SAIF Zone issues three license types: trade, service and industrial. The trade license covers the import, export, distribution, consolidation, storage or warehousing of items, with a maximum of three similar product lines. The service license covers only the service named on it, and the zone states that all service types are allowed unless federal or local authorities restrict them.
The industrial license covers importing raw materials, manufacturing, processing, assembling, packaging and exporting the finished product, and it needs clearance from SAIF Zone's Health & Environment Department. For branches and corporate shareholders, the zone's document list asks for corporate papers such as the certificate of incorporation and board resolution to be notarised and attested.
- FZE: a limited liability establishment owned by one natural or juridical person
- FZC: a limited liability company with more than one shareholder
- Branch of a company registered in the UAE
- Branch of a foreign company incorporated outside the UAE
- Service license examples named by the zone: business consultancy, shipping and freight forwarding, and e-commerce
Your facility sets your visa quota in SAIF Zone, so choose space and headcount together. The zone's setup page lists three office products, each with a visa quota included, alongside warehouses and land for larger operations.
SAIF Zone states that all facilities are on a long-term lease that can be renewed. It also offers designated container parking and furnished, air-conditioned staff accommodation with recreational facilities.
- SAIF Suite: a fully furnished executive suite, with an 8-visa quota included
- SAIF Executive Office: unfurnished and customisable, utility charges covered, with a 5-visa quota included
- SAIF Office: a furnished, dedicated executive desk on a non-sharing basis, with a 3-visa quota included
- Pre-built warehouses in four sizes: 125, 250, 400 and 600 sqm
- Land plots from 2,500 sqm for custom-built warehouses or factories
- Jewelry Park: a specialised jewellery manufacturing unit within an existing jewellery community
SAIF Zone sits adjacent to Sharjah International Airport and its cargo centre. The zone states travel times of about 10 minutes to Sharjah City Centre, 20 minutes to Dubai, 30 minutes to the nearest port and 90 minutes to Abu Dhabi.
Customs and immigration services are on site. SAIF Zone lists an immigration and customs office and on-site customs for clearing goods, and its FAQ says goods imported or exported within the zone pay no duties, other than when they are sold locally in the UAE market.
- Adjacent to Sharjah International Airport and its cargo centre
- Seaports named by the zone: Port Hamriyah, Port Khalid and Port Khor Fakkan
- On-site immigration and customs office
- Exemption from import and export duties inside the zone, per SAIF Zone
A SAIF Zone license lets you operate inside the free zone, and selling into the UAE is a separate step. SAIF Zone states that its license is valid for operating only inside the free zone territory and that this also depends on each emirate's rules. Its FAQ adds that you can sell in the UAE local market, subject to the relevant customs duties.
For a presence outside the zone, SAIF Zone's FAQ says that, with the exception of FZE and FZC entities, there are no restrictions on establishing a branch outside SAIF Zone, subject to the approval of local authorities, with a no-objection certificate (NOC) from its Lease & License Department. The UAE government portal adds that a free zone company sells locally through a licensed mainland distributor or a mainland branch or company.
- Local UAE sales: relevant customs duties apply, per SAIF Zone
- Goods become subject to UAE customs duty when moved into the mainland market, per u.ae
- Mainland routes: a licensed mainland distributor, or a mainland branch or company, per u.ae
- A branch outside the zone needs local authority approval and an NOC from SAIF Zone
Sharjah's free zones differ most in what sits next to them. SAIF Zone is built beside the airport, Hamriyah Free Zone around a deep water port and industrial land, SPC Free Zone around a broad activity list, and Shams around media and creative businesses. Here is how each zone's own website describes it.
- SAIF Zone: adjacent to Sharjah International Airport and cargo centre; trade, service and industrial licenses; warehouses from 125 sqm and plots from 2,500 sqm
- Hamriyah Free Zone: access to a 14-metre deep water port; commercial, service and industrial licenses; plots from 2,500 sqm, including sea-facing plots
- SPC Free Zone (Sharjah Publishing City): described as the world's first publishing free zone, with 2,000+ activities and up to five activity groups per license
- Shams (Sharjah Media City): in Al Messaned, established in 2017 by Emiri Decree, and dedicated to media and creativity
- Shortlist by logistics first: air cargo points to SAIF Zone, sea freight and heavy industry to Hamriyah, office-based services and media to SPC or Shams
Headline offers rarely tell the whole story. We answer these for your activity before you decide.
- Is your exact activity on SAIF Zone's official list, or only something close to it?
- Does the activity need approval from another regulator first?
- Which workspace options are available, and how many visas does each allow?
- What does renewal involve each year, and which costs recur?
- Will most of your customers be in the zone, abroad or on the mainland?
