UAE business setup
One investor visa
AED12,500
- Company license
- Flexi desk
- 2 year residency
- Bank account opening
- Accounting consultation
- Corporate tax registration
Visas and PRO · Dubai and the UAE
PRO services in Dubai for company owners
Once the license is issued, a company registers with the immigration and labour authorities. This page explains the two establishment cards, the fees each authority publishes, how work visas are issued and what has to be renewed.
The short answer
PRO services cover the government paperwork a UAE company files after its license is issued: the immigration establishment card from GDRFA Dubai or ICP, the labour establishment card from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), work visas and renewals. They are for owners who want the applications prepared and submitted for them. No official page we checked makes a PRO mandatory.
What are PRO services in Dubai?
PRO stands for Public Relations Officer. GDRFA Dubai uses the term in its own service list, which includes establishment card issuance and renewal, representative card services and PRO card amendments.
On this site, PRO services means preparing and submitting a company's applications to the immigration and labour authorities: the establishment cards, work visas and renewals.
We found no official page that requires a company to appoint a PRO. MOHRE states that its establishment card service is free through its website and app, apart from the government fees.
Good to knowA UAE residence visa does not by itself end UK tax residence, which HMRC decides under the Statutory Residence Test. Rules in other countries differ. Ask your adviser there before you rely on it.
What is an establishment card, and why are there two?
An establishment card registers the company with an authority, and there are two because immigration and labour are separate authorities. The immigration card comes from GDRFA Dubai or ICP. The labour card comes from MOHRE.
MOHRE describes its card as the first registration of the establishment with the Ministry. It records the owners, the signatories and their specimen signatures, the business activity and the location.
MOHRE asks for a copy of the immigration establishment card.
| Card | Issued by | What the authority says |
|---|---|---|
| Immigration establishment card, Dubai | GDRFA Dubai | Issued for private sector and free zone institutions. Renewed every year |
| Electronic establishment card, federal | ICP | Records the trade name, license number, partners and activity. Free zone companies apply through their free zone authority |
| Labour establishment card | MOHRE | First registration with the Ministry. Needs a valid trade license |
How much are the government fees for an establishment card?
Each authority publishes its own fees, and they differ. The table shows the fees on each authority's service page. They were checked in September 2026 and can change.
These are government fees. They do not include a service fee. We tell you both in writing before you commit.
| Authority | Service | Published fees | Stated processing time |
|---|---|---|---|
| GDRFA Dubai | Establishment card, private sector and free zone | Issuance AED 200 plus 5% VAT, Knowledge Dirham AED 10, Innovation Dirham AED 10, service fee AED 50, urgent fee AED 100. AED 100 more if submitted through an Amer centre. Renewal AED 100 per year | 48 hours |
| MOHRE | Issuing the establishment card | Ta'qeem fees AED 406. Business centre commission capped at AED 72 | 2 working days |
| MOHRE | Updating the establishment file | Ta'qeem fees AED 406. Business centre commission capped at AED 72 | 2 working days |
| ICP | Electronic establishment card | Application AED 100, annual issuance AED 100, smart services AED 100, system subscription AED 2,000 | 2 days |
Good to knowA stated processing time is the time the authority publishes for that one service. It is not the time the whole process takes.
How do work visas for employees work?
The employer applies for a standard work visa, which is valid for two years and is renewable. The UAE Government portal lists three work related visa types: the Green visa, the standard work visa and the domestic worker visa.
The portal states that applicants aged 18 and above must take a medical test, pass a security check and apply for an Emirates ID.
The Green residence is self sponsored. ICP publishes separate conditions for skilled employees and for freelancers.
| Category | Conditions |
|---|---|
| Skilled employee | Valid UAE employment contract, occupational level 1 to 3, at least a bachelor's degree, monthly salary of at least AED 15,000 |
| Freelancer or self employed person | MOHRE freelance or self employment permit, at least a bachelor's degree or specialist diploma, annual freelance income of at least AED 360,000 over the previous two years |
What has to be renewed, and how often?
GDRFA Dubai's establishment card is renewed every year. A standard work visa is valid for two years and is renewable. GDRFA Dubai charges AED 100 per year to renew its card, and ICP lists an annual issuance fee of AED 100. The fees were checked in September 2026 and can change.
MOHRE has a separate service for updating the establishment file. It requires the immigration establishment card issued for the licensee or the service agent.
The UAE Government portal states that grace periods after a residence visa expires or is ended reach up to 6 months, depending on the category of resident.
Is the process different in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah or Ajman?
Partly. MOHRE's establishment card services are federal, and MOHRE publishes the same fees regardless of emirate (checked September 2026). The immigration card is different, because Dubai has its own authority.
