Off-hours — we reply first thing at 9:00 local. Vy is always on.
Jebel Ali Free Zone sits beside the region's largest container port and licenses trading, logistics, warehousing and industrial activity on the same register. We file the licence, run KYC and handle the visa, with a written scope up front.
JAFZA is the UAE's original industrial free zone and remains the route for businesses whose economics depend on moving goods rather than filing paperwork.
The zone sits beside Jebel Ali port, which shortens the distance between the licence, the warehouse and the vessel.
Offices, warehouse units and land plots sit under one authority, so a business can grow without changing jurisdiction.
Free-zone customs treatment is built into the way goods enter, are stored and leave the zone.
Manufacturing and processing activities are licensed directly, with the scope set by the facility.
Premises-led licences carry higher staff allocations than a desk-only package, which matters for operational teams.
Qualifying Free Zone Person status keeps corporate tax at 0% on qualifying income when the structure and activity support it.
JAFZA issues trading, service, logistics and industrial licences, with premises from an office through to warehouse units and land plots. The premises decision drives the licence category and the visa allocation, so we scope them together.
JAFZA suits businesses that move physical goods — where proximity to the port, customs handling and the right premises matter more than the headline licence price.
Import, export and re-export across product lines, with customs access at the port.
Freight, distribution and third-party logistics operations run from the zone.
Warehouse units and open storage for stock-holding and re-export businesses.
Light and heavy industrial licences, including plots for purpose-built facilities.
Day 1–5
Diagnostic, KYC, activity scoping, JAFZA name reservation.
Week 2–4
Filing, MOA, initial approval.
Week 5–6
Licence issuance, establishment card, eSignature.
Week 7–9
Investor visa: entry permit, medical, Emirates ID.
Week 8–12
Corporate bank account (varies by bank).
Final cost depends on the zone, activity and visa count.
| Feature | Jebel Ali Free Zone |   Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) |  Dubai South |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal framework | UAE Civil Law | UAE Civil Law | UAE Civil Law |
| 100% foreign ownership | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 0% on qualifying income | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 100% profit repatriation | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Warehouse & industrial units | Yes | No | Yes |
| Flexi-desk option | No | Yes | Yes |
| Minimum share capital | AED 100,000 | AED 50,000 | Enquiry |
| Location | Jebel Ali port, Dubai | JLT, Dubai | Al Maktoum airport district, Dubai |
| Best for | Logistics, warehousing, industrial and large-scale trade | Commodities, general trading, established SMEs | Air logistics, e-commerce fulfilment, light industrial |
Bank suitability depends on your activity, ownership, documents and transaction profile.
Tell us the activity and headcount. We shortlist the zones that actually accept it.
No obligation. We tell you if it is not the right route.
Sonsoto quoted us a line-item budget for the licence, visas and the bank pack up front. Nothing crept in later. That alone was worth the fee.
I’d already been rejected by two banks. Sonsoto told me why, changed the pack, and we opened with WIO in three weeks. Straight answers, no theatre.
They caught a corporate-tax filing we were about to miss and re-scoped the renewals so we stopped paying twice for the same work. Now they run everything.
We’d spoken to four firms and got four different price sheets. Sonsoto was the only one that showed us where the extras came from — and we didn’t need them.
Golden Visa done, family visas done, licence renewed. Same team, same WhatsApp thread. I don’t chase PRO agents anymore.
They told me RAK was a better fit than Dubai for our margin. I’d already paid a deposit somewhere else. They still refunded my Sonsoto retainer and helped me exit.
More clients onboarded, higher payout.
Straight to the account.
More referrals unlocks higher payouts.
