What PRO services actually cover
More than most owners expect. A professional PRO handles over 50 kinds of government transaction, from the once-a-year licence renewal to the day a new hire needs a visa. Here are the ones that come up most.
Licence renewals
Your mainland trade licence renews every year with DET. We file it and keep you clear of fines.
Visa processing
Employment, investor and family visas, from entry permit through to the residence stamp.
Emirates ID
Applications and renewals with the ICP, plus the biometrics booking for each person.
Attestation
Getting UK and foreign documents recognised for official use in the UAE.
Establishment card
Opening and keeping your immigration file, which you need before any visa can be issued.
NOCs and clearances
No-objection letters and government approvals for transfers, activities and staff changes.
The UAE authorities your business must deal with
At least five, and rarely through one login. Each body runs its own portal, its own forms and its own counters, and some still need a person to show up in the queue. That is the real reason a PRO exists.
Labour cards, work permits and WPS pay compliance. Filed through Tasheel service centres.
Entry permits, residence visas, renewals and cancellations in Dubai. Handled at Amer centres.
Issues the Emirates ID, and handles visas in Abu Dhabi and the Northern Emirates.
The mainland licensing authority, formerly DED. Issues, renews and amends your trade licence.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs that attests documents for official use in the UAE.
Free zone authorities, Dubai Municipality and health authorities each add their own steps.
| Option | What it does | Best for | Main limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typing centre | Prepares and types forms; Tasheel centres can submit MOHRE filings | One-off jobs, form typing | You still manage the rest yourself |
| In-house PRO | A salaried officer who runs your filings full time | Firms filing every week | A fixed salary and one point of failure |
| Outsourced PRO | Runs your whole government relationship across all bodies | Most foreign-owned SMEs | You share the provider with other clients |
Work out what your company needs
Send us your setup and we will map the paperwork you face this year.
What goes wrong without a PRO
Missed government deadlines cost real money, and the fines stack up fast. Here is what catches owners out and how we keep you clear.
A late mainland renewal runs from AED 250 a month, and an unrenewed licence can be suspended, which freezes your visas and bank transactions.
Our fix: We track your renewal date and file with DET before it expires.
Without a valid immigration file, your company cannot process a single visa. New hires simply cannot start.
Our fix: We open and maintain your establishment card so visa work never stalls.
Paying staff outside the Wage Protection System can bring fines up to AED 50,000 and a MOHRE work-permit ban.
Our fix: We keep your payroll filings compliant so your permits stay open.
A trade licence cannot renew without a registered tenancy. Missing Ejari is the single most common blocker.
Our fix: We line up your Ejari and licence together, so one never holds up the other.
An expired Emirates ID adds daily fines and stops other transactions until it is fixed.
Our fix: We flag every renewal early and handle it with the ICP before the deadline.
How we handle a work visa, start to finish
TYPICAL TIMELINE: 7 TO 15 WORKING DAYS
A new employee visa runs through five steps across three authorities. It is the job owners most want off their plate, so here is exactly how we run it.
Step 01 · Entry permit 2 to 4 days
We file the entry permit with the GDRFA so your hire can begin the residency process.
Step 02 · Medical and Emirates ID 2 to 3 days
We book the medical fitness test and the ICP biometrics, then feed both into the file.
Step 03 · Visa stamping 3 to 5 days
The residence visa is issued as a digital record at an Amer centre. Residency is now live.
Step 04 · Labour contract 1 to 2 days
We register the employment contract with MOHRE through Tasheel, which activates labour-law cover.
Step 05 · Emirates ID collection 2 to 3 days
The physical Emirates ID is printed and collected, and your employee is fully set up.
What do PRO services cost in Dubai?
You can pay per job or keep us on a monthly retainer. Small and mid-size firms usually pay AED 1,000 to AED 5,000 a month for a retainer, while one-off jobs are priced per task. Once you are running more than three government transactions a month, a retainer almost always works out cheaper.
- Monthly retainer for regular filings
- Per-task pricing for one-off jobs
- Visa processing, per person
- Attestation, priced per document
- Government fees billed separately
- Express handling if you are in a rush
Government fees are set by each authority and are always separate from our service fee, so no single price fits every company. Figures here are indicative 2026 ranges. Riz & Mona Consultancy gives you a clear, itemised quote once we know your licence, staff and filing volume.
Why choose Riz & Mona Consultancy for PRO
Riz & Mona Consultancy already sets up and banks UK-owned companies in the UAE, so putting your government paperwork with the same team keeps everything in one place. We deal with every authority for you, track the deadlines that trigger fines, and tell you honestly when a cheaper route will do the job.
- Every authority covered
- Deadlines tracked
- UK-based support
- One team from setup on
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The questions UK founders ask us most about choosing where to set up in the UAE. Rules change, so treat these as a guide and confirm your own case before you commit.
