Offshore company formation
Who does this work. This is a regulated activity in the UAE and is carried out by a licensed partner firm there, who quote it directly. We coordinate the engagement and handle everything on the Indian side.
An offshore company in the UAE — RAK ICC or JAFZA Offshore — is an International Business Company. It can own shares in other companies, hold property in designated areas, own intellectual property and open a bank account. It cannot trade inside the UAE, cannot lease commercial premises for operations, and cannot sponsor residence visas.
That last point is the one that surprises people. An offshore company is not a route to living in the UAE. If residence is part of what you are trying to achieve, the answer is a free zone or mainland entity, not this.
Where it does work well is as a clean holding layer: one entity owning several operating companies, or holding a property portfolio, with a straightforward ownership record and low annual maintenance. Whether that layer is useful to you depends on tax positions in the countries where the owners actually live, which is where the Indian side of the analysis comes in.
Talk to us
Offshore Company — and what it means for your Indian position
Tell us what you are setting up or filing. We come back with the UAE quote from our partner firm and the Indian side from us, so you see the whole cost at once.
Or call +91 98265 84555Who this is for
Investors holding shares, property or IP who need a clean ownership vehicle rather than an operating business.
Scope
What the engagement covers
- Registrar selection and structure advice against what the entity will hold
- Name approval and incorporation with the offshore authority
- Registered agent and registered office for the first year
- Memorandum and Articles, share certificates and incorporation certificate
- Bank account introduction, with realistic expectations set on approval
- Annual renewal and registered agent continuation
From you
Documents needed
- Passport copies of all shareholders and directors
- Proof of residential address, typically a utility bill within three months
- Bank reference letter for each shareholder
- CV or professional profile
- Attested corporate documents where a company is the shareholder
- A note on the source of funds and the intended purpose of the entity
Worth knowing first
Where this goes wrong
No visas, no office, no onshore trade
These are structural limits of the vehicle, not obstacles to be worked around. Any adviser suggesting an offshore company will get you UAE residence is describing something the licence does not do.
Banking is the hard part, not incorporation
Offshore entities face closer scrutiny at account opening than free zone or mainland companies. Incorporation takes days; an account can take considerably longer and is not guaranteed. Plan the sequence accordingly.
Property ownership is limited to designated areas
Offshore companies may hold real estate only in areas the relevant authority has approved, and the list differs between emirates. Confirm the specific property qualifies before the vehicle is formed for it.
An Indian resident owning it has reporting to do at home
Indian residents holding shares in a foreign entity report it in Schedule FA of the Indian return and must satisfy the ODI route under FEMA. The UAE side being simple does not make the Indian side optional, and this is where we come in.
Before you act on this
UAE corporate tax, free zone qualifying income and substance rules are still being clarified, and thresholds change. This explains the position in general terms and is not advice on your facts. Confirm the current rule before you act on anything here.
Handled by us, in India
The Indian side of this
A UAE structure almost always leaves something to do in India. These are ours, with fees published.
Usually needed alongside
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- Hidden charges
Priced before we start
Every service on this site carries its fee. You get a written scope and a number before any work begins, and the invoice matches it.
Two people on every filing
Nothing goes to a department on one pair of eyes. A second professional reviews the return before it is submitted.
A person, not a ticket
You get a named associate who knows your file, reachable on WhatsApp, not a queue and a different voice every call.
We watch the calendar
Once you are on our books we track your due dates and reach out before the deadline, not after the late fee.