IFZA Company Formation and Residence Visa Issuance Process

Why IFZA?

International Free Zone Authority (“IFZA”) is a free zone established in the Emirate of Dubai and is co-branded with Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority. IFZA offers the most cost-effective packages for setting up a Dubai free zone company.

How to Set Up a Free Zone Company with IFZA?

The process to setup a Dubai free zone company is made easy with IFZA. You just need to place the order on the website by selecting your preferred package based on your business requirement. Marasm offers various packages for all license types, including commercial, professional, industrial and general trading company license.

Here is the step-by-step process for setting up a Dubai free zone company with IFZA.

Step 1: Select a package and place the order on the website.

Step 2: Submit the following documents for the application:

Clear and coloured scanned passport copy of each shareholder.

Latest UAE entry stamp or UAE visa of each shareholder (if available).

Emirates ID copy (if applicable).

Passport sized photo of each shareholder with white background (shoulders and head showing, coloured, white background, dark clothing, no jewellery, eyewear, no teeth).

Step 3: We will finalize the application and process the same with IFZA. The license will be issued by IFZA in four to five (4-5) working days.

How to Obtain a UAE Residence Visa through an IFZA company?

Step 1: If you have opted for the license with visa entitlement, then we will apply for an establishment card of the company. The timeframe for the issuance of the establishment card is five to seven (5-7) working days.

Step 2: Due to the current CoVid-19 situation, the UAE immigration requires the visa holder to be present in the UAE for the issuance of the residence visa.

Step 3: We will prepare the visa application. The UAE e-visa will be issued within four to five (4-5) working days upon submission of the application to IFZA.

Step 4: Once the visa is issued, we will proceed with the visa change of status in order for the visa holder to carry on with the medical test and Emirates ID biometrics. The timeframe for the change of visa status is one to two (1-2) working days.

The rules of the change of status are listed below:

Change of Status (inside UAE):

Once the change of status is completed, the visa holder will not be able to travel outside of the UAE until the passport has been stamped with the residency visa.

After entering the country or upon completing the in-country change of status, the visa holder has thirty (30) calendar days to complete the medical test and Emirates ID application.

Step 5: The visa holder will take the medical test and apply for the Emirates ID. Medical results can be issued from up to two (2) hours with the VVIP package to seven (7) days depending upon the package selected by the visa holder. The documents required for the medical test and Emirates ID are as follows:

Original passport of the visa holder.

Copy of the e-visa issued by IFZA.

Copy of change status confirmation.

Three passport sized photos of each shareholder with white background (shoulders and head showing, coloured, white background, dark clothing, no jewellery, eyewear, no teeth).

Trade license of the company.

Establishment card of the company.

Once the medical result has been issued, the coloured printed medical result will have to be stamped by the medical centre where the medical test has been done.

Step 6: Once the medical result is issued, the visa holder can proceed with the Emirates ID biometrics.

Step 7: The following documents must be sent to the IFZA offices for the visa stamping and Emirates ID process:

Original passport of the visa holder.

Original nine (9) passport sized photos of each shareholder with white background (shoulders and head showing, coloured, white background, dark clothing, no jewellery, eyewear, no teeth).

Copy of e-visa issued by the free zone.

Copy of change status confirmation.

Copy of stamped medical test result.

Copy of stamped Emirates ID application.

Copy of trade license of the company.

Copy of establishment card of the company.

The stamping of the visa takes five to seven (5 – 7) working days upon submission of originals to IFZA. The Emirates ID will then be issued after ten (10) days once the visa has been stamped.

Marasm  provides end-to-end assistance to set up a Dubai free zone company with IFZA as well as the issuance of the residence visas to shareholders and employees.

Optional Office Space Solutions

Package Flexi desk Flexi desk + Dedicated office Private office Personalised office

12 month price AED 5,760 AED 8,640 AED 13,440 AED 18,240 1,400 (per square meter)

Conference rooms can be used based on usage with flexi desks and flexi desks+

IFZA P.O Box cost: AED 1200 / year

Call handing charges: AED 150 / month

In case of private and personalized offices an additional utility fee is payable at 6% of the office rent