Setup Your Business in Dubai Airport Free Zone (DAFZ)
Dubai Airport Free Zone (DAFZ) provides exceptional connectivity, tax benefits, and a premium environment for businesses across industries. Start your journey in this globally renowned business hub today!
The Dubai Airport Free Zone Authority (DAFZA)
Offering a wide range of business activities predominantly focused on the logistics services within the airport, but also offering an array of other activities too.
A DAFZA licensed office would be located within Dubai Airport Free Zone where all relevant government departments and private organizations can be accessed on a day-to-day basis to run your business smoothly. Dedicated Government Service Centers and private organizations such as Banks and Telecommunications companies allow you enjoy the ease of access and seamless processes.
FACILITIES
Facility options available at DAFZ:
Offices - Fitted-out office spaces with furniture and IT equipment ranging from 27 to 100 sq. meters in floor space.
Warehouses in the DAFZ Industrial Park - High-quality warehouses and storage and other operations with an average area of 312 sq. meters and 117 sq. meters of office area per warehouse.
DAFZ company formation process
Free zone company formation in Dubai Airport Free Zone can be done personally by company owners or assisted by a business consultant. The formation process typically takes about 2-4 weeks. Note that at DAFZ, business licenses cannot be issued without renting an office.
1. Choose your business activities and license type.
Determine the business activities of your future company and the corresponding license type. This aspect is vital for a successful business setup, as choosing the wrong activity and license can cause errors during company registration, leading to problems with opening a bank account or obtaining residency visas for yourself and your employees.
2. Determine the legal entity of your business.
Specify the legal status of your business in the Dubai Airport Free Zone. Available company formation types at DAFZ include an FZCO (Free Zone Company), a PLC (Public Limited Company), or a branch of an already existing local or foreign company.
3. Prepare and file the required documentation.
Prepare and submit the necessary documents together with the application form. DAFZ requires the following documents for company formation:
- Passport
- Passport-size photo
- Passport copies of all shareholders
- Latest utility bill as address proof
- NOC from a local partner
- Business plan
- Original bank reference letter
- Six months personal bank statement
4. Collect the license and registration documents.
Receive the license and registration documents for the company, including:
- Certificate of Incorporation
- Business license
- Memorandum and Articles of Association
- Investment Service Agreement
- Share certificate
- Lease agreement
5. Secure your Establishment Card.
Receive the Establishment Card containing information about your company and visa quotes.
6. Apply for an entry permit.
Apply for an entry permit. If you’re outside of the UAE during the processing of the entry permit, you will need to come to the country when the document is issued within 60 days to complete the medical test and biometrics for your visa. If you’re in the UAE when the entry permit is issued, a status change will be done from your previous UAE tourist/residency visa to the new one.
7. Take a medical test and submit visa documents.
Undergo a medical checkup and submit documents for a residence visa. Different registration packages may provide for a varying number of visas available for owners and employees of the company.
8. Collect your Emirates ID & Open a bank account.
Apply to a UAE bank to open a corporate bank account.
Fortunately, DAFZ is highly recognized by UAE banks and has several of their offices in its territory, so you should have no problem opening an account. Once you receive your account details, you are free to start running your business.
LICENSE TYPE
Service license
For companies offering professional consulting and several other service types
Trading/General Trading license
For companies involved in goods import or export, their distribution, delivery, and storage.
Industrial license
For companies in the business of production, assembling, packaging, processing of raw materials, their import or exporting of particular goods.
Dual license with DED
For companies that require dual licensing with the Dubai Department of Economic Development for mainland operations without a physical office on the mainland.
Talent Pass license
For individuals engaged in freelancing with the ability to rent a smart office and a visa quota.
DAFZ company amendments and regulations
- Change of company name
- Change of business activity
- Shares transfer
- Change of manager/director
- And others
Frequently Asked Questions
General
No. Business registration and licensing procedures are associated with smart services which require Emirates ID.
• Reserve a trade name
• Obtain a preliminary approval
• Obtain an approval from other authorities if the activity deems necessary
• Obtain the Memorandum of Association of the companies
• Provide a certificate of authenticity of the lease contract issued from the Real Estate Regulatory Agency
Yes, except in the case of engineering consultancy.
No
• Filling a registration and license application form and reserving a trade name.
• A copy of the service agent’s passport (with the details of residence/Visa for non-GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) nationals)
• A copy of the service agent’s identity card and family book
• A copy of the responsible director’s passport and a no objection letter from his current sponsor
• Approval of other governmental agencies concerned with the activity of the company
• The Board of Directors’ decision to open a branch and to appoint a director
• A copy of the Memorandum of Association and the Commercial Register which should be duly certified by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the UAE embassy of the country in which the company is incorporated.
