Sharjah Airport International Free Zone (SAIF) company setup
Sharjah Airport International Free Zone (SAIF) is a Sharjah free zone regulated by SAIF Zone.
Sharjah · Free zone
Key facts
- From, no visaDetails on from, no visa
Not published
- Licence issued inDetails on licence issued in
1 hour
The authority markets business setup in one hour.
- VisasDetails on visas
Not published
- PremisesDetails on premises
Office, Warehouse, Plot
- RenewalDetails on renewal
Not published
- ActivitiesDetails on activities
Not catalogued
May suit your business
- Airport-linked trading and light industrial in Sharjah
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 · 3 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.
The live warehouse-support page is stale or undated and cannot be treated as current; no current comparable flexi-desk or standard-office formation price was found.
Looked at saif-zone.com, saif-zone.com
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
1 hour
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
- The authority markets business setup in one hour. saif-zone.com
Required documents
Corporate shareholder 1 document
- Documents in the official business-setup process
Renewal 7 documents
- PO box evidence or removal request
- Audited financial statements and Memorandum and Articles for FZE or FZC entities
- Attested good-standing or registration evidence for foreign branches and subsidiaries
- Current local-parent licence
- Conditional customs, aviation, building, safety, and utility approvals
- Shareholder passport and visa copies
- Authorisation when the owner or manager is absent
Licences and activities
Licence types
Explore business activities
We have not published an activity catalogue for Sharjah Airport International Free Zone (SAIF), 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
Renewal price
Not published
The renewal document checklist is public, but no current public renewal tariff was found.
Term
No published renewal term was found.
Looked at saif-zone.com, saif-zone.com
Late renewal
No published late-renewal penalty was found.
Looked at saif-zone.com, saif-zone.com
The official renewal form publishes the required evidence; AED 100 applies only to an optional original certificate and is not the renewal price.
Practical considerations
- Long-standing Sharjah free zone near Sharjah International Airport
- Warehouse and industrial products are core
- Cheaper industrial alternative to Dubai ports for some traders
- Not currently a preferred Dubai Setup Index setup option
Alternatives
Sources
| Claim | Access | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| packages | Not published | Official | saif-zone.com live but stale or undated when checked 2026-09-04 |
| documents | Published page | Official | saif-zone.com |
| timeline | Published page | Official | saif-zone.com |
| renewal | Published file | Official | saif-zone.com checked 2026-09-04 |
Known gaps
The live warehouse-support page is stale or undated and cannot be treated as current; no current comparable flexi-desk or standard-office formation price was found.
pricing · stale source
The renewal document checklist is public, but no current public renewal tariff was found.
renewal · not found in first pass
FAQ
Does Dubai Setup Index set up companies in Sharjah Airport International Free Zone (SAIF)?
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
Sharjah Airport International Free Zone (SAIF) 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.