Offshore Company Formation in UAE — RAK ICC & JAFZA

What a UAE offshore company is — and is not

An offshore company (International Business Company) is a UAE-registered vehicle designed for holding assets, owning shares in other companies, and international trade conducted outside the UAE. It is not a licence to trade inside the UAE market and it does not provide residence visas.

Use it for	Do not use it for
Holding shares in UAE or foreign companies	Trading with customers inside the UAE
Holding property where the registry permits it	Obtaining residence visas for you or staff
International trade and invoicing outside the UAE	Renting commercial premises
Asset protection and succession structuring	Anything requiring a physical UAE presence

The two main registries

RAK ICC

Ras Al Khaimah International Corporate Centre — the most widely used UAE offshore registry, with a well-understood framework for holding companies and international structures.

JAFZA Offshore

Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority’s offshore regime, notable because it is recognised for holding Dubai property in certain circumstances, subject to registry rules at the time.

Substance and tax — read this before you incorporate

Important: a UAE offshore company is not automatically outside the UAE Corporate Tax net, and "offshore" no longer means "no questions asked" anywhere in the world. Treatment depends on where the company is managed, what it actually does, and the substance behind it. Structures set up purely to hold a tax outcome — with no people, premises or decision-making — attract scrutiny both in the UAE and in your home country. We will tell you plainly if an offshore vehicle is the wrong tool for what you are trying to achieve.

Looking outside the UAE entirely? We also compare Panama against the UAE for founders weighing a second jurisdiction.

What we do

Registry selection, incorporation and registered-agent formalities, corporate documentation, and — where the structure needs it — pairing the offshore vehicle with an onshore free zone or mainland company that can actually trade and hold visas.

Frequently asked questions

No. Offshore companies do not carry visa entitlements. If you need residency, you need a free zone or mainland company — the two are often used together, with the offshore entity holding shares in the operating company.

Yes, though banks apply careful scrutiny to offshore structures and will want to understand the ultimate beneficial owner, the source of funds and the commercial rationale. A well-prepared file matters more here than anywhere else.

Not automatically. The UAE Corporate Tax regime applies based on the facts of each case, and your home jurisdiction may also tax the structure. Anyone promising a guaranteed zero-tax outcome without reviewing your circumstances is selling, not advising.

Offshore Company Formation