IFZA
International Free Zone Authority
Our first recommendation for most Dubai free zone companies. Broad activity list, no physical office required for smaller packages, and a licensing process we can run end to end without the client attending in person. Based within Dubai Silicon Oasis.
At a glance
- Emirate
- Dubai
- Authority
- Independent and specialised
- Sector
- General-purpose licensing across trading, services and industrial activities.
- Facilities
- Flexi-desk through to fitted offices
- Visa quota
- Scales with the facility taken
- Licence cost
- Quoted on activity
Who it suits
- Consulting and professional services
- Trading and general trading
- E-commerce
- Holding companies
- IT and software
What it does well
- Wide activity catalogue across trading, services and industrial
- Flexi-desk options that satisfy the visa quota requirement
- Dual-licence friendly structures
- Processing we handle without the shareholder travelling
Worth knowing before you commit
Visa quota is tied to the facility you take, so decide headcount before the package is issued — upgrading mid-term costs more than starting at the right tier.
How we set it up
- Confirm the activity. We check your exact activity is on IFZA's schedule before anything is paid. This is where most setups go wrong.
- Name reservation and initial approval. Three trade name options, submitted in order of preference.
- Documentation. Passport copies, photographs, the application set and shareholder resolutions where there is a corporate shareholder.
- Licence issuance. Licence, certificate of incorporation, share certificate and memorandum.
- Establishment card and visas. Immigration file opened, then entry permit, medical, Emirates ID and stamping for each person.
- Bank account. We prepare the file and introduce you. Approval is the bank's decision, not ours, and we will tell you honestly how your case looks.
Enquire about IFZA
Leave your details and we will send a written quote for IFZA, including visa costs for the headcount you need.
Free Zone Questions We Get Asked
Can a free zone company sell inside the UAE?
Not directly to the onshore market. It imports and re-exports freely, but selling to UAE customers needs a mainland distributor, a mainland branch, or customs duty paid through an agent.
Does the office have to be inside the zone?
Yes. The registered office must sit within the zone that issued the licence.
How many visas will I get?
It depends on the package and the facility you take. A flexi-desk typically carries one to three. A real office scales from there, so decide headcount before the package is issued.
Can I move to a different free zone later?
You can, but it is a new incorporation rather than a transfer in most cases — new licence, new immigration file, visas reissued. Worth getting right the first time.
Which free zone is cheapest?
SHAMS, SPC, Ajman and UAQ sit at the low end. Cheapest is not always right: a Sharjah or Ajman address is treated differently by some Dubai banks and landlords, so tell us if banking matters.
Do I pay customs duty?
Not on goods that stay within the free zone or are re-exported. Duty applies when goods enter the UAE mainland market, currently at 5%.
Not Covered Above? Ask Us.
Send the question as you would ask it on the phone. One of the team answers it properly — not a template, and not a sales call dressed up as an answer.