Space type

Minimum area(sq meters)

Lease rent/unit area

(AED)

Total cost (AED)

Remarks

Office

27

1,500

35,000

Warehouse

510

176

90,000

Type of entity

Minimum

paid up capital (AED)

Minimum no of shareholders

Formation fees

Free Zone Company (FZCO)

1,000,000

2

15,000

Free Zone Establishment (FZE)

500,000

1

10,000

Type of license

Eligibility criteria/ scope etc

Fees (AED)

Specific trading

Trading licenses will be granted to companies holding a valid license issued by the Dubai Economic Department or an equivalent authority in the UAE, and to companies incorporated outside the UAE. In each case, the permitted activities on the FZ license must conform to those on the existing license. Trading licenses are also issued to FZEs.

5,500

General trading

15,000

Type of license

Eligibility criteria/ scope etc

Fees (AED)

Service

Service licenses are only granted to companies holding a valid UAE license

5,500

Industrial

Industrial licenses are issued to companies incorporated outside the UAE and to FZEs.

5,500

National Industrial

NILs are issued to industrial companies registered within or outside the UAE, provided they meet the conditions of having at least 51% AGCC equity and their local production accounting for at least 40% value added. Provisional approval of the UAE Ministry of Finance and Industry required. A NIL grants its holder the same rights as those of national and AGCC companies, and products exported to AGCC states will be exempted from customs duties.

5,500

Cost head

Amount

Remarks

Space expenses

125,000

Office + warehouse

License fees

15,000

Legal entity fees

10,000

Share capital

500,000

Not an expense.

Misc expenses

50,000

Govt deposits, utilities, visa costs  etc.

Total

700,000

Pluses

·   The upmarket image of being located in JAFZA

·   Excellent seaport facilities. In terms of container throughput and handling capacity Dubai Ports Authority has the largest container port between Europe and Asia and ranks 11th largest container port worldwide. Capacity of 7 million TEUs.

Minuses

·   One of the most expensive among UAE FZs

·   Lack of office & warehouse space

·   Indifferent service from staff since it is the largest.

Phone number ( when calling from outside UAE)

00-971-4-8812222

Website

www.jafza.co.ae

Space type

Minimum area(sq meters)

Minimum rent/unit area

(AED)

Total cost (AED)

Remarks

Office

50

1,400

70,000

Warehouse

316

540

171,000

Type of entity

Minimum

paid up capital (AED)

Minimum no of shareholders

Formation fees

Free Zone Company (FZCO)

1,000,000

2

15,000

Free Zone Establishment (FZE)

500,000

1

10,000

Type of license

Eligibility criteria/ scope etc

Fees (AED)

Specific trading

Licenses are issued based on investor’s business activities. Number of activities is restricted. No General Trading Licence is issued. However, a company can obtain an additional license with different activities and can operate under different name depending name depending on the size of the facility.

5,000

General trading

NA

Service

5,000

Industrial

5,000

National Industrial

5,000

Cost head

Amount

Remarks

Space expenses

241,000

Office + warehouse

License fees

5,000

Legal entity fees

10,000

Share capital

500,000

Not an expense.

Misc expenses

50,000

Govt deposits, utilities, visa costs  etc.

Total

808,000

Pluses

·         DAFZ is situated within the vicinity of an airport, so the activities permitted at the Zone are limited to high value, low volume products, which require a rapid access to markets. Therefore, DAFZA is an ideal location for high tech / IT products, luxury items, jewellery, light industry & activities related to the aviation industry

·         The free zone has more than 470,000 sq. m of apron space on the north side of the airport, with parking bays to handle up to 10 Boeing 777 aircraft simultaneously

Minuses

Highest cost among all FZs

No general trading license available

Phone number ( when calling from outside UAE)

00-971-4-2955555

Website

www.dubaiairportfreezone.com

Space type

Minimum area(sq meters)

Lease rent/unit area

(AED)

Total cost (AED)

Remarks

Office

22

1,500

33,000

Warehouse

206

290

60,000

Type of entity

Minimum

paid up capital (AED)

Minimum no of shareholders

Formation fees (AED)

Free Zone Company (FZCO)

150,000

2

10,000

Free Zone Establishment (FZE)

150,000

1

10,000

Type of license

Eligibility criteria/ scope etc

Fees (AED)

Specific trading

Import, Export, Distribution, consolidation, storage or, warehousing of items specified in the license. Maximum is 3 similar product lines.

