Set up your business in a Dubai Free Zone

The minimum cost for a Dubai free zone company with a Dubai address is AED 12,500/year for a licence-only setup at IFZA or Meydan. Add one investor visa and the total rises to approximately AED 20,000–26,000 for the first year. DMCC starts at approximately AED 20,000 for the government licence fee alone. First-year total cost ranges from AED 17,500 (Meydan/IFZA, licence-only) to AED 50,000+ (DMCC with visa). Indian founders should budget an additional AED 2,000–5,000 for document apostille and attestation.

Yes, for the licence steps. All major Dubai free zones — DMCC, IFZA, Meydan, DAFZA — accept remote applications submitted through registered partner agents. For Indian founders using an Indian parent company as the shareholder, documents must be apostilled in India before submission. The investor visa step (biometrics, medical fitness, Emirates ID) requires a physical visit to Dubai — typically one trip of three to five days covers everything.

Yes, for B2B services. A Dubai free zone company can invoice UAE-based companies directly for IT services, consulting, marketing, accounting, design, and most professional services without needing a mainland distributor. The restriction on direct invoicing applies to B2C retail — if you want to sell to individual UAE consumers through a physical shop, you need a DET mainland licence.

DMCC is the world's #1 ranked free zone (Financial Times), located in Jumeirah Lakes Towers, with 26,000+ member companies, a premium address, and an active business ecosystem. DMCC licences start at AED 20,000+ government fee. IFZA is located at Dubai Silicon Oasis, offers 2,000+ permitted activities, starts from AED 12,500, and processes licences in 3–5 business days. For Indian IT and consulting founders on a budget who want a Dubai address with maximum activity flexibility, IFZA is the practical choice. For founders for whom the DMCC name on the company documents matters commercially, DMCC is worth the premium.

It depends on the free zone and the package. Most Dubai free zones offer licence packages with 0, 1, 2, or 3 visas. Free zones with flexi-desk packages typically cap visas at two to three per licence tier; free zones with dedicated office spaces allow higher visa quotas. DMCC, DAFZA, and JAFZA allow up to six or more visas per standard commercial licence.

Emirates NBD, Mashreq, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB), RAKBANK, Wio Bank (digital-first), and First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) all work with Dubai free zone companies. DMCC-registered companies have the highest bank acceptance rate. IFZA and Meydan companies are accepted by Mashreq, RAKBANK, and Wio Bank most reliably. Approval timelines range from two to six weeks. Indian passport holders benefit significantly from a bank introduction letter from myHQ.

Dubai free zone companies are subject to UAE Corporate Tax (9%) but may qualify for a 0% "Qualifying Free Zone Person" rate if they meet specific conditions: adequate economic substance in the UAE, income from "qualifying activities," and UAE-domestic income not exceeding the 5% de minimis threshold. A free zone company with purely international income effectively pays 0% corporate tax.