Free Zone

Free Zone authorities in the UAE allow foreign investors to set up businesses with 100% ownership, without the need for a local sponsor or national agent, providing foreign investors peace of mind. Some Free Zones are more industry-specific, however, most of them cater for a wide range of business activities and there are options to suit every budget.

Things you should consider prior to setting up your Free Zone company

  • Legal Structure, Free Zones have two options, a Free Zone Establishment (FZE) for a single shareholder or a Free Zone Company (FZC, FZCO, or FZ-LLC) for two or more shareholders
  • Business Activities, this can be a single activity or multiple activities, combining various activities is subject to the approval of the licensing authority and maybe subject to additional costs
  • No. of Visa Quotas required determines the number of visas you will be able to issue under the sponsorship of your company
  • Type of Office required this can be anything from a virtual office, flex-desk, shared office or a private office

It is important to have a plan in place to avoid unnecessary additional costs for license amendments and upgrading or downgrading your license.

Steps to Attain a Free Zone License in UAE

Submit Your License Application

Our team will guide you through the documentation required to complete your license application, you will only need to review and sign before sending back to us so that we can submit it to the Free Zone for you.

Sign Your Legal Documents

Upon approval of your application, your legal documents will be sent electronically for you to review and sign so that the authority can move on to the next steps of your license application.

Obtain Additional Approvals

If your chosen activities are regulated activities, you will be required to obtain approval from the relevant authorities either before or after your license is issued (depending on the Free Zone) in order to conduct business.

License Issuance

Once your license is issued, our team will proceed with the final steps of your company set up.

Establishment Card Issuance

An Establishment Card is required for all entities with one or more visa quotas, this is always issued by the licensing authority after your license is issued.

Register E-Channel (If Required)

Some Free Zones require companies to register with E-Channel before obtaining employment visas. This is the final step of your company set up which will allow your company to sponsor yourself or your employees.

Benefits of setting up in a Free Zone

100% Foreign Ownership

A wide range of activities available with the ability to combine Professional, Commercial and industrial activities (subject to the regulating authority rules), in some Free Zone’s dual licenses are available for those who want the best of both worlds

100% remote setup, no physical presence required by shareholders to complete the company formation process

Companies are incorporated with Limited liability

Multi-year licenses available, often with discounted rates for upfront payments

Zero corporate tax and personal tax

100% repatriation of capital and profits

100% import and export exemptions

Quick and simple company formation process, licenses can be issued from a few hours to a few days once an application is submitted

Various options for virtual office; flexi desk; dedicated desk; private office to suit your needs

Flexibility with license upgrades and downgrades

Licenses available to accommodate a flexible number of visas

Residency visas available for Shareholders, Employees and Dependents

Residency visas valid for 3 years with zero visa deposits

A rapidly growing business network of registered companies from all over the world

Normally more cost effective than a Mainland license

Limitations of Free Zones

  • Free Zone companies are only legally allowed to operate within the Free Zone or internationally, or through Mainland licensed distributors
  • Inability to move license and visas freely between different Free Zones as each Free Zone is considered a separate jurisdiction with its own rules and regulations

Get in touch with our team who will not only guide you but will support you throughout the process in getting your business set up in a Free Zone that caters to your needs.