IFZA company setup from the UK: visas, timeline and who it suits

IFZA, the International Free Zone Authority, is one of the two zones UK consultants ask us about most (the other is Meydan). Dubai Transition Consultants is an IFZA agent, so we file IFZA applications for clients directly. This page sets out what IFZA offers, from its own website as at October 2026, and where it fits for someone leaving the UK. For the wider comparison see the free zone hub.

Who IFZA suits

• UK consultants, contractors and agency owners who want a Dubai licence with one or two visas.
• Service businesses that need more than one activity on the licence, such as consultancy plus training.
• Small trading businesses that import or export goods under a commercial licence.
• Foreign companies, including UK ones, that want a UAE branch rather than a new company.

IFZA suits you less if your clients need a well-known name on your letterhead (look at DMCC), if you hold stock in a warehouse (look at RAKEZ), or if you need to sell direct to UAE consumers (look at a mainland licence; see free zone vs mainland).

Licence types and IFZA activities

• Professional licence: for consultancy and multi-service businesses.
• Commercial licence: trading, import and export of a wide range of compliant goods.
• Branch: for companies already incorporated abroad.
• Activities: you can combine more than one activity under one licence.
• Ownership: IFZA states 100% ownership for foreign individuals and companies from incorporation.

Pick activities that describe what you actually do. Banks read the activity list when they review your account, and a vague or over-broad list slows the account down. If you are a UK IT contractor, for example, the activity should say IT consultancy rather than general trading.

Visas

IFZA puts the visa package into your setup proposal, so the number of visas is something you agree at the start rather than a fixed allowance. As the owner, your company sponsors your residence visa, and you then sponsor your spouse and children as dependants (see sponsoring your family and self-sponsorship). Count everyone who will need a visa in the first two years before you choose the package, because adding capacity later can mean changing your office arrangement.

Office

IFZA says some free zone companies may use virtual workplaces, and it agrees the office solution as part of the proposal. A solo consultant rarely needs a private office on day one. If you expect staff, plan the space with the visa count.

Timeline

IFZA publishes the steps rather than a fixed number of days:

1. Consultation and proposal.
2. Documents: application form with ultimate beneficial owner details, passport copy and a digital photo.
3. Processing on the IFZA portal, with two e-legal forms for you to sign.
4. Licence approval.
5. Memorandum and articles of association sent for e-signature.
6. Licence issued by email, with the original available to collect.

From our side, the licence is the quick part. The residence visa, Emirates ID and bank account take longer and need you in the UAE. Our guide to how long setup takes gives the full sequence.

Banking

IFZA runs a banking service for its companies and names Wio and Mashreq among its partner banks, alongside electronic money institutions. It says most of its clients open an account within a couple of days. Treat that as IFZA's figure: the bank decides on your file, and it will want to see your source of funds, your activity and where you live. Our banking service prepares that file, and documents to open a UAE bank account lists what to gather.

How we set up an IFZA company from the UK

IFZA describes its model as business to business, working through professional partners, and we are one of its agents. We take your brief, confirm IFZA is the right zone for your activity and visa count, and give you one all-in price. We prepare the application and the beneficial owner details, you sign online from the UK, and we track the licence through to issue. Then we book your visa medical, Emirates ID appointment and bank meetings into one short trip. We also check the UK side: if you will still spend time in the UK or run the company from there, read can a Dubai company be UK tax resident before you start. Details are on our company formation service page.