Who is Meydan Free Zone right for?
Meydan Free Zone suits founders who want a low-cost Dubai licence, a fully online setup and the option to add visas later. The entry licence includes a flexi-desk, so you do not pay for an office before you need one.
It fits these profiles well:
- Solo consultants, freelancers, agencies and e-commerce sellers who invoice clients in India, the GCC or elsewhere.
- Founders living outside the UAE who want a Dubai company before deciding whether to relocate.
- UAE residents with a job, because Meydan says no employer NOC is needed to start a company.
Meydan may not suit you when:
- Your plan depends on 0% corporate tax for consulting, marketing or IT income. That income is usually non-qualifying (see the compliance section below).
- Most of your customers are on the Dubai mainland. A free zone company needs an extra permit or branch licence to trade there (see our mainland vs free zone guide).
- You need more than six visas from the start.
How much does Meydan Free Zone company setup cost in 2026?
Meydan's published starting fee is AED 12,500 a year for a Regular licence with no visa, a flexi-desk and three activity groups (checked 22 October 2026). Visas, medical tests, Emirates ID and banking support are charged separately.
| Item | Published fee (AED) | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Regular licence, no visa allocation | 12,500 a year | Licence, company registration, flexi-desk lease agreement, 3 activity groups |
| Licence with 1 visa allocation | 16,350 | Same, plus one visa allocation; the visa itself is extra |
| Licence with 3 visa allocations | 20,050 | Same, plus three visa allocations; visas extra |
| Fawri instant licence | from 15,000 | One-person company, lease agreement, core company documents |
| Extra business activity | 1,000 each | Any activity outside your 3 included groups |
| Extra shareholder | 2,000 each | First 6 shareholders included |
| Bank account assistance | 1,500 | Optional; the bank decides on approval |
What a residence visa adds
| Visa item | Published fee (AED) |
|---|---|
| Visa allocation | 1,850 per visa, per year |
| Immigration establishment card | from 2,000 |
| Investor or partner visa | from 4,000 |
| Employee visa | from 3,500 |
| Dependant visa | around 6,000 per person, plus a 3,000 deposit if the investor sponsors |
| Medical test and Emirates ID assistance | from 2,250 |
| Change of status (applicant already in the UAE) | 1,500 per person, in Meydan's cost calculator |
Meydan puts a first investor visa at about AED 7,850, covering the visa fee, the allocation and the establishment card. A solo founder taking a Regular licence, an investor visa and Meydan's medical and Emirates ID service should budget from about AED 22,600 in Meydan fees for the first year. Health insurance, bank account support and other optional services come on top.
Paying in instalments: UAE residents with an eligible credit card from a participating UAE bank can spread the licence fee over 3, 6, 9 or 12 months under Meydan's 0% Easy Payment Plan. Non-residents and cash payments do not qualify.
Which licence types and business activities can you choose?
Meydan issues two licence products, the Regular Business License and the Fawri instant licence. Both create a free zone limited liability company, and both include up to three activity groups.
| Feature | Regular Business License | Fawri |
|---|---|---|
| Starting fee | AED 12,500 | AED 15,000 |
| Activity list | 2,500+ | 1,800+ |
| Shareholders | One or more, individual or corporate | One individual only |
| Meydan's stated issue time | 24 hours on its licence page; 3 to 5 days in its cost calculator | Under 60 minutes, with a full refund if late |
| Extras | Suits partners, teams and subsidiaries | One free amendment in the first year |
Fawri is for a solo founder acting as shareholder, manager, director and UBO, and is open to a defined list of nationalities and activities. Meydan's Fawri FAQ adds that the applicant must hold an Emirates ID or have someone with an Emirates ID apply for them. After the free amendment, or at renewal, it moves to standard licence terms.
Meydan also sells a Non-Resident License from AED 12,500 for founders who want a UAE company and non-resident banking without moving to Dubai.
How activity groups work
Meydan's list is organised by category, from trading and ICT to education, healthcare, manufacturing and real estate. Each activity sits in a group with a three-digit code. You can add several activities within each of your three groups at no extra cost; each activity outside those groups costs AED 1,000.
Before you choose, check these points:
- Some activities need third-party approval, such as KHDA for education or Dubai Municipality for certain manufacturing.
- Virtual asset activities need VARA approval in Dubai's free zones, except DIFC.
- Meydan rates general trading as high risk and warns that pairing it with unrelated activities can complicate bank account opening.
