Meydan Free Zone is a Dubai free zone where companies are licensed online, and every licence includes a flexi-desk address. A Meydan company with no visa is AED 12,500 through First Idea Consultant LLC, and with one residence visa it is AED 23,136. The full package most buyers want is Premium: company, one residence visa and business bank account opening assistance, AED 28,136 at Meydan. 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 suits consultants, online sellers and service businesses; IFZA is the usual alternative, compared below.
By First Idea Consultant. Reviewed by Amir Aslam, Founder. Updated September 2026.
Meydan Free Zone packages and what each one includes
| Package | What it covers | Meydan |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | Company only, no visa | AED 12,500 |
| Standard | Company plus 1 residence visa | AED 23,136 |
| Premium | Meydan company, one residence visa and business bank account opening assistance | AED 28,136 |
| Gold | Standard plus premium banking plus 1 year corporate services | AED 48,136 |
These are First Idea Consultant LLC package totals for a Meydan company, not Meydan Free Zone’s own tariff. Government fees can change, and the professional service fees inside Basic and Standard are promotions. The rows behind every total are on our cost of setting up a business in Dubai page, or see all our Dubai company setup packages.
WhatsApp Amir for Meydan licence options
WhatsApp Amir for the Premium package breakdown
What is inside the AED 23,136 Standard package
Everything in Basic plus one UAE residence visa, medical, biometrics and Emirates ID processing, and Corporate Tax Registration free of charge:
| Description | Price |
|---|---|
| Trade License | AED 12,500 |
| Visa Allocation | AED 1,850 |
| Establishment Card | AED 2,000 |
| Residence Visa | AED 4,000 |
| Normal Medical | AED 400 |
| Normal Biometrics / Emirates ID | AED 386 |
| Professional Service Fee | AED 2,000 (promotion, regular AED 3,500) |
| Total | AED 23,136 |
Need more than one visa? Send your business activity and visa count on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
What is inside the AED 28,136 Premium package
Standard plus a digital company stamp, priority WhatsApp and email support, free Corporate Tax Registration and one personal bank account opening assistance, in two versions by business account:
| Component (digital account version) | Meydan |
|---|---|
| 1 Visa Company Package | AED 23,136 |
| Digital / Fintech Business Bank Account | AED 3,000 |
| 1 Personal Bank Account | AED 2,000 |
| Total with digital account | AED 28,136 |
| Component (local bank version) | Meydan |
|---|---|
| 1 Visa Company Package | AED 23,136 |
| 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 33,136 |
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 Meydan Free Zone is and where it is
Meydan Free Zone issues its own trade licences in Dubai. Its website explains that free zone companies operate under their free zone’s own authority rather than Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (meydanfz.ae, checked 15 September 2026). The name is also written as Meydan freezone.
Its offices are on Meydan Road, Nad Al Sheba 1, near Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum City, and applications run through its online portal. A Meydan company can be 100% foreign owned, and its address is the included flexi-desk unless you lease an office there.
Licence types and business activities
Meydan Free Zone sorts activities into trade licence categories. Its website listed these on 15 September 2026.
| Category | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Administrative | Staffing, security and business support services |
| Agriculture | Animal and equine breeding |
| Art | Creative, performance and entertainment businesses |
| Education | Teaching and training |
| F&B, Rentals | Restaurants, hotels and catering |
| Financial | Holdings, capital and financial markets |
| HealthCare | Clinical and community health care |
| ICT | Technology, publishing and digital content |
| Maintenance | Electrical, security and building systems |
| Manufacturing | Making, repairing and installing products |
| Professional | Advisory, design and research services |
| Real Estate | Operating, brokering and managing property |
| Services | Personal and household services |
| Sewerage | Wastewater and drainage |
| Trading | Sourcing, selling and distributing goods |
| Transportation | Moving people and freight |
| Waste collection | Waste management |
Meydan includes up to three activity groups on one licence and publishes its full activity list. Before we apply, we check your activity against that list and against what banks accept; crypto, precious metals and general trading draw extra bank scrutiny anywhere. See also our UAE business activities list, the cheapest free zone license in UAE and our guide to Dubai free zone company setup.
| Buyer | Typical activity | Meydan category | What to check first |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consultant | Management consultancy | Professional | Activity wording matches your invoices |
| E-commerce seller | Online sales of a set product range | Trading | Product category and any approvals |
| Marketing agency | Digital marketing and advertising | Professional | Whether influencer content needs a permit |
| Software or IT services | Software development and IT consultancy | ICT | Building versus reselling software |
| Trading company | General trading or one goods category | Trading | Bank questions on general trading; customs registration |
| Holding company | Holding shares in other companies | Financial | Group structure and source of funds |
Activities that need extra approval
Financial services, health, education and legal services need an external approval and often a dedicated office, so they rarely suit a flexi-desk licence. Message us before you pay for a trade name.
