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Move From the US to Dubai and Keep Your Clients
Set up a Meydan Free Zone company, apply for investor residency, and plan your FEIE, state-tax exit, Emirates ID, family visas, banking and setup costs before you fly. You'll still file in the US, but Dubai changes what you actually keep.
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WHAT IT COSTS
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Your Business Setup Estimate
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Company Setup
License Type
Regular
License Duration
1 Year
Shareholders
Total Cost
AED 0
Business Activities
Total Cost
AED 0
Number of Visas
Investor Visa (0)
AED 0
Employee Visa (0)
AED 0
Dependency Visa (0)
AED 0
Change of Status
AED 0
Applicants Outside the UAE (0)
AED 0
Applicants Inside the UAE (0)
AED 0
Additional Services
Grand Total
AED 0
Payment
- License Fee AED 0.00
- Innovation Fee AED 10.00
- Knowledge Fee AED 10.00
Grand Total
AED 0.00
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*Remaining charges will be billed on a pay-as-you-go basis.
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YOUR US CLIENTS
Working with US Clients From Dubai
Your US Clients Won't
Feel the Difference
The relationship you have today survives the move almost untouched. A US client can contract with your Emirati company like any foreign vendor, keep paying by ACH or wire, and settle in dollars or dirhams, whichever suits them. Because your work is now performed in Dubai, it is generally foreign-source income, so your company gives clients a Form W-8BEN-E and there is usually no 30% withholding to worry about, even though the US and UAE have no tax treaty. Most clients pay a properly registered overseas company without a second thought once they have an invoice, an account number and an EIN or entity details on file. The real friction is not paperwork but the clock: Dubai runs eight to eleven hours ahead of the US, so protect a couple of overlap hours for calls and the day-to-day barely shifts.
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How Americans
Cut Their Tax Bill in Dubai
First, the UAE side: as a Qualifying Free Zone Person your qualifying income would sit at 0% locally, with only Dubai mainland work charged at 9%. Second, the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion: once you meet the 330-day or bona fide residence test, you can exclude up to $132,900 of earned income per spouse for the 2026 tax year, a figure that rises with inflation each year, plus a Dubai housing exclusion on top. Third, and often the biggest, your state: leave California or New York cleanly and that tax simply disappears. Stack those and a founder who was losing a big share to federal, state and local tax can keep the great majority of what they earn, entirely within the rules.
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Do You Still File US Taxes in Dubai?
US citizens are taxed on worldwide income, so moving to Dubai does not end your filing. It changes what you owe, not whether you file. Two things decide how well it works. One, self-employment tax: the FEIE wipes out income tax but not the 15.3% Social Security and Medicare tax, and with no US-UAE totalization agreement the clean fix is to be a salaried employee of your own UAE company rather than a sole proprietor. Two, your company is a controlled foreign corporation, so it comes with Form 5471 and possible US tax on retained profits under the CFC rules (GILTI, renamed Net CFC Tested Income for 2026), unless you elect to treat it as disregarded. None of this is a reason to hesitate, but all of it is a reason to run the structure past a US international-tax CPA and a UAE advisor together, before income starts flowing. FATCA means your UAE bank reports you to the IRS anyway, so the winning move is always to file correctly, never to hide.
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CHOOSE YOUR PACKAGE
What’s Included in Your Dubai Business License from Meydan Free Zone?
Moving To UAE
How Long Does Moving From the US to Dubai Take?
It is faster than most people expect. Your business license can be issued in a day, and your visa and Emirates ID follow within a couple of weeks. Give the whole move four to eight weeks, and most of that will be your own logistics.
Week 0
Decide
and Plan
Choose your business activities, model your costs, and line up a US international-tax CPA before you file anything.
Day 1
Get Your License
Fawri issues your business license in under 60 minutes; the standard business license can be delivered within a day.
Day 2 - 10
Visa and Emirates ID
Receive your entry permit, then medical test, biometrics and Emirates ID issuance after arrival.
