The contractual terms governing access to polaris.ae and the provision of Services by Polaris Corporate Services FZ-LLC.
In these Terms of Service (the “Terms”), unless the context requires otherwise:
References to UAE legislation include any statutory instruments made under such legislation and any amendment, replacement or re-enactment thereof.
Polaris Corporate Services FZ-LLC is a regulated Trust and Corporate Service Provider holding a TCSP licence issued by the UAE Ministry of Economy & Tourism, and a commercial Services Licence (No. 47005949) issued by the Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone Authority (RAKEZ). Our operational base is the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC); our registered office is S18W1002, Shed No. 18, Al Hulaila Industrial Free Zone, Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates.
Polaris is a Designated Non-Financial Business or Profession (DNFBP) for the purposes of Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2018 on Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism and Illegal Organisations (as amended), and is supervised in that capacity by the UAE Ministry of Economy.
3.1. By accessing, browsing or using the Website, you accept and agree to be bound by these Terms in full. If you do not accept these Terms in full, you must immediately cease use of the Website.
3.2. The Website and the Services are intended for use by professional clients, family offices, founders, corporate counterparties and their authorised advisers. The Website is not directed at, and Services are not offered to, retail consumers in any jurisdiction in which such offering would require additional licensing not held by Polaris.
3.3. By engaging us for Services, you warrant that you have full legal capacity and authority to do so on behalf of yourself or any entity you purport to represent, and that doing so does not violate any law, regulation or contractual restriction applicable to you.
4.1. The Services include, without limitation: company formation in UAE mainland and free-zone jurisdictions; fiduciary services (nominee director, nominee shareholder, trustee, registered agent, corporate secretary); trust and foundation establishment and administration; corporate tax registration and filing; transfer-pricing documentation; VAT and excise compliance; accounting, bookkeeping, payroll (WPS) and CFO advisory; residency visa and migration services including the UAE Golden Visa and Citizenship-by-Investment programmes; and related advisory engagements across the United Arab Emirates, Cyprus, and Switzerland.
4.2. The descriptions of Services on the Website are general in nature. The specific scope, deliverables, timelines, exclusions and fees applicable to any engagement shall be set out in a written Engagement Letter executed by both parties.
4.3. Save where expressly stated, Polaris does not provide legal opinions reserved to advocates licensed under Federal Law No. 23 of 1991, audit reports reserved to auditors licensed under Federal Decree-Law No. 41 of 2023, or investment advice within the meaning of UAE Securities and Commodities Authority regulations. Where the Client requires such services, Polaris will introduce the Client to qualified third-party providers; the engagement of any such third party shall be a direct contract between the Client and the third party.
5.1. No engagement for Services is formed by visiting the Website, submitting a contact form, exchanging email correspondence, or participating in an introductory call. An engagement is formed only upon execution of an Engagement Letter by both Polaris and the Client, the completion of Client Due Diligence to our satisfaction, and (where applicable) receipt of any retainer or initial fee.
5.2. In the event of any conflict between these Terms and the Engagement Letter, the Engagement Letter shall prevail in respect of the Services it covers.
5.3. Variations to an Engagement Letter must be agreed in writing by both parties.
6.1. Fees for Services are set out in the applicable Engagement Letter. Unless otherwise agreed, fees are quoted exclusive of VAT, third-party disbursements (including government, regulator, registrar and translator fees), bank charges and out-of-pocket expenses.
6.2. Invoices are payable within fourteen (14) calendar days of issuance unless otherwise stated. Payment shall be made in United Arab Emirates Dirhams (AED) by bank transfer to the account designated in the relevant invoice.
6.3. Polaris reserves the right to charge interest on overdue amounts at a rate of one and one-half per cent (1.5%) per month, accrued daily from the due date until the date of payment, and to suspend Services in respect of overdue accounts upon prior written notice.
6.4. Fees once paid are non-refundable except to the extent expressly provided in an Engagement Letter or as required under mandatory provisions of UAE law.
