Dubai Airport Freezone (DAFZA) company setup
Dubai Airport Freezone (DAFZA) is a Dubai free zone regulated by Dubai Airport Freezone Authority.
Dubai · Free zone
Key facts
- From, no visaDetails on from, no visa
Not published
- Licence issued inDetails on licence issued in
10–15 business days
Talent Pass processing is stated as 10 to 15 working days.
- VisasDetails on visas
Not published
- PremisesDetails on premises
Office, Warehouse, Showroom
- RenewalDetails on renewal
Not published
- ActivitiesDetails on activities
Not catalogued
May suit your business
- Aviation-adjacent trading, freight and light assembly near DXB
Check before choosing
Check activity restrictions, premises and visa requirements before applying.
Based on the zone’s published specialism. Confirm suitability for your activity.
Updated 4 Sep 2026 · 2 sources · 2 details still to confirm · Sources
Ask an assistant about this page: ChatGPT · Claude · Perplexity
Costs and packages
Prices are the authority's published figures. Confirm the current package before you budget.
No current standard company package total was found.
Looked at dafz.ae
Other published prices
- Talent Pass annual licenceAED 7,500annual feeOfficial
- Talent Pass two-year licence and visa stackAED 13,596published packageOfficial
Setup steps and timing
Timing for each step. Requirements depend on your jurisdiction and visa route.
Company setup
Get your company licence before starting the residency process.
- Licence
10–15 business days
Conditions apply — see timing details below.
Residency · remote preparation
Prepare the immigration file and entry visa before travelling.
- Security approval
To confirm
- Establishment card
To confirm
- E-channel
To confirm
- Entry visa approval
To confirm
Residency · in the UAE
Attend medical and biometrics in person, followed by residence approval and Emirates ID.
- Medical test
To confirm
- Biometrics
To confirm
- Residence visa approval
To confirm
- Emirates ID printing
To confirm
- Emirates ID delivery
To confirm
Bank account
A separate application, subject to the bank’s requirements and approval.
- Bank account
To confirm
Timings are per step, not a total. Appointments and approvals may vary. Where only “days” is shown, the business or calendar-day basis is to confirm.
Timing details and conditions
- Talent Pass processing is stated as 10 to 15 working days. dafz.ae
Required documents
Individual shareholder 1 document
- Documents listed in the official Talent Pass application checklist
Licences and activities
Licence types
Explore business activities
We have not published an activity catalogue for Dubai Airport Freezone (DAFZA), so we cannot say which licence lines it carries. Not yet verified against a public source.
Visa and office options
Facility options
Remote paperwork
No
Expect more on-site presence than a fully remote lane.
Visa options
We have not recorded the visa categories for this jurisdiction.
Nationality-specific requirements
Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq
National ID copy for entry and residence applications.
Pakistan
National ID copy for an investor or partner visa.
RAKEZ guidance — confirm for your route
Afghanistan, Algeria, Bhutan, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Cuba, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, India, Iraq, Lebanon, Lithuania, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Pakistan, Senegal, Somalia, Syria, TongaFrom 16 June 2026
Albania, Bangladesh, Colombia, Cyprus, Fiji, Mauritius, Nigeria, Philippines, Sudan, Tunisia, ZimbabweFrom 15 August 2026
Belarus, China, Georgia, Iran, Mauritania, Nicaragua, Rwanda, Serbia, Seychelles, Slovenia, South AfricaFrom 15 November 2026
Attested police clearance for a new visa.
Reported — confirm before applying
Egypt, Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria, Sri Lanka
UAE embassy visit within 45 days to complete entry approval.
RAKEZ guidance — confirm for your route
Ethiopia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka
Attested medical report for entry approval when applying from outside the UAE.
RAKEZ guidance — confirm for your route
Details and sources
Citizens of Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq must attach a copy of their home-country personal identification card to entry-permit and residence-permit applications.
ICP published
RAKEZ's investor/partner visa service card also requires a national identity card from citizens of Pakistan. The ICP service cards list only Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq; treat Pakistan as applied in practice but not confirmed on an ICP page.
Zone service card; federal page not found
From 16 June 2026, in three phases, applicants of 45 nationalities must submit a good-conduct (police clearance) certificate from their country of nationality, attested by the UAE embassy or consulate there with electronic MOFA attestation, for new investor, partner, employee and dependant visas. The rule was circulated by ICP to free-zone authorities; no ICP web publication has been located, so the list and dates are recorded from the circular as reported.
Reported ICP circular; not yet published by ICP
Applicants from Egypt, Nigeria, Indonesia, Sri Lanka or Kenya receive an approval instead of an entry permit and must visit a UAE embassy within 45 days to complete it. Published by RAKEZ; the underlying federal instruction has not been found on an ICP page.
Zone service card; federal page not found
Applicants outside the UAE from Ethiopia, Sri Lanka or Indonesia must provide an attested medical report with the entry-permit application. Published by RAKEZ; not found on an ICP page.
Zone service card; federal page not found
- RAKEZ's service card lists 25 good-conduct nationalities (including Kenya, Uganda, Sri Lanka, Zambia) while the reported 2026 ICP circular lists 45 across three phases (including India, Somalia, Gambia, China). Either the zone card predates the circular or applies an older internal list. Show the applicant both and ask the zone to confirm before an application.
Renewal costs
No published renewal price, term or penalty was found.
Practical considerations
- Location next to Dubai International Airport drives freight and re-export use cases
- Packages often assume physical premises rather than pure virtual offices
- Useful when air cargo timelines matter more than the cheapest desk package
- Activity approvals can involve aviation or logistics regulators depending on the licence line
Alternatives
Sources
Known gaps
No current standard company package total was found.
standardCompanyPricing · not found in first pass
The activity PDF identified in the pass was dated 2021 and requires a freshness review.
activitiesFreshness · stale source
FAQ
Does Dubai Setup Index set up companies in Dubai Airport Freezone (DAFZA)?
Not currently. We document this zone so you can compare it honestly, while Dubai Setup Index handles applications in IFZA and Ajman.
Is a free zone the same as mainland DET?
No. Free zones license under their own authority. A Dubai mainland company is licensed by DET and normally needs Ejari-registered premises.
We'll help you choose
Dubai Airport Freezone (DAFZA) is documented here for comparison. Dubai Setup Index currently handles applications in IFZA and Ajman — tell us what you need and we will say plainly which option fits.