences at home. Speak to a tax adviser in China before you commit; we can work alongside them.
- Language
Ask in your own language
Write to us on WhatsApp in your language and we will reply, or arrange a call.
Documents from China
Preparing and legalising your Chinese documents
UAE registrars and banks ask for a familiar set of papers. Documents issued in mainland China then go through a legalisation chain before a UAE authority will accept them. An apostille on its own is not the route for the UAE.
- PassportA clear copy for every shareholder, director and manager. The Dubai partner residence permit asks for at least six months of validity (see Visas below).
- Proof of addressA recent utility bill or bank statement showing your home address in China.
- Corporate shareholderIf a Chinese company will own the UAE company, prepare its business licence and articles of association. Add a board or shareholders’ resolution approving the investment, and a list of shareholders and directors.
- Good standingA recent document showing the Chinese company is active, where the UAE authority asks for one.
- Signatory’s authorityA power of attorney or resolution naming the person who will sign for the shareholder in the UAE.
| Topic | Position | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| China and the Apostille Convention | The Convention entered into force for China on 7 November 2023. The United Arab Emirates is not listed as a contracting party. | HCCH, Apostille Convention status tableChecked 26 October 2026 |
| Chinese documents for non-member countries | Documents issued in mainland China for use in countries outside the Convention are legalised, not apostilled. They are first issued or notarised by a Chinese notary public office, or by bodies such as the CCPIT. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs or an authorised local foreign affairs office then legalises them. Finally, that country’s embassy or consulate in China legalises them. | Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, legalisation in China and legalisation Q&AChecked 26 October 2026 |
| UAE attestation of foreign documents | The foreign ministry of the issuing country attests the original first. The UAE Embassy or Consulate in that country then attests it. Finally, the original is attested in the UAE through the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. | UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, FAQsChecked 26 October 2026 |
| Language | For attestation, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs asks for the original in English or Arabic, or an official translation of it. Documents in Chinese therefore need an official translation. | UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, FAQsChecked 26 October 2026 |
Choosing a structure
Which UAE structure fits your plan
Start from what the company will actually do and who its customers are. The licence follows from that. Our setup assessment and cost calculator help you compare options, and the jurisdictions guide sets them side by side.
- Selling in the UAE
Mainland for trading with UAE customers
If you will import goods and sell them to customers inside the UAE, or open a showroom, a Dubai mainland licence is built for that. Foreign ownership rules are in the facts table above.
- Stock and re-export
A free zone near the port
If you hold stock in Dubai for buyers across the region, compare a logistics free zone such as JAFZA with a mainland licence. The right answer depends on where your buyers are.
- Services and online
- Holding
Banking
Opening a UAE bank account as a Chinese owner
Banks decide, and each one sets its own document list. A file that answers their questions before they ask is the best way to avoid delays. See our bank account opening support.
- Source of funds
Show where the capital comes from
Salary, business profits or the sale of an asset. Chinese bank statements, tax records or a sale contract are the usual evidence.
- Business plan
Explain the money flows
Name your main suppliers and customers, the countries involved and your expected monthly volumes. Vague answers slow the review down.
- Your profile
CV and existing company
A CV or company profile. If a Chinese company is a shareholder or a main customer, add its licence and recent statements.
- China side
How the funds left China
Expect questions on how the capital was moved. Under SAFE’s 2015 notice, banks in China process outbound direct investment foreign exchange registration. Keep those records for the UAE bank.
- Translations
English versions of key papers
Prepare English translations of your main Chinese documents, so the bank’s compliance team can review them quickly.
Before you invest from China
Chinese rules to check before money leaves China
China regulates outbound investment through the NDRC, MOFCOM and SAFE, with banks handling the foreign exchange step. Which filings apply depends on who invests and how, so confirm the route with a China adviser first.