7.1. The Client warrants and undertakes to Polaris that: (i) all information, documents and identification provided to Polaris are true, current, accurate and complete; (ii) the Client is the beneficial owner of any funds or assets the subject of the Services, or has lawful authority to act in respect of them; (iii) the source of funds and source of wealth associated with the engagement are derived from lawful activities; and (iv) the Client is not a Sanctioned Person within the meaning of clause 14 below.
7.2. The Client shall promptly notify Polaris in writing of any change to information previously provided, including any change in beneficial ownership, control, registered address, authorised signatory, residence, tax residency, nationality, regulatory status or sanctions exposure.
7.3. The Client shall cooperate with Polaris in the performance of Client Due Diligence (CDD), Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) and ongoing monitoring obligations as more fully set out in our AML & Client Due Diligence Notice. Failure to provide requested information may result in suspension or termination of Services.
8.1. Polaris and its officers, employees and contractors shall hold all Client information and documents in strict confidence and shall not disclose the same to any third party except: (i) with the Client’s prior written consent; (ii) where required to perform the Services (for example, government registrars, banking partners, auditors); (iii) where required by law, regulation or order of a competent court or regulator (including suspicious-transaction reporting under Federal Decree-Law No. 20 of 2018); or (iv) to professional advisers under a duty of confidentiality.
8.2. The obligations of confidentiality survive termination of the engagement.
9.1. All content on the Website, including text, graphics, illustrations, photographs, logos, trade marks, service marks, software and the compilation thereof (the “Polaris Content”), is the property of Polaris or its licensors and is protected under UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 38 of 2021 on Copyrights and Neighbouring Rights and applicable international treaties.
9.2. You are granted a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable licence to access and view the Polaris Content for personal, non-commercial informational purposes only. Any other use — including reproduction, distribution, public display, modification, derivative works, framing, scraping or commercial exploitation — is strictly prohibited without our prior written consent.
9.3. The Polaris name and logo, and the trade marks of Polaris’s licensors, may not be used without our (or their) express written permission.
10.1. The Website is provided for informational purposes. It does not constitute an offer to provide Services in any jurisdiction in which such offering is unlawful.
10.2. By accessing or using the Website you also accept the acceptable-use commitments below, which form part of these Terms. These commitments apply in addition to applicable UAE law, including Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021 on Combating Rumours and Cybercrimes and Federal Decree-Law No. 46 of 2021 on Electronic Transactions and Trust Services.
This Acceptable Use Policy sets out the conduct expected of every visitor to polaris.ae. It is incorporated by reference into our Terms of Service. By accessing or using the Website, you agree to comply with this Policy. If you do not agree, you must not use the Website.
You may access the Website to: (i) read, view and download Polaris Content for personal, non-commercial informational purposes; (ii) communicate with Polaris in good faith via the contact channels we provide; (iii) link to Polaris pages from your own non-commercial website on a fair-use basis, provided you do not misrepresent your relationship with Polaris; and (iv) print or save copies of Polaris Content for your own reference.
You shall not, and shall not permit any other person to:
You shall not, in connection with the Website or any Polaris system:
All intellectual property rights in the Website and the Polaris Content remain with Polaris or its licensors. Use that exceeds the scope permitted in Section 2, or that infringes those rights, is prohibited.
The Website may not be accessed by, or on behalf of, any person who is the subject of sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council, the United Arab Emirates (including the UAE Local Targeted Financial Sanctions list), the European Union, the United Kingdom (HM Treasury), or the United States (OFAC), or who is ordinarily resident in any jurisdiction in respect of which Polaris is restricted from providing services. Polaris reserves the right to block access from any such person or jurisdiction.
Polaris reserves the right, without notice and at its sole discretion, to: (i) remove any content uploaded or communicated in breach of this Policy; (ii) block or revoke access to the Website from any user, device or network found to be in breach of this Policy; (iii) preserve and disclose information to law-enforcement or regulatory authorities where it has reasonable grounds to believe that the breach involves unlawful conduct; and (iv) seek injunctive relief, damages and other remedies before the Courts of Dubai or any other court of competent jurisdiction.
If you become aware of any misuse of the Website, including any security vulnerability, phishing campaign impersonating Polaris, or unauthorised reproduction of Polaris Content, please notify us promptly at legal@polaris.ae. Responsible disclosure of security findings is welcomed and will be acknowledged.
