Is Dubai Citizenship Tough To Get? Why The New Law Opens Doors For Indian Business Owners

Last Updated:January 20, 2026, 13:25 IST

As per the corporate law, UAE is quietly redefining company 'citizenships' at the corporate level, building something closer to an economic firewall than a national identity

For Indian founders, family offices and multinationals, this shift could quietly rewrite how global access, legitimacy and mobility are earned.

Individuals living and working in Dubai, Sharjah and the other UAE cities, includes successful expatriate entrepreneurs, who have had a little chance of ever holding a passport tied to the Emirates’ name. Yet, the UAE is now actively offering citizenship to companies. Not quietly or incidentally, but as a stated economic policy. As per the UAE Corporate Citizenship Law 2026, businesses are being invited to acquire a form of belonging that looks strikingly official.

This law however, does not confer Emirati nationality on owners or investors. It formally recognises the company itself as a UAE entity under the law. “If you open a company in Germany, you are a German company. If you own a company in the UK, you are a UK company. The same applies here. If you open a company in the UAE, you are a UAE company. That is the methodology behind granting UAE citizenship to companies", said Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism.

What Does Corporate Citizenship Mean in The UAE?

Corporate citizenship in the UAE functions as a legal and economic identity upgrade. A company registered and operating in the Emirates is no longer treated as a temporary guest or a free-zone tenant operating at arm’s length from the domestic economy. It becomes, in regulatory terms, a UAE company with privileges that extend well beyond national borders.

According to Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, the provision applies to businesses incorporated anywhere in the UAE, across both mainland and free zones. This means companies based in financial free zones are now recognised with full Emirati corporate identity.

Those benefits include preferential access to the country’s Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements, streamlined market access, and a stronger global identity when operating abroad. In a world where supply chains, sanctions and regulatory scrutiny increasingly hinge on where a company is “from", this matters.

The UAE added 250,000 new companies in 2025 and plans to reach two million companies over the next ten years, according to Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism.

That represents growth of nearly 119% in four years, after the introduction of 100% foreign ownership in 2021 removed a long-standing barrier for international firms and then the expansion of the Golden Visa regime made it easier for founders, executives and specialised talent to commit to the country long-term. Together, these two policies transformed the UAE from a regional base into a global business hub.

How Does The Corportate Citizenship Works?

Unlike personal nationality, corporate citizenship in the UAE is conditional. Background discussions with the Ministry of Economy indicate that companies must demonstrate at least three consecutive years of audited operations, meet Emiratisation compliance benchmarks and show substantive economic presence. That presence can include regional headquarters functions, research and development spending or strategic management activity conducted from within the country.

Authorities have been clear that corporate citizenship stops at the company level. It does not extend to shareholders, investors or founders, and it offers no pathway to Emirati nationality for individuals. The designation applies strictly to the legal entity.

The clarification followed questions over whether foreign owners could leverage the provision to seek personal citizenship. They cannot. The benefit is confined to the business itself.

Officials also stressed that eligibility spans all incorporated companies, whether operating on the mainland, in free zones or in financial free zones, a point underscored to remove any ambiguity around who qualifies.

What Does This Mean for Indian Business Owners?

India remains the UAE’s largest expatriate business constituency, with thousands of Indian-owned firms operating across free zones, mainland jurisdictions and financial centres.

For Indian family offices, technology firms, life sciences companies and logistics operators, being recognised as a UAE corporate citizen changes how they are perceived by banks, regulators and international partners. It strengthens access to the UAE’s expanding double-tax treaty network, which has grown steadily through 2025 and 2026 as the country positioned itself as a neutral hub between Asia, Europe and Africa.

How Does Corporate Citizenship Benefit Companies?

Dubai, the UAE’s largest commercial hub, has three major business chambers. The Dubai Chamber of Commerce reported that Indian companies are among the top 100 in joining these chambers. In the first nine months of 2025 alone, 13,851 Indian companies joined the Dubai Chamber, underlining the scale of Indian business presence in the emirate.

Corporate citizenship could significantly enhance the appeal of the UAE for these companies by offering deeper trade benefits, stronger government support, and a more credible global identity. This may encourage more Indian firms to shift from temporary market participation to long-term regional presence.

Recognising a business as a UAE company brings several practical advantages that go beyond legal status:

A UAE corporate identity strengthens trust in international markets. When a company is officially recognised as Emirati, it can often navigate global partnerships and regulatory processes more smoothly, simply because it carries the weight of a stable, well-regulated jurisdiction.

Corporate citizens can more easily leverage the UAE’s trade agreements, including Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPAs). These deals can reduce tariffs, simplify customs procedures and make cross-border trade more efficient.

Companies with Emirati status may qualify for local incentives and support programs offered by government entities. This can include sector-specific initiatives, grants, and other benefits designed to strengthen national economic growth.

Corporate citizens will fall fully under the UAE’s federal corporate tax regime, including the 9 percent corporate tax scheduled to take effect in June 2026. They will also be subject to enhanced reporting requirements, including country-by-country disclosures.

Tax advisers caution that while treaty benefits can reduce withholding taxes on outbound profits, compliance costs will rise.

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