| Topic | Position | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| NDRC approval or filing | Sensitive projects need NDRC approval, and other projects can fall under filing or notification rules. Any required approval or filing notice must be obtained before the project is implemented. Since March 2018, investment through overseas companies controlled by Chinese enterprises is also covered, and the rules apply by reference to individuals. | NDRC, Enterprise Outbound Investment MeasuresChecked 26 October 2026 |
| MOFCOM filing or approval | MOFCOM and provincial commerce departments apply filing or approval to enterprises investing abroad. Local enterprises file with their provincial commerce department. An Enterprise Overseas Investment Certificate is issued once filing or approval is complete. | MOFCOM, Outbound Investment Measures (Order No. 3 of 2014)Checked 26 October 2026 |
| Foreign exchange registration | Since 1 June 2015, banks review and process outbound direct investment foreign exchange registration directly. SAFE supervises this registration through the banks. | SAFE, Huifa [2015] No. 13Checked 26 October 2026 |
| Personal foreign exchange quota | Individuals have an annual facilitation quota equal to USD 50,000. It may not be used for capital items that are not yet open, such as buying property abroad or securities investment. | SAFE Xiamen Branch, personal foreign exchange guideChecked 26 October 2026 |
| Tax residence | A person domiciled in China, or present for 183 days or more in a tax year, is a resident individual. Residents pay individual income tax on income from inside and outside China. | State Taxation Administration, Individual Income Tax LawChecked 26 October 2026 |
| Controlled foreign companies | Chinese residents may control a company in a country with a markedly low effective tax burden. If it keeps profits without a reasonable business need, Chinese tax rules allow a tax adjustment, so those profits can be taxed in China. | Individual Income Tax Law, Article 8 and Enterprise Income Tax Law, Article 45Checked 26 October 2026 |
How these rules apply to an individual founder, and how a UAE company will be taxed in China, are questions for a China tax adviser. Aizaa works alongside your home-country adviser; we do not give home-country tax or legal advice.
Visas
Residence for you and your family
Mainland Chinese passport holders can enter the UAE visa free, as the facts table above shows. Living and working here needs a residence visa, which your company can support.
- Partner visa
Residence as an investor or partner
In Dubai, an investor or partner in a business can hold a green residence permit for up to five years, renewable on the same terms. It needs the trade licence and the memorandum of association. See investor visa.
- Golden Visa
Long-term residence
The Golden Visa is a renewable residence visa for 5 or 10 years. The investor route lists minimum capital of AED 2 million, among other conditions. Holders can sponsor spouses and children. See Golden Visa.
- Family
Plan the family file early
Marriage and birth certificates issued in China go through the same legalisation chain described above, plus an official translation.
- Emirates ID
The steps in the UAE
We handle the residence visa and Emirates ID applications with you through our PRO services.
How we set you up
Four steps, one named contact
- Step 1
Choose the right structure
Mainland, free zone or offshore, chosen for how you will trade. Start with our free setup assessment.
- Step 2
Form the company
Licence, documents and approvals, done for you. See company formation.
- Step 3
Visas and Emirates ID
Residence visas for you, your team and family. See PRO services.
- Step 4
Bank account and compliance
The bank file, then UBO records, licence renewals and visa dates kept on track. See business compliance.
An illustrative example
A typical setup for a founder from China
A composite case to show how the pieces fit together. It is not a client story.
- Illustrative
An electronics exporter from Shenzhen
This is an illustrative example. A founder runs a small electronics export company in Shenzhen and wants to sell to buyers across the Gulf. She chooses a Dubai mainland licence so the UAE company can hold stock and invoice UAE customers directly. Her Chinese company will be the shareholder. Its business licence and board resolution are notarised, then legalised by the local foreign affairs office. The UAE Embassy then attests them, followed by MOFA in the UAE. With her China adviser, the Chinese company completes its outbound investment filings and bank registration before funds move. She is appointed manager, applies for residence through the company, and prepares a bank file showing the source of funds.
FAQs
Questions founders from China ask
Short answers to common questions. Book a call for an answer on your own plan.
Can I set up a UAE company without leaving China?
Much of the work can start from China. We prepare the application, and you sign, notarise and legalise documents locally. Some residence visa and bank steps may need you in the UAE in person. We confirm which steps need travel before you book. The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists mainland Chinese passport holders as visa free.
How much does a UAE company cost?
It depends on the jurisdiction, the licence activities, the office you need and the number of visas. A free zone service licence and a mainland trading licence can differ a lot. Use our cost calculator for an estimate, then book a free call and we will quote for your exact plan.
Will I still pay tax in China?
Possibly. If you are domiciled in China, or spend 183 days or more there in a tax year, you are a Chinese tax resident. Residents are taxed on income from inside and outside China. Profits kept in a low-tax company you control may also be taxed. Ask a China tax adviser about your position before you invest.
How long does the whole process take?
Start with the Chinese side. Notarisation, legalisation and UAE attestation, plus any outbound investment filings, can take longer than the UAE licence itself. Once your documents are ready, licence and visa timing depends on the jurisdiction and the authorities. We give you a timeline for your case after the setup assessment.
Can my family live in the UAE with me?
Golden Visa holders can sponsor family members, including spouses and children. For other residence routes, we check the sponsorship conditions that apply to you. Marriage and birth certificates from China must be notarised, legalised, attested by the UAE Embassy and MOFA, and officially translated. We prepare the family file alongside your own visa.
Talk to us before you pay for a licence
A free call to check the structure, the costs and the visas for your situation. No obligation.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Sources checked 21 October 2026.