Residency services in Dubai are handled by GDRFA Dubai, which publishes its own services and fees. ICP publishes the federal establishment card and residency permit services, with a fee structure that differs from GDRFA Dubai's.
ICP states that free zone companies must apply for the establishment card through their free zone authority. We confirm the authority and its current fees for your emirate before we file.
What does Links do as your PRO?
We prepare each application, book the appointments and submit the documents to the authority. We tell you the cost in writing before you commit, with the government fees shown separately from our service fee.
The authority decides every application. We do not promise an approval or a processing time.
The steps, in order
- 01
Trade license issued
MOHRE lists a valid trade license as a condition for the labour establishment card.
- 02
Immigration establishment card
Issued by GDRFA Dubai in Dubai, or through ICP. Free zone companies apply through their free zone authority.
- 03
MOHRE establishment card
MOHRE asks for the immigration establishment card copy and a valid rental contract.
- 04
Visa applications
Applicants aged 18 and above take a medical test, pass a security check and apply for an Emirates ID.
Documents you need
- Valid trade license
- Emirates ID or residence visa copy
- Partners addendum, if applicable
- Copy of the immigration establishment card
- Valid rental contract
- MOHRE personal identification number for each owner, partner and signatory
Packages and prices
What it costs with Links.
Prices are published, with what each one covers and what it does not. We send the full cost in writing before you commit.
Dubai free zone
One visa package
AED19,900
- LLC license
- 100% business ownership
- One visa allocation
- Co-working space
- Bank account opening
- VAT consultation
- Dedicated account manager
What is not included
- Foreign trade name
- Accommodation fees
- SEWA deposit
- Visa cost
- Municipality fees
Terms and conditions apply. Prices are indicative. The license fee differs by business activity, and the final cost varies with the number of visas and government fees. See all packages.
Common questions
PRO services: common questions.
Answered from the official sources listed below. If yours is not here, ask us directly.
What does a PRO do, and do I legally need one?
A PRO, or Public Relations Officer, prepares and submits a company's applications to the immigration and labour authorities. We found no official page that requires a company to appoint one. MOHRE states that its establishment card service is free through its website and app, apart from the government fees.
What is an establishment card and why does my company need two?
An establishment card registers the company with an authority. The immigration card is issued by GDRFA Dubai or through ICP. The labour card is issued by MOHRE, which describes it as the first registration of the establishment with the Ministry. MOHRE asks for a copy of the immigration card.
What are the government fees for an establishment card?
GDRFA Dubai publishes an issuance fee of AED 200 plus 5% VAT, with a Knowledge Dirham and an Innovation Dirham of AED 10 each and a service fee of AED 50. MOHRE publishes Ta'qeem fees of AED 406. ICP publishes an application fee, an annual issuance fee and a smart services fee of AED 100 each, plus a system subscription of AED 2,000. Fees were checked in September 2026 and can change.
If my company is in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah or Ajman, is the process different?
MOHRE's establishment card services are federal, and MOHRE publishes the same fees regardless of emirate (checked September 2026). Residency services in Dubai are handled by GDRFA Dubai, which has its own services and fees. ICP publishes the federal establishment card and residency services, with a different fee structure.
Do I need a PRO if my company is in a free zone?
No official page we checked requires one. ICP states that free zone companies must apply for the establishment card through their free zone authority, so the free zone is the point of contact for that step.
How do I hire my first employee in the UAE?
The employer applies for the work visa. The UAE Government portal states that the standard work visa is valid for two years and is renewable. Applicants aged 18 and above must take a medical test, pass a security check and apply for an Emirates ID.
Can I work as a freelancer in the UAE without setting up a company?
ICP publishes a Green residence route for freelancers and self employed people. It requires a MOHRE freelance or self employment permit, at least a bachelor's degree or specialist diploma, and annual freelance income of at least AED 360,000 over the previous two years.
Sources
Where these facts come from
Every fact on this page was checked against the official source on 29 September 2026. Rules and fees change, so we confirm the current position before any application.
- MOHRE, issuance of establishment card (opens in a new tab)
- MOHRE, updating the establishment file (opens in a new tab)
- GDRFA Dubai, establishment card for private sector and free zone institutions (opens in a new tab)
- GDRFA Dubai, establishment support services (opens in a new tab)
- ICP, electronic establishment card (opens in a new tab)
- UAE Government portal, residence visa for working in the UAE (opens in a new tab)
- UAE Government portal, general provisions for the residence visa (opens in a new tab)
- ICP, UAE Green Residency (opens in a new tab)
Read next
Related pages
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