Week 2 - 4
Handle the Essentials
Bank accounts, home, Ejari tenancy, DEWA utilities, and your day-count clock started for the FEIE.
Week 4 -8
Family and Logistics
Sponsor dependants, confirm school places, ship your belongings, swap your license.
Day 30
30 Days Checklist
Emirates ID in hand, account live, tenancy registered, health insurance active.
YOUR NEXT STEPS
What Happens Next?
Once you submit the form, we'll get your company set up, then your visa and Emirates ID sorted.
After that it's just the life admin, plus a quick sync with your US accountant.
Wealth & Tax
Will You Still Pay US Tax If You Live in Dubai?
Yes, you keep filing, because the US taxes citizens on worldwide income wherever they live. But how much you actually pay is another matter entirely. Get the structure right and the FEIE, the 0% UAE layer and a clean state-tax exit can take a high bill down to a fraction of what it was.
The goal isn't to disappear from the IRS. The goal is to file correctly and legally keep as much as possible, which means a US international-tax CPA and a UAE advisor working together from day one, before income starts flowing.
Does moving to Dubai end my US taxes?
No, but it can shrink them dramatically. US citizens file on worldwide income wherever they live, so the goal is to lower the bill legally, not to stop filing.
How does the FEIE work here?
Meet the 330-day physical presence test or the bona fide residence test and you exclude earned income on Form 2555: up to $132,900 per spouse for the 2026 tax year, rising with inflation, plus a Dubai housing exclusion.
What about income above the exclusion?
It is taxed by the US, and because the UAE levies no income tax there is no foreign tax credit to offset it. That gap is exactly where structure and timing earn their keep.
Does the FEIE cover dividends or gains?
applies only to earned income, wages and self-employment. Dividends, capital gains and rental income stay fully taxable, so plan those separately.
Does the FEIE remove self-employment tax?
No, and this is a costly myth. The FEIE erases income tax, but the 15.3% Social Security and Medicare tax still applies to self-employment income.
Is there any way around it?
Yes. With no US-UAE totalization agreement, wages a US citizen earns as an employee of a foreign company generally fall outside US Social Security. Being a salaried employee of your own UAE company, rather than a sole proprietor, is the clean route.
Do I keep building Social Security credits?
Not from exempt foreign wages, so weigh the savings against future benefits. Many founders prefer the cash now and plan retirement separately.
Should I keep my US LLC or open a UAE company?
Often both have a role. Many keep a US LLC for US-platform access and open a UAE free zone company as the operating and residency base. The right split depends on your clients and banking.
Is my UAE company a CFC?
If you own more than 50%, yes. That means Form 5471 each year, with GILTI (now Net CFC Tested Income) potentially taxing retained profits. Missing the form carries steep penalties.
Can I simplify the reporting?
Sometimes. A single-owner company can elect to be disregarded (Form 8832), shifting to Form 8858 with income on your 1040. It trades CFC complexity for possible self-employment tax, so model both with a CPA.
What must I report?
An FBAR if your foreign accounts top $10,000 combined at any point, and Form 8938 above the higher thresholds for Americans abroad. FATCA means UAE banks report you regardless, so file it all.
Will California or New York keep taxing me?
Only if you leave ties behind. Cut residency cleanly: end the lease or sell, drop the license and voter registration, and spend your days elsewhere. Passing through a no-income-tax state first can help.
Do I really need a specialist?
For the first year, yes. A US international-tax CPA who knows 5471, FBAR and the FEIE is the difference between routine filing and expensive mistakes.
Open a Bank Account
Setting Up Your Finances in Dubai
Your company can be registered and your visa process started entirely online from the US. Corporate bank applications can begin as soon as your business license is issued, and personal accounts typically open within days of your Emirates ID arriving.
Opening a Bank Account
You'll need your passport, residence visa and Emirates ID, plus your trade license for a business account. What moves an application along is consistency: your licensed activities, your invoices and your business description all telling the same story. Meydan Free Zone works with 26+ banking partners, supports the corporate account process with a guaranteed IBAN pathway, and includes a lease agreement in every package.
