What is Basher?

Basher is an integrated eService, which enables investors to establish their businesses in the UAE within 15 minutes through a unified online platform. This platform is connected with federal and local government entities which provide commercial licence services.

For getting a business licence through Basher, same standard fees apply as defined by the relevant Departments of Economic Development (DED) and other respective local and federal entities involved for business licensing.

Services offered by Basher

Through Basher, the investor is offered the following bundle services:

• a trade licence
• a membership number in the Chamber of Commerce of the respective emirate
• an establishment card number from Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security
• a membership number from Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation
• a quota for three work permits
• renewal of commercial license for more than 1200 commercial activities.

The Basher platform provides other supporting services including:

• Business set up navigator - a tool which assist in setting up your business structure, estimating the different costs and knowing about set up processes.
• Calculation of licence issuance cost.

After submitting the application and paying the fees, documents will be issued electronically, and the investor can immediately start doing business.

How to apply for Basher?

At the time of applying for the service all the investors should have:

• valid Emirates ID
• valid UAE Pass account
• UAE Pass digital signature (required only for L.L.C.)

To speed up the process, please ready the following information before applying for the service:

• Company information (required only for L.L.C.)
• Investor Details (required only for L.L.C.)
• Partner’s Emirates ID number and address (required only for L.L.C.)
• Trade name.

Documents required

No documents have to be submitted at the service application phase. After issuance of the commercial licence and other documents, investor will have a grace period of:

• one year to submit a tenancy contract to Department of Economic Development in the respective emirate of the established business
• 60 days for non-UAE nationals to:

1. change his/her visa status to investor’s visa
2. submit a valid no-objection certificate to Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security in case they are employed by a government entity or if the woman is a homemaker. 

Goal and context

Basher was approved on the basis of the results of the UAE Government’s annual meetings, held in September 2017. It is a step in the UAE’s plan for mTransformation of government services. The project is assigned to Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA).

The initiative aims to save 10 million waiting hours, 1,011 tons of carbon dioxide and 45,600 working hours, which can be allocated for innovation activities.

The project aims also to raise the UAE’s ranking in the national indicators through the optimal utilisation of mGovernment enablers on the federal and local levels. It will also attract more investors to the country and raise the UAE’s ranking in the World Bank’s ‘Ease of Doing Business’ report.

Functioning of Basher

Basher covers five main functions as follows:

1. Providing trade names registry – Basher provides an automated verification of trade names throughout the Departments of Economic Development and other entities concerned

2. Restructuring official procedures by providing registration and payment services online and notifying electronically to the entities concerned about licence status

3. Setting mechanisms to unify the registration process - by this procedure, a new company registered in economic departments and municipalities will be registered in other entities. It will enable customers to get commercial licence and establishment card and update other entities about any amendments to the commercial licence

4. Setting mechanisms for issuance of company licences and certificates electronically by economic departments and municipalities and improvement of economic departments’ data

5. Covering legal aspect: it covers plans and timelines for finishing legal updates and related policies and submitting them for approval by the authorities concerned.

Tracks of Basher

To activate the Basher service, the UAE government implemented the following associated projects:

1. Digital signature: activating digital signature in the UAE as a secured means for eTransactions

2. One-time application: centralising personal information of the customer with privacy protection and making it available for government entities concerned

3. Dissemination and exchange of data: approving a policy or law for dissemination and exchange of data in the federal government, in coordination with local governments

4. Digital transaction strategy: defining aspects of digital transactions strategy, frame of governance and government usages and initiatives.

Useful links:

• FAQs – Basher website (PDF, 450 KB)
• Digital signature and timestamp service – ICP
• TRA's 'Basher' Initiative covers 1200 business activities - WAM