Ajman Free Zone

Company setup from 5,555 AED (0 visa setup)

Registration from 5 business days

Bank account Guaranteed

Residence visas for 2 years

Emirabiz experts’ opinion

Is Ajman suitable for your business?

• Yes

• If you  need a very quick business setup in the UAE: you can open a company in the Ajman Free Zone in 1-3 working days. Also you don’t need to come to Ajman - you can apply from the free zone's representative office in Dubai.
• If you are a freelancer because this free zone offers one of the cheapest freelance options, including packages with one visa.
• If you need only 1 visa - the zone provides the cheapest one-visa package.
• If you need a cost-effective warehouse, Ajman Free Zone has good warehouses with cheaper rents compared to other free zones.
• If you conduct online business, an e-commerce license with no visa is available for 5,555 AED.
• If you engage in import and export activities, the free zone provides low-cost warehouse facilities and an industrial license. This is a designated free zone, i.e. you will enjoy tax benefits on your import and export activities.
• If you don’t have the full setup amount right away and are looking to pay in installments, Ajman is the only free zone that officially offers this option.
• If you need registration with the UAE Chamber of Commerce. You receive membership on the same day your company registration documents are issued. This is ideal for companies that require Chamber of Commerce certification for international trade purposes.
• If you are a stock trader trading with your own funds. This activity was not available in the past, and people had to register an alternative activity to get their visas, but now it is available in Ajman free zone.
• If you want to set up an offshore company in the Ajman free zone.

• No

• If you need 2 or more visa packages, because the cost significantly increases, making it less economical for businesses requiring multiple visas.
• If you belong to high-risk nationalities, such as Egyptians, Syrians, and Iranians as there is no guarantee that UAE residency visas will be issued.
• If you need to set up an IT company -  Ajman Free Zone is more suited for industrial and trading companies. Alternatively, you may look at the IFZA Free Zone for an IT company formation.
• If you quickly need warehouses, there might not be any with the right size available, and you could end up waiting a long time.
• If you engage in heavy manufacturing Ajman will not suit you - only for storage, assembling or light manufacturing. Instead, try UAQ Free Zone, JAFZA Free Zone, or Hamriyah Free Zone.
• If you are a woman planning to create a company in the UAE and you are going to sponsor your dependents, you will have to pay a large deposit of 20,000 AED. You should consider Dubai free zones as this emirate has lower requirements for such

AFZA company formation process

Ajman company formation can be completed in 1-3 working days after all required documentation has been compiled and submitted.

Step 1: Determine the legal entity of your business and license type

In AFZA, you can choose from different legal entities and license types. Decide on the business activity and prepare a business plan. The legal entities you can form include:

• Free Zone Establishment (FZE) - One shareholder
• Free Zone Company (FZC) - Multiple shareholders
• Branch of a local company
• Branch of a foreign company

Step 2: Prepare the necessary documents

AFZA requires a minimal documentation package:

• Passport copy
• Passport-size photo
• Residential address, phone number, and email
• Company name
• Business activity

You also need to pay all the registration and processing fees at this step.

Step 3: Receive the license and registration documents for the company

After the registration is completed, you will receive your set of corporate documents, which include:

• License
• Chamber of Commerce registration certificate
• Lease agreement
• Memorandum of Association (for companies with multiple partners)

These documents will enable you to apply for a corporate bank account in Dubai. At least one of the company shareholders is required to be a resident of the UAE to be able to open a corporate bank account in the Emirates.

Step 4. Receive an establishment card that contains information about your company and makes it eligible to sponsor residency visas.

Step 5. Apply for an entry permit to arrive in the UAE.

Apply for an entry permit. If you apply from inside the UAE, after the entry permit is issued you have to change your visa status from the previous visa to a residence visa. If you are outside the UAE, then arrive in the country, get your entry permit stamped and then proceed with the rest of the residence visa process, submitting the necessary documents.

Step 6. Undergo a medical checkup and submit documents for a residency visa

You can do the medical test in Dubai - there is no need to travel to Ajman.

Step 7. Apply for an Emirates ID.

Step 8. Complete biometrics procedure in one of the Emirates ID centers.

Step 9. Once you have the results of your medical test and biometrics you can submit all the details for a visa approval. Your electronic visa will be sent to you by email. You can also find it in the UAEICP app.

Step 7. Receive your Emirates ID.

After the residence visa is issued, the Government prepares a plastic identity card which is an important document that is required to open a bank account, rent an apartment, pay bills or fines, etc. It also entitles you to many local services and discounts.

Step 8. Open a bank account

Apply to a UAE bank to open a corporate bank account. The approval may take a few weeks. After receiving the account details, you can start running your business in the UAE.

Ajman Free Zone company formation can be completed within 1 working day, making it one of the quickest and most efficient options for new business setups in the UAE.

AFZA licenses and cost

Ajman Free Zone offers a wide range of licenses suitable for various types of activities, whether it’s trading, services, consulting, or industrial production.

Business setup in Ajman starts from as low as 5,555 AED per license without visas that includes any 5 activities and 5 shareholders. Other packages’ fees depend on visa allocations and business activities.

