Set up in 1996, Dubai Airport Free Zone has made it possible for global investors to maximise business opportunities in the Middle East. Set up within the boundaries of Dubai International Airport, it is home to over 1,600 international firms from all over the world and is considered one of the fastest growing Free Zones in the region.
Being strategically located next to one of the busiest airports in the world makes it easy to see why the Free Zone has lured many investors. It has become a unique business location for electronics, engineering, logistics and cargo, aviation, and pharmaceutical firms.
Dubai Airport Free Zone provides all facilities required by multi-national companies worldwide, helping investors to establish their regional offices and capture business opportunities in neighbouring markets. These markets reach approx. 2 billion consumers, providing overseas companies with a ready made consumer base in a wide range of sectors with outstanding potential.
The state of the art facilities include aspects such as conference rooms, lecture halls, business lounges, presentation screens and equipment, and catering facilities.
If you are looking to set up a new business, the process of application, registering and licensing at Dubai Airport Free Zone is relatively easy. The timescale is no longer than four weeks, and collating all legal documents and bank accounts details ready for submission will facilitate the process further.
You can start the process by filling in the online application to Dubai Airport Free Zone. Initial approval takes approx. 7 – 10 days and once completed with be followed by the invoice and lease agreement, and then the allocation of facilities. Next you will need to submit the required legal documents to the Lease and Licensing Department and visit the Interior Design Department to finalise the optimum layout and interior design of your office. The license will be issued after all legal documents and payments have been submitted.
There are three types of company set ups offered in the Dubai Airport Free Zone:
1. Free Zone Establishment (FZE)
This requires one shareholder who can either be an individual or a company. The minimum amount of share capital is AED 1 million (UD 272,500).
2. Free Zone Company (FZCO)
This company is formed by two or up to a maximum of five shareholders who can be individuals or companies, or a mixture of both. The minimum required share capital is AED 500,000 (USD 136,000).
3. Branch
A foreign company can set up a Branch of its existing company in Dubai Airport Free Zone. There are no share capital requirements for a Branch.
The range of benefits that foreign investors can take advantage of in Dubai Airport Free Zone demonstrates why so many international companies have chosen to settle their regional operations in Dubai.
