A branch office of a company set up in Dubai is a subset of the parent company and cannot be treated as a distinct entity. A branch is authorized to act on behalf of the company, enter into contracts, conclude transactions, and provides goods/services in the name of the parent company. Its activities will be in line with the parent company.

Procedure to form a Dubai mainland branch of a company

1 – The company needs to be wholly owned by UAE nationals. Alternatively, a UAE national can act as a sponsor for the company so that the equity capital stays with the parent company. This UAE national will act as a Local Service Agent and arrange for formalities such as procuring licenses, visas, and permits. This is done for a nominal monetary consideration. He will not have a say in the management, operations, or profit sharing within the organization.
2 – A trade name for the business needs to be submitted to the Department of Economic Development (DED).
3 – Procure initial approval from the Ministry of Economy.
4 – Post this, you can submit an application for a commercial license from DED.
5 – Sign office space lease and open a bank account.
6 – Get visas and labour cards for company employees.
7 – Submit an application for membership to the Dubai Chamber of Commerce.

What details are needed to form a mainland Dubai branch of a company?

Submission of trade name along with an application for branch registration
Submission of NOC from UAE sponsor (along with his UAE ID and passport)
Board resolution to open a branch (in Arabic) signed and stamped by the company. The resolution should accompany a Memorandum of Association and proof of company incorporation (both these should be translated in Arabic and notarized by a competent Dubai Notary public)
Director’s Passport copy