The full process from choosing a zone to opening your bank account — what each step needs, what it costs, and how long it takes. No sales calls.
Setting up a UAE free-zone company is a defined, mostly-online process that typically takes 3–8 working days for the licence, plus a few more days per residence visa. Here's the whole journey, start to finish, with what each step needs and roughly what it costs.
Pick the zone that fits your activity, visa needs and budget. Prices run from AED 4,888 all-in (Ajman, the cheapest) to AED 35,484 (DMCC, premium), with most zones AED 5,000–7,000 for a zero-visa licence. Decide how many residence visas you need up front, since that drives the cost more than anything else. Compare all 9 zones by all-in price and visa count before you commit.
Choose 2–3 company-name options that follow UAE naming rules (no offensive terms, no abbreviations of personal names, no implied government links). The free zone checks availability and reserves it — Formenzo runs the trade-name check free before you pay anything.
For most free-zone licences you need:
That's usually the entire document set for a standard licence — there's no notarised paperwork for most free-zone activities.
The free-zone authority reviews your activity and name and issues an initial approval. Regulated activities (finance, legal, medical and similar) may need an extra external approval, which adds time; standard trading, consulting and e-commerce activities usually don't.
Once approved you pay the all-in fee and the authority issues your trade licence and incorporation documents — typically 3–8 working days from a clean application. With Formenzo the price is confirmed in writing and locked for 14 days, so the number you approve is the number you pay.
If you need residence visas, the company first gets a one-time immigration establishment card and e-channel registration, then each visa runs through entry permit → status change → medical → Emirates ID → stamping, at roughly 5–7 days per visa. The first visa adds about AED 6,000–11,000 all-in because of the one-time set-up; each additional visa adds less.
With your licence and visa (or Emirates ID) you can open a UAE business bank account. Approval times vary by bank and activity — Formenzo gives you a bank introduction free with every setup to speed this up.
A licence-only setup is usually 3–8 working days. Add about a week per residence visa, and a further 1–4 weeks for the bank account depending on the bank. Most founders are fully operational within 2–4 weeks.
You don't need an agent's call to start — every price is published all-in, you choose your zone and package online, and we handle the filing. Compare all 9 UAE free zones or run the cost calculator to see your exact number, in writing, with nothing hidden.
See your exact all-in number in writing, locked for 14 days. No callback, no pressure.
Most UAE free-zone licences are issued in 3–8 working days once your trade name and documents are approved. Add roughly 5–7 days per residence visa, and 1–4 weeks for a corporate bank account depending on the bank — so most founders are fully operational within 2–4 weeks.
For a standard free-zone licence you need a passport copy and photo for each shareholder, 2–3 proposed company names, your chosen business activity, and a UAE entry-stamp copy if you're already in the country. Most activities need no notarised paperwork.
Yes — the licence itself can usually be arranged remotely and online. You only need to be in the UAE for the residence-visa medical and Emirates ID biometrics, if you choose to take a visa. A licence-only company needs no visit.
No. UAE free zones allow 100% foreign ownership with no local Emirati sponsor or partner, plus 0% personal income tax and full profit repatriation.
From AED 4,888 all-in for a zero-visa licence (Ajman, the cheapest), with most zones AED 5,000–7,000 and Dubai zones from about AED 12,500. The all-in price includes the authority licence, registration, our service and any visa block — confirmed in writing.
