Setup steps
How to set up your business, step by step
Your setup journey
- 1
Choose your entity and licence
FZE, FZC or branch — then the licence that matches your activities.
Find your activity - 2
Choose your facility
A shared workstation is the minimum requirement for company registration; offices, warehouses and land are available as you grow.
Compare facilities - 3
Submit your application
Send the application form and documents remotely. No visit to the free zone office is needed to form your company.
Get the forms - 4
Pay fees and sign your lease
Your adviser issues a formal quotation first, so you know every fee before you pay.
Estimate costs - 5
Receive your licence
UAQ FTZ advertises licence issuance in as little as one working day after your documents are approved.
- 6
Visas, Emirates ID and banking
Complete the medical test, Emirates ID and visa (these may need you in the UAE), then open your business account with partner-bank support.
See banking partners
Documents for a new company
From each shareholder and the manager (if different):
- Colour passport scan — valid for at least six months, with three consecutive blank pages
- Existing UAE visa or recent UAE entry stamp, if applicable
- Proof of address issued within the last 90 days (utility bill, bank statement or official tax record)
- Mobile number and email address
- Three proposed company names, in order of preference
- Shareholding structure, if there is more than one shareholder
- Passport-size photograph
Extra documents for a subsidiary or branch
- Certificate of incorporation and board resolution, attested by the UAE embassy in the home country and MOFA in the UAE
- Certificate of good standing
- Chart of the ownership structure up to the ultimate individual beneficial owners
- Passport copies of the manager, director and beneficial owners
Common questions
Do I need to be in the UAE to set up?
No physical presence is needed at the free zone office to form your company. Some residency steps — the medical test, Emirates ID and visa — may require you to be in the UAE.
Source: /benefits
How quickly can I get my licence?
UAQ FTZ advertises licence issuance in as little as one working day once your documents are approved. Visa and Emirates ID steps take longer and depend on government processing.
What is the cheapest way to start a company?
UAQ FTZ currently advertises the UAQ Start Package at AED 2,266 per month, including a business licence with up to 10 activities, an investor visa and co-working access. Whether it suits you depends on your activities and visa needs — compare options in the cost calculator.
What types of company can I set up?
A Free Zone Establishment (FZE) for one shareholder, a Free Zone Company (FZC) for two to 50 shareholders, or a branch of an existing company. All free zone entities have limited liability.
Source: /licenses-entity
Talk it through with an adviser
Share what you have planned so far. An adviser will confirm what applies to your business, what it costs and what happens next — no obligation.