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A headquarters address built around the events calendar

Dubai World Trade Centre licenses from the district it has run for decades: events and exhibitions businesses, professional services and headquarters-grade offices in central Dubai. We file the licence, run KYC and handle the visa.

Why Dubai World Trade Centre?

DWTC is a central district with an events business at its centre: the address suits headquarters offices and the companies whose year is organised around exhibitions.

A central address

The district sits in the middle of Dubai's business core, which matters when clients and partners visit.

The events calendar

The district hosts the region's major exhibitions, which is the reason many of its tenants are there.

Headquarters-grade offices

Office space is sized for management teams rather than for single desks.

A mixed tenant base

Events, professional services and headquarters offices sit together, which helps with suppliers and with hiring.

100% foreign ownership

Full foreign ownership with no local partner requirement, as across the UAE free zones.

0% QFZP tax

Qualifying Free Zone Person status keeps corporate tax at 0% on qualifying income when the structure and activity support it.

What you get with DWTC

DWTC issues commercial, professional and events-related licences from offices in its central-Dubai district. The premises you take is part of the licence and sets the visa allocation.

Who DWTC is best for

DWTC suits businesses that want a central-Dubai headquarters address, and those whose work is tied to the exhibition and events calendar the district runs.

Best suited to
  • Events and exhibition organisers
  • Exhibition services and production suppliers
  • Regional headquarters of international groups
  • Professional services and advisory firms
  • Businesses hosting clients in central Dubai
  • Companies taking headquarters-grade offices
  • Management and holding offices
  • Service businesses tied to the events calendar
May need a different route
  • Cost-first licences with no premises
  • Warehousing, logistics and industrial operations
  • Regulated financial-services activity
  • Solo operators who need only an address

Activities we can license

Events & exhibitions

Organisers, exhibition services and the businesses that supply them.

Headquarters offices

Regional headquarters and management offices for international groups.

Professional services

Consulting, advisory and corporate services businesses.

Business services

Business and commercial services supporting the district's tenants and visitors.

What's included in your DWTC setup package

Company Formation Essentials

  • Trade licence issued by the DWTC Free Zone Authority
  • Company registration and legal entity creation
  • Memorandum & Articles of Association (MOA/AOA)
  • Share certificates and corporate documents
  • Registered office address in the district
  • Establishment card & eSignature

Visa & Residency Processing

  • Investor / partner residence visa processing
  • Employee visa processing (up to your allocation)
  • Emirates ID application
  • Medical fitness test coordination
  • Visa stamping and status change

Business Support

  • Corporate bank account introduction (top UAE banks)
  • PRO services for government documentation
  • Ongoing compliance and renewal support
  • Dedicated relationship manager
  • Accounting and bookkeeping services
  • Corporate tax registration and filing

What the timeline looks like

  1. 1

    Day 1–5

    Diagnostic, KYC, activity scoping, DWTC name reservation.

  2. 2

    Week 2–4

    Filing, MOA, initial approval.

  3. 3

    Week 5–6

    Licence issuance, establishment card, eSignature.

  4. 4

    Week 7–9

    Investor visa: entry permit, medical, Emirates ID.

  5. 5

    Week 8–12

    Corporate bank account (varies by bank).

How much does DWTC setup cost?

Priced on request

Final cost depends on the zone, activity and visa count.

What’s included

  • Trade licence
  • Registered address
  • Establishment card + eSignature
  • One investor visa

Price varies by

  • Free zone
  • Visa count
  • Workspace
  • Optional add-ons
Get a tailored estimate →

How DWTC compares

Feature
Legal frameworkUAE Civil LawUAE Civil LawUAE Civil Law
100% foreign ownershipYesYesYes
0% on qualifying incomeYesYesYes
100% profit repatriationYesYesYes
EmirateDubaiDubaiDubai
SettingCentral events and headquarters districtJLT business districtPackaged licence, desk address
Best forEvents, exhibitions, headquarters and professional servicesCommodities, general trading, established SMEsConsultancies, agencies, holdings, small teams

Banks we can help you approach.

Bank suitability depends on your activity, ownership, documents and transaction profile.

See our banking partners

Is a free zone the right route for you?

Tell us the activity and headcount. We shortlist the zones that actually accept it.

  • A dedicated specialist reviews your case.
  • Fixed scope in writing before any work begins.
  • Avg reply 3 minutes on WhatsApp, 24 × 7.

Request a consultation

No obligation. We tell you if it is not the right route.

Talk to a UAE specialist

What clients say

Frequently asked

What is DWTC Free Zone best suited to?
DWTC is often considered for events and exhibition businesses, regional headquarters offices, professional services firms and companies whose work is tied to the district's exhibition calendar.
Is DWTC suitable for a small consultancy?
It can be, but the district is premises-led and priced for headquarters-grade space. A small consultancy that needs a licence rather than an office often has a better fit in a packaged Dubai zone.
Does DWTC suit an events organiser?
Events and exhibition activities are central to the district, and organisers and their suppliers are an ordinary profile here. The licence scope follows the activity, and we set it out in writing before filing.
Can a DWTC company open a UAE bank account?
A DWTC entity can apply, and a business with central premises and documented contracts is a familiar profile. Approval is the bank's decision, and we prepare the file before it is submitted.
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