Dubai Free Zone Specialists
100% foreign ownership, fast licensing, and a 0% corporate tax route on qualifying income — set up in the right Dubai free zone with a team that handles the licence, visas, and banking end to end.
Foreign ownership
Tax on qualifying income
UAE free zones covered
Days to licence
A free zone is a designated economic area with its own licensing authority and commercial rules. Register there and you own your company outright — no local partner, no sponsor — while operating under a regulator built around international business.
Each of the UAE’s 40+ free zones specialises: commodities, logistics, media, technology, finance. Choosing the right one decides your licence cost, your banking prospects, and which activities you’re permitted to run.
One shareholder, individual or corporate. The simplest structure for solo founders and single-owner ventures.
Two or more shareholders — individuals, companies, or a mix. Built for partnerships and multi-founder businesses.
An extension of an existing parent company rather than a new legal entity. For UAE or foreign companies expanding into a free zone.
Why most international founders entering the UAE start in a free zone.
Own your company outright. No Emirati partner or service agent required, and no shareholding compromise.
Qualifying Free Zone Persons keep a 0% rate on qualifying income — provided substance and audit rules are met.
Move capital and profits out in full, with no currency restrictions and no withholding tax on dividends.
Most free zone licences are issued in 3–7 working days once documents are clean and approvals are in.
Visa quotas scale with your package and office type, covering founders, staff, and dependants.
Flexi-desks, serviced offices, warehousing, and sector ecosystems — without negotiating a commercial lease.
A free zone is the right fit when your revenue comes from outside the UAE mainland, or from other free zone companies. It suits you if you are:
Your licence defines what you may legally do — and it must match your activity before you apply.
Trading, import, export, distribution, and general merchandise activities.
Consultancy, marketing, IT, design, and other professional services.
Light manufacturing, assembly, processing, and packaging operations.
Online retail and marketplace selling, with warehousing and fulfilment options.
There is no single best free zone — only the best one for your activity, budget, and banking needs.
Budget-friendly, fast, and remote-friendly. Popular with consultants, trading companies, and e-commerce sellers.
Premium and bank-friendly with a strong ecosystem. Ideal for commodities, trading, and professional services.
Port-adjacent and built for scale — the go-to for logistics, industrial, and large-scale trading operations.
Airport proximity and premium credibility. Suits global trading firms and aviation-linked businesses.
Cost-effective and scalable across trading, service, and industrial businesses.
Economical media, publishing, and e-commerce hubs roughly an hour from Dubai.
Among the most cost-competitive options in the UAE for startups and light industry — a practical choice when budget is the deciding factor and you don't need a Dubai address on the licence.
Six stages from choosing a zone to holding a licence, a visa, and an open bank account.
Match the zone to your activity, budget, and office needs — not to whichever package looks cheapest on the homepage.
Submit up to three name options. They must follow the authority's naming rules and end with your legal form (FZE, FZCO).
The authority screens your shareholders and activity, then issues initial approval to proceed.
Execute the incorporation documents, MOA or board resolutions, and settle the registration and licence fees.
Your lease or flexi-desk agreement determines your visa quota, so it is chosen alongside the package, not after.
Licence and establishment card are issued, followed by residence visas, Emirates ID, and corporate bank account opening.
Eligibility is straightforward: there is no minimum age beyond 18, no nationality restriction, and no requirement to be resident in the UAE before you apply. Attestation is the usual bottleneck for corporate shareholders — start it early.
Indicative 2026 ranges. Your actual figure depends on the zone, activity, visa count, and office type.
One-time, paid to the free zone authority.
AED 3,500 – 10,000
Annual. Varies by activity and by zone.
AED 10,000 – 15,000+
Annual. Required before you can sponsor visas.
AED 1,000 – 2,500
Often the largest single line in the budget.
AED 5,000 – 15,000 (flexi) · 20,000+ (dedicated)
Entry permit, medical, Emirates ID, and stamping.
AED 3,750 – 5,000 per person
One-time, paid at the start of the application.
AED 1,000 – 2,000
A note on numbers: these are indicative 2026 ranges and authority fees change. If a precise figure matters to your plan, request an exact quote for your specific activity rather than budgeting from a range.
Most free zone licences are issued within 3–7 working days once documents are clean. Visas and banking run on their own clock.
Name reservation and initial approval submitted to the authority.
Incorporation documents signed, fees settled, office or flexi-desk confirmed.
