The IFZA free zone is run by the International Free Zone Authority and based in Dubai Silicon Oasis. First Idea Consultant LLC sets up IFZA companies on four packages. The full package most buyers want is Premium: IFZA company, one residence visa and business bank account opening assistance, AED 28,436. Bank account opening is subject to each bank’s KYC, compliance review and final approval. We prepare the file, pre-check it against the bank’s requirements, and if one bank declines we apply to the next. Company only is Basic, AED 12,900. Company and one residence visa is Standard, AED 23,436. Gold, AED 48,436, adds premier local business bank account opening assistance and twelve months of corporate services support.
By First Idea Consultant. Reviewed by Amir Aslam, Founder. Updated September 2026.
IFZA free zone packages: Basic, Standard, Premium and Gold
Each IFZA license package with First Idea Consultant has one stated cost: Basic for the company only, Standard with one residence visa, Premium with one residence visa and business bank account opening assistance, Gold with a year of corporate services. Here is the IFZA cost for each, and what it includes.
| Package | What it includes | IFZA total |
|---|---|---|
| Basic: IFZA company, no visa | Trade licence, MOA, flexi-office address, certificate of registration, share registry where applicable | AED 12,900 |
| Standard: IFZA company and one residence visa | Basic plus one residence visa, establishment card, medical, biometrics and Emirates ID processing, corporate tax registration | AED 23,436 |
| Premium: IFZA company, one residence visa and business bank account opening assistance | Standard plus digital business bank account opening assistance, one personal bank account opening assistance, digital company stamp | AED 28,436 |
| Gold: premium banking and a year of corporate services | Standard plus premier local business bank account opening assistance (physical presence required; Relationship Manager availability depends on the selected bank and bank approval), digital business bank account opening assistance, two personal bank account openings assistance, twelve months of corporate services support, limited bank compliance support during initial account opening and onboarding | AED 48,436 |
Bank account opening is subject to each bank’s KYC, compliance review and final approval. We prepare the file, pre-check it against the bank’s requirements, and if one bank declines we apply to the next.
Premium with a standard local business bank account (physical presence required) instead of the digital account: AED 33,436 at IFZA, as itemised on cost of setting up a business in Dubai.
The AED 0 fee on Basic and the AED 2,000 fee on Standard are promotions, not permanent prices. Government fees and requirements may change without prior notice.
Two or more visas, a leased office or a corporate shareholder sit outside the four packages. Send your business activity and visa count on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
IFZA package with zero visa
| Description | Price |
|---|---|
| IFZA Free Zone License | AED 12,900 |
| Professional Service Fee | AED 0 (promotion, regular AED 1,000) |
Basic covers the trade license, Memorandum of Association, flexi-office address, Certificate of Registration, share registry where applicable, and formation assistance. It has no residence visa, establishment card, bank account opening assistance or corporate tax registration, so it suits an owner who does not need UAE residency. Compare zones on price in cheapest free zone license in UAE.
What is not included and costs extra
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Inside-country status change | AED 1,600 additional, if applicable |
| VIP Medical | AED 750 instead of normal medical |
| Earlier biometrics appointment assistance | AED 600 additional |
Normal biometrics appointment timing is generally 5 to 7 days, subject to appointment availability.
An IFZA licence includes up to three business activity groups within the standard fee. IFZA charges each additional activity separately and its guide gives no figure, so extra activities go into your written quote, as does a leased office or a warehouse.
What IFZA is and where it sits
IFZA is the International Free Zone Authority, a Dubai free zone. IFZA Dubai lists its headquarters in Dubai Silicon Oasis, with its reception at IFZA Business Park, Building A2 (ifza.com About Us, checked 15 September 2026). Companies in the IFZA freezone are incorporated as FZCOs, as the international free zone authority IFZA states in its licence guide. For the other zones, see Dubai free zone company setup.
IFZA lists four licence types: commercial, for importing, exporting, storing and distributing goods; professional, for consultancy and expert services; general trading, a specialised commercial licence; and a branch office of a foreign company (ifza.com, “How to get your free zone license with IFZA?”). On an IFZA UAE licence, cross licensing combines commercial and professional activities (ifza.com multiple activities guide, February 2026). IFZA states that no paid-up capital is required and that owners need not be in the UAE during registration.
0% personal income tax. Corporate tax is 9% only on profit above AED 375,000, and registration is included in every package from Standard upward. More in our UAE corporate tax guide.
IFZA activity list
IFZA activities decide what your company may do and invoice for. IFZA’s multiple activities guide (published February 2026, checked 15 September 2026) says a licence includes up to three business activity groups within the standard fee, that each additional activity is charged separately, and that cross licensing combines commercial and professional activities on one licence.
