UAE Offshore Company Formation: Jurisdictions, Cost & Setup

Key points

• RAK ICC, JAFZA Offshore, and Ajman Offshore are the UAE's three offshore company jurisdictions, each governed by its own regulation and fee schedule.
• Government incorporation fees in 2026 range from AED 3,250 for RAK ICC to AED 10,000 for JAFZA Offshore, with Ajman Offshore starting at AED 4,000 plus a refundable AED 1,000 deposit.
• JAFZA Offshore permits trading only, while RAK ICC allows a broader range of activities, including consulting and IP holding.
• RAK ICC and JAFZA Offshore both offer an established route to directly own Dubai freehold property through Dubai Land Department.
• Corporate Tax registration is mandatory across all three jurisdictions, even where the company owes 0% in practice.
• Opening a corporate bank account for an offshore entity typically takes 4–10 weeks, regardless of jurisdiction.

How much does it cost to set up an offshore company in the UAE?

Government incorporation fees for a UAE offshore company range from AED 3,250 to AED 10,000 in 2026, depending on the jurisdiction. Renewal fees follow the same jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction split, and Ajman Offshore also requires a refundable deposit on top of its government fee. The table below breaks down the exact incorporation and renewal cost for each of the three jurisdictions.

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

What is an offshore company in the UAE?

A UAE offshore company is an International Business Company (IBC) incorporated in RAK ICC, JAFZA Offshore, or Ajman Offshore to operate outside the UAE. Founders comparing these jurisdictions in 2026 usually aim to hold assets, trade internationally, or own Dubai property without an onshore presence.

It receives a Certificate of Incorporation, not a trade license, cannot trade with UAE-resident customers or suppliers, cannot lease operating premises, and does not sponsor residence visas. This distinguishes it from a UAE free zone company, which can trade onshore, lease office space, and apply for visas.

Offshore structures also suit holding a single asset or deal in isolation from the rest of a group, and structuring how assets pass to heirs. The IBC can still open a corporate bank account in the UAE and issue invoices to clients and suppliers outside the country.

How does offshore company formation work in Dubai?

Offshore company formation in Dubai routes through one of three registries: JAFZA Offshore, registered directly under the Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority in Dubai, or RAK ICC and Ajman Offshore, registered in Ras Al Khaimah and Ajman. All three require a registered agent, and the agent's address becomes the company's registered address. Since most agents are based in Dubai, a company incorporated in Ras Al Khaimah or Ajman often still gets a Dubai registered address. The registry and regulator remain RAK ICC or Ajman. 

Registration jurisdiction and registered address are two separate things: the agent's location only affects the address, not which authority the company is incorporated under.

This distinction matters when the purpose of the company depends on the registry itself. JAFZA Offshore and RAK ICC can both hold Dubai freehold property directly — RAK ICC since 2019, via a DLD MoU + NOC. Ajman Offshore has no established DLD route. So a founder set on Dubai property should pick JAFZA or RAK ICC by registry, not assume a Dubai address from any agent that covers it. 

Which UAE offshore jurisdiction should you choose — RAK ICC, JAFZA, or Ajman?

The decision comes down to three questions. Need to hold Dubai freehold property in a corporate name? That requires JAFZA Offshore (AED 10,000) — the only established DLD route of the three. Need consulting or services activity, not just trading? That rules out JAFZA and points to RAK ICC (AED 3,250). Optimizing purely for cost on a simple holding structure? Ajman (AED 4,000) works, if you accept the weakest banking acceptance. 

Do you need a UAE bank account for an offshore company?

A corporate bank account opened in the name of an offshore entity is not mandatory for incorporation, but most founders need one to actually use the structure. Account opening typically takes 4–10 weeks after incorporation, independent of jurisdiction, and banks apply enhanced due diligence to offshore structures — source-of-funds documentation and a clear business rationale matter more than the choice of RAK ICC, JAFZA, or Ajman. Emirates NBD, Mashreq, RAKBANK, and ADCB are commonly cited as more open to this profile. For the full process, requirements, and common rejection reasons, see Opening a Corporate Bank Account for a UAE Offshore Company.

How do RAK ICC, JAFZA Offshore, and Ajman Offshore differ?

RAK ICC permits the broadest activity scope (trading, holding, IP, consulting) at AED 3,250; JAFZA Offshore restricts activity to trading only but costs AED 10,000 and holds the established Dubai property route. Ajman Offshore incorporates at AED 4,000 + AED 1,000 refundable deposit with no DLD route. Banking timelines are identical — 4–10 weeks — across all three. The table below breaks down each parameter.

In our practice, RAK ICC is the default choice for most offshore clients. JAFZA Offshore fits a narrower case — Dubai property ownership — and its trading-only restriction rules it out for consulting and services businesses.

Bottom line

RAK ICC, JAFZA Offshore, and Ajman Offshore all deliver a UAE offshore structure with no visa by default, no mainland trade, and no guaranteed banking. The choice comes down to three factors: permitted activity, Dubai property access, and banking acceptance. RAK ICC fits the broadest range of activities; JAFZA Offshore is the established route to Dubai freehold ownership; Ajman Offshore looks a low-cost entry but carries the weakest banking track record. Corporate Tax registration is mandatory for all three, even at zero liability.