IFZA Professional Partner
Set up a company in IFZA Dubai
IFZA — International Free Zone Authority is a free zone in Dubai. It suits companies selling services or trading outside the UAE, with full foreign ownership, remote incorporation and up to seven activities on a single licence.
The essentials
Legal entity
- Entity type
- FZCOForeign incorporated companies may register a Branch.
- Regime
- Dubai Silicon Oasis / DIEZ frameworkFree Zone Regulation is defined by reference to Dubai Integrated Economic Zones rules.
- Remote incorporation
- Fully digitalMedical tests and Emirates ID biometrics still require physical presence.
Ownership
- Foreign ownership
- 100%
Capital
- Paid-up capital
- No paid-up capital requirementA legacy application form states a proposed share capital of AED 10,000; confirm current portal rule before enforcing it as validation.
Activities
- Activities per licence
- Up to 7First three are included in the incorporation cost; activities four to seven are charged.
- Cross-business licensing
- PermittedActivities from different categories can be combined on one licence.
- Amendment rule
- An expired licence must be renewed before it can be amended
Visas
- Establishment Card
- Required before any visaMust be renewed annually.
- Office requirement
- No mandatory office under a 4-visa allocationHigher visa entitlements may require physical office space.
Renewal
- Licence renewal
- AnnualOverdue renewal can trigger fines, suspension or cancellation.
- Financial statements
- Mandatory at renewal since 30 Sep 2025All FZCOs and Branches submit statements for the most recently completed financial year.
- Simplified statement eligibility
- Turnover up to AED 3m and 9 employees or fewerIf either criterion fails, full audited statements are required.
- Accounting basis
- Cash basis up to AED 3m; IFRS for SMEs to AED 50m; full IFRS above
Closing
- Company closure
- Formal liquidation requiredAllowing the licence to lapse is not a closure mechanism.
- Share transfer restriction
- Generally not permitted in the first 3 monthsAML precaution; exceptional cases are discretionary.
Who it suits, and who it does not
A good fit
- Consulting, software and other services sold to clients outside the UAE
- Trading where the goods do not enter the UAE domestic market
- Founders who want residence visas without leasing an office first
- Companies incorporating remotely, travelling only for medical and Emirates ID
Look elsewhere if
- You will sell directly into the UAE domestic market — that is a mainland licence
- You need premises for retail, food service or manufacturing
- Your activity is financial services regulated by a financial free zone
We will say so during the enquiry rather than selling you a licence that does not fit.
Regulated activities
Of 824 activities in the official catalogue, 580 are classified Green and 244 are Amber.
A Green activity carries no external approval in IFZA's classification. An Amber activity requires approval from a named UAE authority, and obtaining it is the licensee's responsibility. Some approvals must be in place before the licence is issued, others after.
We check this before quoting. A licence issued against an activity that cannot lawfully be carried out is worse than no licence.
Search the official activity catalogue →What you need to provide
- Passport copyClear current passport
- Digital passport photo
- Application form with UBO information
- Three company name options in priority order
- Emirates ID and UAE visa copyIf applicableFor UAE residents
- Third-party approvalIf applicableAmber / regulated activities
- Business plan with the top five items to tradeIf applicableGeneral Trading licences
How setup runs
- 1
Client discovery
Identify licence type, activities, visa package and office solution.
YourFirm AI
- 2
Activity screening
Map requested activities, classify Green or Amber, identify property requirements and third-party approvals.
YourFirm AI
- 3
Proposal and quote
Generate the IFZA quotation through the Partner Portal including licence, visa allocation and property.
YourFirm AI (IFZA Professional Partner)
- 4
Document collection
Individual or corporate shareholder documents, UBO information and third-party approval documents.
Client and YourFirm AI
- 5
Portal registration
Shareholder and member documents are registered in the IFZA portal.
YourFirm AI and IFZA
- 6
Security and compliance checks
UAE authority checks on natural-person shareholders, directors and the General Manager.
IFZA and UAE authorities
- 7
Licence approval
The authority approves the application; a regulated activity may be granted provisionally where permitted.
IFZA
- 8
E-legal forms
Two e-legal forms are issued for signing.
IFZA and shareholders
- 9
MOA/AOA e-signature
Digital MOA and AOA are sent to shareholders for e-signature.
IFZA and shareholders
- 10
Licence issuance
Soft-copy licence and incorporation documents are issued by email.
IFZA
- 11
Establishment Card
Where visas are required, the Establishment Card is applied for first.