Visas: how many you get and what each one needs
Meydan Free Zone published (visa and cost guides updated June and July 2026, checked 15 September 2026): each licence can be structured with up to six visa allocations, and a larger quota may need a business plan. Tell us your headcount and we quote the right set-up.
Meydan Free Zone states its investor and employee residence visas are issued for two years (meydanfz.ae, checked 15 September 2026).
Each visa follows five stages: establishment card, entry permit or change of status, medical test, biometrics and Emirates ID, then visa issue. Dependants can follow, subject to the immigration authority’s salary and accommodation rules. The only visa figures here are the Standard rows above; for extra visas, see UAE business visa assistance.
Office options: flexi-desk, shared and dedicated
Every Meydan licence includes a flexi-desk address. Meydan Free Zone’s FAQ contrasts this with mainland companies, which usually need an Ejari tenancy contract; a flexi-desk needs none. Shared and dedicated offices suit larger teams and some regulated activities, and rent sits outside every package. Send your business activity and visa count on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
Company formation in Meydan Free Zone: steps, documents and cost
Company formation in Meydan Free Zone takes five steps: choose the activity, reserve the name, submit the application and documents, complete the zone’s checks and receive the licence, then add the visa and banking.
- Choose the activity. We match it to Meydan’s list, check how banks read it and confirm any external approval.
- Reserve the name. Give us three trade names; clashing or restricted names are rejected.
- Submit the application and documents. We file it on Meydan Free Zone’s portal; you sign where needed.
- Checks and licence. The zone runs its checks and issues the licence, certificate of formation, share register, memorandum and lease agreement. We chase it and report back.
- Visa and banking. We apply for the establishment card and your residence visa and, on Premium, prepare the bank application.
Timeline. The licence usually follows a few working days after the name and activity are approved: Meydan Free Zone’s cost calculator lists its Regular Business License at 3 to 5 days, checked 15 September 2026. The residence visa then usually takes two to four weeks, depending on medical and Emirates ID appointments.
| Individual shareholder | Corporate shareholder |
|---|---|
| Valid passport copy | Certificate of incorporation |
| Passport-size photograph | Certificate of incumbency |
| Proof of home address | Memorandum and articles of association |
| UAE visa page or entry stamp, if in the UAE | Board resolution approving the company and naming its manager and directors |
| Emirates ID, if a UAE resident | Passport copies of owners and managers, and ultimate beneficial owner details |
Meydan Free Zone’s documents guide (updated 30 June 2026, checked 15 September 2026) says a corporate shareholder’s certificate of incorporation and memorandum and articles of association must be notarised and attested.
Cost of forming a Meydan company
Meydan Free Zone published (meydanfz.ae home page and cost calculator, checked 15 September 2026): licence AED 12,500 with a flexi-desk and up to 3 activity groups; additional activities AED 1,000 each.
The First Idea Basic total is also AED 12,500, because the professional service fee is AED 0 while the promotion runs (regular AED 1,000); when it ends, the total changes. Standard (AED 23,136) and Premium (AED 28,136) are itemised above.
More than one visa, or an office? Send your business activity and visa count on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
Meydan Free Zone vs IFZA
| Package | Meydan | IFZA |
|---|---|---|
| Basic: company, no visa | AED 12,500 | AED 12,900 |
| Standard: company and one residence visa | AED 23,136 | AED 23,436 |
| Premium: company, one residence visa and business bank account opening assistance | AED 28,136 | AED 28,436 |
| Gold: premium banking and a year of corporate services | AED 48,136 | AED 48,436 |
| Suits | Startups and consultants | SMEs and traders |
IFZA and Meydan are separate free zones with separate packages. The two columns are alternatives, not figures to add together.
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.
The gap is AED 400 at Basic and AED 300 at Standard, Premium and Gold, so choose on activity fit, address and bank familiarity. Meydan suits service and online businesses wanting a Dubai address in the Meydan district; IFZA suits activities that fit its list better. See our IFZA free zone page, or mainland vs free zone UAE if you are still choosing a jurisdiction.
DMCC has no fixed package with us. Send your business activity and visa count on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote. Background: DMCC business setup.
