License Cost
Licence only · upgrade to visas anytime
AED 6,875
- Trade licence & registration
- Upgrade to visas anytime
- Company name reservation
- Flexi-desk / office options
- GoldenKey PRO support
FREE ZONE · SHARJAH
Shams Free Zone Company Formation for UAE nationals and residents
Guide for Emirati founders · no flight required from Abu Dhabi
5–7 daysSetup time100%OwnershipUp to 10 visasVisas
- 5–7 daysSetup time
- Free ZoneLicence type
- Flexi | PhysicalOffice / facility
- Up to 10 visasVisa eligibility
- StandardApprovals needed
- From AED 5,280Renewal cost
About Shams Free Zone
Why Shams Free Zone
As we tell every client, if you are weighing up where to register in the UAE, Shams Free Zone deserves a close look for its media & creative focus and routine renewal process. A Shams Free Zone company can be owned entirely by foreign nationals, needs no local sponsor and can start trading internationally as soon as the licence is released. existing residents can as a rule set up faster because Emirates ID and local address proof are already in place, which gives Emirati entrepreneurs a ready market and supply chain the moment their Shams Free Zone licence is granted. Payments between United Arab Emirates and the UAE are routine: the dirham is pegged to the dollar, UAE dirham (AED) transfers settle without delay and UAE banks are familiar with Emirati business profiles.
One of the reasons our advice is to choose Shams Free Zone is its media & creative focus, which matters more than most entrepreneurs realise once the business is running. In practice, unlike some zones, Shams Free Zone does not require a large paid-up capital to be blocked in a bank account before the licence is granted. For UAE nationals and residents, the practical advantages of Shams Free Zone are the ease of travel between United Arab Emirates and the UAE, Arabic and English are both official business languages, and a banking system that processes UAE dirham (AED) transfers daily.
Packages & cost
Pricing — choose the right package for your business
All prices for Shams Free Zone company formation for UAE nationals and residents are indicative, shown in AED and confirmed in writing before you pay. For most clients, the figures below for Shams Free Zone company formation for UAE nationals and residents are updated by GoldenKey whenever the authority changes its fees, so the price you see is the current one.
License Plus Visa Quota
1 residence visa · 1-year licence
AED 8,475
- Trade licence & registration
- Establishment card included
- 1 visa eligibility
- Flexi-desk / office options
- GoldenKey PRO support
License Plus Visa Quota
2 residence visas · 1-year licence
AED 10,075
- Trade licence & registration
- Establishment card included
- 2 visa eligibilities
- Flexi-desk / office options
- GoldenKey PRO support
License Plus Visa Quota
3 residence visas · 1-year licence
AED 11,675
- Trade licence & registration
- Establishment card included
- 3 visa eligibilities
- Flexi-desk / office options
- GoldenKey PRO support
License Plus Visa Quota
4 residence visas · 1-year licence
AED 13,275
- Trade licence & registration
- Establishment card included
- 4 visa eligibilities
- Flexi-desk / office options
- GoldenKey PRO support
License Plus Visa Quota
5 residence visas · 1-year licence
AED 14,875
- Trade licence & registration
- Establishment card included
- 5 visa eligibilities
- Flexi-desk / office options
- GoldenKey PRO support
License Plus Visa Quota
6 residence visas · 1-year licence
AED 16,575
- Trade licence & registration
- Establishment card included
- 6 visa eligibilities
- Flexi-desk / office options
- GoldenKey PRO support
License Plus Visa Quota
7 residence visas · 1-year licence
AED 18,075
- Trade licence & registration
- Establishment card included
- 7 visa eligibilities
- Flexi-desk / office options
- GoldenKey PRO support
License Plus Visa Quota
8 residence visas · 1-year licence
AED 19,675
- Trade licence & registration
- Establishment card included
- 8 visa eligibilities
- Flexi-desk / office options
- GoldenKey PRO support
License Plus Visa Quota
9 residence visas · 1-year licence
AED 21,275
- Trade licence & registration
- Establishment card included
- 9 visa eligibilities
- Flexi-desk / office options
- GoldenKey PRO support
License Plus Visa Quota
10 residence visas · 1-year licence
AED 22,875
- Trade licence & registration
- Establishment card included
- 10 visa eligibilities
- Flexi-desk / office options
- GoldenKey PRO support
Additional visaAED 2,420
Annual renewalAED 5,280
Bank account assistanceAED 1,650
Prices are indicative, in AED, exclusive of 5% VAT where applicable, and confirmed in writing before payment. Last updated 2026-10-29.
Business activities
Explore 834 business activities in Shams Free Zone
Shams Free Zone lets you combine related activities on one licence. Search by what your business does — in English or Arabic — and quote the GK code when you ask for a quotation.
