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Dubai: How to set up a non-profit organisation; documents, process explained
Civil society organisations in the emirate must be licensed by the Community Development Authority
Photo: WAM File
Do you wish to start a charitable organisation? Or are you an artist looking to start your own association? Non-profit civil society organisations in Dubai must be licensed by the Community Development Authority (CDA).
A civil society organisation includes those that conduct activities in the social, healthcare, instructional, cultural, scientific, educational, occupational, creative, artistic, and humanitarian fields, and in any other fields that aim to achieve public benefit as determined pursuant to a resolution issued by the Director General, according to Law No. (12) of 2017.
The application can be sent to the authority's email: civil.facilities@cda.gov.ae
To set up a civil society organisation, here are the documents required, eligibility, fees and points to note.
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Required documents
For initial stage of the application, the following documents must be submitted:
- Completed civil society organisation licence application form (found on CDA website)
- Electronic copy of valid passport for all members. For citizens, file number must be presented and non-citizens must show residence visa
- Electronic copy of valid national identity card for all members (both sides).
- Electronic copy of declaration and undertaking form
- Electronic copy of financial plan for next two years
- Electronic copy of list of official sponsors (if applicable)
After the initial approval, additional documents must be submitted, including:
- Electronic copy of attested constitution and board resolution (in both Arabic and English). This must be issued by Dubai courts.
- No-objection letter attested by notary public.
- Electronic copy of documents of the premises for the civil organisation. These include land grant, lease agreement by the name of the civil organisation, no-objection for the use of a real estate, and others that may be required. The documents must be issued by Dubai Land Department.
After initial approval, an inspection will be conducted of the organisation's premises. If CDA approves the application, the electronic copy of an account with a domestic national bank must be submitted. The final licence will be issued through email.
Fees
Dh2020 annual fees for the final licence
Points to note
The founding members must meet the following criteria to be eligible:
- The number of founders must not be less than ten, two of whom must be UAE nationals. The Director General can decrease or increase the minimum m=number of UAE-national founders
- Founding members must be 21 or above at the time of submitting the licence application
- If the founding member is a GCC national, they must be a UAE resident
- Other non-UAE nationals must have resided in the country for atleast 3 years, and hold a valid residence visa
- The founders must have full legal capacity, be of good character and repute and not have been convicted of any felony or other crime affecting honour or trustworthiness, unless he has been rehabilitated.
- The licence is valid for one year, and can be renewed
The civil society association must submit a charter which includes:
- The name of the association, which must be different from names of other associations with similar activities, must indicate the objectives of the association, and be approved by CDA
- Proposed premises, geographic scope of the association's work
- The objectives, association's activities and its categories
- Founder members' names, nationalities, occupations, places of residence
- Types of membership and requirements, procedures for acceptance and revocation of membership, members' rights and duties
- Rules and regulations governing the convention and functions of ordinary and extraordinary General Assemblies
- Procedures for convoking General Assembly meetings, conditions for the validity of these meetings, and the methods of passing General Assembly decisions
- Method of forming Board of Directors and their functions
- Conditions for forfeit or cessation of membership
- Rules of amending the charter
- Procedures for establishing and closing down its branches and centres, or merging with other associations
- The financial resources, its utilisation and allocation for the association
- Methods of controlling the expenditure, and beginning and end dates of association's financial year
- Imprest system (if any) and the imprest amount maintained to meet contingent expenditure
- Conditions for voluntary dissolution, and rules for liquidation
- Any other information the CDA deems necessary.
For a civil society association to be licensed, it must not be a branch of an association already licensed outside of the UAE.
Additionally, receiving an application does not imply approval by CDA. The authority may reject an application in public interest, or because it does not fulfill conditions in Law No. (12) of 2017.
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