Business licences
Instant licence in Dubai with a virtual office address
The Instant Licence is a Dubai mainland licence from the Department of Economy and Tourism, issued online in one step through the Invest in Dubai platform. It suits commercial and professional activities that need no outside approval, and it can be issued with an electronic Memorandum of Association and a virtual site for the first year only.
At a glance Fact sheet
- Issued by
- Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), through the Invest in Dubai platform
- Licence types
- Commercial and professional activities
- Legal forms
- Limited liability company, one-person company, sole establishment, civil company
- First-year address
- A virtual site can be used in place of a leased office
- At first renewal
- A registered tenancy is needed and the company documents are completed
- Not suited to
- Activities needing another authority's approval, joint stock companies, branches
Overview
Dubai introduced the Instant Licence so that founders could get a mainland licence without first renting an office or visiting a notary. The application is made online and the licence is issued in a single step. It is a real mainland licence from the Department of Economy and Tourism, in the commercial or professional category, and not a separate kind of company.
Two things are relaxed in the first year. The Memorandum of Association can be generated electronically, and the licence can sit on a virtual site instead of a leased office. Both are first-year options only. When the licence comes up for renewal, the company needs a registered tenancy for a real address, and the company documents have to be in their final form where the legal form requires them.
This is where a virtual office or business centre comes in. A business centre can give you a registered address, a tenancy document and a place to receive mail and meet clients, with a lighter commitment than a full office. Whether that is accepted for your renewal, and how many visas it supports, depends on your activity. Your Caliph consultant confirms what applies to you well before the first year runs out.
Why founders start with an instant licence
Licence before lease
You can hold a mainland licence while you are still looking for the right premises, instead of paying rent during set-up.
Online from start to finish
The application, the signatures and the payment are handled digitally, with no visit to a notary in the first year.
A full mainland company
The company can invoice customers anywhere in the UAE, open its establishment card and apply for visas like any mainland business.
A first year to test the business
You can win customers and see what kind of office you really need before you commit to one.
A planned move to a real address
Caliph lines up a virtual office, shared desk or full office in good time, so the renewal is not held up by the tenancy.
What to have ready
- Passport copy of each owner and of the manager
- UAE residence visa and Emirates ID, for owners who live in the UAE
- UAE Pass access for the people who will sign online
- Two or three trade name options
- The activities you want, described in plain words
- The ownership split, if there is more than one partner
- Local service agent details, where your legal form needs one
For the first renewal you will also need a registered tenancy contract. Your consultant reminds you well before the date.
How the instant licence works with Caliph
Eligibility check
Your consultant checks that your activities and legal form qualify, and that none of the activities needs another authority's approval.
Details entered
Legal form, activities, trade name, owners and manager are entered on the Invest in Dubai platform.
Online signatures and payment
The partners sign electronically, including the electronic Memorandum of Association where it applies, and the fees are paid.
Licence issued
The licence is issued digitally with a virtual site as the first-year address.
Establishment card and visas
Caliph opens the establishment card and starts the visa applications the company is entitled to.
Address arranged before renewal
We set up the virtual office, business centre or office lease and register the tenancy so the renewal can go through.
Good to know
- The virtual site that comes with the instant licence is a first-year arrangement from the authority. It is not the same thing as a virtual office you rent from a business centre.
- If your activity needs approval from a regulator, the standard licence process is used instead. The result is the same kind of mainland licence.
- Visa allocation on a licence without leased premises is usually small. If you need to hire several people straight away, a leased office from the start may suit you better.
Questions people ask
What is an instant licence in Dubai?
It is a Dubai mainland licence issued online in one step by the Department of Economy and Tourism. It is available for commercial and professional activities that do not need outside approvals, and in the first year it can be issued with an electronic Memorandum of Association and a virtual site in place of an office lease.
Who can apply for an instant licence?
It is open to limited liability companies, one-person companies, sole establishments and civil companies whose activities qualify. Joint stock companies and branches follow the standard process. Your consultant checks your activities against the eligible list before applying.
Do I need an office for an instant licence?
Not in the first year. The licence can be issued on a virtual site. At renewal the authority expects a registered tenancy for an actual address, which can be a leased office or, where your activity allows it, a business centre arrangement.
Is a virtual office accepted for a Dubai mainland licence?
It depends on the activity. Some activities can be licensed on a business centre or shared desk tenancy, and others need dedicated premises such as a shop, clinic or warehouse. Caliph checks which applies before you pay for an address.
What happens when the first year ends?
The licence has to be renewed like any other. You provide a registered tenancy contract and, where the legal form needs it, the finalised Memorandum of Association. If these are missing the renewal cannot be completed, so Caliph starts preparing them months ahead.
Can I get a residence visa with an instant licence?
Yes. The company can open an establishment card and apply for the owner's visa and a limited number of employee visas. The allocation is tied to the premises, so it normally grows once you move to a leased office. Your consultant explains the numbers for your case.
Reviewed by Caliph Business Solutions on . Rules differ by activity and by authority. Your Caliph consultant confirms what applies to you.
Ready to establish your company in the UAE?
Book a free consultation. Tell us what you want to open and we come back with the route, the documents and the cost.
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