US
Dubai
Move From the US to Dubai : Business Setup, Visa and Tax Planning
Set up your Dubai company, secure your investor visa, and get your Emirates ID, banking and family visas sorted, all before you fly.
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Quickplus Business Consultant handles US to Dubai business setup, so your company and your US filing work together, not against each other.
Why American Founders Are Choosing Dubai
0% personal income tax on salary and dividends
0% corporate tax on qualifying free zone income
Company setup in as little as 3 to 7 working days
No UAE job offer needed, your own company sponsors your visa
Established American community, American and IB curriculum schools
Direct flights to New York under 14 hours, multiple daily options
Set Up Your Business in Dubai, Sponsor Your Own Visa
Most American founders and consultants do not wait on a job offer. They form a UAE company and use it to sponsor their own investor residency instead.
Quickplus matches your activity and structure to how you actually invoice, not just what is fastest to set up.
Mainland vs Free Zone:
Where Should Your UAE Company Sit?
Free zone and mainland offer different reach; choose based on who you’re selling to.
- Full foreign ownership, no local partner required
- Quick setup, often just a few working days
- Ideal for consultants, e-commerce and export businesses
- Direct mainland sales require a distributor or extra licensing
Residency options available with eligible company setups
- Unrestricted access to the UAE market and government contracts
- Set up your office or shop anywhere in the UAE
- Best suited to businesses serving local, walk-in or B2B clients
- Corporate tax applies once profits pass the threshold
Residency options available with eligible company setups
Quickplus Business Consultant makes the call based on your business model and client base, not just what’s fastest to register.
The Partners Behind Every Setup
Your Dubai business setup is backed by established banks, free zones and professional bodies.
Will You Still Pay US Tax?
Moving to Dubai does not automatically end your US tax obligations. Quickplus Business Consultant helps US founders plan their Dubai business setup around their ongoing US tax and reporting requirements.
The US taxes citizens and green card holders on worldwide income, even when they live abroad
Annual US tax filing, FBAR and FATCA reporting can continue after you relocate
The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion and Foreign Tax Credit may reduce your US tax liability if you meet the relevant requirements
State income tax may continue depending on your state residency and whether you properly establish non-residency before leaving
Quickplus Business Consultant works alongside your US CPA to structure your UAE company with your US filing obligations in mind.
Discuss Your Residency Options
Company registration and the early visa steps can start online, from the US. You only need to be in Dubai for your medical test and biometrics.
Route
Best for
Sponsor
Investor visa
Founders, consultants
Your own company
Employer visa
Job offer in hand
Your UAE employer
Remote work visa
Employed overseas
Self, 1-year term
Bring Your Family Over
American, British and IB curriculum schools operate across Dubai, check KHDA ratings before committing
Secure a registered tenancy first, family sponsorship needs proof of housing
Budget for mandatory health insurance per dependant, required before Emirates ID issuance
US citizenship-based reporting (FBAR, FATCA) applies to dependants who hold US citizenship too
Your Route To Residency
Which Dubai Visa Route Fits You?
Employer Route
Your employer sponsors the visa and controls the process
Best for
have a UAE job offer
Pro
Good if you're already hired locally
Note
Less control over timing
Sponsor Myself
Form your own UAE company and use it as the base for investor residency
Best for
want to set up own company
Pro
No job offer required
Note
Business license included, opens a pathway to sponsor family
Remote Worker
A remote work visa can fit employees who aren’t setting up a UAE business
Best for
work for an overseas company
Pro
One-year route
Note
Not always the best fit for founders
What It Costs, Roughly
- Business license and government fees
- Investor visa and Emirates ID processing
- Mandatory health insurance
- 1 to 4 rent cheques upfront, plus deposit and agency fee
- DEWA connection and deposit
Get a number specific to your activity and visa count, not a generic estimate.
Dubai Business Setup Costs: A Quick Overview
Get a clear overview of the estimated costs involved in starting your business in Dubai.
Citizenship-Based Taxation: What Doesn't Change
Unlike almost every other nationality, moving alone does not end it.
The US taxes citizens and green card holders on worldwide income regardless of where they live, one of the only countries to do so
Annual US filing, FBAR and FATCA reporting all continue after you relocate
The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion and Foreign Tax Credit can reduce what you owe, if your UAE structure and time abroad qualify
State income tax generally stops once you correctly establish non-residency in your home state before leaving
Quickplus works alongside your US CPA to structure your UAE company so it supports these exclusions, not works against them.
Special Offer
Your Dubai Business Payment Plans With 4 Easy Installments
Frequently Asked Questions?
 Not automatically. UAE tax drops to 0%, US filing continues.
 Yes, that's the only way, and it's a major step. Most people just file annually instead.
Yes, no change to your UAE tax position
 License in days, full process in 4 to 8 weeks.
No. Only the medical test and biometrics need you in Dubai.
 Yes, for every dependant you sponsor. Required before Emirates ID issuance, not optional.
One point of contact for setup, visa and PRO work, structured around your US filing position from day one.
Verification & Independence
Quickplus Business Consultants operates under QUICK PLUS FOR CORPORATE SERVICES PROVIDERS EST., licensed by the Dubai Department of Economy & Tourism. Quickplus is a privately owned corporate services provider and is not a UAE government entity.
We provide business setup advisory, documentation support and administrative assistance. Business licences, visas, Emirates ID and other government approvals are issued and approved solely by the relevant UAE authorities and remain subject to their eligibility requirements, procedures and approval.
Ready to Move?
Quickplus Business Consultant in Dubai handles setup and visas that work with your US obligations, not against them.
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Disclaimer: Quickplus is a private business consultancy and not a government authority. Government licences, visas and approvals are issued by the relevant UAE authorities.