Meydan Free Zone Company Setup: Complete Step-by-Step Guide (2026)

Meydan Free Zone is a Dubai-based free zone located on Al Meydan Road, minutes from Downtown Dubai and the Burj Khalifa district. It is the only Dubai free zone offering full company setup from AED 12,500 per year — a price point typically associated with Sharjah or Ras Al Khaimah zones. Meydan combines this affordability with a genuine Dubai business address, something no other zone at this price can offer.

Key advantages include Fawri instant license issuance (same-day), a 95% banking approval rate (the highest among affordable Dubai zones), 2,296 business activities across 14 categories plus 17 RERA real estate activities, and MeydanPay — a built-in free payment gateway exclusive to Meydan companies. The zone supports fully remote incorporation and offers the Easy Payment Plan (EPP) allowing you to split costs into 0% installments over 3–12 months. View the full Meydan zone profile →

Meydan offers a single Standard License (AED 12,125/year) that includes 3 business activities and covers all 2,296+ available activities. Formation is FREE (AED 0). A co-working shared desk (AED 375/year, 4 hrs/month) is the mandatory minimum facility. This gives a base cost of AED 12,500/year.

Additional activities cost AED 1,500 each. Meydan bundles its pricing into four packages:

1. Regular License (0 Visa) — AED 12,500
License AED 12,125 + Co-working AED 375. Best for companies that don't need UAE residency. Includes 3 activities and a Dubai business address.

2. Investor 1-Visa Package — AED 29,100
License AED 12,125 + Co-working AED 375 + Visa Allocation AED 1,850 + Immigration Card AED 2,000 + Investor Visa AED 4,000 + Medical & EID AED 2,250 + Change of Status AED 1,500 + Employment Contract AED 350 + Company Stamp AED 200 + PRO Services AED 3,000 + E-Channel AED 1,650. Ideal for solo founders needing UAE residency.

3. Employee 1-Visa Package — AED 24,125
Same structure with Employment Visa (AED 3,500) instead of Investor Visa. Best for companies hiring their first employee.

4. 2-Visa Package — AED 34,625
Includes two visas (any combination of investor/employee). Best for partnerships or a founder plus one employee.

All packages renew at the same price. See the full cost breakdown →

Setting up a company in Meydan Free Zone follows a streamlined process that can be completed in as little as one business day via the Fawri instant license service:

Step 1 — Name Reservation (AED 500): Submit your preferred trade name. Meydan checks availability and reserves it. Names must follow UAE naming conventions — no offensive terms, no country names, and must reflect the business activity. Up to 3 alternatives can be submitted.

Step 2 — Pre-Approval & Application: Submit passport copies of all shareholders, the completed application form, and select your business activities (3 included, additional at AED 1,500 each). Meydan conducts initial review and issues pre-approval.

Step 3 — License Issuance (Fawri — Same Day): After document verification, Meydan issues your trade license via the Fawri instant service. This is one of the fastest license issuance processes in the UAE — your company can be licensed within hours, not days.

Step 4 — Immigration Card / Establishment Card (AED 2,000): If you need visas, register for the Establishment Card. This is required before any visa applications can proceed. Processing takes 2–3 working days.

Step 5 — Visa Application: Apply for investor or employee visas as needed. See the visa section below for the full process and costs.

Step 6 — Bank Account Opening: Apply for a corporate bank account. Meydan has 7 partner banks with 95% approval rate. Typical timeline: 7 working days. See our Meydan banking guide for details.

Meydan supports fully remote incorporation for most nationalities. Set up your Meydan company through Sijil →

Understanding the true cost of a Meydan setup requires looking beyond the advertised base price. Here is a complete breakdown based on verified 2026 pricing:

License-Only Setup (No Visa):
• Standard License: AED 12,125 (includes 3 activities)
• Co-working Shared Desk: AED 375 (mandatory, 4 hrs/month)
• Formation: AED 0 (FREE)
• Total: AED 12,500

Full Setup with Investor Visa:
• Standard License: AED 12,125
• Co-working Shared Desk: AED 375
• Visa Allocation Fee (required per visa): AED 1,850
• Immigration Card (Establishment Card): AED 2,000
• Investor/Partner Visa: AED 4,000
• Medical & Emirates ID Assistance: AED 2,250
• Change of Status (if in-country): AED 1,500
• Employment Contract: AED 350
• Company Stamp: AED 200
• PRO Services Package A: AED 3,000
• Total: AED 27,650 (without change of status: AED 26,150)

Annual Renewal (License + Investor Visa):
• License Renewal: AED 12,125
• Co-working Renewal: AED 375
• Visa Allocation Fee: AED 1,850
• Immigration Card Renewal: AED 2,200
• Investor Visa Renewal: AED 4,000
• Total: AED 20,550

Easy Payment Plan (EPP): Split any purchase of AED 500+ into 0% installments over 3, 6, 9, or 12 months using ADCB, Emirates Islamic, or Emirates NBD credit cards. Processing fees start at AED 49. See the complete cost comparison →

Meydan Free Zone companies enjoy an Easy banking difficulty rating with a 95% approval probability — the highest among affordable Dubai free zones. The average account opening time is 7 working days.

