JAFZA Offshore Company: Cost, Setup and When It's Worth It In 2026

Key points

• Registered through a licensed agent — no own physical office; no UAE residence visas by default, except when the company owns UAE freehold property.
• Requires a director and a secretary — 2 people minimum.
• Allows holding international assets, including shares in UAE and foreign companies.
• Can be used to acquire Dubai property under the offshore structure and secure a residence visa on this basis.
• Permitted activities are limited to trading — service and consulting activities are not available.
• Banking is accessed through UAE offshore jurisdictions.
• Accounting records must be kept for 10 years.
• The right choice only when a counterparty or structure specifically requires Jebel Ali — it costs more than other UAE offshore jurisdictions.

What is a JAFZA offshore company?

A JAFZA offshore company is a UAE legal entity registered in the Jebel Ali Free Zone under the Jebel Ali Free Zone Offshore Companies Regulations through a licensed registered agent. Direct registration is not available to founders. It requires a minimum of two officers — a director and a secretary — and no minimum paid-up capital. Company registration can be completed remotely, and personal visit is required for opening a bank account. The structure suits international holding, asset consolidation and trading activity.

How much does a JAFZA offshore company cost?

A JAFZA offshore company has two government fees: one for initial registration and one for annual renewal. These are the only fees set directly by JAFZA — the registered agent's service fee is charged separately and varies by provider.

Government fees only. Emirabiz registered agent fee is not included and is quoted separately.

What can a JAFZA offshore company do?

A JAFZA offshore company can hold assets, own shares in other companies, and conduct international and general trading outside the UAE. It cannot provide consultancy or professional services — JAFZA offshore is limited to trading and holding activity, unlike most other UAE offshore jurisdictions.

The company can hold freehold property in Dubai in approved developments, subject to Dubai Land Department and developer acceptance. The company requests a NOC to Own Property through the Dubai Trade Portal, a standard step handled by the registered agent. Only in this case the company may apply for a residence visa for its members, subject to the relevant authority’s eligibility requirements. Otherwise, offshore structure does not allow UAE residency.

The company cannot trade within the UAE domestic market, hire employees under UAE residence visas, lease a physical office, or provide banking, insurance, or other regulated financial services.

If you need a legal structure in the UAE that allows residence visas, local trading, or service activities, see UAE business setup options.

JAFZA offshore costs more than RAK ICC and Ajman, requires two officers, and restricts activities to trading only — no service or consulting.

How do you set up a JAFZA offshore company?

A JAFZA offshore company can only be incorporated through a licensed registered agent — the agent handles all submissions and communication with the Authority directly. The process typically takes 4–8 weeks.

Step 1. Choose a registered agent and confirm fit
Engage a JAFZA-approved registered agent. The agent confirms that an offshore structure fits your goals, intended activities, and personal tax situation before proceeding.

Step 2. Provide KYC documents
Submit the documents requested by the agent — typically passport copies of shareholders and directors, proof of address, and company-structure details.

Step 3. Agent prepares and submits incorporation documents
The registered agent drafts the Memorandum and Articles of Association reflecting your shareholder, director, and secretary structure, prepares the application required for submission to JAFZA, and arranges signing of the documents as instructed.

Step 4. Receive corporate documents
Once the Registrar approves the application, JAFZA issues the certificate of incorporation along with supporting documents such as share certificates.

Step 5. Open a corporate bank account
With the certificate of incorporation, the agent assists with bank selection and the account opening for the entity. Market sources report this can take several weeks, depending on the bank and client profile.

Can a JAFZA offshore company own Dubai property?

A JAFZA offshore company can hold Dubai freehold property. To do so, the company requests a NOC to own property through the Dubai Trade Portal — a standard step handled by the registered agent. This makes JAFZA a practical structure for foreign investors who want to hold Dubai real estate under a corporate umbrella. RAK ICC also allows property ownership, though under different conditions.

Can a JAFZA offshore company open a bank account?

A JAFZA offshore company can open a corporate bank account in the name of the entity. JAFZA Offshore Companies Regulations expressly permits an offshore company to hold an account at a bank licensed in the United Arab Emirates. A JAFZA offshore entity goes through the same compliance-driven onboarding as any other UAE offshore structure, with banks weighing source-of-funds documentation, business activity, and UBO profile rather than the choice of free zone. Some founders bank in the UAE; others bank internationally depending on where their operations and counterparties sit. The actual constraint is the banking call itself, where the compliance officer tests the entity's substance and the founder's source-of-funds story before approving the account.

Guide to opening an offshore bank account in the UAE — What banks actually require and how to prepare.

What are the JAFZA offshore company regulations?

JAFZA offshore companies operate within the UAE's regulatory framework and carry several ongoing compliance obligations.

Corporate tax. Under Federal Decree-Law No. 47 of 2022, a JAFZA offshore company is taxed on its worldwide income, including income earned outside the UAE. Taxable income up to AED 375,000 is taxed at 0%; the excess is taxed at 9%. The separate 0% Qualifying Income rate under Article 18 does not apply, since it requires adequate substance in the UAE that an offshore structure does not have. Every JAFZA offshore company must register for corporate tax and file an annual return, even if no tax is due.

Beneficial owner disclosure. Every JAFZA offshore company must disclose who actually owns and controls it — typically anyone holding 25% or more of the shares or voting rights. This does not apply to entities in ADGM and DIFC. The company must also keep its records up to date and verify who its clients are, in line with the UAE's broader anti-money laundering rules.

Accounting records. Offshore companies must keep accounting records and supporting documentation for 10 years from the date the records are made, under Regulation 59 of the Jebel Ali Free Zone Offshore Companies Regulations 2023.

How does JAFZA offshore compare to RAK ICC and Ajman?

UAE has three offshore registries: JAFZA, RAK ICC, and Ajman. Each operates under a different framework and targets a different use case. For a full breakdown of how UAE offshore jurisdictions fit into a broader holding structure, see UAE Offshore Company Formation.

For most founders, RAK ICC is the default: lower setup and renewal costs, one director accepted, and no meaningful difference in banking access or Dubai property rights. Ajman is the budget option — lower fees, but a narrower use case and no Dubai property ownership. JAFZA makes sense only when a specific counterparty or transaction requires a Jebel Ali-based entity.

Bottom line

JAFZA offshore is a legitimate holding structure with a long track record in Dubai. It costs more than RAK ICC at setup and renewal, requires two officers — a director and a secretary — where RAK ICC accepts one, and offers no advantage in banking or Dubai property ownership. In our experience, most founders who come to us asking about JAFZA end up with RAK ICC — it does the same job more simply and at lower cost. JAFZA makes sense only when a specific counterparty or transaction requires a Jebel Ali-based entity.