Source: https://ni-hub.com/2016/04/16/what-not-to-do-when-setting-up-in-the-uae/
Timestamp: 2018-03-21 04:46:06
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Matched Legal Cases: ['art 1', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 1', 'art 2', 'art 1']

What NOT to do when setting up in the UAE
Having laid out all that you would need to do in setting up a Business in the UAE in Part 1 and Part 2, here are some “DON’Ts” for setting up a business in the UAE:
Do not sign a lease contract in a location you have not personally inspected
Often, advertised offers are designed to give an impression, which exaggerates the real deal. The number of visas your business is eligible to some extent depends on the type of location you register. After registration, it is possible to find that your location is not big enough to permit the number of visas you require. Changing your mind at this point could throw your budget into disarray. So do not proceed until all aspects about the office are confirmed.
Do not rely on only one source for information
Truth is, everyone makes mistakes. All scholarly journals and newspapers contain “corrections” sections in which they acknowledge errors in their prior work. Furthermore, rules change in the Department of Economic Development and the country as a whole. Hence, prior to finalizing the business plans, it is prudent to confirm the validity of your information, especially if your sole source is published data. Repeatedly reach out to your country’s trade council in the region to validate he information you have and request for new information that you might require. By doing this, you may discover that some additional documents may be needed, or that some nationalities need special permissions, or that some requirements may be waived if you request or negotiate!
Do not blindly choose license categories
There are literally hundreds of licenses available for businesses in the UAE. Given that you would be availed to higher discounts as the number of categories you select increase, one might be tempted to just rake in licenses that would end up being redundant. Take advantage of these discounts by choosing extra categories that allows you to grow and add products in the future. For instance, if your main business activity is urban waste management, you could also consider getting a license that allows you to manage farm waste. Do not take a sharp U-turn and get a license to a totally unrelated product. If it’s not your main business, or directly related to your business, the chances that you would get clients are very slim.
Do not open a bank account without confirming the bank charges and mandatory minimum balances
In this region, it is not advisable to choose a bank based on general reputation. It is very important to speak directly with your to be account manager to clarify the bank charges and the monthly minimum balance requirement. These bank levies and required monthly balance might be insignificant to well-established companies but for a startup business, these could amount to a substantial sum for a bank dependent operation. There are quite a number of banking options available and each bank has its own requirement so make sure to check at least a couple before your finally decide. Whatever you do, always confirm beforehand that the requirements and charges would not hurt your business!
Do not agree to a Sponsorship arrangement without a written and notarized legal agreement
Registering a business outside the Free Zone would require a local sponsor who would own at least 51% of the business. Handing over majority shares of your company to a stranger is very daunting even more when you are doing business abroad. A local sponsor may want to charge separately for some services or deem it fit to change his/her mind after an understanding has been reached. As such, do not rely only on verbal understandings. Insist on all agreements to be written, no matter how insignificant the detail might seem. Do not go ahead with a sponsor until both sides have a written agreement on what to expect from each other.
And here is a “DO”:
Double and triple check everything
No matter how well you feel you have looked into everything, that one last check could prove to save you a lot of hassle in the long run. All too often we neglect details that we assume should be in place because of common sense and expect to be cleared out later. The fact is, common sense is subjective so make sure you clarify every little detail. You don’t want to end up taking weeks working on correcting something that would have taken 5 minutes in the beginning.
Author Nordic Innovation HubPosted on April 16, 2016
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Starting a Business in UAE – Part 2
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The 5th NNI Event! October 19, 2016
What NOT to do when setting up in the UAE April 16, 2016
Starting a Business in UAE – Part 2 April 6, 2016
Starting a Business in UAE – Part 1 March 20, 2016
Fundamentals of Doing Business in the UAE February 17, 2016
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