VERIFIED 2026 · ALL-IN · FORMENZO
What documents do you need for a UAE free-zone company?
To set up a UAE free-zone company you need: a passport copy and photo for each shareholder, 2–3 proposed company names, and your chosen business activity. If you are already in the UAE, your entry stamp helps. For residence visas you also complete a medical fitness test, Emirates ID and the establishment card — all handled within the all-in price.
Every figure here is the real, all-in 2026 price — government/authority fee, our setup service and the residence-visa block — confirmed in writing, with no sales call. See the full Cost Index or the open price dataset (CC-BY).
Build your exact price →By the Formenzo Research Team · compare all 9 zones
Why the document list is short: what the all-in price already covers
The formation paperwork itself is prepared by Formenzo as part of the setup service built into every all-in figure — from AED 4,888 at Ajman NuVentures to AED 35,484 at DMCC. You supply the passport scan, photo, name choices and activity; the application forms, establishment card and visa filings are drafted and submitted for you, which is why the list above stops at a handful of items.
Who typically needs extra documents
Three situations add to the basic set: founders using a corporate shareholder (the parent company's licence and incorporation papers, usually attested), founders already inside the UAE on another visa (the current visa or entry-stamp page), and founders in regulated activities such as health or education consultancy, where a zone may ask for CVs or qualification certificates.
Two things founders ask
Do the documents need notarising or attesting? For an individual shareholder, a clear passport copy is normally accepted as-is; attestation usually only enters the picture for corporate shareholders' papers.
Will the same set open a bank account? No — banks run their own checks and typically add proof of address, a short business description and sometimes statements, so keep those ready once the licence issues.