IFZA business activities list: most requested groups
- Consultancy: management, feasibility, HR and sector consultancies; professional.
- IT and software: IT consultancy, software and web design, cloud and AI; professional. Computer equipment trading is commercial.
- E-commerce: Ecommerce and Online Seller are commercial; portals and online service platforms are professional.
- General trading: importing, trading and re-exporting allowed goods; commercial.
- Marketing and media: marketing, social media, branding, public relations and events; professional, with some advertising activities regulated.
- Education and training: professional; several training activities need Knowledge & Human Development Authority approval.
| Activity name (as IFZA lists it) | IFZA code | Licence type | External approval needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consultancy | |||
| Management Consultancies | 7020003 | Professional | No |
| Feasibility Studies Consultancies | 7020002 | Professional | No |
| Human Resources Consultancies | 7020008 | Professional | No |
| Logistics Consultancy | 7020028 | Professional | No |
| Real Estate Consultancies | 6820005 | Professional | Yes: Real Estate Regulatory Agency, before licence issuance |
| Aviation Consultancy | 5229012 | Professional | Yes: Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, before licence issuance |
| IT and software | |||
| Information Technology Consultants | 6202003 | Professional | No |
| Computer Systems & Communication Equipment Software Design | 6201001 | Professional | No |
| Web-Design | 6201005 | Professional | No |
| Artificial Intelligence Developing Services | 7220010 | Professional | No |
| Cloud Service & Datacenters Providers | 6311010 | Professional | No |
| Cyber Security Consultancy | 6202006 | Professional | No |
| Computers & Peripheral Equipment Trading | 4741003 | Commercial | No |
| E-commerce | |||
| Ecommerce | 1122352 | Commercial | No |
| Online Seller | 6312009 | Commercial | No |
| Portal | 6312004 | Professional | No |
| Services Provision Brokerage Via Electronic Media | 6312007 | Professional | No |
| General trading | |||
| General Trading | 4690018 | Commercial | No |
| Goods Wholesalers | 4690101 | Commercial | No |
| Marketing and media | |||
| Marketing Management | 7320002 | Professional | No |
| Marketing Services Via Social Media | 6202101 | Professional | No |
| Branding Services | 7320005 | Professional | No |
| Public Relations Management | 7020001 | Professional | No |
| Events Organizing & Managing | 8230009 | Professional | No |
| Advertisement Designing & Producing | 7310006 | Professional | Yes: Ministry of Culture & Youth, before licence issuance |
| Advertising Services via Websites | 7310026 | Professional | Yes: Ministry of Culture & Youth, before licence issuance |
| Education and training | |||
| Professional & Management Development Training | 8549013 | Professional | Yes: Knowledge & Human Development Authority, before licence issuance |
| Language Training | 8549031 | Professional | Yes: Knowledge & Human Development Authority, before licence issuance |
| Computer Training | 8549012 | Professional | Yes: Knowledge & Human Development Authority, before licence issuance |
| Education & Training Computer Software | 6201011 | Professional | No |
| Educational Technologies Research & Development | 7220007 | Professional | No |
| Lifestyle Coaching | 7490020 | Professional | No |
Source: IFZA activity search at activities.ifza.com, checked September 2026, which holds the full list.
Activities that need an external approval
Non-Regulated Business Activities, which IFZA calls Green Activities, need no external approval. Regulated Business Activities, which IFZA calls Amber Activities, need approval from specified Dubai or UAE federal government entities, and IFZA says securing it is the licensee’s duty. Either type may carry property requirements. Examples as IFZA’s activity search marks them:
- Virtual Assets Advisory Services: Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority, before licence issuance.
- Telehealth Services: Dubai Health Authority, before licence issuance.
- Transporting and Towing Vehicles: Roads & Transport Authority, before licence issuance.
- Wireless Telecommunications Services: Telecommunications & Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDGRA), before licence issuance.
- Confectionary & Chocolate Trading: Department of Food Control, after licence issuance.
Choosing a regulated activity without planning for its approval is one of the common UAE free zone setup mistakes.
How to pick an activity a bank will accept
The activity on the licence must match what the company actually does, because banks read the licence during KYC. Pick activities for your business model, customers and suppliers, not the longest list. A consultancy that also resells software needs both activities, which cross licensing allows. We check the combination against IFZA’s list before filing.
