DIFC Free Zone

You need a minimum of AED 1,000 as a share capital requirement for setting up a business in a DIFC free zone. There is no minimum requirement for setting up a branch of an existing company.

A DIFC business license is issued by the Dubai Financial Service Authority and allows companies to legally operate in the free zone.

A DIFC business setup expert will be able to give you an exact cost breakdown for setting up a company in Dubai International Financial Center. It will be influenced by factors like office space, number of employees and shareholders, business activity, license type.

DIFC offers modern business facilities like coworking spaces, business centers, commercial offices, and retail spaces. They also offer state-of-the-art meeting spaces and conference rooms.

The time to set up a company in DIFC depends on whether your business activities are regulated or non-regulated. For regulated activities, it takes around 4-6 months for DIFC company registration. For non-regulated activities, it takes around 1-2 months.

If you’re carrying out business activities in DIFC, you can apply for a visa for yourself and your employees. Working with a consultant that specializes in free zones can make the process easier for you.

Business licenses in DIFC depend on the type of activity your company is engaged in. For financial activities, licenses are categorized from 1-5. For non-financial services, you can apply for a commercial, professional, or holding or family office license.

There are a lot of amenities in DIFC:

• Coworking spaces
• Retails spaces
• Business centers
• Commercial offices 
• Art galleries
• Meeting & event spaces
• Conference venues
• Shopping venues
• Restaurants & cafes 

The cost of license renewal depends on factors like business activity, lease agreement, and number of shareholders and employees. You can always ask a business consultant who is an expert in the workings of the DIFC free zone to guide you.

If you’re conducting business activities in DIFC, you can make amendments to your legal structure and trade license. However, if you are making major changes like adding shareholders, changing business name, or changing your business activity, you need to get approval from the authorities and draft new documents.

You can choose between setting up a branch of a foreign company, a branch of a representative office, general partnership, limited liability company, limited liability partnership, or a company limited by shares.

You can apply for an employment visa in DIFC through the DIFC Government Services. You can also hire a business setup consultant to guide you through the process.

To get a DIFC trade license, you must first choose a business activity. Then you can apply for a license and wait for approval from the DFSA (Dubai Financial Service Authority). Once your license has been issued, you can start your business.

DIFC houses over 6,000 active companies. This makes DIFC company setup an attractive option for foreign investors and entrepreneurs.