Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a foreign company open a branch in Meydan Free Zone?
Yes. An overseas company can register a branch in Meydan Free Zone to carry out activities its parent already conducts or is entitled to conduct. The branch trades under the parent's name and is licensed for the approved activities only.
Is a branch a separate legal entity from its parent company?
No. A branch is an extension of the parent and has no separate legal personality. The parent owns the branch's assets and stays liable for its contracts and obligations. A subsidiary, by contrast, is a separate entity with its own share register.
Which parent company documents need notarisation for a branch?
Foreign corporate documents, such as the certificate of incorporation, constitutional documents and the board resolution authorising the branch, generally need notarisation and attestation in the home country. Passport copies for the appointed manager and signatories are also part of the submission. A document rejected for missing attestation delays the whole registration.
Does a branch need a certified Arabic translation of its documents?
Where the authority asks for one, parent documents must carry a certified Arabic translation. mAssist, one of the offerings under Meydan Plus (mPlus), includes document translation, which helps keep the translated set consistent with the attested originals.
Will a branch have to register for Corporate Tax in the UAE?
A branch of a foreign company is treated as a permanent establishment of the parent, so the parent registers with the Federal Tax Authority for Corporate Tax on the branch’s UAE income. Registration and tax treatment are set by the Federal Tax Authority, not by the free zone. Confirm your branch's position before your first invoice.
At what turnover must a branch register for VAT?
VAT registration is mandatory when taxable supplies exceed AED 375,000 a year. Below that level, registration is not mandatory. mAccounting, part of Meydan Plus (mPlus), covers VAT, bookkeeping, Corporate Tax and payroll for companies that want this handled.
Can a branch sponsor residency visas for its employees?
A branch licensed in Meydan Free Zone can arrange residency visas through the free zone, but visas are not automatically included with the license. mResidency, part of Meydan Plus (mPlus), covers residency visas, medical fitness tests, Emirates ID, medical insurance, dependent visas and return permits.
Who issues the licensing documents once a branch is registered?
Meydan Free Zone issues the Business License and registration documents digitally after registration. Banking, stamps and visas follow once these documents are issued. mCore, part of Meydan Plus (mPlus), supports business bank account setup and company stamps, although account approval remains the bank's decision.
Topic Summary
What a Foreign Company Branch in Meydan Free Zone Is
A foreign company branch in Meydan Free Zone is an extension of an overseas parent company, licensed to carry out the parent's approved activities in Dubai. It is not a separate legal entity, so the parent stays fully liable for the branch's obligations and contracts.
Branch or Subsidiary
A branch carries the parent’s name and unlimited liability. A subsidiary is a separate legal entity with its own shareholders and limited liability. Choose a branch for brand continuity, and a subsidiary when you need ring-fenced risk.
How to Open a Foreign Company Branch in Meydan Free Zone
To open a foreign company branch in Meydan Free Zone, choose your licensed activities, prepare notarised and attested parent documents, submit the registration, and receive the Business License and Certificate of Formation digitally. Then arrange banking, visas and accounting. Our guide to how to open a branch office in a Dubai free zone covers the wider context.
Documents Required From the Parent Company
The parent typically provides its certificate of incorporation, constitutional documents, a board resolution authorising the branch, and identification for the appointed manager. Foreign documents generally need notarisation and attestation, plus a certified Arabic translation where requested.
Tax and Compliance for a Branch
A branch of a foreign company is treated as a permanent establishment of the parent, so the parent registers with the Federal Tax Authority for Corporate Tax on the branch’s UAE income. VAT registration depends on taxable supplies, with mandatory registration above AED 375,000 a year.
Banking, Visas and Support Services
After registration, a branch needs a bank account, a trusted representative for signatories, and residency visas for its team. Meydan Plus (mPlus) brings together Meydan Free Zone’s business support offerings, including mCore for banking and stamps, and mResidency for visas, Emirates ID, medical fitness tests and insurance.
Conclusion
A foreign company branch in Meydan Free Zone suits parents that want their own name, record and control in Dubai and accept full liability. Success rests on choosing the right activities, correctly attested documents and early planning for tax, banking and visas. Decide between a branch and a subsidiary first. Then assemble the parent documents before applying for your branch license with Meydan Free Zone.
How to Open a Branch of a Foreign Company in Meydan Free Zone?
Most foreign companies expanding into Dubai assume a branch means a new company with its own paperwork trail. In practice, it is an extension of the parent. The real questions are about liability, documents and activity scope. This guide explains what a foreign company branch in Meydan Free Zone is, which parent documents need notarisation, how registration runs, and what a branch means for tax, banking and visas. You can then decide before applying for your branch license with Meydan Free Zone.
What a Foreign Company Branch in Meydan Free Zone Is
A foreign company branch in Meydan Free Zone is an extension of an overseas parent company, licensed to carry out the parent's approved activities in Dubai. It is not a separate legal entity, so the parent stays fully liable for the branch's obligations and contracts.
Branch Status Under UAE Free Zone Rules
A branch has no legal personality of its own. The parent owns the assets and carries the liabilities. The license covers only activities the parent already conducts or is entitled to conduct, and the branch trades under the parent's name.
Say a European engineering firm wants a Dubai presence under its own name. A branch keeps the group brand and contracting history intact.
