Documents Required for Business Internet (and SIMs) in the UAE

The documents required for business internet in the UAE are short and predictable — yet a missing signature or an expired card is the number-one reason a connection that should take days ends up taking weeks. Most companies don't fail the application; they just submit it with one thing out of date and then wait for a call that asks for it again.

This guide gives you the complete, current checklist for — for a fixed business internet line and for corporate SIMs — so you can gather everything once and get connected fast. As an authorized du business partner since 2014, Stalwart submits these applications every week, so this is the list operators actually ask for, not a generic template.

The Short Answer: Documents at a Glance

If you only read one section, read this. To connect business internet in the UAE you need four core documents: a valid trade licence, your establishment (immigration) card, the authorised signatory's passport and Emirates ID, and a tenancy contract or Ejari for the office. A fifth — a Power of Attorney or authorisation letter — is needed only when the person signing isn't named on the licence. A business SIM needs the same core paperwork minus the tenancy contract, plus the Emirates ID of each user the line is registered to.

The 4 Core Documents Every UAE Company Needs

Every fixed business internet application in the UAE rests on the same four documents. Get these four current and matching, and you've cleared roughly 90% of what causes delays.

• 1. Valid UAE trade licence. This is the anchor. The internet account is registered to your licensed company, so the licence must be in-date and show the correct legal name and activity. Mainland and free zone licences both qualify.
• 2. Establishment card (immigration card). Also called the company immigration card, this proves your entity is registered with immigration. Operators use it to confirm the company is active and to match the signatory.
• 3. Authorised signatory's passport and Emirates ID. The person signing the contract must be able to act for the company. A clear passport copy and a valid Emirates ID for that person are both required — an expired Emirates ID is a common stumbling block.
• 4. Tenancy contract or Ejari. A fixed line goes to a physical address, so you need proof of premises — an Ejari in Dubai, or the equivalent tenancy/lease registration in your emirate. The address on it should match the address you want the line installed at.

One quiet detail worth checking: the trade licence for business internet UAE applications must name an activity consistent with your company, and the signatory on the internet contract should either appear on the licence or carry authorisation (see the next section). When the licence, the tenancy contract and the signatory's ID all point to the same company and name, the check is usually clean.

The Fifth Document — Only Sometimes

There's a fifth document that trips up companies precisely because it isn't always needed. If the person signing the internet contract is not listed as a partner, manager or authorised signatory on the trade licence, the operator will ask for a Power of Attorney (POA) or a company authorisation letter naming that person. It's the paperwork that says "yes, this individual can commit the company."

This matters most for larger firms, where an office manager, IT lead or PRO handles the application rather than the owner. If that's you, prepare a simple authorisation letter on company letterhead with the company stamp — or a POA if your setup requires one — before you submit. When the signatory is already on the licence, you can skip this entirely.

Documents Required for a Business SIM

Most guides stop at fixed internet, but plenty of UAE companies need corporate SIMs at the same time — for field staff, drivers, sales teams and travelling managers. The good news: the paperwork overlaps almost entirely with your internet application, so if you've gathered the four core documents you're most of the way there.

For documents for a business SIM in the UAE, you'll typically need:

• Valid trade licence — the same one you use for internet; mainland or free zone.
• Authorised signatory's Emirates ID and passport copy — the person opening the mobile account.
• Emirates ID of each user — every SIM must be registered to a named individual, so you'll supply an Emirates ID per line.
• Company stamp and authorisation letter — often requested for bulk orders of several lines.
• Porting details — if you're keeping existing numbers, a recent bill or the list of numbers from your current provider.

The key difference from internet is that a SIM account usually doesn't need a tenancy contract — there's no physical line to install — but it does need identity for each user. If you're setting up both together, Stalwart handles them on one relationship. For a deeper look at plans and per-line pricing, see our full guide to corporate SIM cards in the UAE and the business mobile plans page.

Free Zone Companies & Freelancers

Free zone companies follow the same core checklist with two twists. First, the trade licence and establishment card are issued by your free zone authority (DMCC, IFZA, DAFZA, SHAMS, RAKEZ and the rest), and they're perfectly valid — no mainland licence needed. Second, your proof of premises may be a free zone office lease or facility agreement rather than a standard Ejari.

