Start a Company In
Dubai from Pakistan

The UAE is the natural first overseas base for Pakistani businesses — around two hours' flight away, home to one of the largest Pakistani expatriate communities in the world, and aligned to Pakistani business hours and banking. Since 2021, foreign investors can own 100% of a mainland company for most activities, and free zones have always allowed full ownership, so a Pakistani founder no longer needs a local partner. There is no personal income tax, corporate tax is 9% only on profits above AED 375,000 (a Qualifying Free Zone Person pays 0% on qualifying income), VAT is 5%, and profits and capital can be repatriated in full.

The corridor itself is well established. A Pakistan-UAE Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement (DTAA) has been in force for decades, helping avoid the same income being taxed twice, and trade and remittance links between the two countries are among the strongest in the region. Most of the setup — licence, incorporation and even initial banking steps — can be handled from Pakistan through a power of attorney, with a short visit usually needed only for Emirates ID biometrics. Equally important is getting the Pakistan side right: your Pakistani tax residency, and the State Bank of Pakistan's (SBP) foreign-exchange and outward-investment rules, all matter. Avyanco sets up the UAE company end-to-end and flags exactly where you should take Pakistani tax and SBP advice, so the structure works on both sides.