MainlandFree zoneOffshore
just nowIndia flagConsultingSRTIPAED 5,500QUOTE14m agoUnited Kingdom flagIT / SaaSIFZAAED 23,400LICENCE47m agoPakistan flagTradingRAKEZAED 10,500REROUTED1h 12m agoRussia flagConsultingDIFCAED 5,500IBAN2h agoIndia flagE-commerceSHAMSAED 5,750LICENCE2h 44m agoChina flagGeneral TradingRAKEZAED 18,500QUOTE3h agoNigeria flagConsultingIFZAAED 16,700REROUTED3h 18m agoIndia flagFreelanceAFZAED 10,800IBAN4h agoEgypt flagMarketingSPCAED 5,750LICENCE5h agoUnited States flagFintechADGMAED 44,000QUOTE6h agoIndia flagConsultingSRTIPAED 5,500IBAN8h agoPhilippines flagFreelanceUAQAED 11,000LICENCE9h agoBangladesh flagTradingANCFZAED 15,200QUOTE11h agoUnited Kingdom flagCrypto / Web3DMCCAED 31,000LICENCE13h agoIndia flagIT / SaaSIFZAAED 23,400EID14h agoSouth Africa flagMarketingSHAMSAED 5,750QUOTE16h agoUkraine flagConsultingSRTIPAED 9,690LICENCE18h agoIndia flagGeneral TradingDMCCAED 51,684REROUTED20h agoSaudi Arabia flagConsultingDIFCAED 5,500IBANyesterdayPakistan flagE-commerceANCFZAED 10,800LICENCEyesterdayEgypt flagLogisticsJAFZAAED 25,000QUOTEyesterdayLebanon flagConsultingIFZAAED 12,200IBAN2d agoIndia flagIndustrialKIZADAED 145,000LICENCE2d agoUnited Kingdom flagInnovationInnovation CityAED 6,600LICENCEjust nowIndia flagConsultingSRTIPAED 5,500QUOTE14m agoUnited Kingdom flagIT / SaaSIFZAAED 23,400LICENCE47m agoPakistan flagTradingRAKEZAED 10,500REROUTED1h 12m agoRussia flagConsultingDIFCAED 5,500IBAN2h agoIndia flagE-commerceSHAMSAED 5,750LICENCE2h 44m agoChina flagGeneral TradingRAKEZAED 18,500QUOTE3h agoNigeria flagConsultingIFZAAED 16,700REROUTED3h 18m agoIndia flagFreelanceAFZAED 10,800IBAN4h agoEgypt flagMarketingSPCAED 5,750LICENCE5h agoUnited States flagFintechADGMAED 44,000QUOTE6h agoIndia flagConsultingSRTIPAED 5,500IBAN8h agoPhilippines flagFreelanceUAQAED 11,000LICENCE9h agoBangladesh flagTradingANCFZAED 15,200QUOTE11h agoUnited Kingdom flagCrypto / Web3DMCCAED 31,000LICENCE13h agoIndia flagIT / SaaSIFZAAED 23,400EID14h agoSouth Africa flagMarketingSHAMSAED 5,750QUOTE16h agoUkraine flagConsultingSRTIPAED 9,690LICENCE18h agoIndia flagGeneral TradingDMCCAED 51,684REROUTED20h agoSaudi Arabia flagConsultingDIFCAED 5,500IBANyesterdayPakistan flagE-commerceANCFZAED 10,800LICENCEyesterdayEgypt flagLogisticsJAFZAAED 25,000QUOTEyesterdayLebanon flagConsultingIFZAAED 12,200IBAN2d agoIndia flagIndustrialKIZADAED 145,000LICENCE2d agoUnited Kingdom flagInnovationInnovation CityAED 6,600LICENCE
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Documents required - What you'll need to file in the UAE.

Most founders need 5 to 8 documents. Every one of them uploads to the Formenzo portal — no couriering originals, no notarization for the majority of zones, no paperwork printed and re-scanned. The list below is the real 2026 ask, broken down by passport and by zone tier so you can see what applies before you start.

By passport

Six common nationalities, six checklists.