The practical catch is the office type. If you're on a flexi-desk, hot-desk or shared space, a dedicated fixed fibre line may not be installable at your seat — the building's connection isn't yours to route. That's exactly where 5G Business WiFi shines: it's a quick-deploy wireless connection that needs no cabling, so a free zone company can be online in a day. You can see how that option works on the 5G Business WiFi plan page.

Freelancers aren't left out either. If you hold a UAE freelance permit or freelance licence, it stands in for a trade licence, letting you apply for a business connection in your own name with your Emirates ID and passport. Without any licence, though, a business plan isn't available — you'd use a home or personal plan until your company or freelance permit is issued.

Full Document Checklist (Internet + SIM)

Here's the whole thing in one view — what each document proves, and whether it's needed for a fixed internet line, corporate SIMs, or both.

Save this as your gather-once list. If every row that applies to you is in-date, matches your company name, and is scanned clearly, your application should pass on the first pass.

How Long Activation Takes

Documents are only half the question — most people really want to know when they'll be online. Here's the realistic timeline once your paperwork is approved:

• du business fibre: typically 2–5 working days. If your building is already fibre-ready it's at the fast end; if new cabling or a site survey is needed, a little longer.
• 5G Business WiFi: often same day to 48 hours — there's no line to install, so it's mostly plug-in and activate. Ideal when you need connectivity now.
• Corporate SIMs: usually same or next business day once IDs are verified. Porting existing numbers adds a little time, but you keep your numbers throughout.

The single biggest lever on these timelines is the document check. Clean paperwork keeps you at the short end; one expired card can add days of back-and-forth. That's the whole reason this checklist exists.

4 Things That Delay a Document Check

Almost every stalled application comes down to one of four issues. None of them is complicated — they're just easy to miss when you're busy.

• 1. An expired document. A lapsed trade licence or establishment card is the most common blocker. Check renewal dates before you submit — an application against an expired licence goes nowhere.
• 2. A name mismatch. When the company name on the licence, the tenancy contract and the signatory's paperwork don't line up exactly, the operator pauses to verify. Consistency across all three keeps it moving.
• 3. An unauthorised signatory. If the person signing isn't on the licence and there's no Power of Attorney or authorisation letter, the application can't proceed. Sort authorisation up front.
• 4. Blurry or cropped scans. If the operator can't read a document — a cut-off edge, a dark photo, a glare across the Emirates ID — they'll ask again. Send clear, full-page PDFs or sharp images.

Run through those four before you apply and you remove nearly every reason a business internet document check gets held up. Better still, have someone who submits these weekly check them for you.

What You're Actually Activating: du Plans

The paperwork is the gate; the connection is the point. Once your documents clear, here's what a UAE business typically switches on — and the honest starting prices, so you know what you're signing up for. UAE business internet is served by both du and Etisalat (e&); Stalwart is an authorized du business partner, so these are current du figures.

• du Business Fibre — from AED 810/month. 200 Mbps to 1 Gbps with a business voice line included; the standard choice for offices with a fixed address. See the du business fibre internet page.
• du 5G Business WiFi — from AED 249/month. Quick-deploy wireless internet with no cabling — perfect for free zone desks, new offices and temporary sites.
• du Business SIM — from AED 50/line. Calls and data on a postpaid company account; unlimited data (Business Infinite) from AED 125/line for travelling staff.

You can start from the Stalwart homepage to see the full range, or bundle internet, WiFi and SIMs on one account with a single dedicated manager. Get the documents right, pick the plan that fits, and the rest is quick.

"We had our trade licence and Ejari ready but kept getting bounced on the signatory. Stalwart spotted it in five minutes, sorted the authorisation letter, and our office was online that week." — Operations Manager, Dubai-based trading company

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

The documents required for business internet in the UAE come down to a short, knowable list: a valid trade licence, your establishment card, the signatory's passport and Emirates ID, and an Ejari or tenancy contract — plus a Power of Attorney only if the signer isn't on the licence. Corporate SIMs need the same core set, swapping the tenancy contract for each user's Emirates ID. Get those in-date, matching and clearly scanned, and you've removed almost every cause of delay.

If you'd rather not chase paperwork, Stalwart — an authorized du business partner since 2014 — will tell you exactly what your case needs, prepare the pack, and get your fibre, 5G WiFi or SIMs activated fast, with a dedicated account manager on call. Send us your trade licence and office details and we'll take it from there.