Start a Business in Korea from the UAE: Guide for Emirati Founders

If you are an Emirati founder, or a founder based in the UAE, planning to start a company in Korea, you can work within a bilateral trade framework: the Korea–UAE CEPA is in force, alongside a double tax treaty. This page lists the official contacts in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Seoul and the practical steps to a startup visa in Korea. Note that visa rules depend on your nationality, not your country of residence.

Key contacts

The Korean missions listed above handle visa applications and consular questions for people in the UAE. KOTRA’s Korea Business Center mainly supports trade and investment between Korea and the UAE, so it is a useful contact if your business plan involves importing, exporting or investment.

Trade and tax

Trade agreements

The Korea–UAE CEPA (Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement) entered into force in May 2026, according to Korea’s official FTA portal. Negotiations on a Korea–GCC FTA, which also covers the UAE, were concluded on 28 December 2023, but that agreement has not yet been signed. Source: Korea FTA portal – status of Korea’s FTAs (as of September 2026).

Double tax treaty

A Korea–UAE double tax treaty is in force: the original convention was signed on 22 September 2003 and entered into force on 9 March 2005. A new convention replacing the earlier one was signed on 27 February 2019 and took effect on 29 February 2020. The treaty helps prevent the same income, such as salaries, dividends or royalties, from being taxed twice. Source: Korean government list of tax treaties (조세조약 체결 현황), Public Data Portal, as of 20 July 2026.

Your path to starting a business in Korea

• Startup visa (D-8-4) and OASIS: the usual route for founders from the UAE is the startup visa (D-8-4). It requires a company set up in Korea and a minimum score in the OASIS points system (Overall Assistance for Startup Immigration System), which you build through OASIS courses, IP applications or startup competition awards. See our D-8-4 startup visa and OASIS guide.
• K-Startup Grand Challenge: this government accelerator program is open to founders from any country and offers funding, office space and visa support to selected teams. Read the K-Startup Grand Challenge guide.
• Office space and global startup centers: several public centers in Seoul and other cities offer free or low-cost desks to foreign founders, and some of these spaces can also serve as your business address. See free office space for foreign founders in Korea.
• Government support programs: an overview of the main programs open to foreigners, from mentoring to grants, is in our guide to Korean government startup programs for foreign founders.
• Studying in Korea first: if you are, or plan to be, an international student, you can move from a D-2 student visa to the D-8-4 startup visa. See the international student startup guide (D-2 to D-8-4).
• Check visa details with official offices: before you apply, confirm the current document list with the Korean mission in the UAE listed above, as requirements can change.

Sources

• Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the UAE (Abu Dhabi) – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Korea
• Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the UAE (Abu Dhabi) (Korean version)
• Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Dubai – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Korea
• Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Dubai (Korean version)
• Embassy of the UAE in Seoul
• KOTRA Dubai Korea Business Center
• Korea FTA portal – status of Korea’s FTAs (발효/서명/협상 현황)
• Korean government list of tax treaties (재정경제부 조세조약 체결 현황), Public Data Portal, as of 20 July 2026

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