Ajman Media City Free Zone

Company setup from 6,166 AED (flexi desk included)

Registration from 3 working days

Bank account Guaranteed

Residence visas for 2 years

Emirabiz experts’ opinion

Is AMC suitable for your business?

Yes

• If you have a business in the media sector and are looking for an affordable way to start a company in the UAE, AMC offers one of the cheapest packages without a visa.
• If you are looking for a place to quickly register a company, Ajman Media City can do it within 3 business days.
• If you are a startup and your business is not related to media, AMC also offers packages with a trade license and an e-commerce license. You can start a company affordably and you don’t need to be physically present or conduct business in Ajman.
• If you need minimal workspace and don't want to spend much on rent, the flexi-desk in the AMC package is available for just 10 hours per month, and you can rent a small office starting from 12 square meters.
• If it's not essential for you to set up a company in Dubai, you can live in this or any other emirate and register a company in AMC remotely.
• AMC offers a wide range of activities in the fields of media, advertising, IT services, and other creative and intellectual professions.

No

• If you are interested in a trade license with a wider range of commercial activities, consider Ajman Free Zone.
• If you prefer a more famous free zone and want to be based in Dubai, we recommend considering DMCC.
• Alternatively, you can choose SHAMS free zone that also specializes in media activities.
• If your company is involved in manufacturing and you need warehouses and/or land plots, look at UAQ Free Zone or RAKEZ Free Zone.

AMC company formation process

Company registration can be done remotely regardless of if you are in the UAE or abroad, your company can be registered in 3 working days.

Step 1. Determine which type of entity and the type of license offered by the AMC free zone suits you. 

It is crucial to approach this question carefully, as choosing the wrong activity, registration authority, or location can lead to errors during company registration, creating problems with opening a bank account or getting a residence visa. 

In Ajman Media City you can register one of the following legal entities:

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

Step 2. Prepare the necessary documents. AMC requires a minimal documentation package.

• Passport with a 6-month validity
• Visa or the previous entry stamp to the UAE
• Suggested company name
• List of activities (your license can include up to 5 business activities)
• Email address and residential address, as well as a mobile number 
• Photo

After all the documents have been compiled and the necessary paperwork has been drafted, it is required to pay the necessary fees for the registration process to proceed with the application.

Step 3. Receive the license and registration documents for the company, namely

• Certificate of incorporation
• Trade license
• Lease agreement
• MoA and Articles of Association

Apart from the standard package of company documents, in AMC you also get these documents:

• Share certificate
• Incumbency certificate

With all these documents, the process of opening a bank account will be much easier and less resource-consuming.

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

Step 5. 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.

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 UAE ICP app.

Step 10. 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 11. 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.

AMC licenses and cost

The cost of a license in AMC starts from 6,166 AED. Such a package has no visa eligibility, but includes a workspace in a business club.

In case of the Gold package you will also have to pay a refundable security deposit of 3,000 AED.

Ajman Media City offers the following types of licenses:

• Service license - allows to provide professional services specified in the license.
• General trading license - allows to engage in activities related to import, export and distribution of goods stated in the license.
• E-commerce license - allow to set up a company which sells goods or services through digital channels: marketplaces, social media, or a website.

AMC business activities

Ajman Media City Free Zone has a very specific list of activities. Most of them are related to advertising, media and IT segments.

Some trading activities are available too. Get our advice to see if your activity is available.

Free zone allows you to have up to 5 business activities under 1 license. You can include activities from one activity category, or have a mix of them. However, if you combine trade and service activities, they nevertheless have to belong to one business type, for example consultancy, software design, computer hardware trading, web design. 

Some notable activities include:

• Social media influencer
• Courier activities
• Legal activities
• Temporary employment agency activities and more

Important notice: at least one of the activities must be media-related.

AMC facilities

Ajman Media Free Zone is located in a brand new complex. It includes headquarters and business centers for the companies.

The following facilities are available:

AMC visa costs

AMC has different packages starting from 0 and ending up with over 5 resident visa allocations.

Visa-related expenses (AED):

Other immigration-related costs:

Security approval covers up to 3 shareholders. Establishment card and E-channel are mandatory if the company will be sponsoring residency visas. Health insurance is required for the employee visa processing.

All visas are valid for 2 years.

Some high-risk nationalities might face difficulties with getting resident visas in Ajman Media City Free Zone. They include:

• Iraq
• Syria
• Palestine
• Egypt
• Lebanon
• Bangladesh etc.

Such nationalities need to apply for immigration pre-approval before company setup. If your nationality is listed as “risk” it does not mean you cannot try. Everyone is allowed to apply, however, a pre-approval before the company setup is advisable.

We recommend submitting some supporting documents for high-risk approvals. They can be:

• education certificates
• previous UAE visas
• other GCC country residency evidence

AMC company license renewal

AMC company renewal is done through your registered agent. It will not require your visit to the UAE. You will need to provide:

• authorization letter
• renewal fees

Renewal fee will be equal to the license registration price. Note that the above-mentioned prices for packages are valid only for the first year. 

You also will have to renew on an annual basis:

The renewal process usually lasts about 2 weeks.

AMC company amendments

All amendments including shares transfer do not require personal presence of shareholders or managers of the company.

Processing timelines are short and the fees are rather low compared to some other free zones.

AMC company liquidation

Ajman Media City has simplified the liquidation procedure. The current fee for company closure stands at approximately AED 2,000. 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.

In the event of liquidation, you're required to provide a final audit report and return all original company documents. Any existing lease agreements should be terminated and visas closed.

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.

About Ajman Media City

Ajman Media City Free Zone came to the market of company formation in the UAE in 2018. Due to its low cost packages it immediately became one of the bestsellers among free zones in the United Arab Emirates.

AMC zone offers a very niche product. It has a large number of media-related activities. It doesn’t have warehouses or land for lease. But it will work for those who can accommodate themselves with a shared desk or a small office.

Special feature: AMC license has a unique QR code. License authenticity can be checked by simply scanning it by any device. For online businesses, it can help to create trust with potential customers.

Ajman Media City company registration is quick and is done by the registered agents of the free zone. Business setup consultants in Dubai will do all the paperwork hassle for you.