Expo City Dubai Free Zone

Company setup from 20,000 AED (with 1 visa allocation)

Registration from 1 month

Bank account Guaranteed

Residence visas for 2 years

Emirabiz experts’ opinion

Is Expo City Dubai suitable for your business?

— Yes

• If you are starting a business with a physical presence in Dubai and need a top-rated location with the most advanced infrastructure, built on the "city of the future" principle—with sustainable buildings, abundant greenery, car-free roads, facilities equipped with smart technology, numerous cafes and restaurants, gyms, entertainment centers—all within a 15-minute walking distance.
• If you want to increase your visibility and establish partnerships, Expo City offers excellent networking opportunities. Three clusters, which functioned as pavilions during EXPO-2020, have been converted into offices and are almost fully occupied. Expo City Dubai's facilities attract companies from around the world, making it a true business hotspot.
• If good transportation accessibility is important to you: Expo FZ is accessible via four major highways - Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road, Sheikh Zayed Road, Emirates Road, and Al Khail Road, and it also has the dedicated metro station - Expo-2020.
• If you handle deliveries and need logistics infrastructure, Expo City Dubai offers an industrial license and warehouses. Nearby is Al Maktoum International Airport, and within an hour's drive are Dubai and Abu Dhabi international airports.
• If you need to open a business for a short period, Expo FZ offers a short-term setup via an operation permit ranging from 1 day to 12 months (e.g., during an event). For this, you must have a valid license issued on the mainland in Dubai.
• If you plan to open a restaurant with the possibility of selling alcohol, this is possible in Expo City, but you will need to obtain several permits from government authorities.

— No

• If you are engaged in heavy manufacturing and need a specific license, as well as large warehouses and production sites, it is better to consider other free zones, such as RAKEZ or JAFZA free zones.
• If you do not require renting a physical office, it is mandatory to rent an office in EXPO before the license registration commences.

Expo City Dubai 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 about 1 month.

Application procedure starts from the identification and confirmation of the leased space by Expo City. After that the applicant submits all the documentation through the ECD Portal. If this is done by the shareholder’s representative, then an attested Power of Attorney must be provided.

Step 1. Determine which type of entity and the type of license offered by the EXPO 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 Expo City Dubai you can register one of the following legal entities:

• Free Zone Limited Liability Company (FZ-LLC)  - for new companies
• Free Zone Branch (FZB) - for branches and subsidiaries

Also, you can obtain a Freelance Permit and a Business Operation Permit.

Step 2. Prepare the necessary documents. The whole set of documents both for the initial approval and final approval stages will look like this:

For companies:

• Application form
• Signed copy of the ECD Heads of Terms Agreement
• Passport copies of all licensed parties 
• Visa or the previous entry stamp to the UAE (copies)
• Specimen signature of shareholders of all licensed parties
• Trade name options
• Business activity(ies)
• Articles of Association
• Shareholder resolution

For individuals:

• Application form
• Qualification certificates and/or work portfolios 
• Copy of passport (valid for at least 6 months)
• Copy of visa or the previous entry stamp to the UAE
• Colored photo
• NOC (in case of sponsored individuals)

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

• Registration certificate 
• License
• Lease agreement
• MoA and Articles of Association

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.

Expo City Dubai licenses and cost

Service licenses can include up to 5 activities, while commercial licenses can include 7 to 12 activities, depending on whether it is a one-group or two-group license. Any activity exceeding the quota will cost 500 AED.

For the above types of licenses the minimum capital is set at 10,000 AED.

Expo City offers the following types of licenses:

• Commercial license - allows you to perform trade operations, including importing, exporting, buying, selling and distributing goods specified in the license.
• General Trading -  allows you to perform trade operations, including importing, exporting, buying, selling and distributing all categories of goods permitted.
• Service license - allows you to perform professional services, e.g. consultancy, management, hospitality, training. 
• Industrial license - allows you to conduct light manufacturing activities, including but not limited to packaging and assembly.
• Freelance permit - allows you to provide professional services under your own name and enjoy more favorable tax conditions compared to a standard company.

Expo City Dubai business activities

Expo City Dubai offers a wide range of business activities, catering to the diverse needs of entrepreneurs, from freelancers to owners of large corporations.

Commercial activities: Under the commercial license you can engage in a variety of activities, from trading of spare parts and building materials to technology, food and jewelry.

Professional activities: The holders of the following occupations may benefit from the freelance permit: Writer, Web developer, Web designer, Trainer, Social media influencer, Producer, Photographer, PR specialist, Musician, Market analyst, Journalist, Interior designer, etc.

Industrial activities: You can establish a production line for manufacturing of a wide range of products in the following industry groups: military, oil & gas, electricity, telecom, motor vehicles, power generation, clothing, beauty and personal care, and many others.

For a full list of permitted business activities, you can request details from your business consultant.

Expo City Dubai facilities

Expo City Free Zone caters to various needs in working spaces and offers state-of-the-art facilities, ranging from flexible working areas to permanent offices and warehouses.

Expo City Dubai visa costs

Visa quote in the Expo City Dubai free zone depends on the leased space.

The above mentioned costs include fees for the medical test and the Emirates ID.

Expo City Dubai company license renewal

Renewing your company is a straightforward process that can be managed remotely by your appointed agent, and it's required annually. The renewal cost is usually the same as the initial setup fees. For companies with bank accounts in the UAE, it’s essential to present the renewed license to the bank to avoid any disruption in banking services.

If you are not in Dubai, your representative can handle the entire renewal procedure, which includes:

• Renewing the office lease, 
• Renewing the company license, 
• Updating the bank with the new license.

Business consultants in Dubai can assist with these tasks.

If your company qualifies for visas, you’ll need to renew the E-channel as well. Note that an audit report is required for renewal, and the process typically takes around one week.

Expo City Dubai company amendments

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

Common amendments made to companies include:

• Transfer of shares
• Change of company name
• Amendment to the business activity
• Change of company manager

Expo City Dubai company liquidation

Expo City FZ has a straightforward 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 Expo City Dubai free zone

Expo City Dubai is an innovative space designed for both business and living, created under the advanced concept of a "city within a city." It offers everything a modern person needs for a comfortable life: fully equipped and state-of-the-art offices, furnished apartments, a giant mall, a variety of cafes and restaurants, retail outlets, and fitness centers—all within a 15-minute walk. In addition to its business and lifestyle benefits, Expo City Dubai offers unique venues capable of hosting a variety of spectacular events.

The Expo City Dubai Free Zone was established following the global Expo 2020 exhibition held in Dubai in 2021. As part of its legacy, it features high-tech office clusters, its own metro station, lush parks, free eco-friendly buggies for transportation within the Expo area, running and cycling tracks, and year-round entertainment venues.

Expo City Dubai offers integrated access to all government services and free zone facilities, providing a seamless operational experience. Businesses benefit from a duty-free environment, 100% foreign ownership, and the complete repatriation of capital and profits. Companies have flexible visa options with up to 5-year employment visas and no restrictions on hiring foreign employees, alongside competitive visa allocation.

The free zone is an ideal setting for businesses of all sizes—from freelancers to large corporations—fostering collaboration, innovation, and new growth opportunities.