The establishment card in the UAE
Registering the company with the immigration service — a mandatory government payment for issuing residence visas through the company.
What the establishment card is and why a company needs it
The establishment card is the company's card at the immigration service. It links the company to the immigration system: without it no residence visa can be filed, the owner's included.
The card has a term and is renewed. An expired card stops all the company's visa work: no new visas can be arranged and existing ones can't be renewed.
What a UAE company needs before it can hire
You can't hire someone in the UAE in one step — the company first has to become an employer. The order is strict and no link can be skipped: each one rests on the previous.
- Registration with the labour ministry — the company gets an electronic employer file
- The establishment card at the immigration service, without which visas can't be filed
- The visa quota — how many employees the company may sponsor
- The work permit and residence visa for a specific person
- Connection to the wage system — salaries are only paid through it
The order is the same for everyone, but the documents and timelines depend on whether the company is registered in a free zone or on the mainland.
Packages
IFZA
SHAMS
AFZA (Ajman)
Meydan
RAKEZ
We will match the exact package to your case during the consultation.
What the service includes
| Choosing the grounds for your case | |
| Preparing and filing the documents | |
| Support through to the status being granted | |
| State and visa fees— billed separately | |
| Flights and accommodation— billed separately |
How the process runs
1–4 weeks- Шаг 1Проверяем лицензию и данные компании.
- Шаг 2Подаём заявление в миграционную службу.
- Шаг 3Получение карты предприятия.
- Шаг 4Контроль срока и своевременное продление.
What we need from you
- 1A passport
- 2Proof of income or of the grounds
Frequently asked questions
Can a visa be arranged without the establishment card?
What happens if the card expires?
How does the establishment card differ from labour ministry registration?
Is the card needed if there'll be no employees?
The terms the expert works on
Guarantees the outcome by contract
Writes the outcome and the timeline for every service — including opening a bank account — into the contract, and answers for them.
Bills in stages
You do not pay the whole sum up front: invoices come in instalments as each stage closes.
Fixes the price in the contract
The cost is locked in and does not grow as the work goes on. Prices on the site are indicative — the final figure comes after your case is reviewed.
Charges no hidden fees
No penalties or surcharges beyond the contract. No Pactors markup either: you pay the expert their own price.
Works with lawyers of 8+ years in UAE law
The licence for your activity is matched, and the requirements worked through, by qualified lawyers.
Thinks a step ahead
Picks the zone and the licence so that a year from now you do not hit a limit and have to redo the whole thing.
Deals with authorities directly
Handles government bodies, free zones and UAE banks personally — no chain of subcontractors.
Ready to start?
Send an enquiry — we will check your case and help you arrange “The establishment card in the UAE” in UAE. No markup on top.