FFZA Free Zone
For companies involved in buying and selling goods.
For businesses offering professional services.
For manufacturing and industrial activities.
For companies involved in multiple trade activities.
Select the type of business activity you wish to undertake.
Ensure your company name complies with FFZA regulations.
Provide all necessary documentation, including passport copies and business plans.
Receive preliminary approval from FFZA.
Secure your business premises within the free zone.
Obtain your business license and commence operations.
Thousands of people choose Decisive Zone to set up their business in Dubai and across the UAE. We take great pride in our exceptional services and our clients’ testaments keep us going!
Fujairah Free Zone Authority (FFZA) is a government-run free zone established in 1987 in Fujairah, the only UAE emirate on the east coast facing the Gulf of Oman and Indian Ocean, outside the Strait of Hormuz.
Sitting beside Fujairah Port, one of the world's top bunkering hubs, and Fujairah International Airport, FFZA is built for international trade, logistics, and light industry. It offers a straightforward, cost-effective route to a UAE company with global market access. We can set yours up end to end.
A Fujairah Free Zone licence is typically issued within 3 to 5 business days once your documents and activity are confirmed. The process is streamlined, so you can establish your presence quickly.
Adding a residence visa and opening a bank account extends the full timeline to a few weeks, since those involve medical tests, Emirates ID, and bank onboarding. Much of the setup can be handled remotely. We manage the paperwork to keep it moving.
Yes. FFZA allows 100% foreign ownership, so international investors can fully own their company with no UAE national sponsor or local partner required. You also keep 100% repatriation of capital and profits.
This applies across FFZA's licence types and company structures, whether you set up as a Free Zone Establishment (single shareholder) or a Free Zone Company (multiple shareholders). We can advise which structure fits your ownership plans.
Most setups take anywhere from a few business days to a few weeks, depending on your route.
Free zone company: often 1 to 5 business days once your documents are in order.
Mainland company: typically 5 to 14 working days, since it involves DET approvals and, in some cases, external activity clearances.
Offshore company: generally quick, as there's no office lease or visa process attached.
The licence is only part of the timeline. Visas, medical tests, Emirates ID, and banking add time on top. Delays almost always come from incomplete paperwork, which is exactly what our team prevents.
FFZA offers four main licence types to suit different industries:
• Trading Licence for buying, selling, importing, and exporting goods.
• Service Licence for professional and consultancy services.
• Industrial Licence for manufacturing, processing, and assembly.
• General Trading Licence for dealing in a broad mix of product categories.
Your chosen activity determines the right licence and any approvals needed. We can map your activities to the correct licence from the start.
For individual shareholders, you'll typically need passport copies, passport photographs, a completed application form, a brief business plan or activity description, and proof of address.
Corporate shareholders also provide the certificate of incorporation, Memorandum of Association, a board resolution, and a good-standing certificate. If you already hold a UAE visa, a No Objection Certificate may be requested. We provide a precise checklist so nothing holds up your application.
No. A physical office isn't mandatory. FFZA offers flexi-desk and virtual office options in its cost-effective packages, alongside dedicated offices, warehouses, and industrial plots for businesses that need them.
The facility you choose affects your visa allocation, so it's worth matching it to your team size. A flexi-desk suits solo founders and small teams, while a larger office or warehouse unlocks more visas. We can match your workspace to your needs.
FFZA visa quotas are package-based and tied to your facility. A flexi-desk typically supports a small number of visas, while an office package can provide up to around six, with warehouses and industrial units supporting more.
You can increase your quota by upgrading your workspace as your team grows. If you're planning to hire, we can pick a package and facility that leaves room to scale.
FFZA combines cost efficiency with strategic location. Key benefits include:
• 100% foreign ownership and full profit repatriation.
• A tax-friendly environment, with 0% personal income tax and a 0% corporate tax rate on qualifying income for a Qualifying Free Zone Person.
• Direct access to Fujairah Port and Airport, and a Gulf of Oman location outside the Strait of Hormuz.
• Lower setup and running costs than comparable Dubai free zones, plus fast registration.
*Note that non-qualifying income, such as direct mainland sales, is taxed at 9%, and every company must register with the Federal Tax Authority. We help you structure the business to keep the benefits.
