The IFZA free zone (International Free Zone Authority) is located in Dubai, in Dubai Silicon Oasis. It registers FZCO companies with a professional or commercial licence, and a foreign owner can hold 100% of the shares. Opening a company in IFZA with Parallax costs €6,100 excluding 5% VAT (as of October 2026): licence, flexi desk, Establishment Card and 3 business activities.
We submit the documents through a licensed partner in Dubai and guide you through every step. The zone terms below are taken from the official IFZA website and GDRFA Dubai service cards, checked on 28.10.2026.
IFZA at a glance
| Parameter | What is known |
|---|---|
| Where | Dubai, Dubai Silicon Oasis: IFZA headquarters and IFZA Business Park. Since late 2020 IFZA has been moving existing licences to Dubai at their next renewal |
| Company type | FZCO; a foreign company can open a branch |
| Ownership | 100% of shares held by the foreign owner from registration, 100% repatriation of capital and profits (according to IFZA) |
| Licences | Professional (consulting and services) and commercial (trading, import and export of goods) |
| Presence | No need to travel to register the company; you do need to travel for the visa |
| Licence term | 1 year, renewed annually |
Who IFZA suits
- Consulting, IT, marketing and other services: a professional licence.
- Trading and e-commerce: a commercial licence; IFZA allows commercial and professional activities to be combined in one licence.
- Those who need a Dubai company and an owner's visa: the Establishment Card is already included in the package, so there is no need to order it separately.
- Those setting up remotely: registration is online and the constitutional documents are signed electronically.
If you need the most affordable option for an owner's visa, compare with SHAMS or Ajman NuVentures (from €2,500) in the UAE business section. If a Dubai jurisdiction and a wider choice of activities matter to your bank or counterparties, choose IFZA or Meydan.
What the €6,100 IFZA package includes
- IFZA licence for 1 year: professional, commercial or combined.
- 3 business activities. IFZA states that a standard licence includes up to three activity groups; each additional activity costs €350 with us.
- Flexi desk: the office solution for registering the company.
- Establishment Card: the company card with GDRFA Dubai, the step before the owner's visa.
- Support: selection of activities, application form and documents, submission, signing of the MOA/AOA, receipt of the licence.
Not included: residence visa (€2,400), medical test, Emirates ID, corporate bank account, FTA registration. We fix the company's visa quota in the quote.
Business activities
The full list is in the IFZA catalogue. Activities are of two types:
- Non-regulated ("green"): no external approvals needed.
- Regulated ("amber"): approval from Dubai or federal UAE authorities is required. The licence holder is responsible for obtaining it.
Both types may have premises requirements. You may carry on only the activities listed on the licence: if an activity is not there, you cannot invoice for it. Activities can be added later; IFZA recommends timing changes to coincide with renewal.
Owner's visa and Establishment Card
The Establishment Card is the company card with GDRFA Dubai holding the company's details. According to the GDRFA service card, it is issued to private companies and free zone companies; the application requires the partners annex from the licence and the passports of the authorised signatories. GDRFA issuance fee: AED 200 plus 5% VAT and service charges (Knowledge and Innovation Dirham, AED 10 each, service fee AED 50); processing time 48 hours. The card is renewed through a separate GDRFA service. The renewal service card states the fee as AED 200 plus 5% VAT, while a note to it says AED 100 per year, so we fix the exact amount in the quote.
After the card we arrange the owner's visa (€2,400): entry permit or change of status, medical test, biometrics and Emirates ID, which is issued after the visa. Steps and timelines are on the UAE residence visa page.
How to open a company in IFZA: steps
- Consultation and proposal. We select the licence type, business activities, visa package and office solution.
- Documents. A licence application form with details of the ultimate beneficial owner (UBO), a passport copy, a digital photo; UAE residents also provide their Emirates ID and visa copy. A corporate shareholder provides a different set of documents.
- Registration on the IFZA portal. After review the zone issues two electronic legal forms, which are signed before the documents are issued.
- Approval of the application by the zone.
- MOA/AOA. The memorandum and articles of association are sent to all shareholders for electronic signature.
- Licence. An electronic copy is sent by email, and the original can be collected at the office.
- Establishment Card and visa: after the licence is issued.
IFZA does not publish a registration timeframe, so we give a timeline together with the quote. If you cannot sign the documents yourself, a power of attorney is executed before a Dubai notary by video call (€450).
IFZA licence renewal
The licence is valid for one year from the date of issue. For renewal IFZA asks for current passport copies of the shareholders, approvals for regulated activities and, for corporate shareholders, a certificate of good standing or equivalent. Renewal with Parallax: €5,200 excluding VAT.
Late renewal is risky: according to IFZA, with an expired licence the renewal of investor and employee visas is blocked, no new visas are issued, and the bank may restrict the account. There is a grace period after expiry, but its length depends on the authority, and fines then apply. So we start the renewal early and check the Establishment Card expiry at the same time.
Prices
| Service | What is included | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Company in IFZA (Dubai) | IFZA licence with a flexi desk, Establishment Card and three business activities: activity selection, documents, submission, receipt of the licence. | €6,100 | Order |
| Additional business activity | Adding a business activity to the licence when the three activities in the package are not enough. | €350 | Order |
| IFZA licence renewal | Annual IFZA licence renewal: document check, payment of zone fees, licence update. | €5,200 | Order |
| Investor residence visa (2 years) | Visa for the company owner: entry permit or change of status, medical test, biometrics, Emirates ID. | €2,400 | Order |
| Power of attorney (POA) via Zoom | Power of attorney before a Dubai notary by video call, if a representative will submit the documents. | €450 | Order |
Prices in euros, excluding 5% VAT. We fix the exact scope and government fees in a quote before payment. Services are provided together with a licensed partner in Dubai.
After registration you usually need a corporate bank account (the decision is made by the bank) and Corporate Tax registration and accounting. Family documents issued abroad for a family visa (marriage and birth certificates) must be legalised.
Frequently asked questions
Official sources
- IFZA — Set up your business (licences, documents, steps) — checked 28.10.2026
- IFZA Dubai — home page (Dubai Silicon Oasis address) — checked 28.10.2026
- IFZA — About (FZCO, combining activities) — checked 28.10.2026
- IFZA — Multiple activities under one license — checked 28.10.2026
- IFZA — list of business activities — checked 28.10.2026
- IFZA — licence renewal and consequences of expiry — checked 28.10.2026
- IFZA — move of licences to Dubai, 25.11.2020 — checked 28.10.2026
- IFZA — Emirates ID and residence visa — checked 28.10.2026
- GDRFA Dubai — Establishment Card (private sector and free zones) — checked 28.10.2026
- GDRFA Dubai — Establishment Card renewal — checked 28.10.2026