The full document checklist for a UAE free-zone licence in 2026 — what every shareholder provides, what visas and corporate owners add, and what you don't need.
For a standard UAE free-zone licence you need surprisingly little: a passport copy and photo for each shareholder, your chosen company names and business activity, and — if you're already in the UAE — a copy of your entry stamp or visa. That's the entire set for most activities. No notarised paperwork, no attestation, no local-sponsor documents.
Every individual shareholder provides:
Some zones or activities also ask for a short proof of residential address (a utility bill or bank statement) and, for a few regulated activities, a one-page business plan. For the vast majority of trading, consulting, media and e-commerce licences, the five items above are everything.
The residence visa is separate from the licence and needs a few more steps — but most are done after you arrive, not uploaded up front:
You don't gather these in advance — the free zone walks you through each one once your licence is issued.
A corporate shareholder needs more, because the zone must verify the parent company:
These corporate documents usually need to be attested — notarised and legalised up to the UAE embassy, then the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This is the one place attestation applies; it does not apply to individual shareholders.
Opening a business bank account needs its own set, separate from incorporation:
A common myth is that UAE setup is paperwork-heavy. For a standard free-zone licence you do not need a local Emirati sponsor, a physical office lease, a paid-up share-capital deposit in most zones, or attested personal documents. The light document load is exactly why a free-zone licence can be issued in 3–8 working days.
We send you a single checklist for your exact zone and activity, run the trade-name check free, and file everything for you — so you upload a passport and a photo, approve the all-in price in writing, and we do the rest. Compare all 9 UAE free zones or build your document checklist to see precisely what your setup needs.
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For a standard licence you need a passport copy and passport-size photo for each shareholder, 2–3 proposed trade names, your chosen business activity, and a copy of your UAE entry stamp if you're already in the country. Some activities also ask for proof of address or a short business plan.
Individual shareholders do not need attested documents for a standard free-zone licence. Attestation only applies when a company is the shareholder — its incorporation certificate, MOA and board resolution must be notarised and legalised up to the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
No. The licence and the residence visa are separate. You can take a zero-visa licence from AED 4,888 with just a passport and photo, and add residence visas later if you need them.
Beyond the licence, a residence visa mainly needs steps done inside the UAE — a medical fitness test and Emirates ID biometrics — plus an entry permit handled by the free zone. You don't gather these in advance.
Banks ask for your trade licence, incorporation certificate, MOA or share certificate, shareholder passports and Emirates ID or visa, proof of address and a business profile, sometimes with sample invoices. This is separate from the incorporation paperwork.
