A free zone company is a UAE legal entity you can own 100% as a foreigner, use to invoice clients anywhere, and, depending on the package, attach residence visas to. For international consultants, e-commerce sellers, traders and holding structures, it is usually the fastest and most cost-effective way into the UAE.
Here is the part most setup pages skip. A free zone licence does not let you sell directly to UAE consumers, local retailers or government entities. To do that, you would need a mainland distributor or a separate mainland company alongside it. If your customers are international, this rarely matters. If your plan depends on supplying the UAE market itself, it needs building into your structure before you register, not discovered after.
The other thing a licence does not give you is a working bank account. That is a separate process, run by the bank, on its own timeline and its own criteria. And it is the single most common place a cheap setup goes wrong.
The four zones we register directly: UAQ FTZ, Ajman, IFZA and Meydan
There are more than 40 free zones in the UAE. We register directly with four: UAQ FTZ, Ajman Free Zone, IFZA and Meydan. We say that on this page rather than implying we cover all of them, because the honest scope matters more than a longer list.
More importantly, we will not put you in the zone that pays us most. The zone that decides your setup should be the one whose banking relationships actually open your account, because a licence you cannot bank is a licence you cannot use, and the cheapest entry fee is often the most expensive mistake once your account stalls.
That is the whole logic behind our free zone company formation service: pick against your real banking and market needs, then register.
How to set up a free zone company in Dubai: the sequence, start to licence
The process is more predictable than the marketing suggests. Broadly:
- 1Confirm the zone and activity. Your business activity, visa count and who will scrutinise your address decide the zone, not the headline fee.
- 2Reserve the trade name and get initial approval. The authority checks your name and activity are permitted.
- 3Submit documents. Passport copies, shareholder details, and any activity-specific paperwork.
- 4Pay and receive the licence. The authority issues your trade licence and company documents.
- 5Immigration and visas (if your package includes them), which means establishment card, entry permit, medical, Emirates ID.
- 6Bank account application, which is a separate stage covered below.
Timelines, once documents are submitted: UAQ FTZ and Ajman typically complete in 3 to 5 working days; IFZA and Meydan in 5 to 10 working days. These are the authorities' own processing windows once your file is clean. An incomplete file is where avoidable delay comes from.
Why the bank account, not the licence fee, should decide your zone
This is the paragraph most consultants would delete. Free zones do not have equal standing with UAE banks. Some zones' companies clear compliance more smoothly than others, and that affects both how quickly an account opens and whether it opens at all.
So optimising for the lowest licence fee can be a false economy. Save a few thousand dirham on the licence, then spend weeks with a licence you cannot transact through. That is the trade you do not want to make blind.
Our banking track record is our sharpest weapon. We hold named relationships at 10+ UAE banks and have opened 1,000+ corporate accounts. We know what each bank's compliance team asks, because we have been through it a thousand times. What we will not do is promise approval. Every bank applies its own risk appetite, and the decision rests with the bank. Account opening typically takes two to eight weeks, and it can take longer for complex shareholding. What we control is the quality of your file, meaning documentation, KYC profile and source-of-funds evidence prepared to the standard banks expect, which is what most rejections come down to.
Register a company in IFZA or Meydan: when a Dubai address is worth paying for
If banks and clients are going to look you up, a Dubai address carries weight. IFZA and Meydan both give you that, along with stronger banking relationships that often matter more than the licence-fee difference.
- IFZA: from AED 16,050 (an estimate a consultant confirms). Includes the Dubai business licence for one year, up to three business activities, up to three individual shareholders, residence visa allocation per package tier, one complimentary residence visa with any 1+ visa package, and full company documents.
- Meydan: from AED 15,670 (an estimate a consultant confirms). Includes a corporate licence with three business activities, company formation, a Flexi Desk, immigration card with visas, and visa allocation.
If you are running a trading or consulting business that expects due diligence from clients and banks, this is usually where the money is best spent.
UAQ FTZ and Ajman Free Zone: when the lowest entry cost is the right call
For a lean consulting or e-commerce operation that does not need a Dubai address to win work, the lowest entry cost is a perfectly sensible choice.
