A UAE free-zone company is registered with the selected zone authority under its legal forms, activity list and facility rules. Kinzaad compares the activity, ownership, customers, workspace, visas and current authority fees before preparing the application.
Free zone company formation, in brief. Select a free zone that licenses the intended activity, choose an available legal form, reserve the trade name, arrange the required workspace, submit shareholder documents and pay the authority's current registration and licence fees. Visa and mainland-market requirements are checked separately.
The UAE Ministry of Economy explains the general free-zone business setup steps and legal forms; the selected zone's current rules still control the application.
A free zone is a designated economic area with its own registration authority, legal forms, licensed activities and facility requirements. Examples include IFZA, Meydan, DMCC, RAKEZ, SHAMS and Dubai South, but they are not interchangeable packages.
Free zones can permit full foreign ownership under their rules. The practical comparison is whether the zone licenses the exact activity, supports the required workspace and visas, and provides a lawful route for the company's intended customers and transactions.
A free zone company suits you if you plan to:
Check the onshore route. If the company will operate a physical outlet, serve regulated local activities or enter contracts requiring a mainland licence, compare mainland company formation. A free-zone company's permitted mainland activity depends on the zone, activity and applicable licence, branch, permit or distribution arrangement.
The proposal can cover the stages below. Check the agreed scope and exclusions: visa processing, banking-file support and authority charges are not automatically included in every licence package.
Give each shortlisted zone the same activity, shareholder count, visa requirement and workspace brief. Ask whether a “visa package” includes only eligibility or also the immigration file, application, medical test and identity-document charges. Confirm renewal components separately from a first-year promotion.
Prepare the company formation documents and use the itemised setup-cost checklist to compare the answers. Banking needs should be reviewed alongside the operating plan, not treated as guaranteed by the chosen free zone.
We confirm the activity, customer market, workspace, visa needs and budget, then compare relevant free-zone authorities.
The proposal separates quoted free-zone fees, Kinzaad service fees and known recurring components for the selected route.
We prepare the name, activity, legal-form and supporting documents required by the selected free-zone authority.
After licence issuance, we support establishment-card and visa stages where applicable and help organise the corporate bank account application. The authority and bank make their own decisions.
Shortlist only zones that license the activity and meet the required location, facility, visa and customer-market needs. Confirm all fees directly for the current package.
| Free zone | Profiles commonly considered | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| SHAMS (Sharjah) | Media, creative and service activities | Exact activity, legal form, facility and visa package |
| Ajman Free Zone | Trading, services and industrial activities | Licence scope, facility, customs and visa requirements |
| RAKEZ (Ras Al Khaimah) | Commercial, service and industrial profiles | Facility type, activity approvals and immigration allocation |
| Dubai South | Logistics, aviation and commercial activities | Location, facility, activity and package inclusions |
| Meydan Free Zone | Commercial and professional activities | Activity list, workspace, visa allocation and renewal |
| IFZA | Consulting, service and trading activities | Legal form, activities, facility and immigration fees |
| DMCC | Commodities and other approved activities | Activity-specific approvals, premises and current tariffs |
This is a comparison shortlist, not a claim of affiliation. Each authority controls its own eligibility, documents, timing and fees.
The honest short version — the full breakdown is in our comparison guide.
| Free Zone | Mainland | |
|---|---|---|
| Trade in the local UAE market | Check the activity and required mainland licence, branch, permit or distribution route | Under the approved licence, premises and regulator conditions |
| Foreign ownership | Subject to the zone and legal-form rules | Available for many activities; confirm eligibility |
| Cost basis | Zone, legal form, package, workspace and visas | Activity, legal form, approvals, premises and visas |
| Office requirement | Confirm whether shared workspace or dedicated premises are required | Confirm acceptable premises and Ejari requirements for the activity |
| Visa allocation | Depends on facility, package and immigration requirements | Depends on premises, activity and immigration requirements |
| Contract eligibility | Check the tender and zone rules | Check the tender's licence and local-presence rules |
For Dubai mainland operations, check the current DET operating-permit route. Eligibility depends on the company and activity; it is not automatic permission for every free-zone licence.
Book a free consultation and we will compare zones that support the activity, workspace, visa and customer requirements, then prepare an itemised quote.