The verdict in three sentences
For an investor visa and citizenship law firm in Abu Dhabi, the website must first reassure wealthy families, often based abroad, on three points: who the lawyers are, which programmes are actually open as of today and how their data is protected. A local agency commonly charges 40,000 to 120,000 AED (roughly 10,900 to 32,700 USD), against a Kolonell fixed grid of 2,900 USD for Starter, 4,900 USD for Growth and 8,900 USD for Premium, the multilingual tier for an English and Arabic site. Over 3 years, the real gap depends mostly on maintenance and translation, which should be priced from the start.
What an investor mobility firm's website must prove
Your prospects compare several firms before a first call. They look for eligibility, timelines, costs and risks, often across several programmes at once. The pages that make the difference:
| Page | What it must show | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
| Programmes covered | Each programme with its last updated date | Pages left online after a programme closed |
| Team and licences | Lawyers, bar admissions, jurisdictions covered | Photos without verifiable qualifications |
| Process | General steps, documents expected, the firm's role | Timelines presented as certain |
| Fees | Fee structure, what is and is not included | Total silence on pricing |
| Confidentiality | Data handling, restricted access to files | A form asking for a passport upfront |
| Disclaimer | No promise of approval, information not contractual | Wording such as guaranteed outcome |
| Secure contact | Minimal form, booking by time zone | One phone number, no slots |
Programmes change fast. As a factual example, the US EB-5 programme was reformed by the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022, and several European and English-speaking countries have closed or changed investment routes in recent years. Your site must therefore date every statement and point to a consultation, never to a conclusion. Lawyer advertising rules also apply, in the UAE and at your partners' bars: have the pages reviewed by your compliance lead. On data, Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 governs personal data protection, and ADGM and DIFC each have their own regimes. This is not legal advice.
What does a new website cost in Abu Dhabi in 2026?
| Option | Build price (2026 ballpark) | Approximate USD equivalent | Typical timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local freelancer | 10,000 to 30,000 AED | 2,700 to 8,200 USD | 4 to 8 weeks |
| Local agency | 40,000 to 120,000 AED | 10,900 to 32,700 USD | 2 to 4 months |
| High-end agency | 150,000 to 350,000 AED | 40,900 to 95,400 USD | 3 to 6 months |
| Kolonell Starter | 2,900 USD | not applicable | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Kolonell Growth | 4,900 USD | not applicable | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Kolonell Premium | 8,900 USD | not applicable | 4 to 6 weeks |
Local figures are typical UAE agency quotes, converted at an approximate rate of 3.67 AED to 1 USD. Every Kolonell tier includes a project manager reachable in your time zone (Gulf Standard Time), native English copywriting, delivery and 3 months of support. Premium is the multilingual tier: the languages and the right-to-left layout scope for Arabic are set in the quote. A secure client area, document upload and CRM integrations are priced on quote. See the international offer.
Hidden costs and the real cost over 3 years
The build price is only part of the bill. Items to budget: legal translation into Arabic if handled by a specialist translator, team photography, compliance review of the content (internal time), integrations, and maintenance after the included period.
| Item over 3 years | Local agency (example) | Kolonell Premium (example) |
|---|---|---|
| Build | 25,000 USD | 8,900 USD |
| Arabic legal translation (third party) | often included | 2,500 USD (assumption) |
| Team photography | 2,000 USD | 2,000 USD |
| Maintenance (market assumption, 500 USD per month) | 36 months: 18,000 USD | 33 months: 16,500 USD |
| Integrations and client area | on quote | on quote |
| Indicative 3-year total | 45,000 USD | 29,900 USD |
Kolonell maintenance after the 3 included months is on quote; we applied the same market assumption to both columns for a fair comparison. The indicative gap is 15,100 USD over 3 years.
When a local agency is the better choice
If your firm wants photo and video shoots in Abu Dhabi every quarter, in-person meetings with the partners, a native Arabic copywriter embedded in the team day to day, or a custom case management platform, a UAE agency is often a better fit. Kolonell suits firms that want a credible site delivered fast, a fixed grid and a responsive contact. For reference, Kolonell built the website of TR Signing Group, a signing services company in New Jersey: a business where trust and accurate information matter as much as in yours.
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Questions to ask any provider: who updates the programme pages when a rule changes? Is the Arabic layout tested on mobile? Where is form data hosted? Who owns the site when the contract ends?
Mini case study
Illustrative example: Saadiyat Mobility Partners, a 6-lawyer firm advising families on several residence programmes. A local agency quotes 110,000 AED, roughly 30,000 USD. The firm picks Premium at 8,900 USD, with English and Arabic set in the quote, and budgets 2,500 USD of third-party legal translation: 11,400 USD in total, roughly 18,600 USD saved. If a single extra mandate brings in 15,000 USD of fees, the site pays for itself on that file.
FAQ
Can the site be in Arabic with a right-to-left layout?
Yes, in the Premium tier, which is the multilingual tier. The languages and the scope of the Arabic layout are set in the quote, with a 4 to 6 week timeline.
Can we display success rates?
That is a matter of professional conduct and lawyer advertising, to be settled with your compliance lead. Many firms prefer to describe their process rather than publish a figure that could read as a promise.
How long until the site is live?
Plan on 3 to 4 weeks for Starter or Growth, 4 to 6 weeks for Premium, from the moment the content is approved.
Do we need a client area for document upload?
It is useful as soon as you receive passports or bank statements. This secure area is priced on quote, on top of the tier.
How much does maintenance cost?
The first 3 months of support are included, then maintenance is on quote. As a market assumption, UAE agencies often charge 1,000 to 4,000 AED per month, roughly 270 to 1,090 USD.
Let's scope your project. An English and Arabic site on Premium at 8,900 USD or an English site on Growth at 4,900 USD, delivered in 3 to 6 weeks with dated programme pages. See the international offer or request a free quote: detailed reply within 48 hours.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