3,500

General trading

13,500

Service

Allows the holder to carry out service specified in the license only within the Free Zone.

3,500

Industrial

Import of raw materials, manufacturing, processing, assembling, packaging & exporting the finished product

3,500

Cost head

Amount

Remarks

Space expenses

93,000

Office + warehouse

License fees

13,500

Legal entity fees

10,000

Share capital

150,000

Not an expense.

Misc expenses

50,000

Govt deposits, utilities, visa costs  etc.

Total

316,500

Pluses

·   Sharjah Airport International Free Zone (SAIFZ) was the world’s first ISO 9001 certified airport free zone

·   Annual leasing with guaranteed rates for 25years, renewal for a similar period.

·   Access to 3 seaports in the Arabian Gulf and the Indian Ocean and one international airport.

·   No deposit customs policy for cargo transit between Sharjah sea ports & the SAIF-ZONE.

·   Cheaper set up costs compared to JAFZ & DAFZ.

Minuses

·   Distance from Dubai

·   Limit (3) on types of items that can be traced under general trading license.

Phone number ( when calling from outside UAE)

00-971-6-5570000

Website

www.saif-zone.com

Space type

Minimum area(sq meters)

Lease rent/unit area

(AED)

Total cost (AED)

Remarks

Office

22

1,075

23,650

Warehouse

328

230

75,000

Type of entity

Minimum

paid up capital (AED)

Minimum no of shareholders

Formation fees (AED)

Free Zone Company (FZCO)

150,000

2

9,000

Free Zone Establishment (FZE)

150,000

1

9,000

Type of license

Eligibility criteria/ scope etc

Fees (AED)

Commercial- 5 items

Import, export, sell, distribute and store items specified on the license. Can sell finished products in the UAE but through a local agent or Distributor.

2,750

Commercial- 6 to 10 items

5,000

Commercial- more than 10 items

12,000

Service

Can carry services specified on the license within Hamriyah Free Zone only.

2,750

Industrial

Import of raw materials for the purpose of manufacturing, processing and/or assembly of specified products. Can export finished goods outside UAE. Can sell finished goods in the UAE, but through a local distributor or agent.

2,750

National Industrial

Import raw materials for the purpose of manufacturing, processing and/or assembly of specified products. Finished products maybe exported outside UAE.

2,750

Cost head

Amount

Remarks

Space expenses

98,650

Office + warehouse

License fees

12,000

Legal entity fees

9,000

Share capital

150,000

Not an expense.

Misc expenses

50,000

Govt deposits, utilities, visa costs  etc.

Total

319,650

Pluses

·   Access to seaports in the Arabian Gulf and the Indian Ocean.

·   No limit on items that can be traded.

·   Cheaper set up costs compared to JAFDZ & DAFZ.

Minuses

·   Distance from Dubai

Phone number ( when calling from outside UAE)

00-971-6-5263333

Website

www.hamriyahfz.com

Space type

Minimum area(sq meters)

Lease rent/unit area

(AED)

Total cost (AED)

Remarks

Office

35

714

25,000

Warehouse

500

170

85,000

Type of entity

Minimum

paid up capital (AED)

Minimum no of shareholders

Formation fees (AED)

Free Zone Company (FZCO)

150,000

2

5,000

Free Zone Establishment (FZE)

150,000

1

5,000

Type of license

Eligibility criteria/ scope etc

Fees (AED)

Trading

Import, Export, manufacturing, processing, assembling, packaging, distribution, consolidation, storage, different kind of services unless otherwise restricted by federal or local authorities.

2,500

Service

2,500

Industrial

5,000

National Industrial

5,000

General trading

Import, export & re-export agreed and specified commodities.

5,000

Cost head

Amount

Remarks

Space expenses

110,000

Office + warehouse

License fees

5,000

Legal entity fees

5,000

Share capital

150,000

Not an expense.

Misc expenses

50,000

Govt deposits, utilities, visa costs  etc.

Total

320,000

Pluses

·   Access to seaports in the Arabian Gulf and the Indian Ocean.