The Website may contain links to third-party websites and references to third-party content (including regulator portals such as EmaraTax and goAML). Such links and references are provided for convenience only. Polaris does not endorse, control or accept responsibility for the content, accuracy, security or privacy practices of any third-party website. Access to and use of any third-party website is at your own risk and subject to that website’s own terms of use.
12.1. Information disclaimer. Information on the Website is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis, for general information only. It does not constitute legal, tax, accounting, financial or investment advice and should not be relied upon as a substitute for advice on the Client’s specific circumstances. Polaris makes no representations or warranties, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, fitness for purpose or non-infringement of any information on the Website.
12.2. Limitation of liability. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable UAE law, in no event shall Polaris (including its officers, employees, members and affiliates) be liable to any person for: (i) any indirect, incidental, consequential, special, punitive or exemplary damages; (ii) any loss of profit, revenue, business, goodwill, anticipated savings, opportunity, data or use; or (iii) any damages arising from reliance upon information on the Website or upon information communicated otherwise than under a binding Engagement Letter.
12.3. Aggregate cap. The aggregate liability of Polaris arising out of or in connection with any Services rendered under an Engagement Letter shall not exceed an amount equal to the professional fees actually paid to Polaris by the relevant Client under the relevant Engagement Letter in the twelve (12) months immediately preceding the event giving rise to the liability, save in respect of liability that cannot lawfully be limited under UAE law.
12.4. Nothing in these Terms shall exclude or limit liability for fraud, wilful misconduct or any other liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited under UAE law.
13.1. The Client shall indemnify and hold harmless Polaris, its officers, employees and affiliates against all losses, damages, costs, claims, demands, regulatory penalties and reasonable legal fees (the “Losses”) arising out of or in connection with: (i) any breach by the Client of these Terms or any Engagement Letter; (ii) any inaccurate, misleading or incomplete information provided by the Client; (iii) any unlawful conduct by the Client; or (iv) any third-party claim arising from the Client’s use of deliverables provided by Polaris.
13.2. This indemnity is in addition to, and not in substitution for, any other rights or remedies available to Polaris.
14.1. Polaris does not engage with, and the Client agrees that it is not, a person or entity that is the subject of: (i) the United Nations Consolidated Sanctions List; (ii) the UAE Local Targeted Financial Sanctions list maintained under Cabinet Decision No. 74 of 2020; (iii) the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury Specially Designated Nationals List; (iv) Her Majesty’s Treasury Consolidated Sanctions List of the United Kingdom; or (v) the European Union Consolidated Financial Sanctions List (collectively, “Sanctioned Persons”).
14.2. Polaris reserves the absolute right to decline to commence, to suspend, or to terminate any engagement, and to report to the UAE Financial Intelligence Unit, where it has knowledge or reasonable suspicion that the Client, any beneficial owner, any counterparty or any source or destination of funds is or relates to a Sanctioned Person.
15.1. Polaris may suspend or terminate the provision of Services and revoke access to the Website with immediate effect upon written notice in the event of: (i) material breach by the Client of these Terms or any Engagement Letter; (ii) non-payment of fees beyond thirty (30) days of the due date; (iii) the Client’s entry into insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy or analogous proceedings; (iv) a finding of sanctions, criminal or regulatory exposure relating to the Client; or (v) the Client’s failure to complete or refresh Client Due Diligence to our satisfaction.
15.2. Either party may terminate any Engagement Letter for convenience on the notice period specified therein, or in the absence of such specification, on thirty (30) days’ prior written notice.
15.3. Termination shall not affect any rights or obligations that have accrued prior to termination, nor any provisions of these Terms intended to survive termination, including without limitation clauses 8, 9, 12, 13 and 18.
Polaris is committed to fair, prompt and confidential handling of complaints from clients, prospective clients and other persons affected by our Services. This Section describes how to file a complaint, what information to provide, and how we will respond. It supersedes any earlier stand-alone Complaints Policy and forms part of these Terms.