Who a Branch Suits Best
A branch suits established companies that need the parent's name on contracts, tenders and bank forms. It also fits groups that want direct control without creating a new shareholding structure. A regional trading house bidding under its existing corporate record is a typical case. The trade-off is parent liability.
Branch vs Subsidiary in Meydan Free Zone
| Feature | Branch of a Foreign Company | Subsidiary (New Free Zone Company) |
|---|---|---|
| Legal status | Extension of the parent, no separate legal personality | Separate legal entity incorporated in Meydan Free Zone |
| Liability | Parent is fully liable for branch obligations | Generally limited to share capital |
| Name used | Parent's registered name, shown as a branch | A new company name |
| Ownership and share register | No shareholders of its own, owned through the parent | Own shareholders and its own share register |
| Documents required from the parent | Incorporation documents, board resolution, manager details, all attested | Shareholder documents, with parent papers if a company is the shareholder |
Branch or Subsidiary
A branch carries the parent's name and unlimited liability. A subsidiary is a separate legal entity with its own shareholders and limited liability. Choose a branch for brand continuity and direct control, and a subsidiary when you need ring-fenced risk or local partners. The difference between branch and subsidiary shapes how lenders, landlords and counterparties assess you.
Liability and Ownership Differences
Counterparties to a branch look through to the parent's balance sheet. A parent with large overseas assets may prefer a subsidiary to ring-fence Dubai operations. A branch has no share register of its own, while a subsidiary does.
Decision Factors for Founders
- Contracts are signed under the parent name for a branch, or a new entity for a subsidiary.
- A branch affects audit and reporting at group level.
- Closing a branch is simpler than winding up a company.
A group testing the Dubai market often prefers a branch it can close without liquidating an entity. For a wider view, see branch office vs free zone.
How to Open a Foreign Company Branch in Meydan Free Zone
To open a foreign company branch in Meydan Free Zone, choose your licensed activities, prepare notarised and attested parent documents, submit the registration, and receive the Business License and Certificate of Formation digitally. Then arrange banking, visas and accounting. This guide to opening a branch office in a Dubai free zone covers the wider context.
Step 1: Confirm Activities and Branch Name
- Match licensed activities to what the parent legally does.
- Use the parent's registered name.
- A consulting parent should select only advisory activities it already performs.
Step 2: Prepare and Submit Parent Documents
- Gather corporate documents, then notarise and attest them in the home country.
- Add certified translation where needed.
- Submit digitally through Meydan Free Zone, ideally the certificate of incorporation and board resolution together.
Step 3: Receive Licensing Documents
- Meydan Free Zone issues the Business License and Certificate of Formation digitally.
- Check the licensed activities and registered address.
- Then start bank onboarding, stamps and visas.
Step 4: Set Up Banking and Operations
- mCore, one of the offerings under Meydan Plus (mPlus), supports business bank account setup, company stamps and business cards.
- Account approval is never guaranteed.
- Appoint the branch manager and authorised signatories.
Documents Required From the Parent Company
The parent typically provides its certificate of incorporation, constitutional documents, a board resolution authorising the branch, and identification for the appointed manager. Foreign documents generally need notarisation and attestation, plus a certified Arabic translation where requested.
Core Corporate Documents
- Certificate of incorporation and constitutional documents.
- Board resolution naming the manager and the Dubai activities.
- Passport copies for the manager and signatories.
Notarisation, Attestation and Translation
Notarisation happens in the home country, followed by the attestation chain. A rejected document delays everything downstream. A parent whose unattested resolution is returned loses weeks before the license can issue. Check the attestation chain before you courier anything.
Tax and Compliance for a Branch
A branch of a foreign company is treated as a permanent establishment of the parent, so the parent registers with the Federal Tax Authority for Corporate Tax on the branch’s UAE income. VAT registration depends on taxable supplies, with mandatory registration above AED 375,000 a year.
Corporate Tax Treatment
The FTA, not the free zone, sets registration and tax treatment. Qualifying Free Zone Person status applies only where the conditions stated by the FTA are met. The branch's results also feed into the parent's group reporting, so confirm your tax position with advisers before first invoicing.
Bookkeeping and Reporting With mAccounting
mAccounting, part of Meydan Plus (mPlus), covers bookkeeping, VAT, Corporate Tax and payroll. Keep branch records separable so the parent can consolidate them. A branch that outsources bookkeeping gets its records to the parent on time every month.
Banking, Visas and Support Services
After registration, a branch needs a bank account, a trusted representative for signatories, and residency visas for its team. Meydan Plus (mPlus) brings together Meydan Free Zone’s business support offerings, including mCore for banking and stamps, and mResidency for visas, Emirates ID, medical fitness tests and insurance.
Bank Account Planning for a Branch
Banks assess the parent's profile as well as the branch. Prepare parent financials and evidence of activity, such as a contract pipeline, before the bank meeting. Banks are regulated by the Central Bank of the UAE, and onboarding decisions rest with each bank.
Visas for Branch Staff
- mResidency handles residency visas, medical fitness tests and Emirates ID.
- It also covers medical insurance, dependant visas and return permits.
- Staff are processed through Meydan Free Zone, not MOHRE.
Conclusion
A foreign company branch in Meydan Free Zone suits parents that want their own name, record and control in Dubai and accept full liability. Success rests on choosing the right activities, correctly attested documents and early planning for tax, banking and visas. Decide between a branch and a subsidiary first. Then assemble the parent documents before applying for your branch license with Meydan Free Zone.
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