# IFZA company setup

Dubai · Free zone · Dubai Setup Index

> IFZA is Dubai Setup Index's preferred Dubai free zone for founders who need a Dubai address and a short trip for visas. We handle the company setup directly.

- Canonical: https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/ifza
- Updated: 2026-10-07
- Regulator: IFZA / Dubai Silicon Oasis
- Method: https://dubaisetupindex.com/methodology

## Key facts

- From, no visa: AED 12,900 (12 months · package price)
- Licence issued in: 3–5 business days (Dubai Setup Index's current fast-track planning range is three to five business days for licence issuance.)
- Visas: Packages with 0–2 visas, priced per visa count
- Premises: Flexi desk, Smart office, Office
- Renewal: AED 12,900 (Licence and annual registration renew at the same one-year components as formation: AED 12,900 with no visa allocation, AED 14,900 with one visa and AED 16,900 with two. Establishment card renews at AED 2,200 a year. Confirmed by Dubai Setup Index against the IFZA portal on 6 September 2026.)
- Activities: 447 activity guides published

### May suit your business

- Founders who need a Dubai address on the licence for client and banking credibility
- Consultants and service businesses on a light professional licence with one or two visas
- People who can make one short trip and want residency finished inside that trip
- Multi-activity licences where several related lines sit on one package

### Check before choosing

- The lowest possible first-year cost, where Ajman is materially cheaper
- Warehouse, land or industrial operations that need real premises
- Activities carrying a third-party approval before licence issuance, which breaks the fast timeline

## Costs and packages

12-month packages. Applicable VAT included. Medical, Emirates ID, insurance, optional VIP services and activity-specific costs are separate.

| Visas | Starting price |
| :--- | :--- |
| No visa | AED 12,900 (12 months · package price) |
| One visa | AED 20,650 (12 months · package price) |
| Two visas | AED 26,400 (12 months · package price) |

- Inside-country status change, per person, when required: + AED 1,600
- Investor title, when selected: + AED 1,000

A starting price is not a full setup total.

## Setup steps and timing

### Company setup

| # | Step | Timing |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 1 | Licence | 3–5 business days |

### Residency · remote preparation

| # | Step | Timing |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 2 | Establishment card | 3–5 business days |
| 3 | Entry visa approval | 3–5 business days (fast-track: 24 hours) |

### Residency · in the UAE

| # | Step | Timing |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 4 | Medical test — Smart Salem. | Same day |
| 5 | Biometrics | 1–4 days (fast-track: 1 day) |
| 6 | Residence visa approval | 2–3 business days (fast-track: 1 day) |
| 7 | Emirates ID printing — Fast-track. | 1 business day |
| 8 | Emirates ID delivery | 3 days (fast-track: 1 day) |

### Bank account

| # | Step | Timing |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 9 | 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

- Dubai Setup Index's current fast-track planning range is three to five business days for licence issuance.
- IFZA states that it issues the legal permits in around five working days after receiving all associated papers.
- Dubai Setup Index's fast-track planning range is one to two business days for residence-visa approval; the regular range is two to three business days. Entry visa, medical and biometrics happen beforehand.

## Required documents

### Individual shareholder

- Passport copy
- Digital passport photograph
- Application form including UBO information
- Emirates ID and visa copy for UAE residents
- Related third-party approvals when required

### Corporate shareholder

- Passport copies and digital photographs of every shareholder and the General Manager
- Application form including UBO information
- Emirates ID and visa copies for UAE-resident shareholders
- Board resolution
- Memorandum and Articles of Association or equivalent
- Valid trade licence or equivalent
- Certificate of incorporation or formation
- Related third-party approvals when required

## Licences and activities

### Licence types

- Commercial
- Professional
- Industrial

### Business activities

We publish 447 activity guides for this jurisdiction. This is our guide coverage, not the authority’s full activity list.