Conditions of licensing the activity of the business center:
• The total site area of the business center shouldn’t be less than 5000 feet where the area of each office is not less than 250 feet including hallways and facilities. The net area per office shouldn’t be less than 200 square feet.
• Having a lease agreement between the property owner and the business center of a period not less than 4 years.
• A written consent by the property owner authorizing the business center to sublease the property during the period of the lease contract.
• Submitting schemes for the site showing the number and the distribution of offices until the allowed number of establishments that can be registered in the site is determined by the commercial register sector in accordance with the aforementioned information in paragraph (A) of this article.
• An annual fee of 25,000 twenty five thousand AED is calculated for every site allocated for the business center activities.
Having educational qualifications, experience, and obtaining external approvals.
Professional activities are the activities that depend on mental and physical effort to be practiced. They include agriculture, fishing, education, health, social work, and community, social and personal services.
Issuing of a Business License
• Reserving a trade name
• Obtaining a preliminary approval
• Obtaining an approval of other authorities if the activity deems necessary
• Obtaining a Memorandum of Association of the companies
• Obtaining a service agent contract for occupational licenses
• Lease contract issued from the Real Estate Regulatory Agency.
• Reserve a trade name
• Obtain a preliminary approval
• Obtain an approval from other authorities if the activity deems necessary
• Obtain the Memorandum of Association of the companies
• Provide a certificate of authenticity of the lease contract issued from the Real Estate Regulatory Agency.
Yes, except in the case of engineering consultancy.
no
• Filling a registration and license application form and reserving a trade name.
• A copy of the responsible director’s passport and a no objection letter from his current sponsor
• Approval of other governmental agencies concerned with the activity of the company
• The Board of Directors’ decision to open a branch and to appoint a director and a copy of the Memorandum of Association and the Commercial Register
• The Ministry of Economy approval for the commercial and industrial companies where the rate of nationals is less than 51%
• The total site area of the business center shouldn’t be less than 5000 feet where the area of each office is not less than 250 feet including hallways and facilities. The net area per office shouldn’t be less than 200 square feet.
• Having a lease agreement between the property owner and the business center of a period not less than 4 years.
• A written consent by the property owner authorizing the business center to sublease the property during the period of the lease contract.
• Submitting schemes for the site showing the number and the distribution of offices until the allowed number of establishments that can be registered in the site is determined by the commercial register sector in accordance with the aforementioned information in paragraph (A) of this article.
• An annual fee of 25,000 twenty five thousand AED is calculated for every site allocated for the business center activities.
Having educational qualifications, experience, and obtaining external approvals.
The same usual conditions in addition to paying 500 AED. Yes. No
Yes
Paying 50 million and having a legal form as a limited liability company.
Commercial activities are the activities that require a capital to be practiced. They include wholesale and retail trade, construction, transportation, stockpiling, communication, financial intermediation, real estate, and leasing.
Industrial activities are the activities that require a capital to be practiced. They include manufacturing, mining, quarrying, electricity, gas, and water.
Professional activities are the activities that depend on mental and physical effort to be practiced. They include agriculture, fishing, education, health, social work, and community, social and personal services.
No, but the owner can.
Yes
You can apply for a trade name online or go through an authorized document cearing office or approved lawirm. Please note that to access online services, you need a user account.
It includes the trade of all kinds of goods and products that are mentioned in full details in the trade category of the activity classification guidebook except for those that require an external approval from concerned authorities.
To be qualified, and to have an experience in the required consultation field. The requirements of the consultations that require an external approval are determined by concerned authorities.
Manage Business License
• Providing a letter from the company or the institution requesting to stop the licensing temporarily
• Providing a letter from the Ministry of Labor indicating the absence of sponsored people on the license
• Providing a report from the inspection division in Dubai DED.
Providing a certificate of authenticity of the lease contract issued from the Real Estate Regulatory Agency and an appendix of the Memorandum of Association when modifying the status of partners.
Providing a certificate of authenticity of the lease contract issued from the Real Estate Regulatory Agency and an appendix of the Memorandum of Association when modifying the status of partners.
Cancel Business License
If the partnership has ended more than 2 years ago.
• The license expiration date should have ended for more than 2 years.
• The national partner shall acknowledge his liability towards the company.
• Providing supporting documents that strengthens the dissolution request such as the escape of a partner
• Providing a letter from the Ministry of Labor indicating the absence of sponsored people on the license
• For sole proprietorships, a no objection letter from the Ministry of Labor is required in addition to a residence cancellation proof for non-Gulf nationals.
• For civil works companies, a no objection letter from the Ministry of Labor is required in addition to dissolution of partnership contract from the notary public.
• For commercial companies, a no objection letter from the Ministry of Labor is required in addition to a residence cancellation proof for non-Gulf nationals, the minutes of Annual General Meeting to liquidate the company and appoint a liquidator, a letter from the liquidator of accepting the liquidation, and announcing the liquidation in the newspaper.