Each row shows the typical document set for that passport across most UAE free zones. Tier-1 zones (DIFC, ADGM) ask for additional items — see the next section.

Indian passport

Standard set; PCC only if you're requesting visa stamping.

7 docs
  • ·Passport copy (all pages, valid 6+ months)
  • ·Recent passport-size photo (white background)
  • ·UAE entry stamp or visit visa copy
  • ·Address proof — utility bill or bank statement (≤3 months)
  • ·Source-of-funds statement (last 6 months)
  • ·PAN card copy
  • ·Brief CV / business background

Pakistani passport

Source-of-funds must be notarized for most zones.

8 docs
  • ·Passport copy (valid 6+ months)
  • ·Passport-size photo
  • ·CNIC copy (front + back)
  • ·Address proof (≤3 months)
  • ·Source-of-funds statement, notarized
  • ·Bank reference letter
  • ·CV with employment history
  • ·Police clearance certificate (PCC)

British passport

The lightest checklist — UK-issued docs are accepted as-is.

6 docs
  • ·Passport copy
  • ·Passport-size photo
  • ·UK address proof — council tax or utility (≤3 months)
  • ·Source-of-funds (bank statements 3 months)
  • ·CV / LinkedIn export
  • ·Existing UK company memo (if applicable)

Russian passport

All non-English docs must be apostilled and translated by a UAE-licensed translator.

9 docs
  • ·Passport copy (international passport)
  • ·Internal passport copy
  • ·Passport-size photo
  • ·Address proof, translated and apostilled
  • ·Source-of-funds, notarized + translated
  • ·Bank reference letter, translated
  • ·CV in English
  • ·PCC (no-criminal-record), apostilled
  • ·Tax residency certificate (if applicable)

Filipino passport

NBI clearance is mandatory across all zones for Filipino founders.

7 docs
  • ·Passport copy
  • ·Passport-size photo
  • ·NBI clearance (≤6 months)
  • ·Address proof (≤3 months)
  • ·Source-of-funds statement
  • ·CV / employment history
  • ·Existing employer NOC (if UAE-resident)

Chinese passport

Translated business reference required; Hukou copy speeds approval.

8 docs
  • ·Passport copy
  • ·Passport-size photo
  • ·Hukou (household register) copy
  • ·Address proof, translated
  • ·Source-of-funds statement, translated
  • ·Bank reference letter
  • ·Business reference, translated by certified UAE translator
  • ·CV in English

By zone tier

Three tiers, three asks.

Free zones cluster into roughly three diligence tiers. Pick a lean zone if you want to file this week, a tier-1 zone if you need regulatory standing.

Lean zones

IFZA · SHAMS · ANC FZ · RAKEZ

5docs base

Fastest filing path. Five documents and you're submitted.

  • ·Passport copy
  • ·Passport-size photo
  • ·Address proof (≤3 months)
  • ·Activity selection (from zone's pre-approved list)
  • ·Signed application form

Premium zones

DMCC · Meydan

7docs base

Slightly more diligence — these zones lean toward trade and consulting at higher revenue tiers.

  • ·Passport copy
  • ·Passport-size photo
  • ·Address proof (≤3 months)
  • ·Source-of-funds summary
  • ·CV / professional background
  • ·Activity declaration (free-form, 1 paragraph)
  • ·Bank reference letter

Tier-1 zones

DIFC · ADGM

9docs base

Financial-services regulators. Expect a real-business test before licensing.

  • ·Passport copy
  • ·Passport-size photo
  • ·Address proof (≤3 months)
  • ·Source-of-funds, notarized
  • ·Bank reference letter from existing primary bank
  • ·Detailed CV with regulatory history
  • ·Business plan (10–20 pages)
  • ·Three-year financial projection
  • ·Compliance manual outline (regulated activities only)

Indicative pricing: lean zones from AED 4,888, premium from AED 12,500, tier-1 from AED 24,000. Full breakdown on /pricing.

Don't guess at it

Get your personalised checklist.

Two minutes, six questions, one PDF. We email a per-passport, per-zone, per-activity checklist before you ever pay a dirham.

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Documents Required — UAE Company Formation Checklist by Passport & Zone | Formenzo