IFZA package with a visa
The IFZA package with a visa is Standard: AED 23,436 for the company and one residence visa.
| Description | Price |
|---|---|
| Trade License | AED 12,900 |
| Visa Allocation | AED 2,000 |
| Establishment Card | AED 2,000 |
| Manager / Employee Visa | AED 3,750 |
| Normal Medical | AED 400 |
| Normal Biometrics / Emirates ID | AED 386 |
| Professional Service Fee | AED 2,000 (promotion, regular AED 3,500) |
| Total | AED 23,436 |
The visa is a UAE residence visa, and corporate tax registration is included from Standard upward. Sponsoring family is a separate visa application. Send your visa count and the family members you want to sponsor on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
Two or more visas: the IFZA package with 2 visas
There is no fixed IFZA package with 2 visas. Each extra visa adds its own visa allocation, residence visa, medical and Emirates ID. How many visas a company can hold depends on its office or desk, and raising the quota means a larger office or an application to the authority. Send your business activity and visa count on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
Documents and timeline
| Document | Notes |
|---|---|
| Trade name options | Three preferred company names, so availability can be checked. |
| Business activity | A short description of the planned activity, so the right activity can be chosen from IFZA’s list. |
| Passport copy | Full double pages and the outside cover, fully visible with a 2 cm border and no fingers, plus the last UAE entry stamp if available. The passport must be valid for at least six months. |
| Passport photo | Studio photo on a white background. |
| Home-country address proof | A utility bill, bank statement or government document showing your full name, address and an issue date within the last six months, or a long-term document such as a tenancy contract or title deed. If it is in another person’s name, add a document showing your connection to the address. |
| Email and phone | An active email address and telephone number. |
| Signature | A clear, well-lit photo of your signature. |
| Parents’ names | Your father’s and mother’s full names. |
| Previous nationalities | Any nationality held at birth or before. |
- You choose the activity and the package.
- You send the documents and three trade name options.
- IFZA approves the name and issues the licence, after any approval a regulated activity needs first.
- The establishment card is issued.
- The residence visa is e-issued and you enter the UAE on it, or change status inside the country where that applies.
- You complete the medical.
- You attend biometrics, and the Emirates ID is processed.
- For Premium and Gold, the bank account application goes in.
Licence timing depends on the activity, any external approval and complete documents, so we give no fixed number of days.
IFZA company, visa and bank account assistance: the Premium package
Premium is the IFZA package for buyers who want the company, one residence visa and business bank account opening assistance in one purchase: AED 28,436. Bank account opening is subject to each bank’s KYC, compliance review and final approval. We prepare the file, pre-check it against the bank’s requirements, and if one bank declines we apply to the next.
| Component | IFZA |
|---|---|
| 1 Visa Company Package | AED 23,436 |
| Digital / Fintech Business Bank Account | AED 3,000 |
| 1 Personal Bank Account | AED 2,000 |
| Total with digital account | AED 28,436 |
| Component | IFZA |
|---|---|
| 1 Visa Company Package | AED 23,436 |
| Standard business bank account, local bank (physical presence required) | AED 8,000 |
| 1 Personal Bank Account | AED 2,000 |
| Total with local bank account | AED 33,436 |
Both versions include the digital company stamp. Gold adds premier local business bank account opening assistance and a year of corporate services support:
| Description | IFZA |
|---|---|
| License, visa and government package before Gold service upgrade | AED 21,436 |
| Gold Professional Service Fee | AED 5,000 |
| Premier local business bank account (physical presence and Relationship Manager) | AED 12,000 |
| Digital business bank account assistance | AED 3,000 |
| 2 personal bank account openings (AED 3,500 each) | AED 7,000 |
| Total | AED 48,436 |
The first row sits below the Standard total because the AED 5,000 Gold professional service fee replaces the AED 2,000 standard fee rather than adding to it. Gold includes limited bank compliance support during initial account opening and onboarding; ongoing compliance support is a separate annual Banking Compliance Package, quoted separately. Relationship Manager availability depends on the selected bank and bank approval.
Bank account opening is subject to each bank’s KYC, compliance review and final approval. We prepare the file, pre-check it against the bank’s requirements, and if one bank declines we apply to the next.
What banks ask an IFZA company for
Banks ask for the trade licence, MOA, office lease or flexi-desk agreement, a business profile and the source of funds. The local bank version of Premium and Gold’s premier local business bank account require physical presence. Existing licence holders can use our bank account opening assistance on its own, quoted separately.