Polaris Corporate Services FZ-LLC is committed to handling complaints fairly, promptly and confidentially. This Complaints Handling Procedure sets out how a client, prospective client or other person may raise a complaint with us, how we will investigate it, and the timeframes you may expect.
This procedure applies to complaints regarding: the conduct of any Polaris employee, officer or representative; the quality, timeliness or accuracy of any Service we have provided or quoted for; our invoicing, fees or refunds; our handling of personal data; our website; or any other matter relating to Polaris.
A complaint may be filed in writing by any of the following channels:
Where a complaint is first raised orally, we will ask you to confirm it in writing so that the substance of the complaint is recorded accurately.
To enable us to investigate effectively, please include in your complaint:
We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint in writing within five (5) UAE working days. The acknowledgement will identify the Polaris person assigned to investigate (the “Complaint Owner”), set out the next steps and provide an indicative timeline.
The Complaint Owner will conduct a fair and proportionate investigation of the matter, including reviewing relevant files and correspondence and, where appropriate, interviewing personnel involved. We may request further information from you during the investigation. We will keep you reasonably informed of progress.
Where the complaint relates to a complex matter or requires input from third parties (for example, a bank, a regulator or external counsel), the investigation may take longer than initially estimated. We will notify you in writing of any extension required.
We aim to provide a substantive final response within thirty (30) UAE working days of acknowledgement. Where a final response cannot be issued within this period, we will write to you explaining the reasons and providing a revised timeline. The final response will set out our findings, our reasoning, the remedies (if any) we propose, and your options for further escalation if you remain dissatisfied.
If you remain dissatisfied with our final response, you may have the right to escalate your complaint to a competent external body, depending on the subject matter:
We maintain a complaints register recording the date received, the complainant, the subject matter, the investigation, the outcome and the action taken. The register is reviewed by senior management on a quarterly basis to identify thematic issues and improve our service.
Polaris will not penalise or retaliate against any person for raising a complaint in good faith. Complaints are treated confidentially within the firm and disclosed only on a need-to-know basis. Where a complaint includes a report of suspected illegal activity, separate protections under the UAE Whistleblower Protection Programme and Federal Decree-Law No. 31 of 2021 may apply.
Polaris may amend these Terms from time to time. The amended Terms shall take effect upon publication on the Website, save that any amendment with material adverse effect on the Client shall not apply to ongoing engagements until the next renewal date or upon thirty (30) days’ prior written notice, whichever is earlier. The Client’s continued use of the Website following publication of amended Terms constitutes acceptance thereof.
Polaris shall not be liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations to the extent caused by circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to acts of God, war, terrorism, pandemic, civil unrest, governmental restriction, regulatory intervention, banking or telecommunications disruption, or failure of utilities or third-party service providers.
19.1. These Terms, the Engagement Letter, and any non-contractual obligations arising out of or in connection with them, are governed by and shall be construed in accordance with the federal laws of the United Arab Emirates and the laws of the Emirate of Dubai applicable therein.
19.2. The parties irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts of Dubai (the “Dubai Courts”) for the settlement of any dispute, controversy or claim arising out of or in connection with these Terms or any Engagement Letter, save that Polaris may, at its sole discretion, bring proceedings in any other court of competent jurisdiction for the purpose of enforcing a judgment or recovering amounts owed.
19.3. Nothing in this clause shall prejudice any mandatory provisions of UAE law that confer exclusive jurisdiction on a different forum.
20.1. Entire agreement. These Terms, together with any Engagement Letter and the policies referenced herein, constitute the entire agreement between the parties in respect of the subject matter and supersede all prior agreements, representations and understandings.
20.2. Severability. If any provision of these Terms is held by a competent authority to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.
20.3. No waiver. No failure or delay by Polaris in exercising any right shall operate as a waiver thereof.
20.4. Assignment. The Client may not assign or transfer its rights or obligations under these Terms without our prior written consent. Polaris may assign or sub-contract its rights and obligations to any affiliate or successor in title.
20.5. No third-party rights. A person who is not a party to these Terms has no right to enforce any provision of them.
20.6. Language. These Terms are issued in English. Translations into other languages are provided for convenience only; in the event of discrepancy, the English version prevails.