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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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Before you read further

SHAMS may not fit 4 things you're probably after.

If any of these apply to you, the linked alternative will save you a week. Close this tab before you waste it.

  • Not for crypto / Web3

    → DMCC

    Virtual-asset activities need a VARA / FSRA / DIFC licence; this zone doesn't issue one.

  • Not for F&B

    → Mainland

    Restaurants, cafés, cloud kitchens need a mainland DED foodservice licence. Free zones don't issue these.

  • Not for clinics

    → DHCC

    DHA-regulated medical/clinical activity requires Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC).

  • Visa cap: 6

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S

Sharjah · Free Zone

First-party verified

Sharjah Media City

LLC without the 'FZ' — 4-hour formation for media & creative entrepreneurs

1d

License in

6

Visa quota

5+

Activities

6/10

Bank score

SHAMS is the only UAE free zone that issues an LLC without the 'FZ' suffix — your entity reads like a mainland company on invoices and contracts. Media licence from AED 5,750/yr (incl. VAT), Standard from AED 6,885/yr, 4-hour formation, up to 5 activities, monthly credit-card instalments of AED 573 × 12. Channel-partner verified.

Starting from

Verified

AED 5,750

SHAMS Media Package · 0 visas · 1 year · incl. VAT

💰 Save up to 10% multi-year

With 1 visa~AED 9,940

Includes: Media licence, LLC without 'FZ' suffix, up to 5 media activities, flexi-desk, lease agreement — incl. VAT

Start with SHAMS →💬 WhatsApp us
First-party verified · channel-partner rate

The only UAE free zone that issues LLC without the ‘FZ’ suffix

Media licence from AED 5,750/yr (incl. VAT), Standard from AED 6,885. 4-hour formation. Up to 5 activities. Monthly instalments of AED 573 × 12 via UAE credit card, or Tabby 4×. Every number traced to the Shams customer portal.

What does SHAMS cost in 2026?

SHAMS publishes two licences. Media is the creator / freelancer / content track; Standard is for service, trading, or multi-sector businesses. Both issue an LLC without the ‘FZ’ suffix — unique to SHAMS — and all published prices are inclusive of VAT.

Cheapest entry point

Media Licence

AED 5,750/yr

Tabby 4× interest-free available

Creative professionals, freelancers, and media entrepreneurs

  • ✓Up to 5 media activities
  • ✓LLC issued — no (unique to shams)
  • ✓Flexi desk & lease agreement included
  • ✓100% foreign ownership — no local sponsor
  • ✓NOC not required — can use existing UAE visa
  • ✓Prices inclusive of VAT

Standard Licence

AED 6,885/yr

or AED 573 × 12 on UAE credit card

Service-based, trading, consultancy, e-commerce, multi-sector

  • ✓Any 5 business activities
  • ✓LLC issued — no (unique to shams)
  • ✓Flexi desk & lease agreement included
  • ✓100% foreign ownership — no local sponsor
  • ✓NOC not required — can use existing UAE visa
  • ✓Prices inclusive of VAT

Does SHAMS offer a multi-year discount?

Yes — lock in for 2, 3, 5, or 10 years and the per-year rate drops by up to 10%. The 10-year Media plan costs AED 51,750 total, AED 5,750 less than renewing annually for a decade.

Package1 year2 years3 years5 years10 years
StandardAED 6,875AED 13,475AED 20,006AED 32,656AED 61,875
MediaAED 5,750AED 11,270AED 16,733AED 27,313AED 51,750

What FZ+ concierge add-ons does SHAMS offer?

SHAMS publishes 14 add-on services through its FZ+ concierge. Corporate Tax registration is the one every founder should budget for — the FTA penalty for missing it is AED 10,000.

Corporate Tax Registration

AED 850/mo

Complete FTA registration, documentation review, compliance guidance — avoids AED 10,000 penalties.

VIP Medical & Biometrics

AED 2,000/yr

Elevated, fast-tracked residency with priority care and dedicated concierge support.

Dependent Visa

AED 5,000

Seamless family sponsorship — professionally managed from entry to visa issuance.

Dedicated Account Manager

Contact Shams

Personalized account management.

Accounting & Bookkeeping

Contact Shams

Professional accounting services.

VAT Filing

Contact Shams

VAT compliance and periodic filing.

Corporate Tax (Filing)

Contact Shams

Corporate tax return preparation and filing.

Contact Details Change

Contact Shams

Update company contact information on license.

Health Insurance

Contact Shams

Employee health insurance arrangement.

Executive Office

Contact Shams

Dedicated office space upgrade.

Company Stamp

Contact Shams

Official company stamp / seal.

Custom HS Code

Contact Shams

Custom HS code assignment for trading activities.

CT & Bank Assistance

Contact Shams

Bank selection, application preparation, documentation review, follow-ups until activation.

Telephone Answering

Contact Shams

Professional multilingual agents, business hours Sun–Thu 8:30AM–5:30PM, call forwarding, voicemail.

Invoice transparency · SHAMS

What lands on your invoice. Line by line.

Every fee, in the order it hits. No “admin” tax, no hidden markup — Formenzo's margin is the zone's channel-partner commission, not a line on your invoice.

