DAFZA Company Setup Consultants

DAFZA Company Setup Consultants

Setting up in the Dubai Airport Freezone Authority (DAFZA) means a trade licence, a facility, visas and a bank account. You don’t have to sort them out alone. Our DAFZA company setup consultants at ASC Global manage the whole chain, from activity selection to the day your licence lands in your inbox. You keep 100% foreign ownership, and we keep the paperwork moving.

Simple on paper. Messy in practice.

Why Choose ASC Global as Your DAFZA Company Setup Consultants

We’ve been doing this for 30+ years and have worked with 5,000+ clients. That’s not a slogan. It’s the reason we know where applications stall.

Here’s what most founders miss: the licence is rarely the hard part. The hard part is the sequence. Pick the wrong activity first, and your facility choice, visa quota and bank application all wobble. So we start with the business model, not the form.

And we’re honest when DAFZA isn’t the right fit. It happens.

DAFZA Key Facts at a Glance

One caution on the corporate tax line. The 0% rate isn’t automatic. A free zone company has to meet the qualifying conditions, and some income falls outside them. We check this before you commit, not after your first filing.

Activities You Can Run from DAFZA

DAFZA licences fall into three broad groups.

• Commercial: trading and distribution businesses, including import and re-export.
• Service: consulting, logistics support, technology and professional services.
• Industrial: light manufacturing and assembly.

The airport location is the draw for freight, aviation-linked and cross-border trade businesses. Goods move fast. Your shipping partners are close.

But activity wording matters. A mismatch between what you write on the application and what you actually sell can cause trouble later with the bank or at renewal. Say what you really do.

DAFZA Cost and Fee Overview

Honestly, there’s no single price. Anyone quoting one before asking about your business is guessing.

Your total depends on a handful of things:

• the licence type and activity
• the facility you choose (flexi-desk, office or warehouse)
• how many visas you need
• registration, approval and renewal fees set out in the DAFZA fee schedule

Fees change. We confirm the current schedule with DAFZA before we send you a quote, so the numbers you see are the numbers you’ll pay. No surprises in month two.

How DAFZA Company Setup Works: Step by Step

1. Define the activity. We map your business model to the right licence type.
2. Reserve the trade name. Short, clear, and compliant with naming rules.
3. Submit the application. Forms, shareholder details and supporting documents go to DAFZA.
4. Get initial approval. Then you move forward.
5. Choose and lease a facility. Flexi-desk, office or warehouse, based on what you actually need.
6. Pay fees and receive the licence. This is the moment you’re legally in business.
7. Apply for visas and Emirates ID. Quota depends on your facility.
8. Open the bank account. Often the slowest step, so we start preparing early.

Timelines vary with document readiness and approvals. Clean paperwork is the single biggest speed factor — we’ve seen it cut weeks.

Documents Usually Required

Requirements differ by shareholder type and activity, so treat this as a working list, not a promise:

• Passport copies for all shareholders and managers
• Passport-size photographs
• Completed application forms
• Business plan or activity description
• Company documents for corporate shareholders (attested where required)
• Board or shareholder resolutions, where applicable
• NOC from a current sponsor if a shareholder holds a UAE residence visa

Corporate shareholders trip up a lot of clients here. Attestation takes time, and nobody builds it into the plan. Start early.

Who Should (and Shouldn’t) Choose DAFZA

DAFZA tends to suit you if:

• you run a trading, logistics or cross-border business
• you want 100% ownership and full repatriation
• you value a location beside the airport
• you plan to scale with warehouse or office space

Think twice if:

• most of your sales go directly to UAE mainland customers, which needs extra structuring
• you want the lowest possible setup spend and don’t need the airport advantage
• your activity isn’t covered by a DAFZA licence

Not sure which side you’re on? That’s a fifteen-minute conversation, not a guessing game.

How ASC Global Helps

You get one team from start to finish. Our consultants handle:

• activity and licence selection
• trade name reservation and application filing
• document preparation and attestation guidance
• facility selection and lease coordination
• visa, Emirates ID and medical processing
• bank account support
• corporate tax registration guidance after setup

We don’t disappear after the licence arrives. Renewals, visa changes and amendments come up, and you’ll want someone who already knows your file.