Hi Daniel,

The Dubai Mainland company formation process usually takes around 5 to 15 working days for obtaining the core trade licence, provided all documents are complete and the business activity does not require additional approvals.

However, if you include post-licensing steps such as residence visas and opening a corporate bank account, the complete operational setup may take approximately 4 to 8 weeks.

The timeline generally looks like this:

1. Trade Name Approval & Initial Approval

Estimated time: 1–3 working days

The first stage involves reserving your company name and obtaining initial approval from the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET).

2. Office Lease & Ejari Registration

Estimated time: 1–5 working days

A mainland company requires a registered business address. Once you select your office space, the tenancy contract must be registered through Ejari.

3. External Approvals (If Required)

Estimated time: 1–3 weeks additional

Some industries require approvals from specialised authorities before licensing. For example, healthcare, education, food-related businesses, and other regulated sectors may involve additional review periods.

4. Trade Licence Issuance

Estimated time: 1–3 working days

After submitting the final documents and completing payments, the DET issues the mainland trade licence.

After Company Formation

Once your licence is active, additional steps may include:

• Investor or employee visa processing: Around 7–14 working days, including entry permits, medical fitness tests, and Emirates ID procedures.
• Corporate bank account opening: Usually takes around 2–4 weeks depending on the bank's compliance review, business activity, and KYC requirements.

The actual timeline can vary depending on how quickly documents are prepared, the type of business activity selected, and whether any additional government approvals are needed.