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Tier 3 · Ajman

Ajman NuVentures Centre Free Zone

Ajman · Est. 2024 · Ajman NuVentures Centre Free Zone Authority (ANCFZ) - standalone authority per Ajman Emiri Decree No. 15 of 2023

AED 4,888/ yr
high confidenceVerified 18 Jul 2026official ↗
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Best for

Budget-conscious startups, freelancers, e-commerce sellers, consultants and emerging-tech (AI/blockchain/gaming) founders who want the cheapest credible UAE entity with fast, fully remote setup and a wide activity list.

Not ideal for

Businesses needing more than 10 visas, warehouse/industrial/land facilities, a prestigious Dubai address for banking or clients, or proven long-term zone administration.

01Capability profile

Six independent dimensions, scored from official zone data.

?
Banking10/15
?
Visa scale5/15
?
Cost (lower=better)18/20
?
Activity breadth8/25
?
Workspace options9/15
?
Location6/10
02Where ANCFZ sits

Tick marks for every zone, ANCFZ highlighted. The shape of the field, not just the rank.

Year 1 cost← lower is better

ANCFZ: 91th percentile (AED 4,888) · Licence + registration, AED.

Setup time← lower is better

ANCFZ: 98th percentile (2 days) · Total estimated days from application to operational.

Visa caphigher is better →

ANCFZ: 16th percentile (10 visas) · Absolute maximum visa allocation. Values above 500 clipped to the right edge so the bulk of the distribution stays readable.

Banking ease← better
Easy
4
Moderate
73
Difficult
15
Very difficult
1

ANCFZ: Moderate · Corporate bank account opening difficulty. Each cell is one zone.

03Costs

Year-one license, renewals, and 5-year totals in AED.

4,888
Year 1 minimum · AED
AED 24,417 less than DMCC
mid tier
Show in
Base licence
AED 4,888
Registration
AED 0
Renewal (year 2+)
AED 4,888
3-year total
AED 14,664
2-year visa cost
AED 4,500
Hidden & one-off costs
Cancellation fee
AED 3,500
Visa renewal
AED 1,800
Visa cancellation
AED 850
Emirates ID (per visa)
AED 370
Dependent / spouse visa
AED 3,000
Year-on-year fee tracking begins 2026 — changes appear here as they accrue.
Indicative, from published ratesOfficial fee schedule ↗Verified 2026-07high confidence

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04Visas & workspace

Visa caps, workspace options, and family-sponsorship rules.

Visa allocation
Maximum visas
10
Flexi-desk cap
10
Office cap
10
Family sponsorship
Available
Freelancer permit
Available
Medical required
Yes
Processing time
~2 days
Workspace options
Virtual office
Yes
Flexi-desk
Yes
Coworking
Yes
Dedicated office
Yes
Executive office
Yes
Warehouse
No
Industrial unit
No
Land plot
No
Ejari issued
Yes
Parking
Yes
Dedicated office cost
AED 4,888/yr
05Banking & setup

Banking difficulty, partner banks, and setup timeline.

Banking
Difficulty
Moderate
Time to account
~10 days
Minimum deposit
AED 15,000
Corp tax rate
0%
Audit cost (est)
AED 7,000
UBO filing
Required
AML / KYC
standard
Partner banks
RAKBankEmirates NBDADCBMashreq
Setup timeline
  1. Registration mode
    Fully online — no in-person visit required
  2. Documents & application
    Passport, visa, business plan — ~3–5 days
  3. Licence issued
    ~1 business day after submission
  4. Bank account active
    Additional ~10 days · Moderate banking
  5. Operational
    Typically ~2 days, up to ~20 days
06Package pricing

3 packages from official fee schedules.

All figures in AED, from official fee schedules. Visa and health-insurance costs are additional.

PackageVisasYear 1Renewal
Industrial Unit – StandardBest value2AED 18,000AED 15,000
Industrial Unit – Large4AED 28,000AED 23,000
Warehouse Unit3AED 24,000AED 20,000
07Permitted activities

Activity categories, restrictions, and approval flags.

3500+ activitiesMainland selling: No

Blockchain

AI

Categories
General TradingCommercial LicensesBlockchainAIMultiple Industries and Specialized Markets
Matched industry clusters
techtrading
Restricted
Not explicitly listedbut not ideal for businesses heavily dependent on direct local UAE onshore trade or highly specific regulatory frameworks/specialized approvals*

Some activities require additional approval from the zone authority.