If you plan to open resident visas under the company, additional fees for immigration will apply:

• E-channel deposit: 1,025 AED
• E-channel registration fee: 2,300 AED
• Visa, medical checkup, and Emirates ID: 3,600 AED
• Renewal fee of E-channel: 1,200 AED

You can also add shareholders to your company for 600 AED each.

Multiple payments plan

AFZA is the only free zone in the UAE that officially offers a multiple installment payment option. You can pay for the company in 2, 3, or 6 installments.

There are certain conditions set by Ajman Free Zone Authority to be met. The most important one is that the payment should be provided by post-dated checks from a UAE bank. So, if you go for 3 installments for Ajman Free Zone license, you can pay the initial one by cash and provide the remaining payments by 2 checks on the day of application for the company.

If you come from abroad, of course, you won’t have any checks from a UAE bank. In this case, you can use the checks of a friend or a relative, for example. But AFZA will ask them to sign a no objection letter to use his checkbook. Apart from that, you need to provide past 3 months bank statements as proof of funds.

AFZA business activities

AFZA allows having either 1 service activity or 3 trading activities in the license. For certain packages, additional activities can be added for AED 1,600.

The free zone activities are grouped by industry sector categories:

• Automotive
• Food & Beverages
• Construction
• Media
• Oil & Gas
• Health & Beauty
• Education
• Agriculture
• Marine
• Jewelry
• Textile
• Paper & Packaging
• Chemical Industry
• Advanced Technology
• Trade
• Sports

AFZA facilities

Ajman Free Zone Authority always has the following facilities on the list:

Flexi-desks and offices can be either located within the free zone headquarters or in a separate tower nearby.

The warehouses complex has significantly grown and covers all the area around Ajman Sea Port.

Customs and Immigration office is just across the road from Ajman Free Zone.

AFZA visa costs

The Ajman Free Zone offers setup packages without visas, with one visa, and with multiple visas. Please note that the multiple visa packages have restrictions on the number of visas depending on the chosen facility. For example, with a flexi-desk, only two visas are available. If you need more visas, you will need to rent a bigger office facility. When renting a warehouse, companies can apply for 10 or more visas.

AFZA offers one of the cheapest packages with one visa. However, the cost of a package with two or more visas increases significantly.

Ajman visa costs 3,600 AED including medical checkup and Emirates ID. They need to be done in the Emirate of Ajman but you may also complete this stage in Dubai for an additional fee of 100 AED.

The procedure of getting a resident visa under your own free zone company is almost the same as in all other free zones:

1. Business registration - 1 day
2. Establishment card (immigration card) - 3-5 working days
3. E-channel - 2-3 working days
4. Entry visa - 5 days
5. Medical checkup - 1 day
6. Biometrics - 1 day
7. Visa approval - 3-5 days after the biometrics
8. Emirates ID - 5-7 days after the visa approval

If you have processed your resident visa while being in the UAE as a tourist, you will need to change your status from tourist to resident after the entry visa is issued.

AFZA company license renewal

The company in Ajman needs to be renewed annually. There is also an option to renew for multiple years. Company renewal cost will be exactly the same as registration fees.

The renewal can be done remotely, without the physical presence of the shareholder.

Upon renewal, you will receive:

• New license
• Renewed lease agreement
• Renewed Chamber of Commerce certificate

If your company is eligible for visas, you will also need to renew E-channel. Audit report is not required.

Time-frame of the renewal is 1-2 days.

AFZA company amendments

Amendments usually can be done remotely. The company has to prepare a board resolution mentioning the amendment to be done and signed by the company shareholder.

AFZA has very reasonable fees for any amendments, ranging from 500 AED to 2000 AED.

AFZA company liquidation

Company closure in AFZA is also rather low cost and easy to perform. The process takes about 1 month. It consists of these major steps:

1. Visa cancellation  (7-10 working days) - if there is a visa in the company.
2. Establishment card cancellation (7-10 working days) - if it was a visa eligible company.
3. License cancellation.

Liquidation can be done remotely without the presence of the shareholder. A Power of Attorney is not required. The business consultant can complete the liquidation procedure.

If you had a corporate bank account, it should be closed before applying for company liquidation. You should obtain a letter proof from the bank confirming that.

After the company is dissolved, you will get an official deregistration letter from the free zone as a formal confirmation of the liquidation.

If any deposits were made under the company, you will get a refund after the liquidation is finished.

About Ajman Free Zone

Ajman Free Zone is one of the oldest and best-known free zones within the UAE - it was established in 1988. It’s situated in the Emirate of Ajman about 40 minutes drive from Dubai.

This zone is located adjacent to a sea port and welcomes any businesses: starting from freelancers, ending with light manufacturing and trading companies.

As opposed to business setup in Dubai, Ajman Free Zone company setup is attractive to those who start a new business from scratch due to its competitive fees for young entrepreneurs and multiple installment payment plans.

Ajman Free Zone is suitable for many businesses. There are not so many reasons why a company cannot be registered in the Ajman Free Zone and they are mentioned above.

Larger businesses will enjoy the facilities and close distance to Dubai and Sharjah. If you are checking any alternative solutions, have a look at Sharjah Airport Free Zone or Khalifa Industrial Zone in Abu Dhabi.