·   Mainline services arrive from Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, Far East and North America on a weekly basis, and services leave twice weekly to the Far East and once a week to North America

·   No limit on items that can be traded.

·   Cheaper set up costs compared to JAFDZ & DAFZ.

·   Cost of living, including house rents are perhaps among the lowest in the UAE.

Minuses

·   Long distance from Dubai

·   A social & economic backwater compared to Dubai

Phone number ( when calling from outside UAE)

00-971-9-2228000

Website

www.fujairahfreezone.com

Space type

Minimum area(sq meters)

Lease rent/unit area

(AED)

Total cost (AED)

Remarks

Office

17

882

15,000

Warehouse

150

135

20,250

Type of entity

Minimum

paid up capital (AED)

Minimum no of shareholders

Formation fees (AED)

Free Zone Company (FZCO)

100,000

2

3,000

Free Zone Establishment (FZE)

100,000

1

3,000

Type of license

Eligibility criteria/ scope etc

Fees (AED)

Commercial

Import, export, distribution, consolidation, storage or warehouse.(Maximum limit is seven similar product lines)

2,500

Type of license

Eligibility criteria/ scope etc

Fees (AED)

Commercial-General Trading

A general trading license can be obtained under a Commercial License, which allows for more than seven product lines

5,000

Industrial

Import raw materials, manufacturing, processing, assembling, packaging, and exporting finished product.

2,500

Commercial-Service

All kinds of management and business consultancy. Other services include insurance, cargo & freight forwarding, accounting and audition services, logistical support such as: restaurants or food outlets, catering services, travel agencies, leisure and social activities.

2,000

Cost head

Amount

Remarks

Space expenses

35,250

Office + warehouse

License fees

5,000

General Trading license

Legal entity fees

3,000

FZE entity

Share capital

100,000

Not an expense.

Misc expenses

25,000

Govt deposits, utilities, visa costs  etc.

Total

168,250

Pluses

·   Cheapest FTZ in the UAE (see above).

·   Cost of living, including house rents are perhaps among the lowest in the UAE.

·   As the most northerly among all Emirates, RAKFTZ is closer to the main shipping lane traversing the Strait of Hormuz and is hence the closest emirate to all of the northern markets such as Iran, Pakistan, India and within easy reach of China and the Far East.

Minuses

·   Long distance from Dubai.

·   Little known outside UAE: youngest FTZ in UAE.

·   A social & economic backwater compared to Dubai.

Phone number ( when calling from outside UAE)

00-971-7-2280859

Website

www.rakiftz.com

Space type

Minimum area(sq meters)

Lease rent/unit area

(AED)

Total cost (AED)

Remarks

Office

16

1,563

25,000

Rental includes water & electricity

Warehouse

235

152

35,720

Type of entity

Minimum

paid up capital (AED)

Minimum no of shareholders

Formation fees (AED)

Free Zone Company (FZCO)

500,000

2

Nil

Free Zone Establishment (FZE)

183,500

1

Nil

Type of license

Eligibility criteria/ scope etc

Fees (AED)

General trading

Trading activities in the Free Zone itself.

7,000

Trading- one activity

3,000

Trading- 2 activities

4,000

Trading- 3 activities

5,000

Service

Business of Providing professional/services in the Free Zone

5,000

Industrial

7,000

National Industrial

This License is issued to a registered company operating in the Free Zone. The Company should be registered within the GCC, with a GCC national/s owning majority share -holding of 51% or above. And at least 40% of the manufacturing process should be accomplished in the Free Zone

7,000

Cost head

Amount

Remarks

Space expenses

60,720

Office + warehouse

License fees

7,000

Legal entity fees

Nil

Share capital

183,500

Not an expense.

Misc expenses

25,000

Govt deposits, utilities, visa costs  etc.

Total

276,220

Pluses

·   Although only 20 kms from Dubai, much cheaper than JAFZ & DAFZ.

·   Yet the cost of living, including house rents are lower than Dubai & Sharjah.

·   Ajman’s proximity to Sharjah & Dubai provides easy accessibility to the two international airports & four ports.

Minuses

·   No international airport

·   Little known outside UAE

·   A social & economic backwater compared to Dubai.

Phone number ( when calling from outside UAE)

00-971-6-7425444

Website

www.ajmanfreezone.gov.ae