United Arab Emirates
Free Trade Zones

Free Trade Zones constitute an important advantage of the United Arab Emirates. In the whole of the UAE there are more than 37 FTZ which have special legal status and which offer favorable conditions for foreign and national entrepreneurs.

Free Trade Zones Free Zones in Dubai and the UAE are isolated lands or setting, with a special tax, customs and imports regime and governed by their own framework of regulations (with the exception of UAE Criminal Law).

The UAE has several free zones across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Fujairah, Ajman, Ras al Khaimah and Um Al Qwain.

Free Zones may also be broadly categorized as sea port free zones, air port free zones, and mainland free zones.

Some of the main advantages of doing business in free trade zones in Dubai and other Emirates in the UAE:

Tax free – exemption from personal and corporate taxes;
Possibility of owning 100% interest in the company by foreign national;
Possibility of full repatriation of capital and profit;
No trade quotas and barriers;
Different options for incorporation: Onshore, Offshore, Local company;
No limits on capital investment;
Simplified export and import;
Confidentiality of information relating to directors and shareholders;
Obtain a resident visa for a period of 3 years with a possible further extension;
Infrastructure and modern communication systems;

Possibility of renting and purchasing real estate: both commercial and residential.

Each Free Zone is designed around one or more business industry categories and only offers licenses to companies within those categories. An independent Free Zone Authority (FZA) governs each free zone, and is the agency responsible for issuing FTZ operating licenses and assisting companies with establishing their business in the FTZ.

Investors can either register a new company in the form of a Free Zone Establishment (FZE) or simply establish a branch or representative office of their existing or parent company based within the UAE or abroad.

An FZE is a limited liability company governed by the rules and regulations of the Free Zone in which it is established. Except for acquiring nationality in the UAE, the provisions of the Commercial Companies Law (CCL) do not apply to FZEs, provided that the Free Zones have special provisions regulating such companies.

Free Zones

There are more than 37 Free Zones operating in UAE.

Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi Airport Free Zone (ADAFZ)
ADPC – Khalifa Port and Industrial Zone (KPIZ)
Twofour54
Industrial City of Abu Dhabi
Higher Corporation for Specialized Economic Zones
Masdar City Free Zone

Dubai

Dubai Academic City
Dubai Airport Free Zone
Dubai Biotechnology & Research Park (DuBiotech)
Dubai Car and Automotive City Free Zone (DUCAMZ)
Dubai Gold and Diamond Park
Dubai Healthcare City
Dubai Industrial City (DIC)
Dubai International Academic City
Dubai International Financial Centre
Dubai Internet City (DIC)
Dubai Knowledge Village
Dubai Logistics City
Dubai Media City
Dubai Multi Commodities Centre or Jumeirah Lakes Towers Free Zone
Dubai Outsource Zone
Dubai Silicon Oasis
Dubai Studio City
Dubai Techno Park
Dubai Technology and Media Free Zone
International Media Production Zone
Jebel Ali Free Zone
Economic Zones World

Sharjah

Hamriyah Free Zone
Sharjah Airport International Free Zone
U.S.A. Regional Trade Center (USARTC) Free Zone

Ajman

Ajman Free Zone

Ras Al Khaimah

RAK Investment Authority Free Zone
Ras Al Khaimah Free Trade Zone
Ras Al Khaimah Media Free Zone

Fujairah

Fujairah Free Zone

Umm Al Quwain

Umm Al Quwain Free Trade Zone (UAQFTZ)
Free Zones Under Construction