PRO services
Establishment card for your company in Dubai and the UAE
The establishment card is the company's file with the immigration authority. It is issued electronically by GDRFA in Dubai and by ICP in the other emirates, and it records the trade name, licence number, partners and activity. A company needs a valid card before it can apply for entry permits or residence visas for owners and staff.
At a glance Fact sheet
- Issued by
- GDRFA Dubai for Dubai companies, ICP in the other emirates
- What it records
- Trade name, licence number, partners and type of activity
- Needed for
- Entry permits and residence visas for owners, partners and employees
- Free zone companies
- Apply through the free zone authority
- Form
- An electronic card held in the authority's system
- Depends on
- A valid trade licence, both when the card is issued and when it is renewed
Overview
A trade licence lets your company trade. It does not, by itself, let the company sponsor anyone. For that, the immigration authority has to know the company exists, who owns it and who may sign for it. The establishment card is that registration. People also call it the immigration card or the firm card, and it is the first thing we open after a new licence is issued.
The authority depends on where the company is licensed. In Dubai it is the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs. In the other emirates it is the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security. Both issue the card electronically, so there is nothing to collect. A free zone company does not apply directly. The request goes through its free zone authority.
The card has to stay in step with the licence. If you change the trade name, add or remove a partner, transfer ownership or change the activity, the card must be amended as well. It also carries an expiry date, and an expired card holds up new visa applications and renewals until it is renewed. Caliph keeps that date on your renewal calendar.
What you gain by handing the card to Caliph
Visas can start straight after the licence
We open the card as soon as the licence is issued, so the owner's own visa and the first hires are not left waiting for a file.
The signatory is set up correctly
The card names who may sign for the company. We prepare the signature authorisation, and the notarised authority where a manager signs in place of the owner.
Card and licence always match
When partners, name or activity change on the licence, we file the amendment on the card too, so later visa requests are not rejected for mismatched data.
Renewed before it blocks you
We track the expiry date with the licence and renew in good time, because a card renewed late attracts a fine.
Labour and immigration opened in order
A mainland company also needs a file with MOHRE. We open both in the right sequence and keep their details consistent.
What to have ready
- A copy of the valid trade licence
- The list of partners, or a licence copy that shows them
- The Memorandum of Association, where the company has partners
- Passport copies of the owners and of each authorised signatory
- The Emirates ID of the authorised signatory, if one has been issued
- A signature authorisation letter naming who may sign for the company
- A notarised authorisation, if a manager will sign in place of the owner
Some establishment types and some emirates ask for extra papers. Your consultant confirms the list for your company before anything is filed.
How the establishment card is issued
We check the licence details
Your consultant confirms that the licence is valid and that the partners, manager and activity on it are final.
We prepare the signatory documents
The signature authorisation is drafted and, where needed, the manager's authority is notarised.
The application is submitted
We file through the GDRFA Dubai or ICP smart services, an approved service centre or your free zone authority, depending on where you are licensed.
Fees are paid and queries answered
Government fees are settled. If the authority returns the request for correction, we fix it and resubmit.
The card is issued electronically
Once approved, the card is active in the authority's system. We send you a copy and record its expiry date.
Visa applications can begin
With the card active, we move to the entry permit and residence visa for the owner and then for staff.
Good to know
- The immigration establishment card is separate from the company's file with MOHRE. A mainland employer needs both before it can hire.
- Changes to the trade name, partners or activity are filed as an amendment to the existing card. You do not apply for a new one.
- Fines on the establishment have to be settled before the card can be renewed or amended.
Questions people ask
What is an establishment card in the UAE?
It is the electronic record that registers a company with the immigration authority. It shows the trade name, licence number, partners and activity. Without it the company cannot apply for entry permits or residence visas, so it is normally the first step after the trade licence is issued.
Who issues the establishment card?
In Dubai it is issued by the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs, known as GDRFA Dubai. In the other emirates it is issued by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security, known as ICP. Free zone companies request it through their free zone authority.
Is the establishment card the same as the MOHRE labour file?
No. The establishment card is the company's immigration file. The labour file is a separate registration with the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, which mainland employers use for work permits and employment contracts. A mainland company that hires staff needs both, and Caliph opens them together.
Does the establishment card need to be renewed?
Yes. The card has an expiry date, and the trade licence must be valid when you renew it. Any fines on the establishment have to be settled first. Renewing late leads to a fine and can hold up visa applications, so we track the date with your licence renewal.
What happens to the card if I change partners or the trade name?
The change is made on the trade licence first, then filed as an amendment to the establishment card. The authority asks for the updated licence and a request from the authorised signatory. Until the card is amended, visa applications can be rejected because the two records disagree.
Can I apply for the establishment card myself?
The authorised signatory can apply through the authority's smart services with a UAE Pass login, or through an approved service centre. Many owners prefer to hand it over because the card, the labour file and the first visa follow one another. Caliph files all three in order.
- General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs, Dubai
- Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security
- UAE Government portal, recruiting on the mainland
Reviewed by Caliph Business Solutions on . Rules differ by activity and by authority. Your Caliph consultant confirms what applies to you.
Ready to establish your company in the UAE?
Book a free consultation. Tell us what you want to open and we come back with the route, the documents and the cost.
- VisitHapag-Lloyd Building, Port Saeed, Deira, Dubai. P.O. Box 8070
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