Americans usually run a hybrid setup. A US LLC keeps Stripe, PayPal and a US business bank such as Mercury working smoothly for US clients, while your UAE company holds the license, the residency and the local account. Wise and similar platforms are useful for moving money, but they support rather than replace a real UAE corporate account. Expect FATCA paperwork wherever you bank, tell any US bank your new address rather than letting it find out, and never route business through a personal account.
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Moving Money Between Dollars and Dirhams
Here is a quiet advantage for Americans: the dirham is pegged to the US dollar, so your AED income and your dollar costs barely move against each other. There is no currency risk to manage on a US mortgage or student loan the way there is for other nationalities. The UAE has no exchange controls and no withholding tax, so moving profit to a US account is a transfer, not a taxable event locally, though it remains part of your worldwide income for US purposes.
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How Corporate Tax Works in Dubai
The UAE introduced corporate tax in 2023, at 9% on profits above AED 375,000, and nothing below. Free zone companies keep the 0% rate as a Qualifying Free Zone Person, and only on qualifying income. Conditions: adequate substance in the UAE, audited accounts, transfer-pricing compliance, and non-qualifying income below the lower of 5% of revenue or AED 5M. Small Business Relief can also apply below a revenue threshold. The company registers with the Federal Tax Authority and files annually. Note: the qualifying-income test is tight, some service activities fall outside it, and 0% is never automatic, so get your activity validated rather than assuming it.
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UAE Visa
Do You Need a Visa to Move to Dubai?
Yes, and getting one is usually straightforward. The important part is understanding that your visa validity, your UAE tax residence and your US tax position are governed by three separate sets of rules, and that your visa's 180-day rule can collide with the FEIE's 330-day requirement if you travel a lot.
Do I need a job offer to move to Dubai?
Setting up your own company and sponsoring yourself is the standard route for founders: most American movers arrive on an investor visa rather than an employment one. Your business license becomes the sponsor.
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How long is a standard residence visa?
Two years for a free zone investor visa, renewable. The ten-year Golden Visa is a separate category with its own thresholds.
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How long does the whole process take?
The visa process in Dubai takes days. The license can be issued in under an hour, then entry permit, medical test, biometrics and Emirates ID within a week to ten days of arrival.
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How long can I leave the UAE?
180 continuous days. Past that, the residence visa is cancelled automatically (Federal Decree-Law No. 29 of 2021), regardless of the expiry date printed on it.
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Does this clash with my FEIE day-count?
It can, so watch both clocks. Your visa needs you back within 180 days, while the FEIE needs 330 days a year outside the US. Trips home for family or work eat into the 330 fast, so plan the calendar deliberately.
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Is the visa rule the same as the tax rule?
No. Three separate clocks run at once: 180 days away cancels the visa; a UAE tax residence certificate needs 183 days here; and the FEIE needs 330 days outside the US. Meeting one does not mean meeting the others.
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What if I close my company?
The investor visa is tied to the business license: it goes when the license goes, and your dependants' visas go with yours. Theirs cannot outlast the sponsor's.
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How long is the grace period?
Between 30 and 180 days depending on your category, with investors at the longer end. Check yours on the ICP portal rather than assuming. Overstaying costs AED 50 a day.
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Is there a route to permanent residency or citizenship?
Not in the conventional sense. There is no birthright or naturalization path, but the ten-year Golden Visa, renewable, gives long-term security that functions like permanence for a home, a business and schooling.
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YOUR ROUTE TO RESIDENCY
Which Dubai Visa Route Should You Choose?
Employer Route
I have a UAE job offer
Your employer usually sponsors the visa and controls the process.
Good if hired locally- Less control over timing
Recommended
I want to sponsor myself
Set up your own UAE company and use it as the base for investor residency.
- No job offer required
- Business license included
- Family sponsorship pathway
Remote Worker
I work for an overseas company
A remote work visa may fit employees who are not setting up a UAE business.