1. What is a PRO in the UAE?
A PRO, or Public Relations Officer, handles every dealing your UAE company has with the government. Despite the name it has nothing to do with publicity; it covers licence renewals, visa stamping, Emirates ID, document attestation and labour filings. A PRO can be an in-house employee or, more commonly for foreign-owned firms, an outsourced service that runs the whole lot for you.
2. What do PRO services actually cover?
More than most owners expect. A professional PRO handles over 50 kinds of government transaction, from the once-a-year trade licence renewal to processing a visa the day a new hire starts. The core areas are visa and immigration work, licence renewals and amendments, Emirates IDs, labour and MOHRE filings, document attestation and liaison with the various authorities.
3. Do I really need a PRO for my UAE company?
For most foreign-owned SMEs, yes. UAE government processes run across at least five authorities, each with its own portal, forms and counters, and some still need someone to attend in person. Missed deadlines carry real fines, so once you are running more than a few government transactions a month, a PRO usually pays for itself in avoided penalties and saved time.
4. How much do PRO services cost in Dubai?
You can pay per job or keep a monthly retainer. Small and mid-size firms usually pay AED 1,000 to AED 5,000 a month for a retainer, while one-off tasks are priced individually. Once you are handling more than about three government transactions a month, a retainer almost always works out cheaper than paying per task.
5. Which UAE government authorities does my business have to deal with?
At least five, rarely through a single login. The main ones are the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) for your licence, the GDRFA and ICP for visas and Emirates IDs, MOHRE for labour and work permits, and Amer and Tasheel service centres for processing. Each runs its own system, which is the real reason a PRO exists.
6. What is the difference between a typing centre, an in-house PRO and an outsourced PRO?
A typing centre is cheaper per task but only prepares documents; it does not manage the whole process. An in-house PRO makes sense once you are filing government transactions constantly and can justify a salaried role. An outsourced PRO is the sensible middle ground for most foreign-owned SMEs, covering everything without the overhead of an employee.
7. What happens if my trade licence lapses?
A late mainland renewal runs from around AED 250 a month, and an unrenewed licence can be suspended, which freezes your visas and bank transactions until it is fixed. Because the licence underpins everything else, letting it lapse causes knock-on problems well beyond the fine, so tracking the renewal date is essential.
8. What is an establishment card and why does my company need one?
An establishment card is your company’s immigration file, and without a valid one your company cannot process a single visa, so new hires simply cannot start. It is one of the first things a PRO opens and keeps current, because if it lapses all your visa work stalls until it is renewed.
9. What is WPS, and what happens if I do not follow it?
The Wage Protection System (WPS) is the UAE’s mandatory payroll framework for paying staff. Paying employees outside it can bring fines of up to AED 50,000 and a MOHRE work-permit ban, which stops you hiring. Keeping your payroll filings WPS-compliant is what keeps your work permits open, and it is a core part of the PRO function.
10. Why does my trade licence renewal need Ejari?
Because a UAE trade licence cannot be renewed without a registered tenancy, and Ejari is the official record of that lease. Missing Ejari is the single most common blocker to a licence renewal. A PRO lines up your Ejari and licence together so one never holds up the other.
11. How long does it take to process a work visa for a new employee?
Around 7 to 15 working days, across three authorities. It runs through the entry permit (2 to 4 days), the medical test and Emirates ID biometrics (2 to 3 days), visa stamping at an Amer centre (3 to 5 days), registering the labour contract with MOHRE through Tasheel (1 to 2 days), and collecting the physical Emirates ID (2 to 3 days).
12. What goes wrong if I do not have a PRO?
Missed government deadlines, and the fines stack up fast. The usual culprits are a lapsed trade licence, no valid establishment card, breached WPS payroll rules, missing Ejari, or an expired Emirates ID, each of which can freeze visas, hiring or bank transactions. Most of these cost money not because of the tax or fee itself, but because a step was missed.
13. Can PRO services be handled remotely from the UK?
Yes. Riz & Mona Consultancy deals with every UAE authority on your behalf, so you can run your company from the UK while the government side is handled on the ground. You get one team tracking the deadlines that trigger fines, in UK hours, rather than navigating five separate portals and counters yourself.
14. Does an expired Emirates ID cause problems?
Yes. An expired Emirates ID adds daily fines and blocks other transactions until it is renewed, because it is the identity document tied to banking, tenancy and government services. A PRO flags every Emirates ID renewal early and handles it with the ICP before the deadline, so it never becomes a bottleneck.
15. Why use Riz & Mona Consultancy for PRO services?
Because we already set up and bank UK-owned companies in the UAE, so putting your government paperwork with the same team keeps everything in one place. We deal with every authority for you, track the deadlines that trigger fines, handle everything from licence renewals to visa stamping and attestation, and tell you honestly when a cheaper route, like a typing centre, would do the job.
Put your UAE paperwork in safe hands
Speak to Riz & Mona Consultancy and let us keep your company compliant.
