Freezone

360 will assist you with company incorporation in freezones.

There’s no doubt a lot of information to review and much to consider when making the decision on which freezone is best suited to your specific business requirements, including location, price, business type, flexi-desk or office options, auditing and bookkeeping and share capital requirements, and much more. That’s where our team of experts comes in, walking you through it step-by-step, steering you in the right direction, saving you money, and ultimately making the entire experience a stress-free one.

Benefits of Setting Up a Business in the UAE Free Zones

There are many benefits of starting a business in the UAE. But the UAE free zones offer some additional advantages if an investor decides to set up a business in one of the free zones. They are:

• 100% foreign ownership
• 100% repatriation of capital and profits
• 100% exemption from corporate, personal and income taxes
• 100% free transfer of funds, and no foreign exchange controls
• Exemption from all import and export duties
• Low freight charges
• Abundant and inexpensive energy
• Inexpensive workforce, and easy recruitment procedures
• Efficient communication procedures and single-window administration
• Liberal government policies and legal framework
• The timely and streamlined immigration process
• Sponsorship and visas for an affordable skilled workforce
• Flexibility to operate 24/7
• Freehold offices available for sale or lease
• Ready-made offices, factories, and warehouses
• Easy start-up and licensing procedures
• Unique industry clustering and purpose-built infrastructure
• 3-year UAE residence visa
• No restrictions on hiring expatriates

How to Set Up Freezone Company in the UAE?

To incorporate a mainland company in the UAE, the process mentioned below needs to be followed:

Types of Entities Allowed Setting Up in the UAE Free Zones

Business setup in the UAE free zones is smooth and hassle-free, as the Emirates government has eased the company formation process in the UAE to draw maximum foreign investors with the minimum capital investment.
There are mainly three types of entities one can set up in the UAE free trade zones, namely
• Branch of a foreign or local company
• Free Zone Establishment (FZE), with a single shareholder
• Free Zone Company (FZC), with 2 to 5 shareholders

Types of Licenses Available in the UAE Free Zones

Business formation in UAE free zones is incomplete without procuring a business license. Following types of business licenses can be obtained by applicants in the UAE free zones:

1. General Trading License Allows investors to trade in all kinds of products
2. Trading/Commercial License Grants a time-limited authorisation to perform industrial, commercial, or consulting activities
3. Service License Allows law firms, accounting firms, and business consultancy firms to operate
4. Industrial License Permits importing raw materials, manufacturing goods, and exporting finished products, across global boundaries
5. Warehousing License Investors can avail this license to avail warehousing facilities on lease for distribution, packaging, and storage of goods
6. Manufacturing License Permits applicants to manufacture products

Documents Required to Set Up a Business in the UAE

A number of documents need to be translated into English, attested, and notarised by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) or the Arab Embassy.

General Documents
• Duly filled application license form
• Business card of the contact person
• Copy of business plan
• Notarised and attested Memorandum of Association (MOA) and Articles of Association (AOA)
• Passport copies of the partners and business managers
• Original bank reference letters and license of the partner’s existing company, if applicable

Documents for Consultancy License
• A copy of the degree or diploma certificate mentioning the desired activities, or the experience certificate any of these documents is a must.

Documents for Industrial License
• Business feasibility study
• Existing company profile
• Duly filled form for the investor’s project profile

Documents for Branch of Companies
• Attested copy of the registration certificate, incorporation certificate, and the Memorandum and Articles of Association (MAA)
• Original Board Resolution that guarantees financial commitment of the branch
• Original Power of Attorney of a legal representative, and their passport copy
• Last 3 months’ bank statements of the parent company