- UAQ FTZ: from AED 8,650 (an estimate a consultant confirms). Includes the company licence, up to five shareholders, up to five segments depending on licence type, co-working access, lease agreement, registration fee, visa provisions per package tier, medical, Emirates ID, establishment card, E-Channel, medical insurance, company documents and bank account opening assistance.
- Ajman Free Zone: priced per application; a consultant quotes it. Includes the freezone trade licence, registered agent and office address, and company documents.
The honest test is simple: will a bank or client check your registered address? If not, paying for a Dubai one is money you do not need to spend.
Corporate tax, VAT and the 0% question for free zone companies
The UAE applies 9% corporate tax on net profit above AED 375,000, for financial years starting on or after 1 June 2023. Below that threshold, the rate is 0%. This is detailed by the Federal Tax Authority.
A free zone company may access a 0% rate on qualifying income, but that relief is conditional. It requires meeting the Federal Tax Authority's substance requirements, meaning real operations inside the zone, not just a registered mailing address. Whether your income qualifies depends on what you actually do and who you invoice. Treat 0% as something to establish with your accountant, not to assume, and register and file regardless of whether you ultimately owe anything.
Separately, VAT registration at 5% becomes mandatory once taxable turnover exceeds AED 375,000, as regulated by the Federal Tax Authority.
Can a free zone company sell to the UAE mainland?
Not directly. A free zone company cannot sell to UAE consumers, local retailers or government entities without either appointing a mainland distributor or running a separate mainland entity alongside it. If your customers are international, this rarely affects you. If your plan depends on the UAE domestic market, it changes the structure, and we would rather flag that before you register than after.
What it costs, and how we quote it
The starting estimates above come from each authority's own published fee list, plus our margin and VAT. They are genuine floors, not teasers, but they are estimates. Your final figure depends on your activity, visa count and package tier, so a human consultant confirms the binding quote. We do not run a pricing engine that quietly edits the number; any adjustment above the floor is explained to you directly.
FAQs
What's the cheapest free zone to set up a company in Dubai? Of the four we register directly, UAQ FTZ has the lowest entry estimate, from AED 8,650. Cheapest is not automatically right. If a bank needs to open your account, the zone's banking standing matters more than the licence saving.
Which free zone is best for a trading or consulting business? It depends on whether clients and banks will check your address. UAQ FTZ or Ajman suit a lean operation; IFZA or Meydan carry a Dubai address and stronger banking relationships that usually matter more than the fee difference. We walk you through the trade-off against your actual activity first.
Can OMC open my bank account after free zone formation? We prepare and manage the application, brief you on what each bank's compliance team will ask, and choose the zone partly on banking odds in the first place. We hold named relationships at 10+ UAE banks and have opened 1,000+ accounts. We cannot guarantee approval, as the decision is the bank's, and opening typically takes two to eight weeks.
Does a free zone company qualify for 0% corporate tax? It can, but not automatically. The 0% qualifying-income relief depends on meeting FTA substance requirements, meaning real operations in the zone, not just a mailing address. Establish it with your accountant rather than assuming it. Corporate tax is otherwise 9% on profit above AED 375,000 for years starting on or after 1 June 2023, according to the Federal Tax Authority.
Can a free zone company sell directly to UAE mainland customers? No, not without a mainland distributor or a separate mainland entity. It is fine if your customers are international; it needs planning around if they are not.
How long does free zone company registration take? Once documents are submitted: UAQ FTZ and Ajman typically 3 to 5 working days; IFZA and Meydan 5 to 10 working days. Visa processing and bank account opening run on their own timelines.
Can I register a company in IFZA or Meydan and get a residence visa? Yes. Both include visa allocation, with IFZA offering one complimentary residence visa on any 1+ visa package. The exact number of visas depends on your package tier.
Why do you only register with four free zones? Our focus is on the four we register directly, meaning UAQ FTZ, Ajman, IFZA and Meydan, and we would rather say so than pretend to cover all 40-plus. Four zones we know deeply, including their banking behaviour, serves you better than a longer list we would be guessing on.
The zone that decides your setup should be the one whose banking relationships actually open your account. Talk to an advisor and we will tell you which of the four fits your activity, your visa count and your bank, in one call, before you pay anything.
