A zero-visa package allows eligible investors to establish a company without obtaining a EAU residence visa through that company.
The investor should confirm:
A zero-visa licence does not guarantee that a EAU bank will open an account for a non-resident shareholder.
What Is a Visa-Inclusive Package?
The quotation should separately identify:
A company intending to sponsor actionnaires or employees generally requires an establishment card or immigration registration.
This is separate from the commercial licence. It links the company with the relevant immigration system and usually requires periodic renewal.
Questions to ask include:
Is the establishment card included?
What is its validity?
What is the renewal cost?
Does it support investor and employee applications?
Is an immigration deposit required?
Are portal activation charges included?
The company licence and immigration documents must remain valid throughout the process.
Employment rules vary between free zones. The employer should confirm the complete hiring cost before issuing an offer.
A shareholder or employee who obtains EAU residence may be able to sponsor eligible family members, subject to immigration requirements.
Each dependant can involve separate costs for:
Dependant visas are not normally included in the company-formation package.
Free zones commonly connect visa capacity to the type or size of facility.
A zero-visa or flexi-desk package may support no visas or a limited number. A dedicated office may provide a higher quota based on:
A company expecting to hire five employees should not select a package supporting only one visa without understanding the upgrade path.
The quotation should specify:
A dedicated office offers greater control but introduces additional costs.
These may include:
Certain regulated or operational businesses may require dedicated premises rather than a shared desk.
Trading, logistics, manufacturing and distribution companies may require:
A low-cost office package should not be used to budget a business that physically handles goods.
Location can materially affect the price and commercial value of a zone franche.
may command different licence and premises costs from a remote or digitally focused jurisdiction.
The right location depends on whether customers, employees, cargo or regulators need regular physical access.
A general low-cost zone franche may be sufficient for a straightforward consultancy. A specialist business may benefit from a sector-focused jurisdiction.
Specialist ecosystems may cover:
A specialist zone franche may cost more but provide relevant activities, facilities, regulators or counterparties.
DMCC publishes detailed company-setup information showing why headline licence costs should not be confused with the complete setup cost.
Its published standard pricing includes separate charges for:
Its packages can also include different office solutions and eligibility conditions. Prices vary according to the selected package, licence and premises.
This illustrates an important comparison principle: a zone franche with a higher published cost may include or require infrastructure that differs substantially from a basic zero-visa package elsewhere.
Published prices should always be rechecked when the application is submitted because packages and promotions can change.
The first-year company cost can be calculated as:
Company registration + annual licence + office facility + immigration establishment card + visas + Emirates IDs + medical examinations + insurance + external approvals + professional and conformité costs
For a trading company, add:
For a regulated service business, add:
A realistic annual renewal budget may include:
Licence renewal + office renewal + establishment-card renewal + visa renewals + medical examinations + Emirates IDs + insurance + accounting + tax returns + audit + regulatory renewals
The company should also allow for: