IFZA Dubai Free Zone

The International Free Zone Authority — almost always referred to as IFZA — is the budget-friendly entrant among Dubai's free zones. Established in Fujairah in 2018 and relocated to Dubai Silicon Oasis under a Dubai government partnership in 2020-2021, IFZA has grown faster than any other UAE free zone in recent years, passing 17,000 registered companies by 2024. It sells through a network of around 3,000 approved brokers and has built its reputation on price and speed rather than prestige. For solo founders, consultants, freelancers, and e-commerce sellers who want a UAE residency licence without the entry costs of DMCC, DIFC, or ADGM, IFZA is usually the first name on the list. This guide covers what IFZA is, what you can do under its licences, what it actually costs, how the broker model works, and how it compares to the rest of the UAE free zone landscape.

At a Glance

Setting: Dubai Silicon Oasis

IFZA is headquartered inside Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO), a tech-focused master-planned area in eastern Dubai near Al Awir, roughly 30 minutes from Downtown Dubai outside rush hour. DSO is built around technology parks, mid-rise commercial blocks, and a residential community of villas and apartments — markedly quieter than central business clusters such as JLT, Business Bay, or DIFC, and largely occupied by IT firms, software studios, and back-office operations.

The setting has two practical consequences. IFZA office space and flexi-desks are cheaper than equivalents in DIFC or DMCC because the underlying real estate is cheaper. And day-to-day meetings, banking, and networking involve a longer drive than from a central free zone — most IFZA founders treat DSO as a registered address rather than a daily workplace. The site is car-dependent; Dubai Metro's Blue Line is scheduled to add a Silicon Oasis station around 2029.

Business Activities Allowed

IFZA's catalogue of more than 2,500 permitted activities is one of the broadest among UAE free zones, though narrower than DMCC's roughly 600 activity groupings split across thousands of sub-codes. It covers most service-economy categories founders and SMEs typically need.

Common IFZA activity clusters:

• Consulting and advisory — management, marketing, HR, IT, financial, business consultancy
• IT and digital services — software, web and app development, cloud, cybersecurity advisory
• Media and creative — content production, design, photography, video, social, advertising
• Trading — general trading, electronics, textiles, fashion, FMCG, building materials, food
• E-commerce — online retail, dropshipping, marketplaces, fulfilment-light models
• Professional services — coaching, training, non-regulated education, translation
• Holding companies — investment holding, real estate holding within UAE
• Light industrial — small-scale assembly, packaging, light manufacturing in designated facilities

Generally out of scope: heavy industrial activity, regulated financial services (DIFC and ADGM remain the home of those), regulated healthcare, and activities requiring a Dubai mainland presence to serve mainland clients without a local distributor or service agent.

Licence Types and Costs

IFZA offers four licence types — Commercial, Professional, Industrial, and Holding — packaged into tiered offerings differentiated mainly by the number of visas attached.

The headline marketing figure is "from around AED 11,500" for an entry-tier package. That is a real starting point but not a fully-loaded cost. A more honest expectation:

• No-visa setup: from approximately AED 12,000 once registration and issuance fees are added
• Setup with one or two visas: roughly AED 18,000 to AED 22,000 once medical, Emirates ID, and visa stamping are layered on
• Setup with three to six visas: roughly AED 25,000 to AED 35,000 fully loaded
• Annual renewal: from approximately AED 11,000 plus visa renewal costs

Exact pricing depends on the package, number of activities, office option, current government fees, and broker mark-up. Always ask for an itemised quote rather than the headline number.

Visa and Office Requirements

IFZA's standard packages bundle a flexi-desk — a shared workstation address that satisfies the office requirement for residency without committing the founder to a full lease. Flexi-desk packages typically allow 1 to 6 visas; a dedicated office can scale to roughly 10 visas depending on area; larger leased units follow standard UAE free zone office-to-visa ratios.

For most solo founders the flexi-desk is the right answer, and for a small team of three to six it usually still works. Founders who need more than six visas or a permanently staffed office are better served by stepping up to a private office in DSO, or by considering DMCC.

Distinctive Features

Three things set IFZA apart from peer free zones.

Low cost

At entry level, IFZA is the cheapest of the major Dubai free zones — entry packages typically half the cost of an equivalent DMCC setup and a fraction of DIFC or ADGM. For a solo founder testing a service business, that gap is the difference between launching now and waiting another quarter.

Broker-driven distribution

IFZA distributes almost entirely through approved corporate-services brokers and PRO firms — around 3,000 partners across the UAE and overseas. Direct walk-in setup with IFZA is rare. The first contact you have with "IFZA" is almost always a third-party agency selling IFZA packages, and broker fees sit on top of the licence cost. A good broker handles paperwork, knows the package quirks, and shepherds visa stamping. A weak broker quotes unrealistically low headline numbers and then adds costs at each stage. Get itemised quotes from at least two brokers and ask each to break out IFZA government fees from broker service fees.

