Starting with Cosmos is designed to be simple, and you do not need anything prepared to begin. This article walks through every step, from your first message to a company that is formed and running, so you know what to expect and what will be expected of you.

You do not need documents, a company name, or a finished plan to make contact. It does help, though, to have rough answers to a few questions, because they shape everything that follows: what the business will do, who will own it, roughly where your customers are, and whether you or your team will need residency. If you do not have these answers yet, that is fine. Helping you reach them is part of the service.

Start a chat and describe what you are trying to do, in your own words. You might know exactly what you want, a UAE free zone company with two visas, for example, or you might only know that you want to start a business and are not sure where. Either is a good starting point. The more specific you can be about the business and the owners, the faster we can give you a real answer rather than a general one.

If you already know where you want to set up, Cosmos confirms that it fits your plans and flags anything you should reconsider. If you do not, Cosmos helps you choose, weighing the jurisdictions against what the company will actually do. See Choosing where to set up. By the end of this step you have a clear recommendation: a jurisdiction, a company type, and an outline of the setup.

Cosmos then gives you a single fixed quote. It covers the government and registry charges and the Cosmos fee, combined into one figure, so you can see the full cost before you decide. There is no drip of unexpected charges later. Quotes are issued in US dollars, and payment is made by card through Stripe, our payment provider. Work begins once the first payment has cleared.

Take the time you need at this stage. If you are weighing your options, or comparing setups, say so, and we will help you decide before you pay rather than after.

Before any company can be formed, Cosmos must complete know-your-customer checks on the people involved. This is a legal requirement that applies everywhere, not a Cosmos preference. In practice it means each owner and director provides a passport copy, a recent proof of address, and a short description of the business. Some setups require a little more. Why Cosmos asks for documents and ID checks explains this in full, and Documents we need from you lists exactly what to prepare.

This is the step you most control. Clear, complete documents provided early are the single biggest reason a formation moves quickly.

With your documents in hand, Cosmos prepares the incorporation documents, files them with the relevant registrar, and tracks the application through to approval. Our team checks each step before it is submitted. You do not need to chase anyone or learn the process yourself. You will be kept informed as the formation moves, and told promptly if anything is needed from you.

A formed company is the beginning, not the end. Depending on what you need, Cosmos moves straight from incorporation into the next steps: arranging residency visas, opening a business bank account, and registering the company for the taxes that apply to it. From that point, Cosmos can continue to run the company's accounting, tax and renewals, so nothing is missed.

It depends on the jurisdiction. A straightforward free zone or UK formation can complete within days once documents are in order. Mainland setups, financial free zones and more complex ownership take longer. Cosmos gives you a realistic timeline for your specific setup once the structure is confirmed, and the single biggest factor within your control is how quickly you provide complete documents.

You do not have to be ready to commit to start a conversation. Many people come to Cosmos with questions long before they are ready to form anything. Asking costs nothing, and we would rather help you reach the right decision slowly than the wrong one quickly.

Begin a chat with your question, and we will take it from there.