Meydan has established relationships with 7 partner banks. The high approval rate is partly due to Meydan's thorough KYC process during registration, which ensures banks receive well-documented applications. Meydan also offers direct banking support through its Meydan+ Bank Account Assistance service (AED 1,500), which handles document preparation, bank selection, and application follow-up.

Documents typically required: Trade license, Memorandum of Association, passport copies of all shareholders, proof of residential address (utility bill less than 6 months old), and a source of funds declaration or brief business description.

For full banking details and bank-by-bank recommendations, see our Meydan banking guide.

Meydan supports investor, employment, and dependent visas. The visa process is sequential and optional — you only apply if you need UAE residency. Visa allocation costs AED 1,850 per visa (reduced to AED 1,000 for 50+ visas and AED 950 for 500+ visas).

Visa types and costs (verified 2026):
• Investor/Partner Visa — AED 4,000 (new/renewal). Cancellation: AED 800.
• Employment Visa — AED 3,500 (new/renewal). Cancellation: AED 800.
• Dependent Visa — AED 6,000 (includes entry, Certificate of Status, medical, and Emirates ID). Deposit: AED 3,000 (investor sponsor, refundable) or AED 0 (employee sponsor). Cancellation: AED 1,000.

Full investor visa chain (first-time setup):
Visa Allocation AED 1,850 → Immigration Card AED 2,000 → Investor Visa AED 4,000 → Medical & EID Assistance AED 2,250 → Change of Status AED 1,500 → Employment Contract AED 350 → Company Stamp AED 200 → PRO Services AED 3,000 = AED 15,150 total in visa/setup fees on top of the license.

Ancillary costs: Change of Status AED 1,500, Physical Visa Stamping AED 1,000, Employment Contract AED 350 (new/amendment/renewal), Company Stamp AED 200. Temporary Work Permits available from AED 1,000 (21 days) to AED 3,400 (12 months).

Read our UAE visa processing guide for more details.

Meydan+ is Meydan's in-house catalog of 67 value-added services — the most extensive offering among affordable Dubai free zones. These services help new companies hit the ground running without needing external vendors. Here are the most popular services with verified 2026 pricing:

Banking & Finance:
• Bank Account Assistance: AED 1,500
• MeydanPay: FREE (built-in payment solution, exclusive to Meydan)
• Meydan Commerce On-boarding: AED 6,000

Accounting & Tax:
• Bookkeeping Category A: AED 1,000/month
• Bookkeeping Category B: AED 1,500/month
• VAT Registration: AED 1,500
• Financial Audit Report: AED 3,000
• Corporate Secretarial: AED 275

Compliance:
• Compliance Assessment: AED 1,800
• Compliance Notification Filing: AED 1,300
• ESR Comprehensive Assessment: AED 5,250

Business Support:
• Customs Code Registration: AED 525
• Phone Answering: AED 3,775/year (+ AED 2,000 deposit)
• Mail Management: AED 750/year
• PO Box: AED 1,700/year
• DED/DET Mainland Permit: AED 9,500

Personal Services:
• Medical Insurance (Cat A-D): AED 900–2,700
• Document Legal Translation: AED 250
• MOFA Attestation (individual): AED 575 / (corporate): AED 2,900
• Meeting Room: AED 150/hour or AED 6,500/month

Meydan+ is a key differentiator — no other Dubai free zone at this price point offers such a comprehensive in-house service catalog. Explore all 67 services on the zone page →

Meydan offers a unique Easy Payment Plan (EPP) — a 0% installment option exclusive to Meydan among affordable Dubai free zones. This allows you to split any purchase of AED 500 or more into equal monthly installments over 3, 6, 9, or 12 months using eligible credit cards.

How it works:
1. Pay for your setup using an eligible credit card (minimum AED 500 spend)
2. Call your bank within 5 days of the purchase to convert to EPP
3. Choose your installment period: 3, 6, 9, or 12 months at 0% interest

Participating banks and terms:
• ADCB — Processing fee AED 52.50. Early settlement (foreclosure) fee AED 210. Available for 3–12 month terms.
• Emirates Islamic — Processing fee 2% for 3/6 month terms, 2.99% for 9/12 month terms. Foreclosure fee AED 150. Available for 3–12 month terms.
• Emirates NBD — One-time processing fee AED 49. Available for 3–12 month terms.

Example: A Meydan Investor Package (AED 29,100) on a 12-month EPP via ADCB would cost approximately AED 2,425/month + AED 52.50 processing — making Dubai company formation accessible with minimal upfront investment.

This EPP facility is particularly valuable for founders who want to manage cash flow during the early months of their business. See how EPP applies to each package →