Updated 28 October 2026 · Author: Evgenii Salamatin, founder of Parallax

In Meydan Free Zone in Dubai, a foreigner can own 100% of the company, the licence is issued online, with no UAE residency and no paid-up share capital. One licence covers up to 3 activity groups out of more than 2,500 activities. A company in Meydan with Parallax costs €6,500: licence, shared desk, Immigration Card and a quota for 1 visa, as of October 2026.

We submit the documents through a licensed partner in Dubai and guide you through every step. Zone terms are taken from the Meydan Free Zone website, tax and law from u.ae, the FTA and the Dubai Legislation Portal, checked on 28.10.2026.

What Meydan Free Zone is

ParameterTerms
LocationDubai, Meydan Grandstand, Nad Al Sheba 1
Company typeLLC-FZ, 100% foreign ownership, no local partner
Share capitalNo payment required at registration
Business activitiesUp to 3 groups in one licence, several activities within each group
Licence term1 year or several years, up to a maximum of 10 years
ApplicationOnline, no need to travel to the UAE for the licence
VisasQuota of 1 to 6 visas, more on request

After registration the company receives a Certificate of Formation, a register of shareholders, the licence, the desk lease agreement and the Memorandum of Association.

Who it suits

  • You need a Dubai address and a company to sponsor your own residence visa.
  • Consulting, IT, services, online business with clients outside the UAE.
  • Several lines of business at once: up to 3 activity groups from different sectors in one licence.
  • You are not in the UAE yet: the licence is issued remotely, and you travel for the visa later.

If a Dubai address is not essential and the budget is limited, compare with SHAMS and Ajman NuVentures (€2,500) on the UAE business page.

What the Parallax package includes

  • Meydan Free Zone licence for 1 year and company registration.
  • Shared desk: the office space required for the licence.
  • Immigration Card: registration of the company in the immigration system.
  • Quota for 1 visa.
  • Selection of business activities, preparation and submission of documents, support throughout the process.

Paid separately: the investor visa itself (€2,400), medical test and Emirates ID, health insurance, additional business activities (€350), corporate bank account and accounting. On the Meydan website the Immigration Card and the visa quota are bought on top of the basic licence; in our package they are already included.

Business activities

The Meydan catalogue is divided into groups with a three-digit code: administrative, ICT, trading, professional services, education, manufacturing, real estate, financial and others. Within the 3 chosen groups you can take several activities at no extra cost. An activity from a fourth group is added for a separate fee: €350 with Parallax.

  • Some activities require approval from government authorities (for example, Dubai Municipality or KHDA) before or after the licence is issued, which extends the timeline.
  • Meydan classifies General Trading as high risk: combined with many unrelated activities, it can complicate opening a bank account.
  • Some licences cannot be combined with other activities under DLD and RERA requirements.

Immigration Card and visas

The Immigration Card (Establishment Card) opens the company's immigration file. Without it the company cannot sponsor a single visa, not even the owner's. Meydan files a visa application after registration when two conditions are met: there is an Immigration Card and a visa quota.

  • Investor or partner visa. According to the Meydan FAQ, with a shareholding of at least AED 50,000. A sole founder applies for an investor visa, a co-owner for a partner visa.
  • Visa term: 2 years, renewable.
  • Family. The company can sponsor your spouse and children. Marriage and birth certificates issued abroad must be legalised: the UAE is not a party to the Apostille Convention (HCCH). See document attestation for the UAE.

How the visa is issued: see the UAE residence visa page.

How to open a company in Meydan: steps

  1. Business activities. We choose up to 3 groups and check whether government approvals are needed.
  2. Company name. We check name availability in the Meydan service.
  3. Documents and payment. For an individual: a passport copy and KYC details, all online. For a corporate shareholder: constitutional documents and a board resolution.
  4. Licence. Meydan states that a standard application is usually reviewed within 24 hours, depending on the activity and documents.
  5. Immigration Card. Meydan opens the company's immigration file after the licence is issued.
  6. Visa. If you are outside the UAE: an entry permit (24–48 hours); if you are in the country: a change of status (24–72 hours). Medical test and biometrics: 3–5 working days; visa in the passport: 2–3 working days. Meydan estimates the whole cycle at 5–7 working days.
  7. Bank account. We submit the bank application after the licence is issued; the decision is made by the bank.

Doing business in Dubai and tax

A free zone company operates inside the zone and abroad. On the Dubai mainland it may operate only with permission from the Department of Economy and Tourism: a branch licence (AED 10,000 a year) or a temporary permit for up to 6 months (AED 5,000), under Dubai Executive Council Resolution No. 11 of 2025.

Corporate Tax: 0% on taxable profit up to AED 375,000 and 9% above that (u.ae). A qualifying free zone person pays 0% on qualifying income if it meets the FTA conditions. See UAE tax and accounting.

Meydan licence renewal

The licence is renewed before the expiry date stated on it. After that date the company may not carry on business, and an expired licence can delay visa renewals, Emirates ID applications and bank checks. Renewal is filed online, and the owner can be outside the UAE. The Immigration Card is renewed after the licence.

Meydan licence renewal with Parallax: €5,500 a year. Visas, Emirates ID and health insurance are not renewed with it: they have their own terms. We start early so that nothing expires.

Prices

ServiceWhat is includedPrice
Company in Meydan (Dubai)Meydan Free Zone licence with a shared desk, Immigration Card and a quota for one visa.€6,500Order
Meydan licence renewalAnnual renewal of the Meydan Free Zone licence and related company documents.€5,500Order
Additional business activityAdding an activity to the free zone licence when the main set is not enough.€350Order
Investor residence visa for 2 yearsVisa for the company owner or partner: entry permit, change of status, medical test, biometrics and Emirates ID.€2,400Order

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.

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Frequently asked questions

With Parallax, a company in Meydan costs €6,500 excluding 5% UAE VAT: licence, shared desk, Immigration Card and a quota for 1 visa. The investor visa is arranged separately: €2,400. Licence renewal: €5,500 a year. We fix the exact scope and government fees in a quote before payment.

Yes. Meydan issues the licence online, and UAE residency is not required for this. For the visa you need to travel: the medical test and Emirates ID biometrics are done in the country. If you are outside the UAE, an entry permit is issued first.

Up to 3 activity groups, and within each you can choose several activities at no extra cost. The catalogue has more than 2,500 activities. An activity from another group is added separately: €350 with Parallax.

It is the company's registration in the UAE immigration system (Establishment Card). Without it the company cannot sponsor visas, including the owner's visa. It is already included in our Meydan package together with a quota for 1 visa.

Meydan states a quota of 1 to 6 visas, more on request. Our package includes a quota for 1 visa. According to the Meydan FAQ, an investor visa is granted with a shareholding of at least AED 50,000.

With clients abroad and inside the zone, yes. Working on the Dubai mainland requires a branch licence or a temporary permit from the Department of Economy and Tourism under Dubai Executive Council Resolution No. 11 of 2025.

After the expiry date the company may not carry on business, and visas and bank checks can stall. Visas are not renewed automatically either. Meydan licence renewal with Parallax costs €5,500, and we start early.

Meydan registers companies of foreign nationals with 100% ownership and without UAE residency. The instant Fawri licence is not available to every nationality, so we choose the licence option at registration. The bank review usually takes the longest: the decision is made by the bank.

Official sources