Dubai Media City

Overview

Dubai Media City (DMC)was launched in January 2001 to establish Dubai as the region’s leading media hub including news agencies, publishing, online media, advertising, production and broadcast facilities.

It is managed by Technology Electronic Commerce and Media group (TECOM), which is a part of Dubai Holding.

TECOM free zone authority manages 11 free zones, referred to as “business communities”. Dubai Media City is one of them.

It provides an advanced infrastructure and supportive environment for media-related businesses to operate globally out of Dubai. It is one of the most prestigious places of company registration in Dubai.

Facilities

Dubai Media City free zone offers a variety of facilities in different locations such as:

• Dubai Media City
• Dubai Studio City
• Dubai Production City

It means that if you have a Dubai Media City license, your office can be located in any of these 3 locations. 

DMC free zone office costs (AED):

Business activities

Dubai Media City company can have various forms of business activities. Main groups include: 

• Advertising & Communication
• Media and Marketing Services
• Event Management
• Media and Marketing Consultancy
• New Media
• Media Association (Non-Profit) and others.

Freelance permit is also available in TECOM authority under Dubai Media City. Check more details about freelance options here: emirabiz.com/uae-freelance-permit/

The freelance permit offers the ability to operate as a freelance professional. The permit identifies you as a sole practitioner and enables you to conduct your business in your birth name as opposed to a brand name. Dubai Media City freelance visa allows to live in UAE and also sponsor your family. 

DMC formation of a company

This registration process depends on the type of business entity you choose.

Below is a list of the required initial documents: 

• Business plan
• Passport

The personal bank statement for the last 3 months for Lebanese and Syrian Nationals is required. 

DMC registration consists of a few stages:

1. Initial approval - 5 days
2. Leasing of an office
3. Payment
4. Registration - 6 days

Company renewal

Company renewal can be done by your representative if you are not staying in Dubai. 

Procedure of company renewal:

• Renewal of the office lease 
• Renewal of the license

After the company renewal you also need to update the bank where you have corporate account about your license extension. You need to take the license to any branch of your bank. Business consultants in Dubai can do that services for you.

UAE residence visas in Dubai Media City

Dubai Media City offers various visa packages. This depends on the type of office space that you decide to go for. Visas can be from 1 visa package to even 100 or more in case of a warehouse. 

Once the business license is issued, the resident visa process is straight forward: 

• Establishment card of the company
• Entry permit
• Status adjustment
• Medical test
• Emirates ID
• Resident Visa Stamping in the passport

For those that would like to sponsor dependents under their visa, the process is quite easy and the following documents are required:

• Marriage certificate (attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of UAE and should be legally translated to Arabic). 
• Birth certificate (for your child) - (attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of UAE and should be legally translated to Arabic). 
• You are required to rent an apartment in UAE. Tenancy contract.

Corporate amendments

Company owners are eligible to make as many changes as they want. The costs vary and depend on the type of amendment that’s being made.

The amendment can be of two different categories:

Registry Amendment:

This includes Company name change, operating name change, parent company name change, adding or removal of Directors, Financial year change.

License Amendment:

This includes Manager name change, Location/Address on License change, Change of business activity/addition of activity within the same segment, removal of an existing segment, removal of activity within the segment, adding new publishing segment, adding new channels. 

DMC company liquidation

If any business registered with Dubai Media City, wishes to cancel their License and deregister the company, they have to approach the Authority to complete the de-registration procedures.

In case you do not renew and do not cancel your license either, it becomes non-operational. Then the Dubai Media City authority will initiate company liquidation by itself.

If you made any refundable deposits to the authority, the refunds will be made upon company deregistration. 

The opinion of business setup experts

As the name suggests, Dubai Media City is home to media-related industries. Media and advertising companies in this free zone have the opportunity to present their products, services and interact with some of the best international marketing, entertainment, and advertising companies and many regional media companies.

It is advisable for those nationalities that are considered as high-risk ones (Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Algeria, Turkey, etc)  to do Dubai free zone company formation here as they do not encounter difficulties in obtaining resident visas or opening a bank account.

Freelancers and independent media professionals are not left out in this free zone. They have the advantage of registering their freelance permit here with a 1 visa package. They get to enjoy the many business facilities as well as a prestigious office address and location. 

For those that would like to have their business set-up done remotely, Dubai Media City is not the best option as your personal presence is required for company establishment. In this case the alternative option would be will be Ajman Media City (AMC).