UAE FREEZONE INVESTOR GUIDE UAE Free Zone Number of Free Zones by Emirates Investor Guide The United Arab Emirates (UAE) government has set up multiple free Abu Dhabi zones in the Emirates, each designed for a specific business activity. UAE free trade zones offer facilities to non-resident corporates, like the 8 Sharjah convenience of single-window administration, and 100% ownership. Dubai 6 There are about 44 free zones situated all over UAE that have attracted 25 foreign direct investment in the form of 200,000 companies. The free trade zones vary in their focus, setup costs and paperwork needed, but Fujairah the basic requirements are the same. 3 Ajman 2 The ease of doing business, government support for entrepreneurs, world-class infrastructure and secure banking facilities, etc., are factors in making the UAE a strategic location for business establishments. Being present in the UAE through one of the available Free Zones Umm Al truly supports a company›s global expansion. Quwain 2 Ras Al Khaimah 5 1 UAE FREEZONE GUIDE UAE FREEZONE GUIDE 2 DUBAI ABU DHABI RAS AL UMM AL Procedure to Set Up a Business in the UAE Free Zones KHAIMAH QUWAIN Dubai Academic City Abu Dhabi Airport Free Zone (ADAFZ) Dubai Airport Free Ras Al Khaimah Umm Al Quwain Zone Twofour54 Economic Zone Free Trade Zone (RAKEZ) Dubai Biotechnology Abu Dhabi Ports (UAQFTZ) & Research Park Company (ADPC) RAK Maritime City (DuBiotech) Free Zone Free Zone Authority Get pre-approval, (RMCFZA) Dubai Car and Abu Dhabi Global FUJAIRAH register your business, Automotive City Free Markets Free Zone Ras Al Khaimah and get the license Zone (DUCAMZ) (ADGMFZ) Investment Authority Fujairah Free Zone STEP It will merely take 2-4 weeks Dubai Design District Industrial City of Ras Al Khaimah Free Fujairah Creative City to get done with this process. Abu Dhabi Trade Zone Dubai Gold and International Free Once you get the license, 5 Diamond Park Higher Corporation Ras Al Khaimah Zone Authority (IFZA) you are good to start your for Specialized Media Free Zone Dubai Healthcare Economic Zones business. City (ZonesCorp) Dubai Industrial City Masdar City AJMAN (DIC) Free Zone Dubai International Ajman Free Zone Khalifa Industrial Choose an office space Academic City Zone Abu Dhabi Ajman Media City Dubai International (KIZAD) Free Zone STEP Free zone authorities provide Financial Centre flex-desk office service to support start-ups. You can Dubai Internet City 4 (DIC) SHARJAH either buy or lease office Dubai Knowledge spaces in free zones. Hamriyah Free Zone Village Sharjah Airport Dubai Logistics City International Free Dubai Media City Zone Apply for a Dubai Multi U.S.A. Regional business license Commodities Centre Trade Center or Jumeirah Lakes (USARTC) Free The type of business license STEP Towers Free Zone Zone depends on the primary Dubai Outsource Sharjah Publishing activity of your business. You 3 Zone City Free Zone need to submit the supporting Dubai Silicon Oasis Sharjah Media City documents when applying for Dubai Studio City Free Zone (Shams) the license. Dubai Techno Park Dubai Technology and Media Free Zone Choose a trade name International Media STEP Production Zone After deciding the type of legal Jebel Ali Free Zone entity, choose a trade name 2 for your company. Economic Zones World Dubai South or DWC Dubai Science Park Determine the type of legal entity STEP Determine which type of entity you want to set up in any of 1 the free zones. 3 UAE FREEZONE GUIDE UAE FREEZONE GUIDE 4 Free Zone Activities Allowed 01 03 05 Importin of Raw Processing and Materials and Assembling and Service Manufacturing 02 Packaging 04 Storage or Exporting Warehousing of Finished Products Products There are many benefits of starting a business in the UAE. Setting up a business in one of the Free Zones offers investors with A service license allows the investor to carry out the services specified in the license additional advantages, such as: within the free zone. Consulting services include management, finance, investment, legal issues, labor relations, industrial development, and marketing; Other services include logistical support such as: restaurants or food outlets, • 100% foreign ownership • Exemption from all • Efficient communication catering services, travel agencies, leisure and social activities, insur- import and export duties procedures and single- • 100% repatriation of ance, cargo and freight forwarding, accounting, and audition window administration capital and profits • Low freight charges services. • Liberal government • 100% exemption from • Abundant and policies and legal corporate, personal and inexpensive energy framework income taxes • Inexpensive workforce, • The timely and • 100% free transfer of and easy recruitment streamlined immigration funds, and no