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Ownership of shares in a UAE company does not pass to heirs automatically on death; the heirs must first be legally established and then have the shares transferred through the relevant company and licensing authority. The starting point is usually a legal heir certificate from the competent court, which names the heirs and, for a Muslim estate, their faraid shares. With that ruling, the heirs deal with the company's registrar or the relevant free zone or mainland licensing authority to amend the shareholding in line with the certificate, which may also require updating the company's records and licence. For a non-Muslim, a registered will or the civil framework may direct who receives the shares. Company structures, free zone rules, and any partner or memorandum provisions can affect how the transfer is done, so the process varies. Confirm the steps with the relevant authority and review the company's constitutional documents. Verified UAE legal professionals on LEXAI can coordinate the court ruling and the corporate transfer.

They reflect different legal routes. A Sharia heir certificate is issued by the personal status (Sharia) court for a Muslim's estate and records the heirs and their fixed faraid shares; the bulk of a Muslim estate passes by those fixed shares, with only a limited bequest permitted by will. A non-Muslim will lets a non-Muslim resident direct how their UAE assets are distributed under the civil personal status framework, and registering it through the courts or a recognised wills registry helps local institutions act on it. Which path applies depends on the deceased's status — confirm what applies to your family before assuming an outcome. Full step-by-step guide: [Non-Muslim wills vs Sharia succession](/blog/non-muslim-will-dubai-2026). Compare verified UAE legal professionals on LEXAI to plan for a mixed-status family.

The number of residence visas you can sponsor on a RAKEZ licence is tied to your chosen package and the type and size of the workspace you lease, not a single universal number. Flexi-desk or shared-desk packages usually allow only a small visa allocation, while a dedicated office or warehouse unlocks a larger quota, broadly scaling with the leased area. Each sponsored employee still goes through the standard federal immigration steps — entry permit, medical, Emirates ID and stamping — administered by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP). If you need more visas than your package allows, you typically upgrade to a larger facility or a higher-tier package. Because RAKEZ revises its package allocations periodically, confirm the exact visa count for the specific package you are considering directly with RAKEZ before signing. For structuring advice on whether a higher visa quota justifies the larger lease, you can compare verified UAE corporate and legal professionals on LEXAI.

Yes, one of the central benefits of the UAE Golden Visa is the ability to sponsor family members. Holders can generally sponsor their spouse and children, and the family's residence is typically linked to the holder's long-term term rather than to a short employment permit, which gives the household more stability. Sponsorship of children is usually allowed without the age caps that apply to some ordinary residence visas, subject to the conditions in force, and in many cases parents can also be included. To add dependants you normally provide proof of relationship such as attested marriage and birth certificates, along with the standard residency and medical steps. The visa and its dependants are administered federally by ICP, with Dubai applications processed through GDRFA. Because the precise dependant rules, age conditions and required documents are set by the authorities and updated periodically, confirm the current family-sponsorship criteria on u.ae or ICP before applying. A verified UAE legal professional on LEXAI can help you prepare the documentation needed to add your family to a Golden Visa.

The main differences between a UAE free zone and mainland company relate to ownership, where you can trade, and which authority regulates you. Free zones are designated economic areas (such as RAKEZ, IFZA, DMCC or the DIFC) that allow full foreign ownership, offer sector-specific licences, and provide a one-stop setup process; companies there primarily trade within the zone and internationally. A mainland company is licensed by the relevant emirate's economic department (for example Dubai's DET) and can trade directly across the UAE local market and bid for many government contracts. Since federal reforms expanded foreign ownership, many mainland commercial activities also allow up to full foreign ownership, narrowing one historic gap. Free zones may offer customs and tax incentives within their scope, while mainland companies follow onshore licensing and labour rules supervised by bodies like MOHRE. The right choice depends on your customers, activity and visa needs. Compare verified UAE corporate and legal professionals on LEXAI to match a structure to your business plan.