YourFirm AI and IFZA
- 12
Visa process
Entry permit or status change, medical, Emirates ID biometrics, then residence authorisation.
YourFirm AI, IFZA and UAE authorities
- 13
Post-setup
Banking, tax registration, bookkeeping, insurance and office services.
YourFirm AI and partners
What it costs
Four separate lines, never one total: authority fees, government charges, third-party costs and our professional fee. Year 1 and Year 2 are quoted together, so the renewal is not a surprise.
| Item | Category | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Government overstay fine, accruing daily until settled.per day | government | AED 50 |
| Absconding case processing. A 2.25% service fee applies on top.per event | authority | AED 6,000 |
| DNRD report — first step in an absconding case.per event | authority | AED 600 |
| IFZA handling for overstay settlement. Paying directly at Amer avoids this service charge.per event | authority | AED 400 |
| Optional VIP Entry Permit. Targets 24-hour issuance after complete documents; not guaranteed.per applicant | authority | AED 2,000 |
| Basic residence visa fee. Visa-for-Life covers this component only when eligible.per applicant | authority | AED 3,750 |
| Licence package, Establishment Card, renewal, amendments | authority | Current IFZA quotation required |
Quotations are prepared by YourFirm AI through the IFZA Professional Partner Portal. Authority fees are passed through as issued.
Request Year 1 and Year 2 pricingResidence visas
An Establishment Card is issued before any visa and renewed annually. Medical testing and Emirates ID biometrics require presence in the UAE; everything else is remote.
Investor / partner residence visa
2-year visa
Valid licence and Establishment Card; medical and Emirates ID biometrics inside the UAE.
Partner/investor add-on is excluded from Visa-for-Life and is priced in the Partner Portal.
Current IFZA quotation required
Employee residence visa
2-year visa
Establishment Card, employment documentation, medical, Emirates ID.
Current IFZA quotation required
Basic visa fee component
Base component only; status change and add-ons are separate.
AED 3,750
Establishment Card
Mandatory before any visa application; renewed annually.
Current tariff: Partner Portal.
Current IFZA quotation required
Status change (inside UAE)
Applies when the applicant is already in the UAE.
Explicitly excluded from Visa-for-Life. Current tariff: Partner Portal.
Current IFZA quotation required
Visa cancellation
Inside or outside the UAE variants exist.
Current tariff: Partner Portal. Entry permits older than 120 days without a residence visa may enter IFZA cancellation workflow.
Current IFZA quotation required
Workspace
No mandatory office applies under a four-visa allocation. Higher visa entitlements may require physical space.
| Option | Access | Address | Meeting rooms | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flexidesk | 10 hours per week | Shared IFZA address | 1 hour per month | Suits a 0–3 visa package |
| Flexidesk+ | Unlimited during business hours | IFZA-provided or individual address | 5 hours per month | Founder needing a daily desk |
| Dedicated Office | Unlimited during working hours | Individual business address | 5 hours meeting + 1 hour conference per month | Small team with client meetings |
| Private Office | 24/7 | Individual business address | 7 hours meeting + 2 hours conference per month | Growing team; stronger substance |
| Personalized Office | 24/7 | Individual business address | 7 hours meeting + 5 hours conference per month | Larger team; bespoke fit-out |
Workspace pricing is part of the package quotation and is not published separately.
Every year after the first
What repeats
- Licence renewal, annually
- Establishment Card renewal
- Visa renewals on their own cycle
- Corporate Tax registration and filing
- Financial statements, mandatory at renewal since 30 September 2025
Financial statements
Simplified form where turnover was AED 3 million or less and there were nine employees or fewer. If either threshold is exceeded, audited statements are required — and an audit takes longer than the renewal itself.
Already have an IFZA company?Questions
Setting up
What legal form does an IFZA company take?
IFZA companies are incorporated as FZCOs. A company incorporated abroad can instead register a Branch.
Can the company be set up without travelling to the UAE?
Incorporation is fully digital and does not require physical presence. Medical testing and Emirates ID biometrics for a residence visa do require a visit.
Is there a paid-up share capital requirement?
Current IFZA material states there is no paid-up share capital requirement. A legacy application form references a proposed share capital figure, so the current portal rule should be confirmed before it is treated as binding.
How many name options are needed?
Three company name options in order of priority. Names carry the FZCO suffix and remain subject to approval.
How long does incorporation take?