Fast setup

IFZA is among the fastest free zones in the UAE for licence issuance — 48 to 72 hours from a complete application is typical for a straightforward case. Visa stamping adds a further 1 to 3 weeks depending on medical and Emirates ID processing.

Practical Notes

• Banking is the slowest part of setup, not the licence — UAE bank onboarding typically takes 4 to 8 weeks. Some founders use Wio or Mashreq NeoBiz in the interim.
• Corporate tax applies at 9% above AED 375,000 of taxable profit. Free zone companies can still qualify for 0% on Qualifying Income if they meet Qualifying Free Zone Person criteria. Speak to a tax adviser.
• IFZA companies cannot directly invoice mainland UAE customers — workarounds include a local distributor, service agent, or parallel mainland licence.
• Health insurance and personal accommodation are not bundled into IFZA packages.
• Marketed "from" prices generally exclude VAT, attestation costs, and expedited-service surcharges. Build a 10-15% buffer over the broker quote.

Compared with Peers

IFZA's positioning is clearest against the other major Dubai and Abu Dhabi free zones.

• Versus DMCC — DMCC is more expensive, more central (JLT), more prestigious, and offers a far larger ecosystem of registered companies and physical office stock. Its activity catalogue is broader for trading and commodities. IFZA wins on price and speed; DMCC wins on prestige and ecosystem.
• Versus DIFC — DIFC is a financial centre with English common law, its own courts, and a regulator. Right answer for regulated financial services and fund structures; wrong answer for a solo consultant. Entry-level pricing gap with IFZA can be a factor of five or more.
• Versus ADGM — Abu Dhabi's common-law financial centre, similar in role to DIFC but smaller and somewhat more flexible for tech and asset-management structures. Like DIFC, not a budget option.
• Versus other budget free zones — IFZA is broadly comparable on price to Meydan, SHAMS, and Ajman Free Zone. IFZA's edge is its Dubai location, broader activity catalogue, and broker-network depth.

For a fuller side-by-side comparison, see free zones in the UAE.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is IFZA?

IFZA is the International Free Zone Authority, a Dubai free zone headquartered in Dubai Silicon Oasis. It offers commercial, professional, industrial, and holding licences across more than 2,500 activities and is the budget-friendly option among Dubai's major free zones.

Where is IFZA located?

In Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO), a tech-focused master-planned area in eastern Dubai near Al Awir, roughly 30 minutes from Downtown Dubai. The free zone moved to DSO from Fujairah in 2020-2021.

How much does an IFZA licence cost?

IFZA markets entry packages from around AED 11,500. Fully-loaded costs start at approximately AED 12,000 for a no-visa setup and rise to AED 25,000-35,000 with three to six visas. Renewal starts from around AED 11,000 plus visa renewal costs.

How long does IFZA setup take?

Licence issuance is typically 48 to 72 hours from a complete application — among the fastest in the UAE. Visa stamping adds a further 1 to 3 weeks.

What activities are allowed under IFZA?

More than 2,500 activities across consulting, IT, media, e-commerce, trading, professional services, light industrial, and holding-company structures. Heavy industrial, regulated financial services, and regulated healthcare are generally out of scope.

Do I need to use a broker to set up with IFZA?

In practice, almost all IFZA setups happen through one of around 3,000 approved corporate-services brokers and PRO firms. Direct setup with IFZA is rare. Broker fees sit on top of the licence cost.

How many visas can I get under an IFZA licence?

Standard flexi-desk packages allow 1 to 6 visas. A dedicated office can scale to around 10 visas depending on area.

Is IFZA cheaper than DMCC?

Yes, at entry level — IFZA's entry packages are typically about half the cost of an equivalent DMCC setup. DMCC offers a more prestigious JLT address, a larger ecosystem, and a broader trading-activity catalogue, which is why founders trading commodities or seeking corporate prestige still choose DMCC despite the price premium.

Does IFZA give 0% tax?

Personal income tax in the UAE is 0%. UAE corporate tax of 9% above AED 375,000 of taxable profit can be reduced to 0% on Qualifying Income if the IFZA company meets the Qualifying Free Zone Person criteria — substance, audited accounts, and qualifying-activity tests. Speak to a tax adviser before relying on 0%.

Who is IFZA best for?

Budget-conscious founders, solo entrepreneurs, consultants, freelancers, e-commerce sellers, and small teams needing a Dubai free zone licence quickly and at the lowest practical entry cost. Founders prioritising prestige or regulated financial services are better served by DMCC, DIFC, or ADGM.

Can IFZA companies sell to UAE mainland customers?

Not directly as a default. Like all UAE free zone companies, IFZA companies generally need a local distributor, a service agent, or a parallel mainland licence to serve mainland clients directly. Selling to other free zone companies and to overseas customers is unrestricted.