Meydan licence renewal
A one-year Meydan licence is renewed every 12 months through Meydan Free Zone’s online portal, and its renewal guide (last updated 30 June 2026) says renewal needs no Ejari lease or employer NOC. Longer licences also exist, so check your expiry date.
No professional service fee on licence renewals; government and authority fees still apply.
Send your business activity and visa count on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
Meydan Free Zone published (renewal guide updated 30 June 2026, checked 15 September 2026): a 30-day grace period after expiry, then AED 200 for each month of delay.
The same guide says visa renewal is not automatically part of the licence renewal; residence visas run on their own cycle.
| Item | Who charges it |
|---|---|
| Licence renewal fee | Meydan Free Zone |
| Establishment card renewal, when due | Meydan Free Zone |
| Residence visas, renewed on their own cycle | Quoted separately |
| First Idea professional service fee | See the sentence above |
Corporate tax returns, accounting and any audit are separate yearly obligations and are quoted separately. See also trade license renewal Dubai.
WhatsApp Amir about a Meydan renewal
Before you choose Meydan: what to check
- Support runs through the portal. We prepare, submit and chase your file, and send you the status.
- Prepare three trade names. Name rejections happen in every UAE zone.
- Pick the activity you will invoice under. A mismatch causes problems at the bank and again at renewal.
- Renewal is covered in the section above.
- Banking. 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. Read how to open a corporate bank account in Dubai.
- Tax. 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. A free zone company still registers, files a corporate tax return and keeps accounts, and Basic does not include tax registration. Check the corporate tax registration deadline.
- Avoidable errors. See free zone business setup mistakes.
Why work with First Idea Consultant LLC on a Meydan licence
First Idea Consultant LLC has set up UAE companies since 2015, from Office 812, ParkLane Tower, Park Regis, Business Bay, Dubai, where you can visit us. Meet Amir Aslam, Founder. You get an itemised written quote before you pay, and you can read our Google reviews.
FAQ
How much does a Meydan Free Zone company cost?
Through First Idea Consultant LLC it is AED 12,500 with no visa, AED 23,136 with one residence visa, and AED 28,136 for Premium: company, one residence visa and business bank account opening assistance. 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.
How long does company formation in Meydan Free Zone take?
The licence usually follows a few working days after the name and activity are approved; Meydan Free Zone’s cost calculator lists its Regular Business License at 3 to 5 days (checked 15 September 2026). The residence visa then usually takes two to four weeks, depending on medical and Emirates ID appointments.
How many visas can I get on a Meydan Free Zone licence?
Meydan Free Zone published (visa and cost guides updated June and July 2026, checked 15 September 2026): each licence can be structured with up to six visa allocations, and a larger quota may need a business plan. Send your business activity and visa count on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
Do I need a physical office in Meydan Free Zone?
Not for most activities. Every Meydan licence includes a flexi-desk address, which needs no Ejari tenancy contract. A shared or dedicated office is optional for most businesses and is quoted in writing.
Can I get a Meydan company, residence visa and bank account in one package?
Premium covers this: Meydan company, one residence visa and business bank account opening assistance, AED 28,136. The version with a local bank account is AED 33,136, as priced on the business setup cost page. 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.
Is Meydan Free Zone better than IFZA?
Neither is better for everyone: our Meydan and IFZA packages are AED 400 apart at Basic and AED 300 apart above it, so choose on activity fit, address and bank familiarity. DMCC has no fixed package with us. Send your business activity and visa count on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote. See DMCC business setup.
Can a Meydan company work outside the free zone or outside the UAE?
Yes for international work: a Meydan company can serve clients abroad and inside the free zone, within its licensed activities. Selling directly to mainland Dubai customers may need a separate approval, a mainland licence or a local distributor, depending on the activity. See mainland vs free zone UAE.
What does it cost to renew a Meydan Free Zone licence?
Meydan Free Zone sets the licence renewal fee. No professional service fee on licence renewals; government and authority fees still apply. Send your business activity and visa count on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote. Meydan Free Zone published (renewal guide updated 30 June 2026, checked 15 September 2026): a 30-day grace period after expiry, then AED 200 for each month of delay.
Send us your business activity and how many visas you need. We will come back with the licence options and a written cost breakdown, and we reply on WhatsApp within a couple of hours.
WhatsApp Amir about a Meydan company
Call or WhatsApp +971 56 500 6694, or visit Office 812, ParkLane Tower, Park Regis, Business Bay, Dubai.