- One-year route
- Not always ideal for founders
Family Visa
Moving Your Family From the US to Dubai
Moving your family is straightforward when the paperwork is prepared in the right order. Start authenticating key documents before you leave: it determines how quickly their visas are issued after you arrive. Remember that each family member is a US person too, so US filing and any foreign-account reporting should be planned for the household, not just the founder.
Can You Bring Your Family to Dubai?
Yes. With Meydan Free Zone, you can add up to six visa allocations to your business license. Once you obtain residency through your company, you sponsor eligible members, subject to immigration requirements: showing a monthly income of at least AED 4,000 (or AED 3,000 with accommodation provided), alongside the required company, housing and family documents.
Getting Your Documents Ready
Bring your key documents ready to use. Your marriage certificate and each child's birth certificate should be authenticated with an apostille in the US, then attested through the UAE process, with translations where required. Missing attestation is the most common cause of spouse and child visa delays, and redoing it from Dubai costs weeks. You will also need a registered Ejari tenancy contract before you can sponsor anyone, so housing comes before family visas. Everyone over 18 takes a quick medical fitness test after arrival.
Are There American Schools in Dubai?
Dubai has a deep bench of American-curriculum schools, so your children can continue on a familiar track toward a US high school diploma, Advanced Placement or the IB. Well-known options include the American School of Dubai, GEMS Dubai American Academy and Universal American School, alongside many international schools. Every private school is inspected and rated by the KHDA, with ratings and fees published. Budget roughly AED 40,000 to 100,000 per year depending on the school and grade, and apply early, as sought-after schools fill quickly.
Healthcare for Your Family
Health insurance is mandatory for every Dubai resident and arranged through your sponsor, your own company if you are self-sponsored. It covers each dependant, and their visa cannot be finalised without it, so it sits in your year-one budget, not after. Check waiting periods before choosing a policy, particularly for maternity. Dubai's private hospitals rank among the best in the region, with short waiting times and US-trained physicians common, and care delivered in English as standard.
Rent
Where Do Americans Live in Dubai?
Dubai has several markets in one. Waterfront towers, leafy villa communities and value-led suburbs all sit within a 30-minute drive of each other.
Which Areas Do
Americans Choose?
Families gravitate to the villa communities such as Arabian Ranches, Dubai Hills Estate, Emirates Hills and Jumeirah Park, usually near the American and international schools that drive the decision. Couples and singles take apartments in Dubai Marina, Downtown, Business Bay and JLT, where walkability and the Metro matter more. Value sits further out in JVC, Motor City and Al Furjan. Most people pick the school first and the neighborhood second.
Should You Rent or
Buy in Year One?
Rent first. Renting lets you test commutes, schools and communities before committing, and Dubai tenancy law caps renewal increases through the official RERA index. Buying makes sense once you know the city: US citizens can purchase freehold in designated areas, and a title deed above a set value can even support a residence visa. Most people who buy in year one buy in the wrong place.
How Do Deposits and
Rent Work?
Rent is often paid in one to four cheques a year, so budget for a larger upfront outlay than a US monthly lease. Expect a refundable security deposit of about 5%, around 5% agency commission, Ejari registration near AED 220, and a refundable DEWA utilities deposit. A 5% housing fee on the annual rent is billed monthly through DEWA. Ask whether cooling (chiller) is included before you sign, as chiller charges can turn a good rent into an expensive one.
Getting Set Up Locally
Can You Swap Your US Driving License for a Dubai One?
Yes. US license holders are among those eligible to exchange a valid license for a Dubai one without a theory or road test once they are residents. You'll need your Emirates ID, your original US license and a valid electronic eye test, handled through the RTA or an authorised service centre.
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Can You Drink Alcohol in Dubai?
Yes. Non-Muslims aged 21 and over can drink in licensed venues and private residences. Residents can obtain a free alcohol license, using their Emirates ID, to buy from authorised retailers. Drinking in public is prohibited, and there is zero tolerance for drink-driving.
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What Is Summer Actually Like in Dubai?