08Jurisdiction & ecosystem

Legal framework, tax status, audit requirements, and zone focus — every value sourced.

Common lawNo
VAT designated zoneNo
QFZP eligible (0% tax)Yes
Inferred · 2026-07-18
Mainland permitYes
Inferred · 2026-07-18
Audit requiredNo
Inferred · 2026-07-18
Economic substancestandard
Inferred · 2026-07-18

This zone offers physical-office options sufficient for a standard QFZP substance posture, though the bar still applies at the entity level (CTGFZP1).

Focus: Technology and Innovation, Metaverse and Artificial Intelligence, Trade and Distribution, Media and Entertainment, Professional Services

6500 companiesmedium communityNetworking events: NoIncubator: No
Notable companies

Focuses on startups, SMEs, and emerging sectors including artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, digital gaming, and creative technologies.

QFZP, audit, mainland-permit and substance values are sourced where the zone authority or FTA publishes them, and inferred from published zone characteristics otherwise. How we determine these values.

09Strengths & limitations

5 strengths · 3 caveats.

Strengths
  • Lowest published entry price of any UAE free zone: AED 4,888/yr zero-visa licence (official 2026 grid)
  • Fully transparent published pricing: all-inclusive packages 0-10 visas, 1-5 year terms, renewal on approved price list
  • 100% remote setup - licence in ~2 hours, visa in ~48 hours, no UAE visit required for incorporation
  • 3,500+ activities under one unified licence, incl. blockchain, AI, crypto, gaming and metaverse
  • DIFC Courts MoU (Feb 2026) gives clients opt-in access to internationally recognised dispute resolution
Caveats
  • Very young zone (launched Oct 2024) - banking track record and administrative maturity still unproven vs established zones
  • Ajman address carries less prestige with banks/clients than Dubai; physical offer is an office tower - no warehouses or industrial facilities
  • Visa quota capped at 10 per company; multiple Google reviews cite poor post-payment customer service responsiveness

Not ideal for: Businesses needing more than 10 visas, warehouse/industrial/land facilities, a prestigious Dubai address for banking or clients, or proven long-term zone administration.

10Recent developments

2 policy and pricing updates on record.

  1. 2024-Q3ANCFZ upgraded its logistics and internal road infrastructure to support heavier goods vehicles serving the ceramics distribution sector.
  2. 2025-Q2ANCFZ introduced flexible industrial unit lease terms to attract smaller ceramics importers and distributors previously unable to commit to multi-year leases.
11Tax considerations

4 tax questions relevant to this zone.

Questions to raise with your tax advisor

  1. Does your planned revenue qualify under the QFZP qualifying-income rules?

    QFZP 0% only applies to qualifying income. Mainland trading or revenue from non-free-zone clients is generally non-qualifying and taxed at 9%.

  2. Will you need audited accounts even if this zone doesn't require them?

    FTA corporate-tax filing typically expects audited accounts for revenue above AED 50M, and banks often request them at much lower thresholds.

  3. How much of your revenue will come from mainland UAE customers, and how does that affect QFZP and 5% VAT obligations?

    Mainland revenue beyond ad-hoc levels can disqualify QFZP and triggers full 9% corporate tax plus standard VAT on supplies.

  4. Do any of your customers, suppliers, or shareholders meet the FTA's related-party definition?

    Related-party transactions need transfer-pricing documentation and may push otherwise-qualifying income into the 9% bracket.

These prompts are due-diligence questions, not tax advice. Confirm every answer with a UAE-licensed tax advisor before incorporating.

12Frequently asked

3 common questions specific to ANCFZ.

13Similar zones in Ajman

2 comparable zones in the same emirate.

14About this data

Last verified 2026-07-18 · high confidence.

ANCFZ data is sourced from official zone authority publications, government fee schedules, and where available, verified against direct communications with the zone. All figures in AED.

Location
Ajman
Established
2024
Authority
Ajman NuVentures Centre Free Zone Authority (ANCFZ) - standalone authority per Ajman Emiri Decree No. 15 of 2023
Last verified
2026-07-18
Confidence
high
Methodology
How we score →
Cited source
Fee data sourced from the official fee schedule, fetched 2026-07-18. View source ↗
Per-field citations
How we verify every zone →
15Founder reviews

What founders who've registered here say.

4.5★179 reviewsGoogle

Founder reviews

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16Take the next step

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