Company Registration in Hamriyah Free Zone - Business Starting & Setup

Hamriyah Free Zone is located in the Emirate of Sharjah. Having an area of 2590 sq. km., Sharjah is the third largest emirate in the UAE and is situated 10 km off Dubai and an hour’s drive from Abu Dhabi. Due to its geocentric location, the emirate is an important business centre both domestically and internationally, including key markets in Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

The proximity to the main trade routes, highly developed urban and social infrastructure, relatively low cost of rent, utilities and living made this emirate attractive for business and life, and also increased its reputation as the eleventh most attractive international destination for direct foreign investment in the world.

• Can use Latin characters.
• Must not be identical or similar to the name of an existing company.
• Must have an ending indicating the legal form (“FZE”).

Company registration in Hamriyah Free Zone includes the following steps:

1. Select a company name to be checked for availability (at least 2 names), the structure of the company (directors, secretary and members) and type of licence (Trade, Service or Industrial);
2. Pay fees for services;
3. Provide the documents for directors / shareholders / attorneys (either originals or notarized copies);
4. Prepare and submit a set of documents for company registration, get the documents signed by the officers and shareholders of the company;
5. Receive the certificate of registration, articles and seal in the specified address.

The UAE does not have public company registries that would contain details of shareholders or directors. Information about free zone companies can only be obtained at the request of a local court.

The register of shareholders and directors of the company is not accessible to third parties.

Upon registration the company and the Free Zone administration necessarily sign an office lease agreement; the address of such office is considered the official registered office address of the company. At the same time, the company is free to rent additional offices, industrial premises or warehouses in the territory of Hamriyah Free Zone.

Hamriyah Free Zone offers various office packages depending on the client’s needs regarding the type and number of licences, number of visas, need for a real presence and placement in the free zone.

• Hamriyah Business Centre (HBC) - “virtual” office: trade or service licence (up to 3 types of goods / services); legal form: Free Zone Establishment (1 shareholder); it is possible to apply for one visa.
• E-Office - provides a dedicated office space of 10 sq.m.: any trade licence or service licence; legal forms: Free Zone Establishment (1 shareholder), Free Zone Company (2 to 5 shareholders), Branch or subsidiary; it is possible to apply for 4 to 7 visas, depending on the chosen office option.
• Executive office (Administrative office) - office space of 15 to 40 sq.m.: any trade or service licence; legal forms: Free Zone Establishment (1 shareholder), Free Zone Company (2 to 5 shareholders), Branch or subsidiary; it is possible to apply for 4 to 7 visas, depending on the chosen office option.

The free zone also offers ready-made warehouses and land for short-term and long-term leases.

Companies are required to have a common seal.

The redomiciliation of companies either to or from the UAE is permitted.

The director (manager) can only be an individual – a resident of the UAE (non-resident can be appointed if the director does not carry out activities in the UAE).

The minimum number of directors is 1, the maximum is 5.

Details of directors are not accessible to public.

The secretary can only be an individual. Can be the same person as director. If the secretary is not specifically indicated when filing a company registration application, the first director is assumed to act as secretary.

Details of the secretary are not accessible to public.

The minimum number of members/shareholders in the company is 1. They can be individuals or legal entities, and there are no residency requirements.

Hamriyah Free Zone does not require a local shareholder in the company’s structure.

Details of the shareholders are not accessible to public.

Despite that many jurisdictions consider creating a public register of beneficial owners, the UAE does not have one yet. This means that there is no open access to the beneficial ownership information. It is stored by a service provider, namely a company registration agent, trustees, lawyers, accountants and other professionals, subject to strict confidentiality. Information about the beneficial owner can only be disclosed to regulatory authorities (for example, during inspections for its availability) or by court order.

A company can only issue one class of shares. Bearer shares are not permitted.

The capital can be denominated in AED only. A company can issue shares of AED 1 000 or a multiple amount each.

There is no requirement to provide a bank letter confirming the payment of share capital, in order to register a company in Hamriyah Free Zone.