Essence Accounting & Tax Consultancy is a Dubai-based accounting and tax firm in Business Bay that helps foreign founders run compliant UAE companies — accounting, VAT, corporate tax, business setup and Golden Visa — with 500+ companies served.
Quick Answer: Essence is a Dubai-based, FTA-registered accounting and tax firm that handles full UAE compliance for foreign-owned companies — accounting, VAT registration, VAT filing, corporate tax, business setup and Golden Visa advisory — entirely remotely, in English. Serving UK, US and European founders since 2022. Speak to our team →
We have dedicated pages for UK, US and European founders with UAE companies — covering the specific tax rules, double tax treaties and practical questions relevant to your home country.
UAE tax and compliance rules are specific, change regularly, and differ significantly from UK, EU and US frameworks. These are the six issues we see most often with new international clients.
Many founders do not realise that UAE corporate tax at 9% applies to their company from the first financial year. Free zone companies can qualify for 0% as a Qualifying Free Zone Person (QFZP) — but only if strict substance, activity and filing conditions are met. Getting this wrong means paying tax you did not need to, or facing penalties for under-reporting.
UAE VAT registration is mandatory once taxable supplies reach AED 375,000. Many foreign founders miss this threshold or register late, triggering FTA penalties. Filing VAT returns via the EmaraTax portal from a different timezone, with unfamiliar rules, adds further complexity. Essence handles VAT registration and VAT filing end-to-end.
UAE corporate tax law requires financial records to be retained for 7 years and prepared to FTA audit standards. Foreign-owned companies without a local bookkeeping partner routinely fall behind — missing transaction categorisation, bank reconciliations, and the proper accounting treatment for intercompany transactions.
Opening a UAE corporate bank account as a foreign national requires specific documentation — audited accounts, proof of business activity, source of funds, and sometimes physical attendance. Essence assists with document preparation and advises on the most practical approach for non-resident founders as part of our business setup and advisory service.
Many foreign founders are eligible for a UAE Golden Visa — a 10-year residency visa available to investors and company owners meeting certain criteria. The process, eligibility rules and documentation requirements are frequently misunderstood. Essence advises on eligibility and handles the application process through our business advisory service.
If your UAE entity transacts with a parent company, sibling entity or related party abroad — management fees, intercompany loans, IP licences, service charges — UAE transfer pricing rules require those transactions to be priced at arm's length and disclosed in the annual CT return. Groups exceeding certain thresholds must also maintain a Master File and Local File. We prepare all required transfer pricing documentation.
Our services are designed to cover the full compliance lifecycle of a foreign-owned UAE company — from initial setup through to ongoing accounting, tax and advisory.
Monthly management accounts, financial statements and ongoing accounting to UAE corporate tax standards. Delivered digitally. Learn more →
Transaction recording, bank reconciliations and record-keeping to FTA audit standards — all handled remotely every month. Learn more →
End-to-end VAT compliance — registration, return preparation, EmaraTax portal filing, and FTA correspondence. Learn more →
CT registration, annual return preparation, transfer pricing disclosures, and EmaraTax filing as your FTA-appointed tax agent. Learn more →
Free zone and mainland company formation, trade licence, and corporate structuring for foreign founders entering the UAE market. Learn more →
Golden Visa eligibility, UAE residency options, strategic advisory and corporate structuring for international founders. Learn more →
See all Essence services → | Also: Accounting for Foreign Companies UAE →
We are a specialist UAE accounting and tax firm based in Business Bay, Dubai, with a strong track record serving international founders and foreign-owned companies.
Office: Iris Bay Tower, Office 2107, Business Bay, Dubai, UAE
Our entire service model is built for international founders who cannot — or prefer not to — travel to Dubai for routine compliance. Everything Essence does for a UAE company can be handled remotely, in English, with no loss of quality or compliance rigour.
From the first enquiry to ongoing monthly accounting, every step is designed around clients based in the UK, Europe, the US, or anywhere else in the world.
All communication — reports, emails, calls — is in English. No language barrier, no translation needed.
Consultations and account reviews are available by video call, in addition to email and WhatsApp.
Financial summaries can be prepared in multiple currencies to fit your reporting needs.
Documents are shared and signed electronically. Engagement letters and Powers of Attorney are handled digitally.
Onboarding, ongoing accounting, VAT and corporate tax compliance — all handled without you visiting Dubai.
FTA-registered tax agency in Business Bay, Dubai. Accounting, VAT, corporate tax and Golden Visa advisory for foreign-owned UAE companies — remotely, in English, on time.
Last updated: November 2026 | Essence Accounting & Tax Consultancy, Business Bay, Dubai
Verify our tax agency registration on the FTA’s official directory →
