How to Set-up an Import and Export Business in Dubai?

Dubai is one of the fastest growing economies and is an ideal hub to trade from all the corners of the world. One of the major businesses is the import export business in Dubai. During the past few years, Dubai import export business has been one of the most profitable businesses.

Great infrastructure along with the UAE’s position makes Dubai highly popular for import export business. Moreover, the Dubai government has stated providing eservices to the import and export companies in Dubai in order to help them function smoothly and efficiently. Guidelines for setting up an import-export business in Dubai can be found in this link.

An Import Export Business in Dubai can be hugely successful due to its Strategic Location as it is the gateway between the east and the west.

The Airports & Seaports of UAE are strategically located to access the international trade route and have world-class infrastructural and logistics facilities. The UAE is directly connected to more than 170 countries by Air, Land, and Sea routes.

The high level of supply and demand augurs well with the flourishing international trade in Dubai and other parts of Emirates. The UAE is rich in petrochemical and natural gas contributing to the majority of exports. There are huge requirements for global products in these regions constituting imports.

The diversified economy of the UAE government with many incentives for foreign investments attracted a large pool of investors across the globe and boosted infrastructure support, real estate, technology, fintech, and many other businesses and money flow.

So, let’s have a look at the procedure for setting up an import export business in Dubai.

Dubai import export business requires an import export license to function. The process to obtain a license is very simple and can be done online. However, if you are exporting or importing special or restricted goods then you need to acquire a special license from the Customs Office.

Import License is required to purchase or get commodities from outside the borders of UAE or from the foreign country or form any other province of Emirates by meeting all legal procedures, documentation, permissions, and terms of licensing. Anyone can become an importer by availing this license from the UAE license authority.

Export License is required when you want to trade in goods or services produced locally in some other country or among the free trade zone of UAE. If the goods are exported to any of the Free Trade Zones of the UAE, they are not subject to pay any customs duty. Although the Free Trade Zone is an integral part of UAE, it doesn’t come under the UAE Customs Territory.

Apart from getting the import export license, you also need to register with the Customs Department. An import code from UAE customs is required to bring goods into UAE by sea or air. Commodities which pass through customs from a free zone to local market are liable for duty. Registering in Dubai Customs is unambiguous and can be done online although you will require a bunch of documents. Mirsal – 2 is the online declaration and clearing system of Dubai Custom. Therefore, all commodities imported or exported should pass through Customs office and will be checked whether they fall under the prohibited list or not.

The exporter needs to go through the below steps:

The importer needs to go through the below steps:

Dubai Import Export Business has a huge scope and you can avail the services of IMC Group if you are willing to set up an import export business in Dubai.

Though all UAE free zones are areas within the territory of the UAE but are considered outside the scope of the UAE customs territory. They have to follow certain conditions and requirements in order to conduct import export business in UAE free zone.

For Import Export Business between Free Zone and a Local Company – Importer should have an importer code and goods should be the same that is mentioned in the license of import export business in Dubai. Goods should reach the destination within 72 hours of the customs declaration. Goods have to be checked before entering the free trade zone.

For Import Export Business between Free Zone and a Foreign Company–Free zone license is free from the expenses of custom duties.