foreign procedures process exchange controls • Sponsorship and visas • Easy start-up and for an affordable skilled • Flexibility to operate 24/7 licensing procedures workforce • Freehold offices • Unique industry available for sale or lease clustering and purpose- • Three year UAE residence visa built infrastructure • Ready-made offices, • No restrictions on hiring factories, and warehouses expatriates UAE FREEZONE GUIDE 6 Popular Free Zones in the UAE Based on the fastest set-up time, cost effectiveness and growth, below are the top free zones : Types of Licenses Available in the UAE Free Zones DMCC Jafza Dubai Silicon Ajman Free Hamriyah Oasis Zone Authority Free Zone • Suitable for companies with trading and consulting activities • Follows same license activities as Department of DMCC Economic Development • Popular for businesses dealing in precious stones, metals, etc. • First Free Zone in the UAE • Offers benefits like efficient infrastructure, vast Jafza territory, easy access and biggest seaport • Popular for businesses dealing with logistics, oil and gas 01 02 03 • Cost-effective and easy location General Trading License Trading/Commercial Services License Dubai Silicon Oasis • Popular among tech start-ups, call centers, License engineering and consulting companies Allows investors to Trade Allows law firms, in all kinds of products Grants a time-limited accounting firms, and authorization to perform business consultancy industrial, commercial, or firms to operate consulting activities • Option for multiple installment payment plans • Has new warehouses and seaports Ajman Free Zone Authority • Popular among small businesses, trading and 04 05 06 professional companies Manufacturing License Warehousing License Industrial License Permits applications to Used to avail Permits importing raw manufacture products warehousing facilities materials, manufacturing • Easy Visas on lease for distribution, goods, exporting finished Hamriyah Free Zone • Has its own seaport packaging, and storage products across the • Popular for businesse dealin in oil and gas of goods global boundaries 7 UAE FREEZONE GUIDE UAE FREEZONE GUIDE 8 Industrial City of Abu Dhabi (ICAD) Low Cost Free Zones The Industrial City of Abu Dhabi (ICAD) is located in the outskirts of Abu Dhabi city International Freezone Authority (IFZA) spreading over an area spanning over 40 square km., with multiple clusters and vantage locations. The International Freezone Authority (IFZA), Fujairah is one of the most cost-effective business centers in the UAE. IFZA offers a host of profitable solutions for setting up your Each cluster in ICAD has a world-class infrastructure and benefits from reliable utility and first business in the UAE. communication networks. ICAD offers easy access to fully-developed oads,r storage and logistic hubs that have quick and easy access to multiple ports and airports. Market IFZA offers its investors a wide range of modern office solutions that match international connectivity is easily attainable by sea, land and through more than 200 air routes from standards. IFZA has a warehouse facility that is built on the highest international logistics Abu Dhabi and Dubai. standards. It also offers flexi-desk and flexible rental solutions for the investors to keep their operational cost at the minimum. Planned, constructed, and operated under the highest technical and environmental standards, ICAD complements existing and planned initiatives featuring adequate Benefits for the Investors scalability to accommodate future demand and growth, appealing to many investors’ • 100% exemption from needs with a diversity of heavy and light industries that range from steel and metals to • Fast and easy incorporation and company corporate and income tax construction material, logistics, food and oil and gas. management • A wide and comprehensive range of business • No foreign currency restrictions • No physical office requirement Featured industries: activities (Consultancy, Services, Trading, etc.) • 100% Foreign Ownership • No share capital requirement • Engineering & Metals • Construction Materials • Ability to Setup a Limited Liability company • Ability to incorporate holding • General Industries • High Tech Industries and get the LLC Suffix after the company name companies • Chemical and Plastic • Advanced Factory Units • Oil and Gas services Type of licenses available in IFZA Business benefits within ICAD: • Consultancy License – Ideal for professional • Industrial License- Best fit services like management consultants, HR for companies involved in • Excellent Infrastructure Consultants, etc. importing raw materials, • Excellent Business Environment • Service License- Suited for production, production, manufacturing, • Administrative Efficiencies