Trade licence and establishment card issued by the free zone.
Residence visas, Emirates ID, and corporate bank account opening.
The UAE’s 0% free zone rate is not automatic. It applies only to a Qualifying Free Zone Person (QFZP) earning qualifying income. Miss a condition and the standard 9% rate applies to everything above AED 375,000.
To hold QFZP status you must maintain adequate substance in the zone, earn qualifying income, stay within the de minimis threshold for non-qualifying revenue, apply transfer pricing rules, and — from FY 2025 — file audited financial statements.
Yes — since 2025 there are three legitimate routes. Each has different tax consequences for your QFZP position.
Register a branch of your free zone company with the DET. It carries its own licence and can trade on the mainland directly.
Executive Council Resolution No. 11 of 2025 lets free zone companies operate in Dubai's mainland under permit for approved activities.
Appoint a mainland-licensed distributor or agent to handle onshore sales while your free zone entity supplies.
Important: mainland-sourced income is generally not qualifying income. Keep it separated in your accounts and watch the de minimis threshold, or you risk losing QFZP status on your entire profit.
The deciding question is simple: where does your revenue come from?
Choose this when your customers are outside the UAE mainland or are other free zone companies.
Choose this when you sell directly to UAE consumers or businesses onshore, or bid for tenders.
We match the zone to your activity and banking needs, not to a sales target — so it still works twelve months on.
Banks want a clear business model and a source-of-funds story. We prepare a bank-ready profile and make introductions.
We structure your setup so your QFZP position is defensible, and keep mainland and free zone income cleanly separated.
For corporate shareholders and branches we manage the notarisation and attestation chain so approvals don't stall.
The free zone rulebook moved significantly in 2025. These are the changes that affect new setups.
MD 229 & 230 of 2025 updated the free zone tax rules and broadened qualifying activities — retroactive to 1 June 2023.
MD 84 of 2025 made audited financial statements mandatory for Qualifying Free Zone Persons.
Executive Council Resolution No. 11 of 2025 allows free zone companies to operate on the Dubai mainland via branch or permit.
E-invoicing is rolling out in phases across the UAE. Confirm the current go-live date for your business before your next filing cycle.
We are not a licence reseller. We advise on the structure first, then handle the paperwork — and we stay with you through visas, banking, and your first compliance cycle.
Yes. Free zone companies have allowed full foreign ownership since long before the mainland reforms, with no local sponsor or service agent involved. You hold 100% of the shares and full control of the entity.
A realistic all-in range is AED 15,000–30,000 for a basic package with a flexi-desk and one visa, rising well beyond that for premium zones, dedicated offices, or larger visa quotas. The licence itself is rarely the largest line — office and visas usually are.
Most free zone licences are issued within 3–7 working days once your documents are complete and initial approval is granted. Residence visas add roughly two to three weeks, and bank account opening typically takes two to six weeks.
A Qualifying Free Zone Person pays 0% on qualifying income, but 9% applies to non-qualifying income above AED 375,000. QFZP status depends on adequate substance, the de minimis threshold, transfer pricing compliance, and — from FY 2025 — audited financial statements.
Yes. Executive Council Resolution No. 11 of 2025 allows free zone companies to operate on the Dubai mainland through a branch or a DET permit. Note that mainland-sourced income is generally not qualifying income for the 0% rate.
You need some form of registered workspace, but a flexi-desk or shared desk package satisfies most zones. Your visa quota is tied to the office type, so a larger team generally requires a dedicated office.
Many free zones allow full remote incorporation using notarised and attested documents plus a power of attorney. You will usually need to travel for your medical, Emirates ID biometrics, and — in most cases — the bank’s in-person onboarding.
An FZE (Free Zone Establishment) has a single shareholder. An FZCO or FZ-LLC (Free Zone Company) has two or more, and shareholders can be individuals, corporate entities, or a mix. The compliance obligations are otherwise essentially the same.
IFZA and Meydan are consistently among the most affordable Dubai options, while Ajman Free Zone, SHAMS, and RAKEZ are cheaper still outside Dubai. The cheapest licence is a false economy if the zone blocks your activity or your bank.
Yes. Your licence and establishment card let you sponsor residence visas for yourself, your staff, and your dependants. The number available depends on your package and office type, and each visa runs three to five years depending on the zone.
Tell us your activity and target market. We’ll recommend the right free zone, give you an exact all-in cost, and handle the licence, visas, and bank account from start to finish.
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