Fujairah Free Zone Company Setup

Fujairah Free Zone Company Setup : Fujairah is the fifth largest of the seven emirates and the only one without a coastline along the Persian Gulf. It borders the Gulf of Oman, which is a key point of development, and serves as a multi-purpose port giving the UAE access to the Indian Ocean. Almost entirely mountainous in terrain, Fujairah covers around 1.5% of the total UAE area.

Fujairah’s free zone is strategically located close to the harbour of Fujairah. Additionally, it is in proximity to Fujairah International Airport, making it the only airport across the east coast. These geographical advantages give free zone companies easy access to the Gulf harbour, as well as India, Pakistan, Iran, and the Red Sea. Mainline services are readily available to North America, Europe, the Far East, and the Mediterranean.

Generally, the share of foreign company owners in Fujairah is limited to 49%, but a Fujairah free zone company offers the benefit of 100% ownership. The emirate covers an area of 1,450 square kilometres and is home to a quarter of a million people of many different nationalities.

At a glance

Fujairah key facts

1,450 km²

Emirate area

5th

Largest emirate

100%

Foreign ownership

5

Licence types available

The directory

Free zones in Fujairah

Fujairah Free Zone (FFZA)

Located adjacent to Fujairah’s port, ensuring maximum benefit from its strategic location. Investors can use shipping services to reach the Red Sea, Arabian Gulf ports, India, Pakistan and Iran via weekly feeder vessels.

Fujairah Creative City

Popular with first-time entrepreneurs and freelancers. It covers creative industries such as media, advertising and broadcasting, with freelance and single-owner packages that require no office space.

IFZA

IFZA (Intl. Free Zone Authority) is located adjacent to Fujairah Port and offers easy access to the upcoming markets of India, Iran and Pakistan, and to all Gulf Ports in and around the Arabian Gulf.

Key advantages

Benefits of Fujairah free zone company setup

Multiple visas with the Flexi-desk option

Business owners can apply for multiple visas without having to rent real office space. Under the ‘Baby Business’ package, entrepreneurs can get up to six visas simply by signing up for the Flexi-desk service, which provides flexible access to desk space.

Easy integration

The barrier to entry is low. Entrepreneurs do not have to present stock capital or provide details of shareholder and owner experience, and there are no requirements for annual audits, bookkeeping or formal business plans.

No local sponsor’s NOC needed

The entrepreneur does not need to provide a No Objection Certificate from a sponsor, so a side business can be set up within the free zone while still employed. As the business grows, freelance and single-owner licences can be upgraded easily.

Openness to various business types

Working in close proximity with other experts in the field helps knowledge sharing and development, while working across multiple industries suits collaboration and expansion. Fujairah Creative City combines the best of both.

E-commerce friendly

Getting a business licence for an e-commerce business in the UAE can be a minefield, especially inside a free zone. Fujairah Creative City is one of the few free zones to offer these licences, and one of the most cost-effective packages.

No office space required

Freelance and single-owner packages give entrepreneurs a quick and easy way to start their business with minimal startup and overhead costs, without taking on office space at all.

Sponsoring dependents

In addition to quick and easy visa issuance, entrepreneurs in the free zone can also sponsor residence visas for their families and employees.

Company structures

What legal entities are available under FFZA?

Branch of a foreign or UAE company

Branches of foreign companies and branches of UAE companies have no physical capital cash requirements. There is no lower limit on the number of shareholders and there are no formation fees.

Free Zone Establishment (FZE)

Minimum capital requirement of AED 150,000 and a formation fee of AED 5,000. An FZE has one shareholder.

Free Zone Company (FZC)

Minimum capital requirement of AED 150,000 and a formation fee of AED 5,000. An FZC has two shareholders.

Licence types you can apply for

What you get

Fujairah Free Zone Authority facilities

Business club

The business club, spanning an expansive 1,000 sq m, caters to investors’ essential requirements. It has an auditorium, conference room, furnished trading offices, a playroom and a restaurant.

Distribution and warehousing

Units of various sizes can be leased for general trading, import, export and re-export purposes. The warehouse also serves as a multifunctional space for storage and packaging, making it a distribution hub at an attractive price point.

Trading offices

Fully furnished offices are available for lease with secretarial assistance and a 35 square metre minimum area, for import, export and re-export operations.

Manufacturing

Pre-built units can be leased by investors, or customised unit construction can be requested with open land to meet manufacturing requirements.

Customs exemption

Free Zone clients importing finished products and commodities for export or re-export outside the UAE benefit from customs duty exemption. There are no duties on raw materials or factory machinery used for production.

Water and electricity

Investors benefit from three-phase power at reasonable rates from the Water and Electricity Ministry, along with a steady supply of water sourced from a desalination plant.

Administration service

Skilled staff expedite service requests from the relevant federal ministries — registering cars, driver’s licences, notarising legal documents, residence visas, entry permits, and visit and transit visas. Recruitment services are also offered.

Paperwork

Mandatory documents required

If you want to operate a manufacturing facility, you also need to apply for an environmental permit and submit a project report for the process. The documents above are sufficient for initial approval, after which a complete set of documents must be submitted to the Fujairah Chamber of Commerce executive committee for final approval.