At the end of 2024, Qiaoyin Co., Ltd. and THi Group signed a cooperation agreement, and the two parties will jointly develop an industrial park in the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah. In the next three years, Qiaoyin Co., Ltd. will reach a total contract amount of no less than US$200 million in the UAE, and its business includes environmental integrated management services, property management, landscaping and other aspects of THi Economic Park and Ras Al Khaimah.

Investment advantages

Policy advantages: The new UAE "Commercial Company Law" allows foreign capital to own 100% of onshore companies in most fields. Enterprises registered in the free zone of Ras Al Khaimah can enjoy preferential treatment such as exemption from corporate income tax, personal income tax, corporate tax and import and export tariffs. Capital and goods can be fully repatriated, and 100% of income and profits can be remitted back to the country.

Geographical advantages: Ras Al Khaimah is located in the north of the UAE and has excellent ports and transportation infrastructure, which facilitates the import and export and transportation of goods. It can easily connect to the Middle East, Europe and Africa markets, providing convenience for the company's trade and logistics business.

Business environment advantages: The overall business environment in the UAE is stable, and Ras Al Khaimah is also constantly improving its commercial supporting facilities. The local area has abundant human resources, covering different professional and skill areas, and can provide enterprises with a variety of talent options. At the same time, the Ras Al Khaimah government actively promotes economic development and provides investors with a series of support and services, including simplifying the approval process and providing one-stop services, which helps to improve the establishment and operation efficiency of enterprises.

Investing in and setting up a company in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE requires the following conditions:

Company name: An English name ending with "LIMITED" is proposed. Specific sensitive words such as guarantee, bank, and building cooperative cannot be used, and 3 names must be provided for verification to ensure that the selected name is not used by other companies.

Shareholders and directors: There is no nationality restriction for shareholders, at least 1, and legal person shareholders are allowed; at least 1 director, and legal person directors are allowed.

Registered capital: The default share capital is 100,000 dirhams, which does not need to be paid in full, and some free zones have no minimum requirements.

Business scope: The company's business scope and purpose of business activities must be detailed.

Registered address: A registered address in Ras Al Khaimah must be provided.

Registration information

For natural persons as shareholders: provide scanned copies of the ID cards and passports of shareholders and directors (valid for more than 6 months), proof of address in English for the past month, personal resume in English, bank credit introduction letter, authorization letter for company registration and bank account opening, etc.

For companies as shareholders: provide business license, articles of association, board resolution agreeing to register the company in Ras Al Khaimah, signature samples and passport scans of all directors and shareholders, relevant annual inspection certificates for companies established for more than one year, bank credit certificates, bank statements for the past three months, business plan of the new company, copies of legal documents of the head office, and no objection letter issued by the guarantor, etc.

Others: There must be a local registered agent who is responsible for all matters related to the company's amendment, establishment and issuance of certificates.

In addition, Chinese companies or individuals investing in and establishing companies overseas must also complete the overseas investment filing (ODI) in accordance with relevant Chinese regulations1.

The specific steps for investing and setting up a company in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE are as follows

Preparation stage

Company name determination: draft an English name ending with "LIMITED" and provide 3 names for verification to ensure that the name is unique and does not contain sensitive words such as guarantee and bank.

Clear shareholders and directors: determine at least 1 shareholder and 1 director. There is no nationality restriction for shareholders and directors. Legal person shareholders and legal person directors are allowed.

Prepare registration materials:

Natural person shareholders: prepare scanned copies of the ID cards and passports of shareholders and directors (valid for more than 6 months), English address certificates for the past 1 month, personal English resumes, bank credit introduction letters, authorization letters for registering and establishing companies and handling bank account opening, etc.

Corporate shareholders: provide business licenses, company articles of association, board resolutions agreeing to register companies in Ras Al Khaimah, signature samples and passport scans of all directors and shareholders, relevant annual inspection certificates for companies established for more than one year, bank credit certificates, bank statements for the past three months, business plans of new companies, copies of legal documents of the head office, and letters of no objection issued by guarantors, etc.

Determine the scope of business: Detail the scope of the company's business operations and the purpose of its business activities.

Choose a registered address: A registered address in Ras Al Khaimah must be provided. If registered in a free zone, an existing address provided by the free zone can be used.

Select a registered agent: Appoint a registered agent in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, to handle company registration and other related matters.

Application stage

Name pre-screening: Submit the company name application to the relevant department for pre-screening to ensure that the name is not used by other companies6.

Submit application: Submit all the prepared registration materials to the relevant department in Ras Al Khaimah, such as the Department of Economic Development. You can choose to apply offline to the Department of Economic Development or apply online through the local digital platform3.

Obtain preliminary approval: The relevant department will review the submitted materials and issue a preliminary approval certificate if there are no problems.

Signatory immigration permit application: Apply for immigration permit for the signatory if necessary.

Open a bank account: Open a company account in a local bank as required. Some free zones may require opening an account only after registration is completed.

Special approval application: If the company's business scope involves special industries, such as banking, insurance, etc., special approval from relevant departments is required.

Registration of office lease contract: If there is an actual leased office, the lease contract must be registered.

Registration stage

Complete registration: After successfully submitting all documents and the relevant departments have reviewed and approved them, the Ministry of Economy will issue a business license (business license).

Electronic channel registration: Register for electronic channels (e-channel) to facilitate subsequent handling of various businesses.

Apply for electronic signature card: Apply for an electronic signature card (e-signature card) for signing electronic documents.

Subsequent matters

Tax registration: Register for tax with the UAE Federal Tax Authority (FTA) and obtain a tax number.

Bank account opening: Open a company account in a UAE bank for daily operations.

Apply for a work visa: Prepare labor and immigration documents and apply for a work visa for foreign employees.

Obtain a business license: Apply for and obtain the corresponding business license according to industry requirements.

Annual audit and tax filing: Conduct annual audit and tax filing in accordance with UAE laws.

In addition, Chinese companies or individuals investing overseas to establish companies must complete overseas investment registration (ODI) in accordance with relevant Chinese regulations.