The UAE has amended its Commercial Companies Law, introducing the concept of “corporate citizenship” that automatically confers UAE nationality on any company incorporated in the country, whether on the mainland or in a free zone. Officials stress that the measure does not bestow personal Emirati citizenship on shareholders; rather, it provides the legal entity with UAE nationality, aligning local practice with how most jurisdictions treat corporations.
Why it matters for global mobility: multinationals relocating regional headquarters to Dubai or Abu Dhabi will enjoy clearer legal standing when tendering for government contracts, accessing incentive schemes reserved for domestic entities, and leveraging the UAE’s expanding network of Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPAs). In practical terms, HR and tax teams can expect smoother attestation of corporate documents, while mobility managers may see faster turnaround when sponsoring employee residence permits, as the company is now categorised as “local.”
VisaHQ can complement these developments by helping newly “local” companies streamline the visa and document-legalisation process for their mobile workforce. Through its dedicated UAE portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/), the service provides end-to-end support for entry permits, status changes and embassy attestations—ensuring that HR teams can capitalise on the law’s efficiencies without being bogged down by paperwork.
![New Commercial Companies Law grants ‘Emirati corporate citizenship’ to firms registered in the UAE]()
The revised law—Federal Decree-Law 20 of 2025—also introduces multiple share classes, simpler M&A procedures and flexible re-domiciliation rules allowing companies to move between emirates without losing legal identity. Experts say these reforms enhance the UAE’s appeal amid fierce competition from Saudi Arabia’s Regional Headquarters Programme and Qatar’s free-zone incentives.
Legal advisors recommend that foreign owners review governance structures, as the law clarifies directors’ duties and minority-shareholder protections. Firms operating in DIFC or ADGM should verify whether sector-specific regulations override or complement the federal changes.
For mobility professionals, the biggest takeaway is reputational: products and services exported by a UAE-incorporated entity can now be branded definitively as “Made in the UAE,” strengthening market access and client confidence worldwide.
Why it matters for global mobility: multinationals relocating regional headquarters to Dubai or Abu Dhabi will enjoy clearer legal standing when tendering for government contracts, accessing incentive schemes reserved for domestic entities, and leveraging the UAE’s expanding network of Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPAs). In practical terms, HR and tax teams can expect smoother attestation of corporate documents, while mobility managers may see faster turnaround when sponsoring employee residence permits, as the company is now categorised as “local.”
VisaHQ can complement these developments by helping newly “local” companies streamline the visa and document-legalisation process for their mobile workforce. Through its dedicated UAE portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/), the service provides end-to-end support for entry permits, status changes and embassy attestations—ensuring that HR teams can capitalise on the law’s efficiencies without being bogged down by paperwork.
The revised law—Federal Decree-Law 20 of 2025—also introduces multiple share classes, simpler M&A procedures and flexible re-domiciliation rules allowing companies to move between emirates without losing legal identity. Experts say these reforms enhance the UAE’s appeal amid fierce competition from Saudi Arabia’s Regional Headquarters Programme and Qatar’s free-zone incentives.
Legal advisors recommend that foreign owners review governance structures, as the law clarifies directors’ duties and minority-shareholder protections. Firms operating in DIFC or ADGM should verify whether sector-specific regulations override or complement the federal changes.
For mobility professionals, the biggest takeaway is reputational: products and services exported by a UAE-incorporated entity can now be branded definitively as “Made in the UAE,” strengthening market access and client confidence worldwide.
