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, then build an itemised estimate online. Prices run from AED 4,888 for a published licence-only scenario (Ajman, the lowest entry scenario) 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 published licence and visa scenarios 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.
Verify your email, then add your proposed company names, business activity, shareholders and visa preferences. No passport or identity upload is requested at this initial step.
Formenzo reviews the activity and setup. Your secure portal then shows the confirmed estimate validity date, any free-zone or external-approval requirements, and the invoice before payment.
If the authority requires identity or supporting documents, upload them only in the secure portal after review. Once you approve the invoice and pay, track the filing and licence online; a clean application typically completes in 3–8 working days.
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 4,700–11,950 in published visa scenarios because of the one-time setup; 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 — you can compare published licence and visa scenarios online; after review we confirm the authority requirements and written itemisation before payment, then handle the filing. Compare all 9 UAE free zones or run the cost calculator to see your written authority itemisation, inclusions, exclusions and validity before payment.
After review, see the confirmed authority itemisation and validity date in writing before payment. 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 for a published zero-visa licence scenario (Ajman, the lowest entry scenario), with most zones AED 5,000–7,000 and Dubai zones from about AED 12,500. Each published scenario states its selected licence and visa count; final authority line items, requirements and validity are confirmed in writing before payment.