Timing depends on document readiness and on any third-party approval. The steps themselves are sequential: activity screening, quotation, document collection, portal registration, authority checks, approval, e-signature and licence issuance.
What is an Establishment Card?
An immigration file for the company. It is issued after the licence, must exist before any visa application, and is renewed annually.
Who issues the licence?
The licence is always issued by IFZA. YourFirm AI prepares the application, the quotation and the ongoing compliance work, and files through the IFZA Professional Partner Portal.
Business activities
How many activities can one licence hold?
Up to seven. The first three are included in the incorporation cost and activities four to seven are charged separately.
What is the difference between Green and Amber activities?
Green activities are non-regulated and require no external approval in IFZA's classification. Amber activities require approval from a specified Dubai or federal entity, and securing that approval is the licensee's responsibility.
Can activities from different categories be combined?
Yes. IFZA permits cross-business licensing, so commercial and professional categories can sit on the same licence.
Can a licence be issued while a regulated approval is pending?
IFZA may grant certain regulated activities provisionally for a specified period, subject to obtaining the third-party approval. Failure to obtain it can lead to cancellation unless the activities are changed.
Can activities be changed after the licence is issued?
Yes, through a licence amendment while the licence is valid. An expired licence must be renewed before it can be amended.
What happens if a third-party approval is never obtained?
Where an activity was granted provisionally, failure to obtain the approval within the specified period can lead to cancellation unless the activities are changed.
Does an activity carry premises conditions?
Some do. The catalogue records a property requirement against those activities, and it is confirmed before the quotation.
Shareholders
What does a corporate shareholder need to provide?
A board resolution, constitutional documents, a valid trade licence and a certificate of incorporation. For a company incorporated outside the UAE the board resolution is notarised in the country of origin and attested by the UAE Embassy.
What language must corporate documents be in?
English or Arabic. If the originals are in another language, a certified translation is required.
Can shares be transferred straight after incorporation?
As an AML precaution IFZA generally does not permit FZCO share transfers in the first three months after initial registration, other than discretionary exceptional cases.
How many shareholders can an FZCO have?
An FZCO can be held by individuals, corporate entities or a mix. Corporate shareholders bring an additional attestation pack.
Visas
What must be in place before a visa application?
A valid Establishment Card. It is a prerequisite for visa processing and is renewed annually.
Does the number of visas depend on the licence?
Yes. Visa entitlement depends on the licence category, and increasing the entitlement requires a licence upgrade. Higher entitlements may also require physical office space.
What happens if a residence visa is overstayed?
A government fine accrues at AED 50 per day until settled. IFZA can handle the settlement for an additional service fee, or the fine can be paid directly at Amer.
Does the whole family need separate applications?
Dependent visas are applied for separately once the sponsor's residence visa is issued.
What is a status change?
A procedure for an applicant already inside the UAE, used instead of an entry permit. It is priced separately and is not included in visa bundles.
Renewal
When must the licence be renewed?
On or before the renewal date each year. Overdue renewal can trigger fines, suspension or cancellation.
Are financial statements required at renewal?
Yes. Since 30 September 2025 all IFZA FZCOs and Branches must submit financial statements for the most recently completed financial year at annual licence renewal.
When is a simplified financial statement enough?
Only where turnover was AED 3 million or less and the company had nine employees or fewer at any point in the completed financial year. If either criterion fails, full audited statements are required.
Which accounting standard applies?
Cash basis up to AED 3 million turnover, IFRS for SMEs above AED 3 million and below AED 50 million, and full IFRS above AED 50 million.
Who can prepare audited statements?
Any registered UAE auditor.
What happens if renewal is missed?
Late renewal can trigger fines, suspension of the licence and, if it continues, cancellation. Visas tied to the licence are affected as well.
Closing a company
Is it enough to let the licence lapse?
No. Closing an FZCO requires licence cancellation and formal liquidation. Outstanding fines must be cleared before formal cancellation.
What happens to visas when a company closes?
Residence visas linked to the company must be cancelled as part of the closure process, before the licence itself is cancelled.
Cost
What is not included in an authority quotation?
Government charges such as medical testing and Emirates ID, third-party costs such as attestation, translation and courier, and our professional fee. We show all four separately.
Why is no package price shown on this page?
IFZA package, Establishment Card, renewal and amendment tariffs are issued through the Professional Partner Portal rather than published publicly. As an IFZA Professional Partner we prepare the current quotation directly rather than publishing a figure that may be out of date.