Free zone company setup
Free zone company setup, planned around your activity.
Often the practical first step for startups, consultants, ecommerce and international businesses. We check the activity, the visas and the banking before anything is filed, then coordinate the formation end to end.
What it covers
Advice first, then the whole formation.
The right jurisdiction, structure and licence shape your costs and ownership for years. We advise first, then manage the entire formation end to end.
01
Zone selection
We compare zones on your activity, visa plan, banking needs and budget. We are not tied to any one zone and will say so when a zone we do not partner with fits better.
02
Activity and licence
Your activity is checked against the zone's list before filing, including any external approval it needs. The wrong activity is the most common avoidable delay.
03
Trade name and registration
Three proposed names in order of preference, the application, shareholder documents and regulatory submissions, tracked to the issued licence.
04
Visas and Emirates ID
Visa allocation, establishment card, entry permit or change of status, medical, biometrics, Emirates ID and stamping, coordinated for you and your team.
05
Corporate bank account
Bank selection, the KYC file and a short business plan written for the bank application are part of the standard setup.
06
Twelve months of coordination
From licence issuance, our time on added visas, quota increases, new activities, amendments, NOCs and letters is included. Authority fees for each are paid at cost.
Who it is for
A free zone fits many businesses, not all of them.
The starting question is simple: can your business legally and practically operate through a free zone? If yes, it is usually worth considering first.
Suits you
Free zone
- You serve clients online, internationally or B2B
- You want to start lean, with predictable setup costs
- You do not need a customer-facing location
- You need a founder or small-team visa
- Your activity is clearly allowed by the zone
Consultants, digital businesses, ecommerce, international trading and holding structures.
Look again
Mainland
- You need a physical shop, clinic or office
- You will serve walk-in customers or invoice UAE customers freely
- Your activity needs municipality or sector approvals
- You plan to hire a larger local team
A good advisor does not push a free zone where mainland is clearly required.
On the 0% headline.
Not every free zone company automatically receives a 0% rate. Activity, income type, substance and compliance decide it. We assess the conditions properly, never assume them.
The cheapest licence first.
A low-cost licence becomes expensive if the activity is wrong, the visa allocation is short or the bank cannot follow the business. Choose the structure, then optimise the cost within it.
How it works
Five clear stages. One advisory partner.
Most clients go from first conversation to a registered company in two to three weeks.
01
Consultation
We learn the business, the activity and the visa plan. Free and without obligation.
You get: a shortlist of zones that fit
02
Structure and zone
Zone, licence type, activities, visa count and workspace decided, with government fees and ours shown separately.
You get: a written recommendation and an itemised estimate
03
Documents
You send colour scans against our checklist. We check them before anything is filed.
You get: a complete file, first time
04
Formation
Name reservation, licence application, shareholder documents and submissions, tracked with the authority.
You get: your licence issued and company registered
05
Activation
Establishment card, visas, Emirates ID, corporate bank account, Corporate Tax registration and company stamp.
You get: an operational company, not just a licence
What you need
The documents, in one list.
Clear colour scans only. Black-and-white or phone-photo copies are rejected and delay the file.
The company
- Three proposed trade names, in order of preference
- A detailed description of the business activity
- The products to be traded, for a trading licence
- The number of visas the company needs
Each shareholder
- Passport copy, valid at least six months from submission
- Recent passport-size photograph on a white background
- Shareholding, capital contribution and designation
- Occupation, business background and source of funds
Where it applies
- Current UAE visa or entry stamp, if in the UAE
- National ID card, or the Fayda ID for Ethiopian nationals
- Power of Attorney, if a shareholder cannot be present
- Preferred manager or authorised signatory
Some free zones restrict, or add approval steps for, certain nationalities. We check this for every shareholder at the structure stage.
Time and cost
What to expect, realistically.
Timelines are typical, not guaranteed. We coordinate with the authority; the authority approves.
- 7 to 14
- business days from complete documents to an issued licence
- 2 to 3
- weeks for most clients, from first conversation to a registered company
- 12
- months of coordination from licence issuance, with authority fees at cost
Year-one government and authority fees
For a single-activity company with one shareholder and a flexi desk, as published by each authority.
Meydan, Dubai
- Licence, no visa
- AED 12,500
- With one investor visa
- AED 20,350
IFZA, Dubai
- Licence, no visa
- AED 12,900
- With one investor visa
- AED 16,900
RAKEZ, Ras Al Khaimah
- Licence, no visa
- AED 6,000
- With one investor visa
- AED 12,000
SPC Free Zone, Sharjah
- Licence, no visa
- AED 6,885
- With one investor visa
- AED 13,605
Ajman Free Zone
- Licence, no visa
- AED 5,565
- With one investor visa
- AED 13,397.20
Jafza, Dubai
- Licence, no visa
- Not available
- Two visas, the Jafza minimum
- AED 52,629
Indicative, subject to authority confirmation. Rates as at September 2026. Our own fee is separate. Subject to your needs, we will discuss.
Estimate your setup costQuestions
Free zone setup, answered.
Straight answers to what founders ask before they commit.
01Is a free zone always better than mainland?
No. The best choice is the one that fits your business model. A free zone is often a practical first step for startups, consultants, ecommerce and international businesses where the activity allows it. Mainland suits businesses that need physical premises, local service delivery, regulated approvals or direct UAE market access.
02Is free zone income always tax free?
No. A free zone company may qualify for free zone corporate tax treatment only if it meets the conditions on activity, income type, substance and compliance. Do not choose a free zone only because you heard about a 0% rate. We review whether any benefit actually applies to your business.
03Can I sell to customers inside the UAE?
Not directly on a free zone licence, which restricts commercial transactions with the UAE domestic market. If UAE market access is essential, the options are a mainland licence, or a Mainland Operating Permit or mainland branch alongside the free zone company where your activity qualifies. Each has a cost and a scope limit, and we set those out in writing.
04Do I need to be in Dubai to set up?
No. Formation can proceed remotely. You need to be in the UAE for the medical test, biometrics and Emirates ID at the visa stage. If a shareholder cannot be present during incorporation, we arrange a Power of Attorney. Start that early, because it takes time.
05Do I get 100% ownership?
Yes. Free zone companies allow 100% foreign ownership with no local partner required.
06Can I get a residence visa?
Yes. Visa allocation is set at formation and can be increased later. Entry packages at most zones include no visa, so settle the visa count before you choose the package.
07Is the second year cheaper?
It depends on the zone. Ajman renews at the same package price every year, and IFZA locks its renewal price. Meydan and SPC do not publish a renewal tariff, so we confirm the figure with the authority before you commit.
08What makes it take longer?
A passport with under six months validity, black-and-white scans, trade name rejections, the wrong activity, a shareholder abroad with no Power of Attorney, and thin source-of-funds documentation. All of them are avoidable, which is why we front-load the checklist.
Next step
Plan it before you commit.
Two tools answer the first questions in minutes. An advisor answers the rest.
Start here
Start with a conversation.
One no-obligation consultation. We discuss your goals, answer your questions, and recommend a clear path forward. No cost. No pressure. Just clarity.