UAE for Indian Founders Relocating to the Gulf
The move: UAE for Indian founders relocating to the Gulf
The UAE is the best option for Indian founders relocating to the Gulf. The UAE is a stronger fit when the founder intends to live there or when customers and the team are in the Gulf.
What the UAE setup offers
In free zones, the UAE allows 100% foreign ownership. Residence visas can be tied to the company.
Tax is no longer zero across the board. Income above AED 375,000 is taxed at 9%, while qualifying free-zone companies can keep 0% on qualifying income if they meet the substance conditions.
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A UAE company run entirely from Bengaluru gains little. Licence fees renew yearly and vary widely by free zone.
Indian founders who remain in India still face the ODI route under FEMA, the USD 250,000 LRS ceiling, TCS on investment remittances above ₹10 lakh a year and the tax residence test. A foreign company managed and controlled from India can be treated as an Indian tax resident.
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