Register a company in Meydan Free Zone

Yes, for the company itself. The application, document upload and verification run online, the licence is issued digitally, and the zone sells a non-resident licence at AED 12,500. Residence visas are different: they need you in the UAE for the medical test and Emirates ID. The zone's terms also refer to attested originals it may request after the licence is issued, and the UAE is not a party to the Apostille Convention, so we confirm the attestation route for your documents at the start.

Our registration work starts from $2,900; with a UAE bank account set up, from $5,400. Zone fees come on top: from AED 12,500 for the licence with company registration and a flexi-desk, or from AED 15,000 on the Fawri route. Visas are extra: the zone quotes an investor visa from AED 4,000, an employee visa from AED 3,500 and the establishment card from AED 2,000. It publishes no renewal fee, so we quote renewal for your case.

Fawri is Meydan's instant route: from AED 15,000 including the trade licence and core company documents, with the licence issued in under 60 minutes or a full refund. It allows one individual shareholder at formation, who must also be the manager, director and UBO. With two or more owners the zone itself points you to the Regular licence from AED 12,500, and a corporate shareholder needs that route too.

The free zone 0% applies only to a Qualifying Free Zone Person, and only to its qualifying income. The main conditions: adequate substance in the free zone, qualifying income, no election into the standard regime, transfer pricing compliance, audited financial statements, and non-qualifying revenue within 5% of total revenue or AED 5 million, whichever is lower. Revenue from Dubai mainland work is taxed at 9%. A company that is not a QFZP pays 0% on taxable income up to AED 375,000 and 9% above; small business relief (revenue up to AED 3 million, tax periods ending on or before 31 December 2029) is closed to QFZPs.

Meydan says a licence can be issued in under 60 minutes, or up to three days once documents are approved; on Fawri the name check takes 20 minutes. The zone's Fawri timeline then gives 1-2 business days for the establishment card and E-Channel, and 3-7 business days for a visa with medicals and Emirates ID. The bank runs on its own clock. Corporate tax registration is due within three months of incorporation.

Meydan says yes: it advertises non-resident banking without visiting the UAE and a guaranteed IBAN with access to 26+ banking partners and fintech brands. Its licence page adds that final approval is subject to the bank's internal policies. Plan around that line. On its non-resident page the zone prices its own bank account assistance as an extra on top of the licence. Our Company + Bank Account package builds the KYC file banks ask for and tells you where you stand.

Not on the free zone licence alone. In Dubai, Executive Council Resolution No. 11 of 2025 allows it with the zone's approval: a permit for specific activities (valid up to six months, AED 5,000, renewable) or a branch licence (AED 10,000 a year for a branch operating out of the free zone). The permit covers eligible companies and the activities on DET's list, and the federal portal also names a licensed mainland distributor as a route. Mainland revenue is taxed at 9% and needs separate financial records.

No. The AED 12,500 licence includes a flexi-desk, and the zone states there is no mandatory requirement to lease a physical office. Office upgrades are priced separately. What the flexi-desk does not settle is your visa count: Meydan publishes no visa quota per desk or office, so we confirm it before you choose a package.

Under the 2022 Regulations the company prepares financial statements and submits audited ones when the zone asks, within 30 days of the request; the auditor is appointed by ordinary resolution and the zone is notified. Corporate tax sets the stricter rule: a Qualifying Free Zone Person needs audited statements for every tax period, as does a company with revenue above AED 50 million. If you want the 0% rate, budget for an audit every year.

The banner price. AED 12,500 covers the licence with company registration and a flexi-desk. It does not cover visas, the establishment card, medicals or Emirates ID, and Meydan publishes no renewal fee or full fee schedule. On a multi-year licence the visa allocation fees for all years are paid upfront, and a licence not renewed within 30 days of expiry can be cancelled with all related services. Every zone line goes into our written quote.