Summers are extreme, often exceeding 40°C (105°F) from June to September. Life moves indoors, with outdoor activity limited to early mornings and evenings. From October to April the weather softens and the city, beaches, parks and terraces, comes back to life.
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Questions? Answers.
Does moving to Dubai end my US taxes?
No, but it can cut them dramatically. As a US citizen you always file on worldwide income, yet the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion, the UAE's 0% rate and dropping your state tax can take a large bill down to a fraction of what it was.
How does the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion work in the UAE?
How does the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion work in the UAE? Meet the 330-day physical presence test or the bona fide residence test and you exclude earned income on Form 2555: up to $132,900 per spouse for the 2026 tax year, rising with inflation, plus a Dubai housing exclusion. It covers wages and self-employment income, not dividends or capital gains.
Will I still owe self-employment tax?
If you are self-employed, yes: the FEIE removes income tax but not the 15.3% Social Security and Medicare tax, and there is no US-UAE totalization agreement. The common fix is to be a salaried employee of your own UAE company instead of a sole proprietor.
Do I have to report my UAE company and bank accounts?
Yes, and it is routine with the right accountant. Expect Form 5471 for your company, an FBAR if foreign accounts top $10,000 combined, and Form 8938 above the expat thresholds. FATCA means UAE banks report you anyway, so full disclosure is the only safe path.
Will California or New York keep taxing me after I move?
Only if you leave ties behind. End your residency cleanly by giving up the lease or home, license and voter registration, and limiting days in the state. Passing through a no-income-tax state such as Florida or Texas first can make the break cleaner.
Can I keep my US clients and get paid easily?
Yes. Your work is now performed abroad, so it is generally foreign-source, your company issues a W-8BEN-E, and there is usually no 30% withholding. Clients keep paying by ACH or wire in dollars; the real adjustment is the time-zone overlap, not the money.
Can I keep Stripe, Mercury and my US bank accounts?
Usually yes, through a US LLC that runs alongside your UAE company, which keeps Stripe and US banking smooth for American clients. Tell your US bank your new address rather than let it discover one, and use the UAE account for local operations.
What happens to my IRA, 401(k) and brokerage account?
They stay yours, but plan around two things: claiming the FEIE can reduce the earned income you need to contribute to an IRA, and some brokerages restrict accounts with a foreign address, so confirm with yours. Social Security can still be paid to you in the UAE.
Do I need a job offer to move to Dubai?
No. Most American founders sponsor themselves by setting up their own free zone company, which issues the investor visa with no employer required. The same company lets you sponsor your family and open business banking.
Can I set up the company before I move, and how long does it take?
Yes, and it is quick. You register the company and start the visa online from the US, often getting the license the same day, then travel over for a short medical and biometrics. The whole move typically takes four to eight weeks.
Can my spouse and children move with me, and can my spouse work?
Yes on both. Your company visa lets you sponsor your spouse and children, and your spouse can work once an employer arranges a simple work permit, or by joining your own company. Health insurance for each of them is part of the setup.
Will I get a UAE business bank account, and does my credit transfer?
You will, when your file is consistent across activity, invoices and description. Your US credit score does not transfer, so the local AECB builds a fresh record; paying yourself a regular salary helps when you later apply for a mortgage or card.
Are there American schools in Dubai, and what do they cost?
Yes, several. American-curriculum schools like the American School of Dubai and GEMS Dubai American Academy teach toward a US diploma, AP or the IB. Fees run roughly AED 40,000 to 100,000 a year, so it is worth applying early.
How much should I be earning before I make the move?
Enough to cover your life here while the business runs, and enough that the tax saving clearly beats the added cost of US-plus-UAE accounting. The advantage is largest for high-margin founders; for lower incomes, a no-income-tax US state can be simpler.
Can Dubai ever become permanent?
Yes, in practice. There is no conventional citizenship route, but the ten-year Golden Visa, renewable, gives long-term security to anchor a home, a business and your children's schooling, and it lets you sponsor your family too.