Since the 2021 Commercial Companies Law amendments, 100% foreign ownership is available on the mainland for most activities. That removed the single biggest reason people defaulted to a free zone - so the choice now turns on four practical questions.
1. Who do you invoice?
Free zone companies trade freely internationally and inside their own zone. Selling directly to the UAE mainland market means a local distributor, a branch, or a mainland licence.
2. How many visas do you need?
Free zone visa quotas are tied to the package and the desk or office you lease. Mainland quotas follow the size of the premises under the Ejari tenancy.
3. What office are you obliged to take?
A flexi-desk satisfies most free zones. Mainland licences require a real tenancy registered with Ejari, which changes the annual cost materially.
4. What does your client procurement require?
Government tenders and many large UAE groups will only onboard mainland suppliers. If that is your pipeline, the decision is already made.
We publish the full fee breakdown for both routes before you commit - government charges and our professional fee on separate lines.