- Activities classed as DNFBPs, such as real estate agents, dealers in precious metals and trust and company service providers, must register on the goAML anti-money laundering portal.
How do visas and office options work at Meydan?
Meydan allows up to six visa allocations on one licence, and the included flexi-desk is enough to use them. You do not have to lease an office to sponsor visas.
Visa basics
- Investor or partner visa: Meydan's FAQ says you qualify if you hold AED 50,000 or more of share capital. A sole shareholder applies for an investor visa; co-owners apply for partner visas.
- Dependants: once resident, you can sponsor your spouse, children and eligible parents.
- Validity: Meydan issues two-year residence visas, renewable while the licence is active.
- Process: Meydan estimates one to two business days for the establishment card, then three to seven business days for the visa. The medical test and biometrics are done in person.
Office options
| Option | What you get | Published cost |
|---|---|---|
| Flexi-desk with lease agreement | Registered address and workspace access | Included in the licence |
| Shared office at the Business Centre | Shared serviced office | AED 15,000 a year |
| Dedicated office at the Business Centre | Private serviced office | AED 30,000 a year |
| Co-working, retail units and warehouses | Space for teams, showrooms and stock | Quoted on request |
Ownership, share capital and legal forms
A Meydan company can be 100% foreign-owned with no local sponsor. Meydan incorporates free zone limited liability companies, shown as "LLC-FZ" on the licence, and also registers branches of UAE and foreign companies.
- Legal basis: Meydan City Corporation, which includes the free zone, was established under Dubai Law No. 5 of 2009. Companies follow the Meydan Free Zone Companies and Licensing Regulations 2022.
- Company law: the UAE Commercial Companies Law (Federal Law No. 32 of 2021) does not apply inside the zone.
- Liability: the company is a separate legal person, and shareholders' liability is limited to what they paid for their shares.
- Branches: a branch has no separate legal personality from its parent.
- Management: one manager on the licence and up to four directors, according to Meydan's FAQ.
- Share capital: no paid-up capital is required. You still declare a capital figure; Meydan suggests AED 100,000 but leaves the choice to you. Keep the AED 50,000 investor visa threshold in mind.
- Documents issued: Certificate of Formation, Share Register, Business License, Lease Agreement and Memorandum of Association.
Meydan's terms also require a valid Dubai Unified Licence (DUL) before the company carries on any economic activity.
Renewal and ongoing compliance
A Meydan licence renews every year, or you can buy a term of up to 10 years with up to 15% off. Renew before expiry: under Meydan's terms, a licence not renewed within 30 days of expiry can be cancelled along with the immigration card and visas.
Your yearly checklist:
- Renew the licence (Regular licence from AED 12,500 a year) and pay AED 1,850 per visa allocation.
- Register for corporate tax: new UAE companies, including free zone companies, have three months from incorporation. Late registration carries an AED 10,000 penalty.
- File the corporate tax return and pay any tax within nine months of your financial year end.
- Register for VAT once taxable supplies and imports pass AED 375,000 in 12 months. Voluntary registration opens at AED 187,500. VAT is 5% on most supplies.
- Keep a UBO register, created within 60 days of formation and updated within 15 days of any change.
- Keep proper accounting records. Meydan can ask for audited financial statements, due within 30 days of its request.
Corporate tax and the Qualifying Free Zone Person test
Free zone companies are taxable persons under UAE corporate tax. A company that is not a Qualifying Free Zone Person (QFZP) pays 0% on taxable income up to AED 375,000 and 9% above that.
A QFZP pays 0% on qualifying income and 9% on other income. To qualify, the company must:
- keep adequate substance in a free zone;
- earn qualifying income;
- not elect into the standard regime;
- follow transfer pricing rules;
- keep non-qualifying revenue within 5% of total revenue or AED 5 million, whichever is lower; and
- prepare audited financial statements.
Ministerial Decision No. 229 of 2025 lists the qualifying activities, including manufacturing, processing, trading qualifying commodities, holding shares, fund and wealth management, headquarter and treasury services to related parties, and logistics. Consulting, marketing and IT services are not on the list, and transactions with individuals are an excluded activity. Some setup marketing calls all foreign income 0%, but fees from mainland or overseas clients, Indian clients included, count as qualifying only for listed activities. A company that fails any condition loses QFZP status for that tax period and the next four, and pays the standard rates instead.
