By Adil Ahmad | Business Setup Consultant, UAE Mainland and Free Zones Summary Dubai and Sharjah sit side by side, but they suit different businesses. Dubai is the UAE’s global hub, ranked first worldwide for greenfield FDI projects, and suits international, financial, tech and premium brands. Sharjah offers lower-cost free…
Summary Dubai South and DAFZA are both airport free zones, but they serve different airports and growth stories. DAFZA sits beside Dubai International (DXB), today’s busy passenger and cargo hub, and suits time-sensitive trade and aviation services. Dubai South surrounds Al Maktoum International (DWC), planned to become Dubai’s main airport,…
By Adil Ahmad | Business Setup Consultant, Dubai Free Zones Summary Meydan Free Zone and IFZA are two of Dubai’s most popular low-cost free zones for startups. Meydan publishes a licence from AED 12,500 with a flexi desk, up to 3 activity groups, 2,500+ activities and a same-day or instant…
By Adil Ahmad | Business Setup Consultant, UAE Free Zones Summary IFZA and Ajman Free Zone are two of the UAE’s most popular budget free zones. Ajman Free Zone usually wins on the headline licence price, while IFZA gives you a Dubai Silicon Oasis address and up to three activities…
By Adil Ahmad | Business Setup Consultant, UAE Free Zones Summary IFZA and RAKEZ are two of the UAE’s most cost-competitive free zones for SMEs. IFZA gives you a Dubai Silicon Oasis address and up to three activities per licence, with zero-visa packages quoted from about AED 12,900. RAKEZ in…
By Adil Ahmad, Business Setup Consultant at Gulf Corporate Services · Last updated 2 Nov 2026 Summary The Emirates ID, officially the United Arab Emirates identity card, is mandatory for every UAE citizen and resident. For expats, the ICP fee is AED 100 per year of visa validity, plus service…
