Registering a Limited Liability Company

The registration process for a Limited Liability Company generally takes seven working days to accomplish, with your availability in Abu Dhabi is required during the registration of the new business. The documents required for the registration of the new company are listed below.

Step 1: Handover of Legal Documentation - The Business Development Associate handling your consideration will receive your registration documents and assess these with you against the guidelines to ensure that your document is complete.

Step 2: Assessment of Legal Documents - Your file is reviewed by our Registration team. They can ensure that the information pertaining to the company shareholders and the new company are in order. The assessment procedure takes up to three working days. It is at this point that your current document is either accepted or returned with a request for additional information.

Step 3: Signing of Articles of Association and Memorandum of Association, and Issuance of Bank Introduction Letter Following the acceptance of your file, we need two working days to arrange your official files. All appointed signatories will need to create an appointment in our offices to sign the Articles and Memorandum of Association. You will subsequently be given a bank introduction letter from Masdar City and your attested decision to facilitate the opening of your corporate account. Step 4: Capital Deposit The bank introduction letter is legitimate for 14 days; within this period you will need to open your corporate account and deposit the capital as per the resolution. Once you have produced the deposit your bank will provide you with a letter confirming the details about the deposit and your new business bank account. The initial letter has to be returned to your Masdar City registration team.

Step 5: Issuance of Legal Documents & Licence Upon receipt of capital deposit bank letter, our Registration team will issue your legal documentation and licence. This requires two working days. Once ready, you will probably be asked to make an appointment at our offices and sign your lease and collect a photocopy of your licence. This needs to be given to your bank so that they will release funds and enable you to issue cheques to Masdar City for the remainder of your lease time. Upon the receipt of your cheques Masdar City will release all legal documentation.

Please note that at this point in the process you should make a down payment towards:

• Leased Company premises (equal to 50% of the yearly rent);
• Registration Fee (one-time fee);
• Annual Licence Fee (subject to the volume of segments and activities listed on the licence)
• Rent Deposit (equal to two months’ rent)

Completion of the following actions will ensure your application is expeditiously processed, although in certain circumstances, Masdar City may re-serve the right to ask for additional documentation / authentication as deemed required.

Document Checklist

The following documentation (notarised and/or legalised as indicated) are required from the applicant before a Certificate of Incorporation and Licence can be issued:

1. Application form for Registration.

2. Details of the Shareholder(s): For Foreign Companies:

a.            Original Certificate of Registration of the Corporate Person (copy will be accepted if notarised).

b.            Original Certificate of Good Standing (issued by the  Registrar of Companies in which jurisdiction the Corporate Person is  incorporated to ensure existence and continuity of the Business Person)  if the Business Person is more than two years old (copy will be  accepted if notarised).

For UAE Companies:

a.            Copy of a valid Trade Licence issued by the Department of Planning & Economy for the Corporate Person.

b.            Copy of the Commercial Registration is- sued by the Department of Planning & Economy for the Corporate Person.

3. Original Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Corporate Person along with a list of the current Directors (copy will be accepted if notarised).

4. Board Resolution of the Corporate Person calling for the Establishment of an LLC in Masdar City and guaranteeing full financial commitment – notarised and legalised.

a.            Appointment of the Negotiator / Legal Representative (optional).

b.            Power of Attorney for the Manager (if not part of the Resolution) – notarised and legalised.

5. Valid Passport copy of the Manager.

a.            NOC from the current Residency visa Sponsor of the Manager in the UAE (if applicable).

b.            Specimen signature of the Manager.

6. Valid Passport copy of the Director(s).

a.            Specimen signature of the Director(s).

A Bank Introduction Letter to support the LLC to open a Bank Account in the UAE can be obtained from Masdar City upon submission of the above legal documentation.

7. Evidence of Share Capital from any bank operating in the UAE. (The Share Capital requirements are subject to the activity selected by the client. Minimum Share value is AED 1,000.00).

8. Registration and Licence fees. (Payments are to be made in favour of Masdar City Services LLC through a demand draft / cheque / cash).

9. a.            Memorandum of Association of the proposed LLC.

b.            Articles of Association of the proposed LLC.

10. Signed copy of the Personnel Sponsorship Agreement (PSA).

11. Signed Certificate of an Authorisation for Government Services (GS).