IFZA compared with Meydan free zone
If you are weighing Meydan free zone vs IFZA vs DMCC, start with the two zones that have stated package totals.
| Package (in words) | IFZA | Meydan | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic: company, no visa | AED 12,900 | AED 12,500 | An owner who does not need UAE residency |
| Standard: company and one residence visa | AED 23,436 | AED 23,136 | An owner who needs one residence visa |
| Premium: company, one residence visa and business bank account opening assistance | AED 28,436 | AED 28,136 | An owner who wants the company, the visa and bank account opening assistance in one purchase |
| Gold: premium banking and a year of corporate services | AED 48,436 | AED 48,136 | An owner who wants premier local banking assistance and a year of corporate services support |
| Location | Dubai Silicon Oasis | Meydan Grandstand, Nad Al Sheba, Dubai | IFZA: SMEs and traders. Meydan: startups and consultants. |
| Activity search | activities.ifza.com | meydanfz.ae business activities | Check your activity on both before choosing |
IFZA and Meydan are separate free zones with separate packages. The two columns are alternatives, not figures to add together. The packages are AED 400 apart at Basic and AED 300 apart at Standard, Premium and Gold. Our Meydan free zone page covers Meydan in full.
DMCC has no fixed package with us. Send your business activity and visa count on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote. Background is in our DMCC business setup guide.
IFZA licence renewal
No professional service fee on licence renewals; government and authority fees still apply.
Send your IFZA licence expiry date and visa count on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
What comes up at renewal:
- The IFZA licence renewal, for which IFZA issues its own quotation by package and tenure.
- The establishment card, when it is due.
- Residence visas expiring in the same period, quoted separately.
The steps are on our trade license renewal Dubai page.
Other yearly obligations
The corporate tax return, accounting and bookkeeping, and any audit are quoted separately. At renewal, IFZA asks for updated documents, including the latest passport copies of company members, third party approvals for regulated activities, and certificates of good standing or their equivalent for corporate shareholders where required (ifza.com, checked 15 September 2026).
IFZA business setup with First Idea Consultant
- First Idea Consultant LLC, in business since 2015, handles business setup in IFZA; all our Dubai company setup packages are on one page.
- Office: Park Regis, ParkLane Tower, Office 812, Business Bay, Dubai.
- Phone and WhatsApp: +971 56 500 6694.
- Amir Aslam, Founder.
FAQ
How much does an IFZA free zone licence cost?
Basic is AED 12,900 for the IFZA company only, Standard is AED 23,436 with one residence visa, Premium is AED 28,436 for IFZA company, one residence visa and business bank account opening assistance, and Gold is AED 48,436; the Basic and Standard professional service fees are promotions, and government fees can change. Bank account opening is subject to each bank’s KYC, compliance review and final approval. We prepare the file, pre-check it against the bank’s requirements, and if one bank declines we apply to the next. Send your business activity and visa count on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
Where can I see the full IFZA activity list?
IFZA publishes the full list at activities.ifza.com, and the IFZA activity list on this page shows the most requested activities by group, with code, licence type and any external approval. Regulated activities, which IFZA calls Amber Activities, need approval from a named Dubai or federal government entity. We check your activity against IFZA’s list before filing.
How many business activities can I put on one IFZA licence?
IFZA’s multiple activities guide says a licence includes up to three business activity groups within the standard fee, with each additional activity charged separately. Cross licensing lets one licence combine commercial and professional activities. We check the combination against IFZA’s list before filing.
What is included in the IFZA Premium package?
Premium is Standard plus digital business bank account opening assistance, one personal bank account opening assistance and a digital company stamp: AED 28,436. The version with a standard local business bank account is AED 33,436, as itemised on cost of setting up a business in Dubai, and needs physical presence. Bank account opening is subject to each bank’s KYC, compliance review and final approval. We prepare the file, pre-check it against the bank’s requirements, and if one bank declines we apply to the next.
Meydan free zone vs IFZA vs DMCC: which should I choose?
IFZA and Meydan each have four stated totals with us, AED 400 apart at Basic and AED 300 apart above it, so the choice turns on your activity and visa count. For DMCC business setup there is no fixed package with us. Send your business activity and visa count on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
Do I need to be in the UAE to set up an IFZA company?
IFZA states that owners do not need to be in the UAE during registration, so the licence stage can run as business setup remotely. Visa entry, the medical and biometrics for the Emirates ID need you in the country. The local bank version of Premium and Gold’s premier local business bank account also require physical presence.
Can I open a business bank account with an IFZA licence?
Premium and Gold include business bank account opening assistance, and banks ask an IFZA company for its licence, MOA, lease or flexi-desk agreement, business profile and source of funds. Bank account opening is subject to each bank’s KYC, compliance review and final approval. We prepare the file, pre-check it against the bank’s requirements, and if one bank declines we apply to the next.
What does it cost to renew an IFZA licence?
No professional service fee on licence renewals; government and authority fees still apply. IFZA quotes its own renewal by package and tenure, and visas or the establishment card due in the same period are quoted separately. The steps are on our trade license renewal Dubai page. Send your IFZA licence expiry date and visa count on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
Send my activity and visa count on WhatsApp
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