A UAE free zone company generally cannot sell or distribute directly into the mainland local market the same way a mainland-licensed company can, because free zone licences are scoped to activity within the zone and internationally. To reach mainland customers, free zone businesses commonly use one of several routes: appointing a mainland-licensed distributor or commercial agent, working through a logistics/import arrangement that pays the applicable customs duties, or establishing a separate mainland presence such as a branch licensed by the relevant emirate's economic department (for example Dubai's DET). Service businesses sometimes serve mainland clients differently from goods traders, so the rules depend on your activity. These boundaries exist because mainland trade is regulated onshore while free zones are separate customs and licensing territories. Because the precise options vary by emirate, free zone and activity, confirm the current rules with the relevant economic department and your free zone authority before contracting. To structure a compliant mainland route, compare verified UAE corporate and legal professionals on LEXAI.

Yes — full foreign ownership has long been a defining feature of UAE free zones. Companies established in free zones such as RAKEZ, IFZA, DMCC and the DIFC can be wholly owned by non-UAE nationals without a local Emirati partner, which is one reason free zones are popular with foreign founders. Importantly, since federal reforms to the commercial companies framework, full foreign ownership is now also available for many mainland commercial activities, so 100% ownership is no longer unique to free zones. Some strategic or restricted activities may still carry ownership or licensing conditions on the mainland, and certain professional structures differ. Free zones remain attractive for their bundled setup, sector clustering and visa packages rather than ownership alone. Because activity lists and conditions are periodically updated, confirm the current position for your specific activity with the relevant free zone authority or the emirate's economic department. To compare structures for your situation, you can browse verified UAE corporate and legal professionals on LEXAI.

For a RAKEZ company setup and residence visa, you generally prepare two layers of documents: company formation documents and immigration documents. For incorporation, expect to provide passport copies of the owner(s) and any managers, passport-style photographs, a proposed company name and chosen business activities, and, depending on the legal form, items such as a memorandum/articles or a board resolution; corporate shareholders usually need attested company documents. For the residence visa stage, you typically need the trade licence, the establishment/immigration card, the entry permit, a medical fitness test result and Emirates ID biometrics, all processed under the UAE federal immigration system administered by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP). Some documents from abroad may require attestation and legal translation. Because exact requirements vary by activity, legal form and nationality, request RAKEZ's current document checklist for your specific package before submitting, so nothing is missing. For help reviewing or attesting documents, you can compare verified UAE legal and corporate professionals on LEXAI.

After divorce in the UAE, custody (day-to-day care) and guardianship (legal and financial responsibility) are separate roles. Under the UAE Personal Status Law, custody is commonly granted to the mother while guardianship typically remains with the father, though courts decide on the child's best interests — weighing welfare, stability, each parent's conduct and capability, and the child's needs. For non-Muslim residents, the Civil Personal Status framework can apply different principles, sometimes favouring joint or shared custody. Custody can be reviewed if circumstances change or a parent becomes unfit. The Personal Status Court issues the order, typically starting at family guidance and reconciliation. Full guide: [Child custody after divorce in the UAE](/blog/child-custody-after-divorce-uae). Compare verified UAE family law professionals on LEXAI.

A divorce, custody, or maintenance order issued by a court outside the UAE is not automatically effective inside the UAE, but it can often be recognised and enforced through the proper legal process. UAE courts can give effect to certain foreign judgments where conditions are met, typically including that the foreign court had proper jurisdiction, the judgment is final, it does not conflict with UAE public policy or with a UAE judgment on the same matter, and the required formalities, such as attestation, legalisation, and translation, are satisfied. The exact requirements depend on whether a treaty or reciprocity applies between the UAE and the country concerned, and on the type of order. Because recognition is procedural and fact-specific, you should not assume a foreign order is enforceable here without taking the recognition steps before the competent court. The practical route is to apply to have the foreign judgment recognised and then enforced. To assess whether your overseas order can be recognised and to handle the attestation and filing, you can compare verified UAE legal professionals on LEXAI.