Small Business Relief lets a resident company with revenue of AED 3 million or less, in the current and all earlier tax periods, elect to be treated as having no taxable income. Ministerial Decision No. 131 of 2026 extends it to tax periods ending on or before 31 December 2029. A QFZP cannot claim it, so small service firms should model both routes with a tax adviser.
How does Meydan compare with IFZA, DMCC and SPC?
Meydan's published entry price is well below DMCC's entry package but above SPC Free Zone's in Sharjah, and IFZA does not publish prices on its own site.
| Feature | Meydan | IFZA | DMCC | SPC Free Zone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emirate | Dubai (Meydan City) | Dubai (Dubai Silicon Oasis) | Dubai (JLT and Uptown Dubai) | Sharjah |
| Published entry price | AED 12,500 | Not listed on ifza.com; quoted through professional partners | AED 35,484 (Basic Biz package) | AED 5,750 (Publishing or E-commerce); AED 6,875 (Standard) |
| Visa in entry price | None | Depends on the package | None in Basic Biz; one in the AED 43,780 Jump Start package | None |
| Activities | 2,500+ | Thousands | 1,000+ across 20 sectors | 2,000+ |
| Included on one licence | 3 activity groups | Up to 3 activities | Up to 3 activities from one group (Basic Biz) | 5 activity groups |
Choose Meydan for an online process and a low Dubai entry cost. Look at IFZA for a partner-led Dubai setup, DMCC for a premium address in a community of 26,000+ member companies, or SPC if a Sharjah address works and cost matters most. Our UAE free zone guide compares more options.
Setting up a Meydan company from India
Indian founders can form a Meydan company online from India. You travel to Dubai only for a residence visa, because the medical test and biometrics must be done in person.
Documents and attestation
Meydan asks an individual shareholder only for a passport copy and basic KYC to start. If an Indian company will hold the shares, its incorporation certificate, MoA, AoA and board resolution must be notarised, then attested by the state authority or Chamber of Commerce, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the UAE Embassy in India and finally the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Marriage and birth certificates for family visas follow the same chain.
FEMA overseas investment rules
Investing in a Meydan company is Overseas Direct Investment (ODI) under India's Foreign Exchange Management (Overseas Investment) Rules and Regulations, 2022. The main steps run through your bank:
- Designate one authorised dealer (AD) bank and file Form FC with it to get a Unique Identification Number (UIN) for the UAE company before you remit money.
- Report later transactions through the same bank in the format the RBI prescribes.
- Submit share certificates or equivalent proof within six months of remitting.
- File an Annual Performance Report every year by 31 December.
- Bring dues from the company back to India within 90 days of their due date.
Resident individuals remit under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme, capped at USD 250,000 per financial year, and can invest only in an operating company that is not in financial services.
Bank account and tax residency
Meydan offers bank account assistance with 26+ banking and fintech partners, many of which offer remote onboarding with digital KYC, sometimes including a video identity check. Under Meydan's terms, each bank decides and Meydan takes no responsibility for account opening. Its India guidance says banks ask for your passport, residence visa, Emirates ID and trade licence.
Your Indian tax residency depends mainly on your days in India, not on where your company is. In general, you are resident in India if you spend 182 days or more there in a year, or 60 days in the year plus 365 days over the previous four years. A deemed-residency rule can also apply to Indian citizens with high Indian-source income who are not taxed elsewhere. A foreign company with turnover above ₹50 crore can also become Indian tax resident if its key management and commercial decisions are made in India. Take tax advice before you move. See our India to Dubai setup guide.
How Ofin helps with Meydan Free Zone setup
Ofin's UAE desk handles Meydan company formation remotely from start to finish, so you can stay in India until the visa stage. Ofin Legal has a 4.9★ Google rating and has served 5,000+ clients since 2019.
What Ofin's UAE desk does for a Meydan setup:
- Advises on activities, licence type (Regular or Fawri) and how many visa allocations you need.
- Prepares and submits your application, and arranges attestation of Indian documents.
- Handles the establishment card, investor and employee visas, medical test booking and Emirates ID.
- Supports your corporate bank account application.
- Registers you for corporate tax and VAT, and provides accounting and PRO services after setup.
- Advises on India to UAE tax questions and FEMA overseas investment reporting.
Call or WhatsApp Ofin's UAE desk on +971 50 523 5779 for a quote based on Meydan's current fees.
