A UAE company can own 100% of a Turkish company and register it in a day once the documents are in order. Dividends paid to the UAE parent carry withholding tax of 10% if the UAE parent holds at least 25% of the Turkish company, and 12% otherwise. The UAE is not a party to the Apostille Convention.
How much business do Turkey and the United Arab Emirates do?
Trade between Turkey and the United Arab Emirates reached about USD 19 billion in 2025 according to the Turkish Ministry of Trade. A comprehensive economic partnership agreement between the two countries has been in force since September 2023. A bilateral investment treaty has been in force since 2011.
How are dividends to a UAE parent taxed?
Pending lawyer reviewA Turkish company pays 25% corporate income tax. When it pays a dividend to its UAE parent, Turkey withholds tax. The domestic rate is 15%. Under the tax treaty the rate is 10% if the UAE parent holds at least 25% of the Turkish company, and 12% otherwise. Rates are from PwC Tax Summaries, reviewed in September 2026. The full table for all countries is in the tax chapter.
Which documents does a UAE shareholder need?
Pending lawyer reviewThe UAE is not a party to the Apostille Convention. Company documents are notarised in the UAE, attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, legalised by the Turkish Embassy in Abu Dhabi or the Consulate General in Dubai, and then translated by a sworn translator in Turkey. Allow extra time for this chain.
- Company registry extract or certificate of activity
- Resolution to establish the Turkish company and appoint its representative
- Power of attorney, if the formation is handled without travel
- Passport copies of the managers
The full process and our fixed price are on the company formation page.
Can you post UAE staff to Turkey?
Pending lawyer reviewYes, with a work permit. The employer must have five Turkish employees for each foreign employee and paid-in capital of TRY 500,000, or meet the net sales or export test. There is no social security agreement between the UAE and Turkey, so posted staff are generally insured in Turkey. UAE citizens can enter Turkey without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Entry rules are published by the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Details are in the work permit chapter.
What if a Turkish customer does not pay a UAE supplier?
Pending lawyer reviewYou can start enforcement proceedings in Turkey without a judgment, and the debtor has 7 days to object. The UAE is not covered by the 1954 Hague Convention and we found no bilateral treaty on the point, so a UAE creditor should budget for security for costs of 15% to 20% of the claim. There is no judgment treaty and no published precedent on reciprocity, so enforcement of a UAE court judgment is uncertain. An arbitration clause is the safer choice in contracts with Turkish counterparties, because awards are enforced under the New York Convention. Routes, costs and fixed prices are on the debt collection page.
Who can help on the ground?
For introductions and trade events, the Türkiye-UAE Business Council of DEİK is the main bilateral business body. For the legal and tax side of your entry, we give you a written scope and one price.
Common questions
Pending lawyer reviewWhat is the dividend withholding tax between Turkey and the United Arab Emirates?
Turkey's domestic rate is 15%. Under the tax treaty the rate is 10% if the UAE parent holds at least 25% of the Turkish company, and 12% otherwise.
Do UAE company documents need an apostille for Turkey?
The UAE is not a party to the Apostille Convention. Company documents are notarised in the UAE, attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, legalised by the Turkish Embassy in Abu Dhabi or the Consulate General in Dubai, and then translated by a sworn translator in Turkey. Allow extra time for this chain.
Does a UAE creditor have to post security in Turkish courts?
The UAE is not covered by the 1954 Hague Convention and we found no bilateral treaty on the point, so a UAE creditor should budget for security for costs of 15% to 20% of the claim.
Can a court judgment from the United Arab Emirates be enforced in Turkey?
There is no judgment treaty and no published precedent on reciprocity, so enforcement of a UAE court judgment is uncertain. An arbitration clause is the safer choice in contracts with Turkish counterparties, because awards are enforced under the New York Convention.
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