GK-SHAMS-001PrintingMediaApproval requiredGK-SHAMS-002Printing of newspapers, magazines and other periodicals, books and brochures, music and music manuscripts, maps, atlases, posters, advertising catalogues, prospectuses and other printed advertising, postage stamps, taxation stamps, documents of title, cheMediaApproval requiredGK-SHAMS-003Printing directly onto textiles, plastic, glass, metal, wood and ceramics (except silkscreen printing on textiles and wearing apparel)
the material printed is typically copyrighted.MediaGK-SHAMS-004Printing on labels or tags (lithographic, gravure printing, flexographic printing, other)MediaApproval requiredGK-SHAMS-005Multi dimensional printing servicesMediaApproval requiredGK-SHAMS-006Printing,Advertising Agencies And Event OrganizingMediaApproval requiredPopular choices · 834 activities availableAll 834 Shams Free Zone activities
Required documents
Documents required
For Shams Free Zone company formation for UAE nationals and residents the authority asks for the following supporting documents, and we tell you exactly how each must be formatted.
Scanned colour copies are enough to start. We check every item before anything is submitted.
For individuals
- Educational certificates attested by the United Arab Emirates authorities and the UAE embassy, for professional activities
- A bank statement from your United Arab Emirates bank for the last three months, which banks use to understand your profile
- A passport-size photograph on a white background
- A clear passport copy for each shareholder and manager, valid for at least six months
- Attested parent-company supporting documents and a board resolution if the shareholder is a companyif applicable
- Your current residence visa and Emirates ID copy if you are a UAE residentif applicable
For companies
- Certificate of incorporation (attested)
- Memorandum & articles of association
- Board resolution approving the UAE company
- Passport copies of shareholders & directors
- Company profile / business plan
Our process
How Shams Free Zone works with GoldenKey
- 1
Consultation and activity selection
In practice, we confirm that your activity is available in Shams Free Zone, choose the licence type and agree the visa package and office option that match your plan. For Shams Free Zone company formation for UAE nationals and residents this step rarely needs your presence; scans and e-signatures are enough.
- 2
Name reservation and initial approval
We submit your preferred trade names to Shams Free Zone and secure initial approval, normally within a day or two of submission.
- 3
Document submission and payment
With the forms and memorandum signed, GoldenKey lodges the attested papers and settles the licence fee with the authority on your behalf. For Shams Free Zone company formation for UAE nationals and residents this step rarely needs your presence; scans and e-signatures are enough.
- 4
Licence issued and next steps
Once the Shams Free Zone licence and company documents are released, we move immediately to the immigration file, residence visas and the bank meeting.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
Straight answers about Shams Free Zone. Anything else — ask GK AI or message us.
View all FAQsHow long does the Shams Free Zone licence take?
In our experience, once your documents are complete, the authority normally issues the licence within 3 business days. Visas and bank account opening follow afterwards.
Is an audit required for a Shams Free Zone company?
Put simply, requirements vary by zone and by company size. GoldenKey will confirm the current Shams Free Zone rule when we prepare your quotation, and we provide bookkeeping if you need accounts in any case for corporate tax.
Do I need to visit the UAE to set up in Shams Free Zone?
Most Shams Free Zone licences can be released remotely with scanned documents and a signed power of attorney. You will need to enter the UAE for the medical test and Emirates ID biometrics when your UAE residence visa is processed.
Can a Emirati citizen own 100% of a company in Shams Free Zone?
Yes. UAE nationals and residents can own the full share capital of a Shams Free Zone company with no local partner, exactly like any other nationality.
Do UAE nationals and residents need a UAE visa before applying for Shams Free Zone?
No. You can apply for the licence from United Arab Emirates with scanned documents, and the investor residence visa is processed afterwards.
Get a free quote
Ready to start your business in Shams Free Zone?
As we tell every client, call or WhatsApp GoldenKey today and a consultant will walk you through Shams Free Zone company formation for UAE nationals and residents step by step, with no obligation and no pressure.
Good to know
More about Shams Free Zone
Why the UAE
As we tell every client, the dirham has been pegged to the US dollar since 1997, which removes currency risk for Shams Free Zone company formation for UAE nationals and residents and makes international pricing simple. From day one, since 2021, most mainland activities have allowed 100% foreign ownership, and free zones have always offered it, so Shams Free Zone company formation for UAE nationals and residents no longer requires a local partner.
Why GoldenKey
On the ground, we will tell you plainly if Shams Free Zone is not the right choice for your plan and point you to a better option, even when that option costs less. Put simply, most of our Shams Free Zone clients come to us through referrals from other company owners, so we take pride in keeping every promise we put in writing. Our office is a short drive from the Ajman Free Zone, Ajman DED and the immigration centre, so physical submissions for Shams Free Zone company formation for UAE nationals and residents happen the same day they are ready.