0 visas · licence only

  • SHAMS licenceAED 5,750
  • Gov + authority adminBundled
  • Formenzo service feeAED 0
TotalAED 5,750

1 visa · founder

  • SHAMS licenceAED 5,750
  • Entry permit × 1AED 3,500
  • Medical + EID × 1AED 690
  • Gov + authority adminBundled
  • Formenzo service feeAED 0
TotalAED 9,940

2 visas · partners

  • SHAMS licenceAED 5,750
  • Entry permit × 2AED 7,000
  • Medical + EID × 2AED 1,380
  • Gov + authority adminBundled
  • Formenzo service feeAED 0
TotalAED 14,130

Visa bundle uses SHAMS-standard rates. Final visas stamped per applicant; typing-centre and translation fees are only added when they actually occur and billed at cost (usually AED 0 for English-passport applicants, AED 100–200 otherwise).

Banking reality · SHAMS

The real bank-approval picture for a SHAMS licence.

Channel-partner outcomes by passport bucket, over the last 90 days. “Limited” means the bank rarely approves this combo — we'll re-route you rather than waste your time.

Bank
IN / UK / PH
Low friction
PK / BD / NG
Enhanced DD
RU / IR / SY
Sanctions screen
US
FATCA disclosure
Days
WioStrongLimitedLimitedStandard5–7
Mashreq NeoBizStrongEnhanced DDEnhanced DDStandard10–14
Emirates NBDStandardEnhanced DDLimitedEnhanced DD14–21
RAKBANKStrongEnhanced DDLimitedStandard12–18
CBIStandardEnhanced DDEnhanced DDEnhanced DD14–25
ADCBStandardEnhanced DDLimitedStandard18–21

Outcomes are directional channel-partner patterns, not a guarantee for any specific applicant. “Days” = typical time from licence issuance to funded IBAN.

Banking partners

Banks that open accounts for SHAMS companies with 90%+ approval.

🏦 RAKBANK🏦 Mashreq NeoBiz🏦 WIO

Average time to IBAN

21 days

from license issuance

Formenzo setup timeline

Day-by-day what we deliver end-to-end, from signed engagement to funded IBAN.

Day 1-2

Initial approval

We file your application with the Free Zone authority.

~1 day

Day 2-1

License issued

Trade license + Establishment Card in hand. You can sign contracts.

~0 days

Day 2-14

Investor visa

Entry permit → medical → Emirates ID → stamping.

~13 days

Day 15-21

Bank account opened

Funded UAE IBAN ready to receive payments.

~7 days

SHAMS — frequently asked questions

Quotable, answer-first, optimized for AI search (Perplexity, ChatGPT, Google AI Mode).

How much does a SHAMS license cost in 2026?

+

A Sharjah Media City (SHAMS) license costs AED 5,750 all-in for the zero-visa package in 2026 — that includes government license fee, Establishment Card, and Formenzo's all-inclusive service fee. Add one investor visa (entry permit, medical, Emirates ID, stamping) and the total becomes AED 9,940.

How long does SHAMS company setup take?

+

SHAMS issues the trade license in 1 business day after initial approval (1 day). A residency visa adds approximately 13 more days. Opening a UAE corporate bank account adds 7 days on top. Total from signup to funded UAE IBAN: about 21 days.

How many visas can I get with SHAMS?

+

SHAMS default package includes 0 visas, and the maximum allowed per license is 6. Each additional investor or employment visa costs approximately AED 3,500 including entry permit, medical, Emirates ID, and stamping.

Which UAE banks open accounts for SHAMS companies?

+

SHAMS companies primarily bank with RAKBANK, Mashreq NeoBiz, WIO. Formenzo coordinates the KYC process and typical time from license issuance to funded account is 20 days. Bank approval rates vary by nationality; we pre-match you to the right bank before filing.

What business activities does SHAMS allow?

+

SHAMS permits approximately 5 business activities. It is best suited for freelance, marketing, media, content creator. Activities not allowed include restaurant, industrial, fintech — these require a UAE Mainland license.

Can I form a SHAMS company without visiting the UAE?

+

Yes — SHAMS formation is fully remote through Formenzo. We handle document collection, trade name reservation, MOA drafting, and submission without a UAE visit. You only come to the UAE for one day to complete the medical fitness test and Emirates ID biometrics — and only if you want a residency visa. The trade license itself can be issued with zero travel.

Is SHAMS eligible for 0% UAE Corporate Tax?

+

Yes. SHAMS is a recognized UAE Free Zone, so companies qualifying as a Qualifying Free Zone Person (QFZP) can maintain a 0% Corporate Tax rate on qualifying income. Non-qualifying income is taxed at the standard 9% above AED 375,000. SHAMS companies must register with the Federal Tax Authority within 3 months of incorporation — Formenzo handles this filing.

Why choose SHAMS over other UAE Free Zones?

+

LLC without the 'FZ' — 4-hour formation for media & creative entrepreneurs. LLC without the 'FZ' suffix — only Shams offers this. Media licence from AED 5,750/yr (incl. VAT). Banking score: 6/10. Setup speed: 1 days. Starting cost: AED 5,750. Take Formenzo's 60-second assessment to compare SHAMS against 47 other UAE Free Zones based on your nationality, budget, and business activity.

Other Sharjah Free Zones

Compare SHAMS with other options in the same emirate.

SAIF Zone

Airport cargo hub — trading & logistics from Sharjah

FromAED 15,600

SPC

AED 5,750 flat licence. 70% Sharjah utility subsidy. Pay-As-You-Go activity combination.

FromAED 5,750

HFZA

Heavy industrial + port zone — steel, oil & gas, maritime

FromAED 15,000

USARTC

Niche zone for US businesses entering the Middle East market

FromAED 26,000

Ready to form your SHAMS company?

Take our 60-second assessment. We'll prepare your docs, file with SHAMS, and have your license in 1 days.

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Sharjah Media City — 2026 Pricing, Visa Quota, Banking | Formenzo