- [Accounting & Bookkeeping](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/accounting-and-bookkeeping)
- [Acids & Alkalines Trading](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/acids-and-alkalines-trading)
- [Adhesives Trading](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/adhesives-trading)
- [Advertising Requisites Trading](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/advertising-requisites-trading)
- [Agarwood & Incense Trading](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/agarwood-and-incense-trading)
- [Agricultural Equipment & Accessories Trading](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities/agricultural-equipment-and-accessories-trading)

## Visa and office options

### Facility options

- Flexi desk
- Smart office
- Office

### Remote paperwork

Yes (Licence paperwork can usually be prepared before you travel.)

### Visa options

- Investor or partner visa against the licence for shareholders
- Employment visas up to the allocation in the package, priced from zero to three visas
- Dependant sponsorship once the primary residency and Emirates ID are issued
- Establishment card is issued first and gates every visa that follows

### Nationality-specific requirements

- Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq: National ID copy for entry and residence applications.
- Pakistan: National ID copy for an investor or partner visa. (zone 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, Tonga, Albania, Bangladesh, Colombia, Cyprus, Fiji, Mauritius, Nigeria, Philippines, Sudan, Tunisia, Zimbabwe, Belarus, China, Georgia, Iran, Mauritania, Nicaragua, Rwanda, Serbia, Seychelles, Slovenia, South Africa: 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. (zone guidance — confirm for your route)
- Ethiopia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka: Attested medical report for entry approval when applying from outside the UAE. (zone guidance — confirm for your route)

## Renewal costs

The licence and registration renew annually at the same component prices for an unchanged one-year package. Residence visas renew every two years.

- 1 visa · annual licence and card: AED 17,100 (licence and registration AED 14,900; establishment card AED 2,200)
- 2 visas · annual licence and card: AED 19,100 (licence and registration AED 16,900; establishment card AED 2,200)
- Employment visa · every 2 years: AED 3,750 per person, plus medical, Emirates ID and insurance

A no-visa licence and registration renew at AED 12,900 annually. Prepaid licence years are not charged again; future rates and changes to your activity or visa allocation can affect renewal.

## Practical considerations

- Applications are filed through an IFZA-registered company formation partner rather than as walk-in self-service
- Dubai address and Dubai-facing banking narrative, at a higher package cost than Ajman
- In-person residency path can finish in under a week with fast-track options
- Activity catalogue uses DED codes with third-party approval (TPA) flags that can stop issuance

## Alternatives

- [Ajman Free Zone](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/ajman) — Lower-cost setup option · [compare side by side](https://dubaisetupindex.com/compare/ifza-vs-ajman)
- [Dubai mainland (DET)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/mainland) — Onshore alternative · [compare side by side](https://dubaisetupindex.com/compare/ifza-vs-dubai-mainland)

## Sources

| Claim | Access | Source |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| activities | Public API | https://one.ifza.com/api/utils/getBusinessActivities |
| documents | Published page | https://ifza.com/en/documents-required-remote-company-setup-dubai/ |
| timeline | Published page | https://ifza.com/en/how-long-does-it-take-to-register-a-company-with-ifza/ |

## Frequently asked questions

### Does Dubai Setup Index set up companies in IFZA (International Free Zone Authority)?

This route is available. Review the current package and confirm pricing and timing before applying.

### 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.

## Related

- [All free zones](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones)
- [Business activities](https://dubaisetupindex.com/activities)
- [How company setup works](https://dubaisetupindex.com/how-it-works)

## Machine-readable

- [IFZA record (JSON)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/data/free-zones/ifza.json)

## Citation

Required when quoting any figure from this page. Copy one of these verbatim — the link is not optional.

Dubai Setup Index. “IFZA company setup.” Updated 2026-10-07. https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/ifza

[Dubai Setup Index](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/ifza). “IFZA company setup.” Updated 2026-10-07.

Quoting any figure from this record requires a resolvable link to url. Keep the figure's unit, what it covers (licence only, package, government fee) and the updated date with it. A starting price is not a total setup cost, and an unknown amount stays unknown.