# Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA) company setup

Dubai · Free zone · Dubai Setup Index

> Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA) is a Dubai free zone regulated by DP World / Jafza.

- Canonical: https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/jafza
- Updated: 2026-09-04
- Regulator: DP World / Jafza
- Method: https://dubaisetupindex.com/methodology

## Key facts

- From, no visa: Not published — No stable public calculator API was confirmed.
- Licence issued in: 3–14 business days (Company formation takes 3 to 14 business days from submission of all required documents, depending on formation type, licence, and activity categories.)
- Visas: Not published — no visa allocation published.
- Premises: Office, Warehouse, Plot, Onshore logistics facilities
- Renewal: Not published — No published renewal price, term or penalty was found.
- Activities: Not catalogued

### May suit your business

- Port-adjacent logistics, manufacturing and heavy trading

Based on the zone’s published specialism. Confirm suitability for your activity.

## Costs and packages

Prices are the authority's published figures. Confirm the current package before you budget.

Not published — No stable public calculator API was confirmed.

### Other published prices

- Registration fee: AED 5,000 (published tariff)
- Service licence: AED 5,000 (annual fee)
- Trading licence lower scope: AED 5,000 (annual fee)
- Trading licence upper scope: AED 8,500 (annual fee)
- General trading or logistics licence: AED 15,000 (annual fee)

A starting price is not a full setup total.

## Setup steps and timing

### Company setup

| # | Step | Timing |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 1 | Licence | To confirm |

### Residency · remote preparation

| # | Step | Timing |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 2 | Security approval | To confirm |
| 3 | Establishment card | To confirm |
| 4 | E-channel | To confirm |
| 5 | Entry visa approval | To confirm |

### Residency · in the UAE

| # | Step | Timing |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 6 | Medical test | To confirm |
| 7 | Biometrics | To confirm |
| 8 | Residence visa approval | To confirm |
| 9 | Emirates ID printing | To confirm |
| 10 | Emirates ID delivery | To confirm |

### Bank account

| # | Step | Timing |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 11 | 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

- Company formation takes 3 to 14 business days from submission of all required documents, depending on formation type, licence, and activity categories.

## Required documents

### Corporate shareholder

- Know-your-customer documents
- Ultimate beneficial owner documents
- Entity documents

## Licences and activities

### Licence types

- Trading
- Industrial
- Service
- Logistics

### Business activities

Not published — We have not published an activity catalogue for Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA), so we cannot say which licence lines it carries.

## Visa and office options

### Facility options

- Office
- Warehouse
- Plot
- Onshore logistics facilities

### 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. (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

- Renewal price: Not published — No published renewal price, term or penalty was found.
- Term: Not published — No published renewal term was found.
- Late renewal: The tariff publishes a late fee of AED 1,000 per month.

- The tariff publishes a late fee of AED 1,000 per month.

## Practical considerations

- Anchored to Jebel Ali Port — the commercial case is usually cargo, warehousing or manufacturing
- Facility and lease requirements are heavier than flexi-desk free zones
- Customs and bonded logistics workflows are a core reason companies choose Jafza
- Not a typical first choice for a solo consultant who only needs a trade licence and visa

## Alternatives

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

## Sources

| Claim | Access | Source |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| pricing | Published page | https://www.jafza.ae/resource-centre/guides/new-company-formation/ |
| documents | Published file | https://www.jafza.ae/resource-centre/guides/new-company-formation/ |
| timeline | Published page | https://www.jafza.ae/business-setup/business-license/ |

### Known gaps

- No stable public calculator API was confirmed.

## Frequently asked questions

### Does Dubai Setup Index set up companies in Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA)?

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.

## 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

- [Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA) record (JSON)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/data/free-zones/jafza.json)

## Citation

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

Dubai Setup Index. “Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA) company setup.” Updated 2026-09-04. https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/jafza

[Dubai Setup Index](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/jafza). “Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA) company setup.” Updated 2026-09-04.

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.