SAIF Zone Company Setup
Airport-side trading and light industry with 24-hour licensing.
- Ownership
- 100% foreign
- Setup time
- 1 to 5 working days
- Licence cost
- from AED 8,000
- Visas
- Scales with facility
SAIF Zone sits directly at Sharjah International Airport, a major regional air-cargo hub, and has hosted trading and light-industrial businesses since 1995. Its calling cards are speed, licences famously issued within 24 hours once documents clear, and operating costs well below Dubai equivalents.
Warehousing, bonded storage and hangar-adjacent facilities suit air-freight-driven traders, while low-cost offices serve regional services firms. For businesses serving the Northern Emirates or running cost-sensitive trade flows, SAIF Zone is a pragmatic, proven base.
Who SAIF Zone suits
- Air-cargo linked trading
- Light manufacturing and assembly
- Northern Emirates distribution
- Cost-sensitive industrial SMEs
Why choose SAIF Zone
- On-airport location with bonded cargo access
- Licences issued as fast as 24 hours
- Warehouses and land at Sharjah cost levels
- Established 30-year operating track record
- Low renewal costs versus Dubai zones
SAIF Zone frequently asked questions
What does a SAIF Zone setup cost?
Office-package licences start around AED 8,000 to AED 15,000 for the first year; warehouse setups depend on unit size. Sharjah facility costs run meaningfully below Dubai equivalents, which is the zone's core economic case.
How fast is SAIF Zone licensing?
SAIF Zone markets 24-hour licence issuance and, with complete documents, genuinely delivers within days. It is regularly the fastest route to a trading licence with physical warehousing in the UAE.
Is SAIF Zone good for import-export?
Yes, especially air freight: the zone sits on Sharjah International Airport with bonded facilities, and Sharjah's cargo rates are competitive. Sea-freight-heavy businesses may prefer Hamriyah or JAFZA, and we compare based on your routes.
Can I combine SAIF Zone with a Dubai presence?
Yes. A common structure keeps warehousing and the licence in SAIF Zone while sales staff operate from Dubai. We set up the structure so visas, insurance and contracts align with where people actually work.