Printing & Packaging in the UAE

Key points

One of the reasons we recommend the UAE is its Airport proximity, which matters more than most founders realise once the business is running. Office options in the UAE range from flexi-desk, office suite, warehouse, factory unit or land lease, so you only pay for the space your visa quota actually needs. Popular activities in the UAE include manufacturing, logistics, warehousing, import/export and industrial, and most of them can be combined on a single licence.

Step by step

1. 
   Step 1

   Consultation and activity selection

   GoldenKey starts by confirming your activity is available in the UAE, then agrees the licence category, visa quota and office option with you in writing. This is also the point at which we answer any question specific to starting a printing and packaging company in the UAE.

2. 
   Step 2

   Name reservation and initial approval

   GoldenKey reserves your trade name with the the UAE authority and obtains initial approval, usually within one to two working days.

3. 
   Step 3

   Document submission and payment

   Importantly, with the forms and memorandum signed, GoldenKey lodges the attested documents and settles the licence fee with the authority on your behalf. If the authority raises a query on starting a printing and packaging company in the UAE at this stage, we handle it the same day.

4. 
   Step 4

   Licence issued and next steps

   the UAE issues the licence, incorporation certificate and lease; from there we open the establishment card, process visas and arrange your bank introduction.

Documents required

For most clients, the document list for starting a printing and packaging company in the UAE is short, and most clients already have everything on it.

• Your current residency visa and Emirates ID copy if you are a UAE resident
• A short business plan or activity description for certain professional activities
• Attested parent-company paperwork and a board resolution if the shareholder is a company
• A clear passport copy for each shareholder and manager, valid for at least six months
• Unit layout
• A passport-size photograph on a white background

Pricing

All prices for starting a printing and packaging company in the UAE are indicative, shown in AED and confirmed in writing ahead of payment. Use the table below to compare packages for starting a printing and packaging company in the UAE; we will confirm the exact total for your case in a written quotation.

Pricing available on request — message us for a written quotation.

Where to license printing & packaging

Printing presses need an industrial unit with civil defence approval. Digital print shops and sign makers can start on a commercial licence with a small workshop.

SAIF ZoneSharjah's industrial free zone — warehousing, logistics an…Ajman Free ZoneOne of the UAE's most affordable free zones — 0-visa packa…RAKEZRAK's all-in-one economic zone — business, industrial and …Ajman mainlandGoldenKey's home emirate — one of the most affordable main…Sharjah mainlandIndustrial heartland of the UAE — manufacturing, trading a…

Examples of this activity

• Digital printing
• Signage
• Label printing
• Packaging manufacturing

Printing & Packaging guides by nationality

IndianPakistaniBritishRussianChineseNigerianSaudiEgyptianKenyanGermanSingaporeanOmaniFrenchItalianSpanishPortugueseDutchBelgianSwissAustrianSwedishNorwegianDanishFinnishIcelandicIrishPolishCzechSlovakHungarianRomanianBulgarianGreekCroatianSerbianSlovenianUkrainianEstonianLatvianLithuanianAmericanCanadianAustralianNew ZealanderJapaneseSouth KoreanTurkishMalaysianIndonesianThaiVietnameseFilipinoBangladeshiSouth AfricanEmiratiQatari

Why the UAE

For most clients, the UAE's reputation as a trading hub means international clients and suppliers already trust a UAE licence, which shortens sales cycles for starting a printing and packaging company in the UAE. There are no restrictions on repatriating profits or capital, so earnings from starting a printing and packaging company in the UAE can be moved to your home country or reinvested freely.

Why GoldenKey

GoldenKey's consultants have handled starting a printing and packaging company in the UAE for traders, consultants, tech business owners and family offices, which gives us a realistic view of what each authority approves quickly. We speak the languages our clients speak, including English, Arabic, Hindi, Urdu and Malayalam, and we can arrange Russian, French and Mandarin support for starting a printing and packaging company in the UAE. Our office is a short drive from the Ajman Free Zone, Ajman DED and the immigration centre, so physical submissions for starting a printing and packaging company in the UAE happen the same day they are ready.

Frequently asked questions