# Sharjah Media City (Shams) company setup

Sharjah · Free zone · Dubai Setup Index

> Sharjah Media City (Shams) is a Sharjah free zone regulated by Sharjah Media City.

- Canonical: https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/shams
- Updated: 2026-09-04
- Regulator: Sharjah Media City
- Method: https://dubaisetupindex.com/methodology

## Key facts

- From, no visa: Not published — No detailed public calculator result is available without lead submission.
- Licence issued in: Not published — No published company-formation or licence-issuance time was found.
- Visas: Not published — no visa allocation published.
- Premises: Flexi desk, Office
- Renewal: Not published — Marketing states a fixed lifetime renewal cost subject to terms, but no exact renewal total was found.
- Activities: Not catalogued

### May suit your business

- Media freelancers and cost-efficient service licences in Sharjah

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 detailed public calculator result is available without lead submission.

### Other published prices

- Media package: AED 5,750 (starting price)
- Standard package: AED 6,875 (starting price)

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.

## Required documents

### Individual shareholder

- Passport copy
- Residence visa copy when applicable
- Emirates ID copy when applicable
- Passport-size colour photograph

## Licences and activities

### Licence types

- Media
- Freelance
- Services
- E-commerce

### Business activities

Not published — We have not published an activity catalogue for Sharjah Media City (Shams), so we cannot say which licence lines it carries.

## Visa and office options

### Facility options

- Flexi desk
- Office

### Remote paperwork

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

### 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 — Marketing states a fixed lifetime renewal cost subject to terms, but no exact renewal total was found.
- Term: Not published — No published renewal term was found.
- Late renewal: Not published — No published late-renewal penalty was found.

- Marketing states a fixed renewal cost for the lifetime of the company, subject to terms; no numeric total is published.

## Practical considerations

- Popular low-cost media and freelance free zone in Sharjah
- Sharjah address — banking and perception differ from Dubai free zones
- Often compared with Ajman Media City on price for freelancers
- Dubai Setup Index does not currently offer this as a primary setup option

## 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 |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| packages | Published page | https://www.shams.ae/home- |
| pricing | Lead-gated | https://startwith.shams.ae/ |
| documents | Published file | https://smcdocs.shams.ae/uploads/new-formation/shams-onboarding-form-direct-client.pdf |

### Known gaps

- No detailed public calculator result is available without lead submission.
- Marketing states a fixed lifetime renewal cost subject to terms, but no exact renewal total was found.

## Frequently asked questions

### Does Dubai Setup Index set up companies in Sharjah Media City (Shams)?

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

- [Sharjah Media City (Shams) record (JSON)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/data/free-zones/shams.json)

## Citation

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

Dubai Setup Index. “Sharjah Media City (Shams) company setup.” Updated 2026-09-04. https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/shams

[Dubai Setup Index](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/shams). “Sharjah Media City (Shams) 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.